Project outline

[Robus]

So, you've got an arrangement and begin tracking: When do you start 'treating' a track? Adding to it whatever you will? After everything is down or as soon as the take is recorded? What is the preferred sequence? First eq, then fx or start with reverb then eq?

If you are considering adding EQ and FX right after you record a track, you might be thinking about it the wrong way. There's a book I'd recommend, Mike Service, Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio. It changed my approach. Service recommends setting up a raw balance first, then using EQ and ambiance to solve problems that remain. It's not something you apply automatically to a track before you've even finished recording.

The only exceptions for me are: 1. A high pass filter on everything that isn't a bass instrument. I add that from the start because I know it's going to be there in the final mix. 2. FX like delay or spring reverb that are part of a guitar sound I'm trying to achieve. I always track those, in the case of delay synced to the song tempo. That is different from the reverb used to help a track sit in the mix.

 

[mjbphotos]

IF you've tracked everything correctly, you shouldn't need a high pass filter on 'everything' (there have been long arguments here about that already). Of course if you've got large trucks rolling by outside, you may need to get rid of rumble if you didn't have a hi-pass on the mic selected.
I'll throw ReaEQ on a track and look at the frequency curve if I think there's a problem, and only put a hi-pass on it if it truly needs it.
But Robus is correct - don't start throwing EQ and other stuff on the tracks as soon as you start mixing. Figure out what is needed first by creating the rough mix.

 

[rose62]

All of this is very interesting. Sort of a 'nuts and bolts meet philosophy.' Which is exactly what I can use.

 

[Robus]

It really is a philosophy, actually. The book I mentioned is the opposite of the kind of quick start EQ guides we've all seen, that contain advice like: Bass guitar: Cut below 40Hz, boost at 200Hz, etc. It's about listening to tracks in the mix, not in isolation, identifying problems in the mix, and addressing those through intelligent use of EQ and FX.

Like MJB says, it all starts with tracking good sounds. That hi-pass/don't hi-pass discussion is a long-running one, and a philosophical difference. Compare and decide which approach works best for you.

 

[BroKen_H]

...and of course, once you've got a mix that sounds "good", it's time to start polishing. You've got it tracked well, and you like the sound of the tracks. You've got your panning like you want it and set your reverb and echo to make everything sound where you want it. You've notched and hi/lo passed with the EQ so everything has it's own "space". Then you start on the next phase...compression.

Compression is often overdone (I over do mine a lot, but I'm still learning and honestly, it's really difficult to hear when you have rookie ears (me)). There are so many things you can (and should) do with a compressor (WHEN NEEDED) that it becomes easy to layer them on until there's no feeling in the dynamics left.

De-essing vocals; leveling bad performances (or just uneven ones); ducking instruments to others (i.e. duck the bass when the kick hits or duck the guitars when the vocal is going); the list goes on. All nice things a compressor does (WHEN NEEDED).

There are other techniques, like parallel (NY style) compression, Multi band compression (which allows you to compress different bands of EQ (Bass, lo mid, hi mid, high...or whatever)) in different ways. If you have a full range instrument (say a piano) that you want to compress, sometimes you need to compress the bass notes different from the chords, and still different from the tinkling high keys...

 

[rayc]

Remember bypass & ignore highpass.