frank_1
New member
>Are they for mastering only?
>What's a good brand/model?
>What can they do for my recordings?
>What's a good brand/model?
>What can they do for my recordings?
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo Frank of One:
Most stand alone recorders, tape or digital, have EQ buttons to turn. Turn them one way and you can increase the high end, the mid end, the mid mid end, or the low end.
For example, sometimes when I do a bass line on my synth, it doesn't have that BOTTOM PUNCH I'd like; so, when I mix it down to whatever, I boost the bass 1/4 and lower the hi EQ 1/4, and then I get a ballsy bass line.
For singers, a touch of EQ somewhere might help a cut turn out better. Of course, all of the people here will tell you, get it right when you record it; trying to make it perfect by overdoing EQ will usually wind up giving you DQS.
[damned queer sound]
You can buy many elaborate EQ boxes or just use what you have one your recorder; but, from the sounds of your question, you don't have a stand alone recorder with EQ processing buttons. [knobs]
So, in final, EQ is adjusting the fequencies of hi and mid and low for an effect somewhere in the mind of the engineer.
Green Hornet
Most stand alone recorders, tape or digital, have EQ buttons to turn. Turn them one way and you can increase the high end, the mid end, the mid mid end, or the low end.
For example, sometimes when I do a bass line on my synth, it doesn't have that BOTTOM PUNCH I'd like; so, when I mix it down to whatever, I boost the bass 1/4 and lower the hi EQ 1/4, and then I get a ballsy bass line.
For singers, a touch of EQ somewhere might help a cut turn out better. Of course, all of the people here will tell you, get it right when you record it; trying to make it perfect by overdoing EQ will usually wind up giving you DQS.
[damned queer sound]
You can buy many elaborate EQ boxes or just use what you have one your recorder; but, from the sounds of your question, you don't have a stand alone recorder with EQ processing buttons. [knobs]
So, in final, EQ is adjusting the fequencies of hi and mid and low for an effect somewhere in the mind of the engineer.
Green Hornet
frank_1
New member
>But what why do people use 30-band eq's? Is that gonna give a better over all affect? Just looking at a 30-band eq is scary; how the hell does someone adjust 30-bands without going nuts?!
B
BigKahuna
New member
I'll go out on a limb and say that graphic EQs are better suited for fine tuning during mastering. But that doesn't mean you can't use one on individual tracks.
The main difference is that graphic EQs use specifically set frequencies (or bands) to boost/cut (gain). All those sliders do the same thing (boost or cut the signal for that frequency) ... so don't be afraid of it.
Parametric EQ lets you choose the frequency, the boost/cut (gain) and how many frequencies on each side of the one you select to boost/cut (usually called "Q"). This type of EQ is better at 'zeroing' in on specific frequencies (or ranges of frequencies) and turning them up or down depending on if they sound good.
And for any EQ ... IMHO ... that's the bottom line ... keep playing with it until it sounds good to you. There's no right or wrong settings.
I don't know if that helps at all ... but there it is.
[Edited by BigKahuna on 01-05-2001 at 12:27]
The main difference is that graphic EQs use specifically set frequencies (or bands) to boost/cut (gain). All those sliders do the same thing (boost or cut the signal for that frequency) ... so don't be afraid of it.
Parametric EQ lets you choose the frequency, the boost/cut (gain) and how many frequencies on each side of the one you select to boost/cut (usually called "Q"). This type of EQ is better at 'zeroing' in on specific frequencies (or ranges of frequencies) and turning them up or down depending on if they sound good.
And for any EQ ... IMHO ... that's the bottom line ... keep playing with it until it sounds good to you. There's no right or wrong settings.
I don't know if that helps at all ... but there it is.
[Edited by BigKahuna on 01-05-2001 at 12:27]
frank_1
New member
THANKX! It helped me out a lot.<><><><>()()()()()("'"'"'")
Kelly Holdridge
New member
31-band EQs are GREAT for live shows, you can cut the specific frequecy (or MORE specific frequency, rather) to avoid feedback and still retain most of your tone.
Plus: take two of them on different instruments, take the "even" numbered ones and reduce them all the way, do the opposite with the other instrument, and you avoid the "muddies."
I think. Haven't tried it.
Plus: take two of them on different instruments, take the "even" numbered ones and reduce them all the way, do the opposite with the other instrument, and you avoid the "muddies."
I think. Haven't tried it.
bvaleria
New member
A bit of a generalization but it wouldn't be extreme to say that 31-band EQs and the like are essentially useless in the recording studio (although as Kelly pointed out, very useful in a live setting.)
In a recording setting, if you need to EQ at all, then you need to control specific frequencies WITHOUT affecting many frequencies next to it (the "Q" or slope of the EQ frequency). A graphic EQ's "Q" point is fixed, and fairly wide, so in boosting/cutting a specific frequency, you're really affecting a wide range of frequencies only CENTERED on that specific frequency. In many recording situations, this is not precise enough and, in the case of boosting, will cause more harm than good due to phase anomalies introduced when using EQ to boost.
You really want to get the sound/tone down to tape properly, using the proper mics and recording techniques, without the use of EQ. And if you really HAVE to use EQ at all, then you'd want to be using a parametric EQ, which allows you to control not only the boost/cut frequency, and the level of boost/cut, but also the slope (or "Q") of the frequency. So called, semi-parametric EQs are not as useful 'cos again, they have no Q control.
The problem is, a good parametric is not cheap (Avalons, Focusrites, Symetrix), so it may not be cost-effective, depending on your budget.
Probably not the answer you're looking for, but hey... you're better off saving money and buying something decent, than buying cheap and having to buy the right thing later anyways.
Bruce
In a recording setting, if you need to EQ at all, then you need to control specific frequencies WITHOUT affecting many frequencies next to it (the "Q" or slope of the EQ frequency). A graphic EQ's "Q" point is fixed, and fairly wide, so in boosting/cutting a specific frequency, you're really affecting a wide range of frequencies only CENTERED on that specific frequency. In many recording situations, this is not precise enough and, in the case of boosting, will cause more harm than good due to phase anomalies introduced when using EQ to boost.
You really want to get the sound/tone down to tape properly, using the proper mics and recording techniques, without the use of EQ. And if you really HAVE to use EQ at all, then you'd want to be using a parametric EQ, which allows you to control not only the boost/cut frequency, and the level of boost/cut, but also the slope (or "Q") of the frequency. So called, semi-parametric EQs are not as useful 'cos again, they have no Q control.
The problem is, a good parametric is not cheap (Avalons, Focusrites, Symetrix), so it may not be cost-effective, depending on your budget.
Probably not the answer you're looking for, but hey... you're better off saving money and buying something decent, than buying cheap and having to buy the right thing later anyways.
Bruce