When to EQ / Add Effects

Spikeh

Spikeh

New member
I've been recording for a few years now, and something's just popped in to my head... maybe I'm doing it all wrong? Although I know there's no right or wrong way to do things in the recording / mixing / mastering world, I'm sure there are "better" ways!

I currently record with some decent mics, in to a crappy Behringer MX8000 desk, that then goes straight in to an M-Audio Delta 1010. That's changing next week as I've purchased an RME HDSP9652 and 2 Presonus Digimas FS's, just in case you haven't seen my 5 million other posts with the same statement in it ;P

I always EQ on the desk to get a sound for the instrument / mix that sounds better than the raw sound. I sometimes run things through a pre-amp / compressor, but usually only vocals.

Now, I'm thinking, would it be better to record with a flat EQ, no gating or compression, then add it afterwards? I know this isn't the case for vocals (it always sounds better with compression on them), but as for drums and guitar, surely if I recorded them flat, it gives me MUCH more flexibility when I come to mixing? That way the recording can be done a lot quicker, and I just need to spend time getting the mixing right?

Or am I completely wrong with this assumption? The reason I'm asking is with the new sound card and AD/DA interfaces, I have the option to go straight in to the Digimax's XLR inputs and use their preamps, which I can guarantee will be better than the Behringers? It also cuts out a whole mixing desk (including the horrible channel / talkback bleed I get from it, and noise) and another 3 meters of TRS multi-core (from the direct outs of the desk to the sound cards).


Another question in relation to this is, what about effects? I have some really good VST plugins (I use Nuendo) such as the Waves Diamond Bundle, a TCWorks bundle and various other plugins... but I also have some semi-decent hardware units. Would it make sense to record everything clean then run it through VSTs afterwards, or record with the hardware in the chain? Or even run the recording through the hardware afterwards? Again, I would have thought the VSTs would give me more flexibility?

Thanks in advance for any responses...
 
Like you said, there is no right or wrong way, really.

BUT, why not have the flexability of adding effects/eq/compression afterwards (yes, even on vocals). That way, you're never stuck with something you can't fix.
 
If the raw material is good enough & you're recording into a computer it makes sense to use the advantages of treatment in the box as RAMI so blithley put.
Lots of people still put stuff on as it goes in but, to varying degrees , that's a remnant of limited tracks & routing inherent in 4 & 8 track anologue devices.
I've worked with 4 track stuff I did 18 years ago after importing it into my comp & almost everytime I wish I hadn't added reverb or compression etc because I didn't do so great a job with tem & I can't undo.
If you know your beans & you have your brain around it though there's no reason to live in ooops undo land like mw.
 
i have a MX8000 and i personally think its quite a good desk, the eq section is pretty good and the pre amps out perform my DMP3 by far, which was quite the surprise with behringers reputation. as far as adding on the way in, i think minimal (correctional) eq is ok, but effects are just easier to put on later even if you direct the recorded signal through the reverb for example and record it back in on spare tracks.
 
I suppose that's the beauty of DAW recording... Mr CTRL+Z :)

I dunno why this didn't come into my head until now. I suppose I've been thinking of recording, mixing and mastering techniques all day every day since I got the studio... I want to make it a full time job as soon as possble :)
 
Ctrl/Apple + Z, the only shortcut EVERYONE should know and use:D

I always record dry and flat (not that I'm pro or anything), and add everything afterwards - you can generally get the same sounds afterwards as you can in-chain.
If you've got nice hardware, then why not use it? Just use it when mixing, give yourself some time to play with the settings!
 
For me, the only time I put anything in between the preamps and converters is if I happen to have access to some stellar piece of hardware that blows away any plugin I have available (including DSP based plugs), and I know exactly what I want from it even before I begin mixing. That's pretty close to never.

Also, with EQ, think of it this way; EQ while tracking = mic selection and placement.
 
Aye, generally the case. I fiddle with my mic placement for a while before I'm happy. That's usually when I start to EQ :)

I'll try my next drum set up without any EQ... should be next week sometime.
 
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