OK Here's a dumb question for you...

[nbiehl]

This pertains to the project I posted about here in this forum yesterday.

I'm recording through an analog mixer (Soundcraft 200) into a DAW, using an AT-4033 LDC. During the tracking phase, I left the EQ on the desk alone. I had planned to EQ in the software while mixing.

Was this a mistake? Should I be using the board to dial in the sound during the tracking process before I see how thing sit in the mix, or should I wait until I mix to start manipulating frequency so I don't have to boost tones I subtracted before I heard the instruments together?

I think I'm going to end up re-tracking some upright bass stuff. This music will be running under dialogue in a film, and when I try to mix some tracks at lower volume I can't get a balanced bass tone without the bass sounding woofy or hollow.

I experimented with mic placement and some ghetto room treatment for hours last night. I got better results than my original tracking, but if the goal is for the track to sound almost exactly how you'd want it to sound mixed, I'm not there yet.

In the middle of the night I woke up and realized I still had the board EQ at my disposal, and I felt really stupid for not using it.

 

[Mr. ROUSH]

What you're doing is just fine.. Of course it's a personal preference thing, but you have a lot more flexibility adding it in the mix.. If you apply eq to disc then you can't fix it later and take it back if you end up throwing something in the song that doesn't mesh well with it, or if the way you end up mixing an existing instrument doesn't mesh with it.. I wouldn't add eq until after tracking.

 

[Dogbreath]

I agree. When I'm tracking, I "never ) EQ. I save that for mixing. Leaves ya more versatility.
IMO...if ya need to EQ during tracking to get it to sound right, you should fix the source. That may be a different mic, different placement of the mic, different guitar, pickup etc.

I also go easy on compression. I'll tame the peaks but that's about it. OK...that's what I shoot for anyway...
It just makes sense to NOT paint yourself into a corner. Know what I mean?

 

[Dogbreath]

And I know ya didn't ask but...
You'll get a punchier, cleaner sound if ya track at lower levels than "right before clipping". Like -18 to -12...ish.