PAZ - frequency spectrum analyzer?? What is it all about?

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PaulKarate

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Someone was telling me about the use of a frequency spectrum analyzer like PAZ or equivalent to see what your mix looks like.

They went on to say that it can save you a lot of headaches in the longrun. And you can easily see what frequencies need to be adjusted in the overall mix to bring them in line with everything else.

My questions:

What is PAZ? is it a brand or a type?

Does a frequency spectrum analyzer come with most or all software (I use Sonar)?

Is it software or is it a plug in?

Most importantly, if it is something that is not included with the software how much does something like this cost?

How important is it really?

IN OTHER WORDS, can someone just "break it down" to me?

Thank you much.
 
Honestly, and I don't mean this in any condescending way...But if you don't know, chances are you're better off using your ears, it ain't going to help you. Who cares what it LOOKS like???

In the immortal words of Socrates Glen. "Why use one sense to assess something that is meant for another sense. It's like rubbing your hands over an oil painting to see if it feels right".

Or something like that. :eek:
 
yeah, i agree, who cares what it looks like.

whoever told you that must have poor mixing skills and he needs something to justify them. thats a great excuse for a crappy mix, "i just leveled off the waveform based on my frequency chart"...
 
You should have heard the sandwich I had for lunch today...

Seriously, Paul, I'm not familiar with the brand "PAZ" off the top of my head, but yeah there are a lot of spectrum analyzers out there. They can be had in either software or hardware, but 99% pf the time in this forum people will be referring to a software plug-in (BTW, a plug-in *is* software.)

Spectrum analyzers can come in handy for finding specific problems that just plain elude one's ear. For example I used one just last night in an attempt to ID the source of some noise that was creeping into a friend's recordings and the analyzer revealed an interesting harmonic series with a fundamental at about 387Hz. This is something that even a platinum-eared audiophile would have had trouble isolating.

But using an analyzer to actually analyze one's mix is a Bozo no-no. That's what ears are for.

G.
 
G has spoken!

***all hush***

end of thread. close please. you are silly.
 
This guy asked me if I read music...I said "No, but sometimes I listen to a good book"

(variation on a theme...sorry)
 
If I remember correctly it's a Waves plug-in... though I believe that PAZ stand for PsychoAcoustic analyZer :rolleyes:
 
paul there are free plugins that do the same this as the waves paz analyser. Do a search on voxengo span, Ukm Gonio, and rogernicholsdigital inspector free.
 
This subject always seems to bring out heavy duty reactions.............. I don't see an RTA as a greatest tool ever when it comes to the mix down but it can be pretty handy on individual tracks when trying to dovetail components together or to double check that you've eq'd the way you thought you did. It's not an Ideal tool but neither is a VU meter.

You should'nt need metering to tell if a hawaian shirt is loud( yes , those are easy laughs, are'nt they!) :p


If audio where strictly about hearing than why is'nt the field DOMINATED by blind people????


buy the way, mixes do seem to be an individual thing, very creative and unique. I've noticed on some albums where the artist used the same pro's again after an earlier album with them, there finger print is obvious; maybe those recording engineers had some technical chops ( and secrets) to go along w/ there ears.
 
Paulkarate:

Ultimatley you have to decide and figure out your own workflow, Just get a cheaper one and mess w/ it. ( or get spectra foo!!! which is a might expensive! ............how do they stay in buisness???)
 
Some of you guys need to climb down off of those high horses.

My questions:

What is PAZ? is it a brand or a type?
Click to expand...

PAZ is a spectrum analyzer plugin from the Waves bundle...

Does a frequency spectrum analyzer come with most or all software (I use Sonar)?
Click to expand...

I'd say half and half most bundled with the sofware are not very good (at least for me YMMV)

Is it software or is it a plug in?
Click to expand...

Spectrum Analyzers can be hardware, software, or plugins.

Most importantly, if it is something that is not included with the software how much does something like this cost?
Click to expand...

Depends on how much you want to spend prices range from free to infinity.

How important is it really?

IN OTHER WORDS, can someone just "break it down" to me?

Thank you much.
Click to expand...

However much these guys rag on you a spectrum analyzer is very useful in spotting trouble frequencies in tracks. Say you are listening to a track and you notice a weird frequency in there well you could you an eq and "sweep" through the frequencies till you find the offending one or you can use a spectrum analyzer and zero in on the frequency almost instantly. Spectrum analyzers are also a useful when attempting to correct problems in a room.
I'm sure theres more they can do but thats about all I know.
 
bigwillz24 said:
Some of you guys need to climb down off of those high horses.



PAZ is a spectrum analyzer plugin from the Waves bundle...



I'd say half and half most bundled with the sofware are not very good (at least for me YMMV)



Spectrum Analyzers can be hardware, software, or plugins.



Depends on how much you want to spend prices range from free to infinity.



However much these guys rag on you a spectrum analyzer is very useful in spotting trouble frequencies in tracks. Say you are listening to a track and you notice a weird frequency in there well you could you an eq and "sweep" through the frequencies till you find the offending one or you can use a spectrum analyzer and zero in on the frequency almost instantly. Spectrum analyzers are also a useful when attempting to correct problems in a room.
I'm sure theres more they can do but thats about all I know.
Click to expand...






:D Way to go! actually awnswering dudes question!!! what a concept!! :D
 
We all answered dude's question.

It's just that many of us feel that it's better anwering it a certain way. My first answer was that if you don't know how to use one or what it's really for, you're probably better off NOT using one. I still believe that's one correct answer along with the very valid analogy of using your ears instead of your eyes.

But I still respect your right to answer your way without trying to make myself feel superior...because there is more than one answer to most questions.

Who's exactly is on their high horse again?
 
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RAMI said:
We all answered dude's question.

It's just that many of us feel that it's better anwering it a certain way. My first answer was that if you don't know how to use one or what it's really for, you're probably better off NOT using one. I still believe that's one correct answer along with the very valid analogy of using your ears instead of your eyes.

But I still respect your right to answer your way without trying to make myself feel superior...because there is more than one answer to most questions.

Who's exactly is on their high horse again?
Click to expand...


feeling guilty are we? :p
 
bigwillz24 said:
feeling guilty are we? :p
Click to expand...
Not at all. Just answering your false accusation. Very tactfully and accurately too I might add. That's does not signify guilt by any stretch. In fact, that denotes the OPPOSITE of guilt.

What's wrong, did it make too much sense for you??? :D :p
 
Well when you assume... well... you just make an ass out of yourself. :D In all honesty the dude asked a simple question and whether if you meant to or not you started a flame job on the man. Seems you threw the first stone and look at the ripple it made.
 
I do find spectrum analyzers handy when trying to find out where exactly an offending resonance is, so I can EQ it out. Sometimes it's just easier to see that there is a peak at 354.3hz instead of sweaping a notch filter around.
 
bigwillz24 said:
Well when you assume... well... you just make an ass out of yourself. :D In all honesty the dude asked a simple question and whether if you meant to or not you started a flame job on the man. Seems you threw the first stone and look at the ripple it made.
Click to expand...
Come on, man. I repect your opinion and respect the fact you gave hime a detailed answer. But a few people making a few harmless analogies and dumb jokes (that weren't at his expense) about "hearing and seeing" etc...didn't side-track the thread and can hardly be called a "flame job". Let's not get too senstive about the smallest joke here.
Glen, Lee, Fllatfinger, Marcus,Tragic and I gave him real answers, seasoned with a bit of good-nateured, un-unsulting humor. It's wasn't a flame fest. Let's not blow things out of prortion.
 
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