MATCHING EQs of different songs..?

dmiraie

New member
Hi forum..

Hopefully this question isn't too silly or obvious..!

I have 30 audio snippets from 30 different completed rock songs,
with each song having previously been mixed differently.
Some of the clips are thick and juicy and others are dry and brittle..
In linking all the clips together in one sequence, I'd like to get the
most homogenous EQ sound possible.. I don't know the best way to
do this, but it was recommended I check out Logic's "Match EQ."
Can this plugin be applied to the master track with good results?
What is the best way to use this plugin? Is there a better/easier way to
get a homogenous sound?

Much thanks for any info/help!!!
Dan
 
(A) It would need to be inserted at either the object level (such as with Samplitude or Sequoia) or at the individual track level with each mix being on its own track with its own inserts (just about everything else).

(B) They don't really work anyway and you're far better off just using your ears.
 

I still prefer ears over software. There are just to many variables to be considered, for any software to adjust correctly. Har-Bal as a tool possibly, but nothing I would ever rely on.

The ears are still the final decision.

Plus, not sure I need another plug in to possibly do what I am going to do myself manually anyway. Just my opinion. Maybe I'm not lazy.

-and no offense meant... :)
 
I still prefer ears over software. There are just to many variables to be considered, for any software to adjust correctly. Har-Bal as a tool possibly, but nothing I would ever rely on.

The ears are still the final decision.

Plus, not sure I need another plug in to possibly do what I am going to do myself manually anyway. Just my opinion. Maybe I'm not lazy.

-and no offense meant... :)

Have you used it?
 
I looked at the demo videos on the Har-Bal site. No description of what was happening and the music was, well.... Not anything that sounded good to begin with.

That is enough to tell me this is a waste of time and money. Sorry man, not something I would purchase myself nor recommend to anyone.
 
I find it to be extremely helpful. I think I should elaborate a bit. It is a tool for those (and this includes me) that have less than stellar rooms and equipment. I do not use it without my ears. Har-bal has its place. I respect you guys that can mix totally by ear alone. Some of us that are not pro's need a little help from time to time.
 
Ok, let's start over... Tomorrow.

I am in the middle of cooking dinner for my family.

I do not have a 'stellar' room. But it is treated to make it useable. Maybe I just didn't understand what the program does. To me from the included video, it comes across as crap.

I will look into it more later, but honestly, if you spend money on a plug to fake what you hear, then you just wasted good money on something that didn't take care of the initial issue. Your room acoustics.

Treat it, or forever waste money and time....
 
I can imagine changes in ambience being an issue to... I'd be using my ears, if I had them. :thumbs up:

Just to clarify to the OP.... not actually being a smart arse - I'm not talking about physical ears which I'll assume we all have, but the ability to use them appropriately to understand and make the requisite changes, which not everyone has.

Which is why all the experienced guys are saying "ears" as opposed to some VST..
 
Ok, let's start over... Tomorrow.

I am in the middle of cooking dinner for my family.

I do not have a 'stellar' room. But it is treated to make it useable. Maybe I just didn't understand what the program does. To me from the included video, it comes across as crap.

I will look into it more later, but honestly, if you spend money on a plug to fake what you hear, then you just wasted good money on something that didn't take care of the initial issue. Your room acoustics.

Treat it, or forever waste money and time....

I agree with your comments totally. My own situation however forces me to move room to room and I'm sure if my wife had it her way I would be mixing in a closet. Someday I will have a treated room (I hope).

Wow, I just listened to the videos on their site and yes, they suck. Hang on a sec... let me wipe the egg off my face - lol

Here is how I use it. I load up a source file of a song of ours that I know translates well. It analyses the track and displays the source file. Kind of like a spectrum analyzer I guess. I then can import my new mix and see how it compares. I then tweak the EQ and gain until it kind of matches my source file. This effectively makes it sound comparable to my source file. Now then, keep in mind that we write and record a song every 6 months or so, so its not like we have the luxury of continuous tracking etc

Jimmy69, I noticed that you use Melodyne (as per your signature). I kinda think that Har-bal is similar in the sense that you are tweaking things visually. With Melodyne you are tweaking pitch visually but would never just run it through Melodyne without listening and correcting accordingly. This is sort of the same thing. You don't just accept default settings and run with it.

