Paragraphic Eq???

[PowerCouple]

Hi people!

Can anyone please explain me what exactly a paragraphic equalizer does and how it works?

I know what graphics and parametrics do, and how they work, but I´m looking for the specs of a paragraphic.

Thanks in advance

PC

[Shailat]

You have a visual slider like in a graphic only.....
you have control over the Freq and "Q" like a parametric EQ.

A combination of them both. You wont find many hardware paragraphics.

[PowerCouple]

Is that all?

I thought it had some different features. So it´s a kind of "user friendly parametric"?

No other difference?

PC

[Shailat]

There might be slight differences in the Paragraphic software plugins. Small add ons were it might give you more options or more control but bottom line is it is a as you said "user friendly EQ".

As a plug in it is a great idea but for hardware it is way to expensive to build them and therefore they are not very common.

[PowerCouple]

Thanks Shailat...you´ve been very helpful. Now I know a little more...

Thanks!

PC

[sjoko2]

That reminds me of a wonderful live console we once designed, in the very early '70's. It was pretty unique, 4 band EQ, with each band adjustable by means of 2 small faders, the left one cut / boost, the right one Q.
I think it was sold to a US band (from the UK) some years ago, I lost track of it. Pink Floyd used it for many years, and it was also used by Focus and I think Steve Harley.
The biggest benefit of the console was speed of operation. You could see everything easy, and it was the best board to re-set for different songs.

Slightly of the topic, just remenissing

[PowerCouple]

It´s ok sjoko...

Everything counts....

Everything´s good to know...

[Shailat]

I wish they made more consoles like that.

Every time I want to take a glance at the EQ on the board, I have to get out of my chair and lean over. 2 faders would solve that.

[sjoko2]

It was one of the best sounding consoles, all class A pre's etc. I forgot how many channels, I think it was 42. The only problem was the small faders, which had to be high quality, so only P & G's were good enough to last and perform accurately. You can imagine the cost per strip with 8 small and one long-throw P & G per channel strip? I wish I could find it, I'd love to buy it back after almost 30 years!

[Shailat]

I'm glad to hear you can afford to buy it back

These days they take apart boards like that and sell them strip by strip. You might just find parts of her laying around the world.

A woman at every board

[sjoko2]

I think its still intact. I heard Floyd sold it about 5 or 6 years ago to a band in the US, whom are using it for their live gigs. I just can't think of who it was.
And no, at the moment I cannot affors sweet FA! Spend to much time not working and being a studio builder! Apart from that 2 of the projects I worked on last year have not been released yet.
Time to make some more hits!

[Shailat]

Tell me something Sjoko2,
In the states do you get points? for doing a CD?

I'm not sure what you guys call it..... I mean do you get payed for
every album sold?.

Here it is zilch... only the producer gets points....

[sjoko2]

I don't know where your "here" is!!

But I'm European, even though I live in the US.....

It pretty much the same everywhere. If you're a really well known engineer you can sometimes negotiate points, but this really depends on how much an artist wants to work with a certain engineer. I'm a producer as well as engineer.

I don't think the system is fair as it does not encourage full participation and max effort by engineers. On top of that, a good engineer often makes a huge contribution to a project.

In our production company we do things slightly different, in a way that values maximum effort and input of everyone concerned. Our system features:
- The session musicians we use get travel expenditure & direct costs only. Upon the general release of a project they get the equivalent of union scale payment for the time / work they contributed.
- Engineers receive a daily / weekly payment in the region of $600 p. week.
- Whereass normally points are split, dependant on contractual agreements between a record company / production company / producer / artist, we introduced a further point allocation. This allocation is split between all who contributed to a projects success, depending on the level of the contribution made. This is maily for the benefit of the musicians and engineer(s), but can include others such as a photographer, video producer / crew, etc.

Payment to all "in the kitty" kicks in under a producer's agreement. meaning all those involved get paid based on sales, already before advances have been recouped, unlike the artist, who gets paid royaltees only once all expenses have been recovered. (but in the meantime has often been paid an advance by a record company).
Obviously any artist we work with has to agree to this beforehand, but for us its not a choice, its a condition. We have found that we attract, without any question, some of the best musicians on the planet with this system, people who are aware that their input makes a big difference.
The result is that, especially our new, artists get to work with the best people, and everyone is totally committed to making sure our artists succeed, they will work their asses off, as its their own money they are working for, the more success, the more pay.

Obviously its a good thing for any engineer as well. Record a hit and you'll earn big bucks!! Apart from that, I think its just a much fairer system.