Eq - Basic Mixing Help!

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MinorThreat1

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Im new to recording and need some help with mixing i have everything recorded but theres so much about mixing. First off how to i bring the bass and drusm to the bottom of the speakers and the guitars more upwards? do i use the eq for that or how do i do it? How does everyone mix there stuff? When i put my stuff together it all meshes?
 
WARNING::: All the freqs below are approx so move the knob back and forth to get the right sound.

So you're saying that you record electric guitars, bass and drums.



ELECTRIC GUITARS:
100 hz = bottom end, grunt
but be careful boosting this frequency because a short distance away, at 200 Hz, you run into a frequency that, when present in large amounts, has the effect of throwing a blanket over the sound and destroying all clarity.

500- 600 Hz = the body of the guitar

3k - 4k = psycoacoustic excitement, gives the guitar some edge
but don't hit this freq too hard or it will give you a headache.

5k - 8k = brings out the sibilants of the strings, again don't overuse.

10k or so = this is the freq that is used to bring out the sound of a crash cymbal, so if your guitar is playing power chords over cymbal crashes then accentuate the 10k to make the cymbal and the guitar blend together.

KICK
Give the upper freqs a boost at about 3k, and sometimes a push between 6k & 8k which provides kind of a click.
100Hz = bottom end, but you can go lower even to 40 Hz depending on what you are going for, like if you're going for some special medium that can plaback those frequencies.
The amount of boost depends on instrument, but is relative to the amount of boost I do at 100Hz.
Boost the 8k about one-tenth the amount boosted at 100Hz.
Boost the 3k about two-thirds the amount boosted at 100Hz.

SNARE
1k - 3k = the bang range
5k = sound of the snares and the stick hitting the skin
100Hz = you can boost this before it hits the tape to make the speakers push a lot of air, and then the listener can physically feel the pulse of the snare and the kick drum.

It is important that you don't want the snare to ring into the next beat, there should be a direct connection between the tempo of the song and the EQ of the snare.

BASS
I don't know if you're doing singal signal recording or combined signal recording but start by giving it a low end boost at about 100Hz, But you can go lower even to 40 Hz depending on what you are going for, like if you're going for some special medium that can plaback those frequencies.
Don't push near 200Hz or it will get muddy
800Hz = The harmonics that make it easier for the listener to detect the pitch.
3k and 5k = Hear more of the attack when the finger or pick plucks the string.


I know this isn't complete but it will get you started.
 
You don't want to be boosting both bass AND kick at 100Hz as suggested above........ usually between bass and kick, if you boost frequencies on one, you're cutting those same frequencies on the other.

Also, SUBTRACTIVE EQ (cutting unwanted frequencies) is much preferable to boosting.....

(ie - if a track is dark-sounding, cut the low-mids or bass rather than boosting the top end....)
 
This is more like a sticky note. You need to get a book that goes into much more detail to get the whole picture.
 
Put your hands in the air and please, step away from the eq. You're best off not using any eq or I should say, minimal eq. Try capturing the sound as close as possible to fit the needs of the mix. Use the eq for minor tweaking and as Bruce said, you are better off making cuts, most of the time. And nobody can predict what adjustments will need to be made without actually hearing the mix, so don't assume that this instrument will need a boost at 100hz and this one will need a boost at 500hz or whatever. Here's some homework, so get crackin'. http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/articles6.htm
 
Blue Bear Sound,

Does Forbidden Dream have any mp3's posted anywhere?
 
I'm going to post a little sampler on my site - but I haven't had a chance to put one together yet...

Their material is really hot, though -- Iwas impressed with even their rough demos when the project started!

I'll let you know when the clips are up - hopefully sometime this week.....
 
Reel Buzzer.......

I finally got a Forbidden Dream Sampler clip in place... it's on the CLIPS page on my studio site.......
 
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