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

[bigwillz24]

Fair enough... we shouldn't blow things out of prortion...

 

[RAMI]

ooooooo....pointing out typos...Yeah, that's really on topic, and always a good last resort when there's nothing else.

You missed my version of "good-nateured".

 

[true-eurt]

http://www.google.com/search?client...n&q=PAZ+frequency+analyzer&btnG=Google+Search

 

[RAMI]

http://www.google.com/search?client...n&q=PAZ+frequency+analyzer&btnG=Google+Search

Show off!!!

 

[Decipha]

i stand behind my analyzer thats the backbone to all my mixes... although i do not rely on it 100% i like to see what frequencies are peaking and what is lacking... helps me to develop the overall sound

 

[true-eurt]

Show off!!!

 

[RAMI]

i stand behind my anal---yzer

No comment.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

[ANALOGY ALERT]
Spctrum analyzers are like prescription pain killers. That do a great job when needed in an emergency or a special situation, but if you have to take them every day you have far more serious problems to worry about.
[END ALERT]

It's simple. If one needs to regularly use a spectrum analyzer to "check their mixes", they have far more serious problems with their ears than a spectrum analyzer alone will fix. Not the least of which is that they couldn't hear a good mix if T-Bone Burnett stuffed one into a sock and bludgeoned them over the head with it.

G.

 

[kylen]

However much these guys rag on you a spectrum analyzer is very useful in spotting trouble frequencies in tracks...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.

This isn't an RTA forum - people do use them over here but the politics doesn't usually lend itself to intelligent discussion - I think mostly because the RTA may fool the uninitiated into a life of excess and uninformed visual audio decisions. I do this myself everyday - my brain knows that I need at least 1.5db boost at a certain EQ setting, ahh yes that sounds better - whoops the EQ was in bypass. I guess I wasn't really listening. I do that at least 2x a week. Whith spectrums the fear is that it is even more visually distracting and more decisions will be made by sight. I have to agree with this to a certain extent. This is an unmoderated forum so whatever politics is in the air is what drives the mob mentality - sometimes folks take the time to give an informed answer, other times people who don't know how to use RTA will give an opinion based on something they read,etc. If the poster does any sort of initial search here they will find a bunch of discussions on RTA and 1 or 2 useful comments here & there in each thread. Some cool jokes too - like the Hawaiin shirt in this one...

I use SPAN as an adjunct (right Bear? ) for bass adjustments (<300Hz) in my apartment house room which has suck bass. After establishing a reference (easy to say - takes some experience & time) it's not too hard to see what's happening in the first few octaves and predict how it may sound on other systems. You're really no worse off than if you go ahead and adjust the bass but can't hear it thru your monitoring and don't look at it on an RTA.

Metering is very useful but more and more I'm trying to make the adjustments first to get the sound - then look at the indicators and numbers - just to see what they say out of curiousity, not necessity. I picked that up from the billy goats over here at this forum - in particular thanks Glen!

 

[PaulKarate]

Thanks everyone, I had no idea this was such a serious issue!! LOL

I was more asking because I'm still trying to wrap my head around Eqing different instruments, (I'm a totally newb when it comes to eqing)

Maybe i need a tutorial on eqing instead.
I have no idea where to begin other than to just get in and try, if it sounds great then it was simply by chance. What I really want it to truly understand it and not just guess everytime!

I'll be recording a bunch of keyboard tracks like strings, pianos, horns, bass sounds etc. and I have no idea how to eq each of these sounds so I figured that if I had one of these I might be able to do a better job while I'm starting out.

Maybe not.

Where can I find info on how to eq
Guitars
Bass
Piano
Strings
violins
synths
Drums

I guess I just need something with some basic guidelines.

But your right!! If i don't know what it is and I don't know how to use it waht good would it be to me?

GREAT POINT on that!!LOL

Thanks everyone.

 

[RAMI]

Thanks everyone, I had no idea this was such a serious issue!! LOL.

Believe me, neither did MOST of us.

 

[RAMI]

Paul.....Here is a good place to start. It has articles on just about everything having to do with recording.
http://theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

 

[Lee702]

Here a Start http://www.tweakheadz.com/EQ_and_the_Limits_of_Audio.html

and here is a pdf on the basics www.woods-and-waters.com/audio/PDF/EQit.pdf

 

[PaulKarate]

my god!! this is gold. Thanks, this is exactly what I needed!!

It took me just thinking and typing about my problem to figure out that I needed this. WOW.

Later

 

[flatfinger]

Cool!
So were all in agreement : If you have a headache from a T-Bone bludgeoning or looking at hawaian shirts or from hearing that bad sandwich at lunch, you should get a shorter horse ,take one RTA ( which you only use sparingly) and call the good-nateured sound doctor in the morning.

What a country!!!!

 

[rayc]

I stand in front of my Freq Analizer (sic) because the lights reflect nicely on my rotund & rather nakedly expose midriff (I've taken to those cropped tank tops you see).
If it's a Psych Acoustic Analyser it's not intended to do what you want it to do. Just a plugin or outboard freq display/analyser will point out the things needed.
Better to be good-nateured than good-neutered.
Those there's something eunich about that too.
High high every botty.

 

[ruskyruss]

why give grief?

I have a friend who says his ears is all he needs, but I have to adjust the bass on my system almost every time I play a song of his. The audio sound fine over his monitors...but not all audio systems produce the same result.

Would not an analyzer be helpful??? I use 'em for this reason...so everyone can play my music and not have to adjust tone settings.

 

[Simman]

Staying away from the debate about whether the analyzer is useful or not, here is one that is better (function & cost [free I believe]) than the waves PAZ.

RTFFT

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Would not an analyzer be helpful??? I use 'em for this reason...so everyone can play my music and not have to adjust tone settings.

Can you tell us what good bass looks like and how it looks different on an analyzer than bad bass?

If your friend is regularly making mixes with poor bass response - either too much or to little - chances are greater than 50% that his problem is his room acoustics, and he needs to address that.

If his problem is not room acoustics but his speakers themselves, then he needs to learn to translate his speakers.

But whichever the cause, a spectrum analyzer will almost certainly not provide a good solution.

G.