***How To Use A Spec. Analyzer right???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Raydio
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Raydio

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Im using Cool Edit 2.0 and it has a nice Spectrum Analyer but the thing is, I see all these post on using Spec Anayzers, but Im not sure what to do once I know the frequencies of the track. My ear as far as mixing goes SUCKS, and I would like to use the SA to assist me in finding out which frequencies are too dominent or need a boost. I want to know which EQ type to use (paragraphic, graphic eq, low-pass, etc.) once I find the frequencies that are too dominent, and when to use the EQ. I have the Waves Platinum Bundle and Masters Bundle so I have a few EQs to choose from, in addition to this I also have the Izotope suite. My goal is to get my mixes as close to unmastered industry mixes as possible. Thanks

**Also, if you know of any plugins that let you take a "snapshot" or an industry mix's EQ settings and lets you "paste" that snapshot to your mix... can you tell me what the name of it is??????
 
I hate to say this

But if you don't have an ear for mixing, tools won't fix the problem. They can aid you, but when it comes right down to it--you just have to listen.

Spectrum analyzers are great for checking out room dynamics and can be used to help spot fequency oddities(which you should be able to hear), but there is no "set point" each frequency should be. For that, you have to listen and tweak it. That is what makes mixing an art form, not just job.
 
Riding on Snoops coat tails...

Let's say for instance you are EQ'n Bass and the analyzer tells you that 100Hz is higher than, say, 400Hz.

Do you, A) do what you have described and pull down 100 Hz, or B decide whether the tone of the bass needs adjusting and then audibly determine where it needs adjusting....??

Jeopardy Players...


The answer is B, why?

I am glad you asked,

What if this was a Ken Smith Bass and you just yanked 100Hz out of the bass, but oh.. the neck needed calibration so that 400Hz was a little hotter than normal, but not as hot as 100Hz....

Well Geez Pat what do I do....

Glad you asked.

Train those ears and quit worrying about technical tools. Study some mixes and practice practice practice. Learn how to use an EQ BY EAR!!! Not by a SA.

Bryan Giles
 
I would say the proper way to use a spec analyzer would be to approach say a bass with your ears. You say hmmm. this bass seems really muddy. Well in my 25 years of experience (dont worry I havent got that either) i've noticed that muddy bass usually has a lot of 160-300 hz stuff, but depending on the technique used and the notes being played it differs. So you whip out your spec analyzer and see that right at around 180hz there is a huge lump in freq response. Use a parametric eq to bring down the 180hz region. does the bass sound tighter? If yes, than you can safely say that you used a spec analyzer to mix.

BUT, don't lower the 180hz region just because the spec analyzer shows a strong level there, do it because it sounds muddy, and the spec analyzer agrees
 
giles117 said:
Train those ears and quit worrying about technical tools. Study some mixes and practice practice practice. Learn how to use an EQ BY EAR!!!
Click to expand...
'nuf said!!
 
thank you mr giles, both for your reply and giving me the oppurtunity to make my 300th post! :cool:
 
KingstonRock said:
BUT, don't lower the 180hz region just because the spec analyzer shows a strong level there, do it because it sounds muddy, and the spec analyzer agrees
Click to expand...

Ding, ding, ding. Kingston wins the cookie.


Mix with your ears, but don't just dismiss a visual tool if it has some possible uses that can help you, just because it's visual.

Another example:

You're mixing a project, and you just don't hear the snare cutting through with any balls or power. It sounds great in solo mode, but in the mix, it sounds thin and all you're hearing is top-end crack. You have a hunch it's competing with the bass guitar. So you pull out your SA, and notice that most of the force from the snare is coming from 200 hz. Subsequently, you check out the bass track and notice a huge, consistant spike going on right at 200 hz there as well. You've at least identified 200 hz as possibly a good place to start fiddling with.

So you pull out the EQ and cut a bit of a notch out of the bass at 200 hz.

Listening back, you'll probably notice one of two things:

a) the snare is cutting through with more power now, the mix is improved, etc. etc. so you go with it.

b) the snare still doesn't sound better, and worse yet, the bass sounds wimpy now, so you scrap the whole idea and try something else.

In either situation, you've just used a spectrum analyzer properly.
 
Thanks for the great info guys, but I think I was "newbied" by a few of you. No offense, but I never meant that I want to solely use the SA for mixing, I know about using my ear, but I basically meant that I wanted it to assist me in mixing because my ear isnt as on-point as most of the guys here on the board. I just wanted to know how to use that tool correctly before I started making clients super pissed off, LOL. I also wanted to know if there was a PLUGIN that lets you take a snapshot of another mix and print it into yours, I think i heard of this before, but im not sure. Keep the comments coming! Thanks
 
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