Problem with EQing mixes.

hybridsound

hybridsound

New member
Hey guys and gals. I've been having problems with EQing my mixes. I can't seem to get it right. I can't find a middle ground when it comes to lows, mids and highs. They're either too loud or too quiet. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips for me to see if I can solve my problem. Here's a list of the gear I'm using:

Cool Edit Pro 2.0
Eurorack UB802
Oktava MK-319 Condenser
Fernandes Dragonfly
Digitech GNX2

I don't use a bass guitar. Instead, I use the GNX2 to drop the pitch of my guitar... I like the playability better. I don't have a drum kit so I use drum pads (they're not the best but they work for what I do). I have a Randall RG 80 PH but I never record with it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
You don't mention the most critical item for mixng. What do you monitor through? Without a decent set of monitors and most importantly, LEARNING how they resolve a mix, you're not even on the playing field.
 
Track Rat said:
You don't mention the most critical item for mixng. What do you monitor through? Without a decent set of monitors and most importantly, LEARNING how they resolve a mix, you're not even on the playing field.
Click to expand...

Oh! Sorry about that! For monitoring, I use a set of AKG headphones (I can't remember the model) and a set of Alesis M1 Mk2s.

Thanks for spotting my error. :)
 
EQing Mixes

Cool Edit has a 'Show Frequency Analysis' box in the waveform edit view. Just highlight the offending part and the frequency graph for that part will show up. Hit 'Scan' and it will average the whole selection. It will also do it in real time if you hit 'Loop' or 'Play.'

Gives you an idea of what frequencies are going where on a particular sound.

I also like to solo the track and loop a small section of it that I think represents the entirety of the track best. Then I can do the final touches by ear that way. I slowly add the other tracks and make minor adjustments...

Two in phase signals of the same frequency will become additive to each other....
 
Reply

It's all about compensation man. If you boost 100hz in your bass track by 5 dB (or whatever) then cut that frequency by the same amount on your kick drum track. When you have several instruments that create similar frequency's the frequency's they have in common will sound together and make your track read artificially hot in the master stereo mix. So if you boost one...find which other instrument creates common frequency's and cut that frequency on that track. A lot of times if you have a strong kick and bass track you could try cutting below 150 hz on your rythm guitar track because in a case where the kick and the bass drum are taking care of the frequency's below 150 hz there is no need for the rythm guitar to represent that range of sound. Give this a try...If you compensate your mixes should come out sounding tighter and more professional. Let me know how it goes.
 
In general, try cuts before boosts; works better for me in the digital realm. Also, use a frequency sweep with a high gain and narrow Q to locate problem frequencies or areas you want to accentuate; then reduce the gain. Overall, use as little as possible.
 
tips on EQing

these are all great tips and i use the same ideas myself.
I don't have alot of experience behind me, I've only been using my DAW (and that's the only thing I've ever used) for about 5 months.
But anyway, what I would suggest is that when you're EQing, try switching to the un-EQed virsion of your track, enable and bypass the EQ section frequently to get a better idea of what you did so far and not lose yourself (and your mix) by drowning in EQ manipulations.
This will also help you realize how much importance the way you track your instruments has.
When I listen to proffesional mixes that sound similar to my taste, I try to imagine how they tracked it, and the EQed it. Maybe I'm just daydreaming the whole time since my mixes aren't very good... :D

Try to imagine the way the kick and the bass will fit in together. I usually decide to give the "air" to the kick to emphasize it in the rythm section/beat, and then I roll off some frequencies of the kick that could be replaced by the bass. Basically the air is the attack and the "slap" of the kick before the whole drum start to resonate. The bass should be able to use a roll off where the kick has the best sounding "boom" hit. but this is true to a certain kind of mix...just an idea of how i do it, anyway. :rolleyes:
the real fun begins at the 500khz to about 4000khz....and the cymbals :( oh well, they always end up distorting my high end...
hope this makes any sense at all...
let us know how it went.
 
northsiderap said:
Cool Edit has a 'Show Frequency Analysis' box in the waveform edit view. Just highlight the offending part and the frequency graph for that part will show up. Hit 'Scan' and it will average the whole selection. It will also do it in real time if you hit 'Loop' or 'Play.'

Gives you an idea of what frequencies are going where on a particular sound.

I also like to solo the track and loop a small section of it that I think represents the entirety of the track best. Then I can do the final touches by ear that way. I slowly add the other tracks and make minor adjustments...

Two in phase signals of the same frequency will become additive to each other....
Click to expand...

What do you mean by 'average the whole selection'? I've been using CEP 2.0 for about 3 1/2 years and I've never used this feature. Could you tell me a little more about it? Do you mean it will average the RQ of the track? :confused:
 
start by taking all of your eq off, then not listening to it for a day
try useing less eq
eq single instruments, and not so much the mix

i have a genral rule that when i'm "mastering" (term used loosely here)
if i want to use more than 3db anywhare i probably need to go back to the mix

maby i won't, but i probably need to
 
""What do you mean by 'average the whole selection'? I've been using CEP 2.0 for about 3 1/2 years and I've never used this feature. Could you tell me a little more about it? Do you mean it will average the RQ of the track? ""

The average intensity of each frequency. If you have for example a tone burst at 500hz for one second, then another at 2khz for one second the 'Scan' function should reveal two peaks... One at 500 the other at 2k.

... An 'average' of all of the frequencies so to speak.

Very useful if you have a guitar or snare track for example that is ringing out at a certain frequency or clashing with another instrument at a certain frequency.

Analyze both signals. There are little numbers on the top right of the freq. graph box where you can actually 'Hold' the frequency graph.

Try this:

1) Highlight one verse of vocals in waveform edit view. 'Scan' and 'Hold' the graph for the vocal track.

2) Highlight a few bars of guitar in waveform edit, then 'Scan' and 'Hold' the guitar track.

3) You can then compare the two averaged frequency responses of the two and cut holes via EQ for them to breathe around each other...

You can also use this 'Scan' function to see if there are any resonant frequencies on a track due to your cruddy room, mics, or instrument (most of the time in a home studio.) Then you can create an 30-band EQ tailored specifically to flatten out your freq. response if you want to go really nuts with it...

Very handy. :)

I also try to stick to +/- 3db for EQing anything. Occasionally I slip to 9db, but unless I'm going for some off-the-wall effect 9db is the limit for me anyway...
 
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