Parametric eq question

F

Freak-a-zoid

New member
Took some of your adivces from my first post to do as some said and study a little more.

So I thought instead of trying to find a quick remedy like duck taping a leak I'd try and learn more about what is causing the leak and properly use the right tools for the right job.

I remember back in my early days in the 80's having this peavey head that had eq knobs on it, never really understood in depth the uses of it other than using the faders until i found the sound i wanted, much like my MarkII mesa boogie head.

I bought Ozone Izotope a few months back and decided to read the manual several times to perhaps get a better understanding of the concept.

parametric eq and frequencies?

there are 8 bands, 2 shelves and 6 bands.

the ranges from 20hz to 20khz, im assuming this is the range of the human ear?

Since Ozone allows you to adjust the width of the bands, is there a standard setting with range for each band?

if so, could i get some recommedations on how I should set the band widths or does it depend on the type of music being recorded?

Then I'd like ask some opinions about frequencies.

If anyone can give me a good range to set the bands I would appreciate it..

Thanks alot for any help
 
Hopefully somebody will come along with links to charts of common EQ applications.

In general- Putting your signal through a cheap EQ will degrade your signal. Think of EQ as a last resort. Try to get the sound you want with proper mic placement. EQ cuts are better than gains. Dont expect to EQ every track. Dont EQ while tracking unless you are positive of the sound you need. Dont EQ while solo'ing tracks. You always want to EQ a sound in the context of the mix. A guitar track may sound thin when solo but will fit right into the mix.

Save EQ for the mixdown when you really can tell if you need it. Bass cuts are usually the most needed. Most home recordings suffer from too much low mids that eat up your dynamic range.
 
I wouldnt worry so much about not using EQ. There are good EQs out there that are relatively inexpensive like waves renEQ or the Q10 or in the hardware domain, the EQ on soundcraft M series mixers, that you can boost and cut and not worry so much about degrading the sound. Wait until you have the whole picture before you do anything but dont be so afraid to boost or cut. If something sounds shitty, hit undo and try again.
Mic placement is important when considering bass response but it will seldom have a significant impact on 2k-8k and up. If you need to boost or cut there, go ahead. As Tex said, cheap EQs are bad and should be avoided, but there are good software EQs on the market which are inexpensive and more than usable. Even EQs that are native to many programs are often usable for a midrange boost or cut. Where soft EQs differ, is in their handling of low mid and low frequencies at 500 and down (some are warmer and smoother than others--waves comes to mind) and high frequencies 8k and up (some are harsher than others).
 
General rule of thumb is boost wide, cut narrow. How wide depends on what and why you're boosting. I usually dial in the freq. I want first and then play with the bandwidth.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top