Now then... my disclaimer.... my signal chain sucks and I am forced to mix with headphones. I have been in several major studios however, I and know what things are supposed to sound like. All I am trying to do is make it sound the best I can with the inexpensive gear that I have. I am not a pro and I am certainly not going to stick my neck out and pretend to be.
 
My interest was peaked and I decided to do a quick comparison myself because now I'm doubting myself lol.

Ok so this first track is previous to using HarBal... it was an old track that we resurrected so the original song sounded like this. It was a scratch idea with a syncopated digital bass. Here is what I started with.

https://soundcloud.com/thelondonproject-1/sometimes

4 years later we were able to blow the dust off the track and add some vocals... we recorded new bass as well. This is what it sounded like.
https://soundcloud.com/thelondonproject-1/lovers-moon-feat-farrell-1

...and then finally after tweaking it with HarBal
https://soundcloud.com/thelondonproject-1/lovers-moon-feat-farrell
 
My interest was peaked and I decided to do a quick comparison myself because now I'm doubting myself lol.

Ok so this first track is previous to using HarBal... it was an old track that we resurrected so the original song sounded like this. It was a scratch idea with a syncopated digital bass. Here is what I started with.

https://soundcloud.com/thelondonproject-1/sometimes

4 years later we were able to blow the dust off the track and add some vocals... we recorded new bass as well. This is what it sounded like.
https://soundcloud.com/thelondonproject-1/lovers-moon-feat-farrell-1

...and then finally after tweaking it with HarBal
https://soundcloud.com/thelondonproject-1/lovers-moon-feat-farrell
I actually like the old version better. The new one has too much stereo widening and unpleasent highs.
Sorry. :)
 
A million thanks for all the info and suggestions!
I have a quick follow up, if you don't mind:
I think the main thing I need to focus on now is syncing
up the vocals.. some vox are pushed into the background,
and I'd like to pull them into the foreground to match
the rest of the clips.. (I'm mixing Iron Maiden tracks btw,
and Bruce Dickinson has quite a range) .. could you
possibly steer me in the right direction of what might be
the best frequencies to focus on?

(Also, as a newbie to this forum, when I post to this thread, are all the other posters here
generally notified somehow?)

MUCH THANKS!!
dan
 
A million thanks for all the info and suggestions!
I have a quick follow up, if you don't mind:
I think the main thing I need to focus on now is syncing
up the vocals.. some vox are pushed into the background,
and I'd like to pull them into the foreground to match
the rest of the clips.. (I'm mixing Iron Maiden tracks btw,
and Bruce Dickinson has quite a range) .. could you
possibly steer me in the right direction of what might be
the best frequencies to focus on?

(Also, as a newbie to this forum, when I post to this thread, are all the other posters here
generally notified somehow?)

MUCH THANKS!!
dan

This chart on fundamental frequencies may help you know where to boost

Interactive Frequency Chart - Independent Recording Network
 
A million thanks for all the info and suggestions!
I have a quick follow up, if you don't mind:
I think the main thing I need to focus on now is syncing
up the vocals.. some vox are pushed into the background,
and I'd like to pull them into the foreground to match
the rest of the clips.. (I'm mixing Iron Maiden tracks btw,
and Bruce Dickinson has quite a range) .. could you
possibly steer me in the right direction of what might be
the best frequencies to focus on?

(Also, as a newbie to this forum, when I post to this thread, are all the other posters here
generally notified somehow?)

MUCH THANKS!!
dan

Mixing Iron Maiden tracks? Do tell... :)

Frequencies to focus on depend on the singer, mic, room, and preamp used to record, as well as how it works in any particular song. There is no standard.

If someone has set in their settings to get notifications, then yes they are notified of a new post in a thread they have posted in.
 
Back
Top