EQ me...

C

cbsc

New member
Hey gang,

I am new to EQ/mixing/mastering and was wondering about your approach:

If one uses the same EQ settings on all the tracks, will that help make it sound as though all the instruments are playing in the same room/spaceand mix or sound better? ( I can only record one track at a time)

Or, instead, does one EQ each track individually to get the best sound by itself and then later do a general EQ during mastering?

I think the later is probably the answer to my question, and it probably depends a lot on the application, but I would enjoy hearing others' perspectives, experiences, and approaches on the subject.

Thanks, Chad
 
I'd keep the same sounds when recording, make presets of used EQ:s and use those at every song. If the guitarsounds drums etc. are the same, same eq should apply with minimum tweaking at mixing.
That said, more of the same can be done in the mastering stage.
 
I wouldn't advise using the same EQ setting on every track, It won't really work. Different instruments need different treatment, some might not need any at all. Listen to your entire mix with no EQ, and decide what needs what. Perhaps the guitars have too much low end, so deal with that, perhaps the hi hat has too much high end, so EQ that. Those are just basic examples really, but as I say, some tracks may not need EQing at all.

Don't fall into the trap of EQing each track soloed. It may sound all well and good on it's own, but how is it going to sound in the mix?

If by track you mean song, then I wouldn't advise using the same EQ presets with that either, but that's just my personal opinion. Even if you have the fundamentally the same guitar sounds, same drum sounds etc, the song itself is different. The dynamics could be different, more promenant frequencies could be different etc etc. I can think of a tonnes of examples of tunes I have, where a guitar track in each of them solod, will have exactly the same tone, primarily becaue they have been recorded in the same session with the same amp and the same guitar, yet by the time the respective mixes are finished, the EQ settings will be completely different.
I find that it's always best to start with all EQ's off, and just listen to what needs doing.

I would say the same applies with 'mastering' really. I have tried running 2 different mixs through the same chain to make them more uniform. Never worked for me. I don't like starting with a preset myself, even a self made one. I find that if I start from that point, I end up making this way more complicated. It may be that, that chain was completely uneccessary, and I have spend hours using EQ to effectively flatten it. Again, I prefer to start with a 'clean slate' so to speak.
 
legionserial said:
I don't like starting with a preset myself, even a self made one.
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I can imagine that. It's not that I really dislike the idea, though whenever I save a preset, I usually find myself never using it again. It just doesn't fit on any of the following tracks. That's for mixing.
Mastering is a bit different. A flawless mix doesn't need EQ'ing at all and certailny no compression, as this is all done during mixing.
When I remaster tracks, sometimes using equal settings for several tracks work, sometimes they don't. Especially when using an exciter, the required EQ'ing depends much on the song.
Mixing and mastering generally requires individual care for each track. It's no assembly line work.
 
How the hell is EQ supposed to add "cohesiveness?"

That's just plain dumb. Holy shit. You guys need to get some of the stupid cleaned out between your ears before you post.
 
One thing is for sure - Don't be waiting until the mastering stage to worry about EQ... The sounds should be 95% "there" before you even put a mic in front of it. You should EQ to nip/tuck/tailor sounds to better fit a mix - Not to change it to sound different.
 
How the hell is EQ supposed to add "cohesiveness?"

That's just plain dumb. Holy shit. You guys need to get some of the stupid cleaned out between your ears before you post.
Click to expand...

i just mean that if he wants it to sound as if it all came from the same space, he'd be better off to apply a master EQ rather than the same fucking setting on every track
 
hey cheescock

How the hell dose EQ not add "cohesiveness?"

"cohesiveness" is just sticking things together and if you look at it the way "Ironklad Audio" was getting at, it makes sense "using EQ to make the tracks stick/blend together"

there was no need to be such a dick...

dose it make you feel big and important when you wrongly correct people...

mabey you should sit back and count to ten before you post, toss bag :D
 
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