Free multiband graphic EQ

Pinky

Pinky

and The Brain...
Seeing that my other request resulted in finding the exact solution, I'm putting out one more for a plugin that I don't really think is entirely necessary to purchase... [waves has a very nice graphic EQ plugin but even on sale costs $60+]

I have clunky tools for doing EQ, and have been managing with them but feel something better designed could save me time and perhaps even entice me to use EQ'ing more than I already do. Not being active in the freeware plugin community I don't even know where to start to look.

I would even be willing to pay a small sum for the perfect solution. Mostly looking for multiband (10+), any other functionality would be welcome. The Waves solution has a couple slick features I could see using.
 
Get the Reaper plugin pack from Cockos. The eq is nice. You can add or remove bands as needed. There are lots of other cool effects in there as well.
 
There's a real sleeper of an effect in that pack, the ReaFIR. In compressor mode it does some rather "interesting" things that no other processor that I'm aware of can do.
 
I didn't mind the reaper plugin, used it on a few tracks recently, but the Waves H-EQ was on sale for $49 again at Sweetwater so I snagged it. I like the layout and real time levels. Kinda becoming a Waves fan so sticking with their products is just easier I suppose [that's how they getcha! lol]. Sum and difference options are also neat. I'm going to play with that for more specialized effects.
 
So, not to be that guy, but...

A Graphic EQ usually only has one parameter available per band. The filters are centered on fixed frequencies, with fixed bandwidth, and you can turn each one up or down. They are generally useless for mixing, because those bands are only ever going to be centered on the frequency or have the bandwidth that is appropriate for your material by accident. Some folks still like them for feedback reduction ("ringing out") in live systems, but with digital tools more popular, these are starting to go away too. Waves G-EQ is a graphic, and frankly not worth bothering with.

The others mentioned in this thread are actually Parametric EQ, and frankly the right tool for most jobs. I personally can't imagine why you'd give $50 to Waves when ReaEQ does a fine job for free, but I suppose if you really need your EQ to also distort...

Edit - Nope, sorry. ReaFIR is not really parametric either, but rather an FIR. Point is, though...
 
I'll let you know what I think. I may end up snagging their parametric too if / when it goes on sale.

I do a lot of EQ'ing of individual tracks near the end of my mixing, usually just to make room between instruments. Whether I have to adjust the curve or sliders on a parametric, they both accomplish the same things for me in reducing a few dbs here and there to make space. H-EQ also offers a few other features which is the part I'm more interested in. Haven't had time to tinker yet, so hopefully it wasn't $50 of meh. If it was it would be the first waves product I've purchased that I wasn't using all the time.*


* - correction - Waves Tune never gets used, but I downloaded the manual and plan to at least give it a more earnest try next time I need pitch adjustment.
 
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Yup, happy with my purchase. The real time levels and piano layout for selecting the frequencies is very handy, already worth the price of the plugin IMO. I usually only use one pass filter and adjust maybe one or two bands at a time, so this is absolutely fine. GEQ is likely overkill and I don't see what else I could gain from it.

Still need to learn how to best utilize the sum and difference functions. Downloaded the manual. ;)
 
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