R
ricky52_97
New member
Newbie to the forum. Should you apply EQ during the recording process or wait until mixing?
Appreciate any input
Appreciate any input
R
Robert D
New member
Yes, by changing the mics and position. Really, the best eq to use during tracking is variations in proximity effect, axial orientation, and trying different mics. Other than that, I think most will say save it for the mix stage, when you can better judge what frequencies are competing or are under-represented.
T
travelin travis
New member
Try to get the sound you want with mic positioning during tracking. I think eq'ing during during tracking is something you should wait to do after you have some experience with your gear.
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
What Robert and Travis said. 
After you get some experience under your belt you might find yourself doing *some* EQ during tracking because after doing it a hundred times or more your ear has become trained and your mind has acquired some fundamental experience and knowledge in the lay of the land. But even then you'll be finding yourself wanting to save the lion's share of the EQing for the non-destructive phase of mixing where you can try different things without having to worry about ruining your original tracking.
G.
After you get some experience under your belt you might find yourself doing *some* EQ during tracking because after doing it a hundred times or more your ear has become trained and your mind has acquired some fundamental experience and knowledge in the lay of the land. But even then you'll be finding yourself wanting to save the lion's share of the EQing for the non-destructive phase of mixing where you can try different things without having to worry about ruining your original tracking.
G.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
I absolutely agree that you should try to get the sound you're after at the source with mic choice/positioning, however, I have no problem grabbing the EQ knobs if I feel that's what it'll take. BUT, the gotcha here is if you print with EQ/effects or whatever and upon playback the next day you ask yourself "what was I thinking!!!" you can't undo what's been done. This can really be a bummer if it was one of those unrepeatable performances.
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
EQ is evil and is only used by Guitar Center employees. You should NEVER use it.
A real engineer NEVER uses EQ. She/he uses compression instead.
A real engineer NEVER uses EQ. She/he uses compression instead.
R
ricky52_97
New member
Thanks
Hey people, thanks for all the input but here the problem lies. I live in a Condo and record my bass, elec. guitar, kybds, etc direct. No real play with mic positioning. Sorry to be a pain in the a..
Thanks for all the great insight into the mysteries of recording.
Hey people, thanks for all the input but here the problem lies. I live in a Condo and record my bass, elec. guitar, kybds, etc direct. No real play with mic positioning. Sorry to be a pain in the a..
Thanks for all the great insight into the mysteries of recording.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Everything said here still applies. Be carefull with EQ/effects.
Fletcher
New member
As you use equalizers during the tracking phase of the project be sure that you don't do anything seriously radical. If you require more than a db or two at any given frequency/range of frequencies then it's time to consider a different mic, pre, both, etc.
Equalizers are often exceptional tools for achieving your goals... but be careful not to over use them.
When in doubt leave it out... but if you're not in doubt feel free to employ a good tool. One other bit of caution... most [and I do mean MOST!!!] of the budget equalizers of this world will do far more damage than good. Their lack of headroom and linear phase response through the audio spectrum [and beyond] even without any of the knobs being turned is often very destructive.
The least expensive equalizer I have ever met that will do an acceptable job is the Speck Electronics "ASC-T" and/or the Toft EC-1 and/or ATC-2.
Best of luck.
Equalizers are often exceptional tools for achieving your goals... but be careful not to over use them.
When in doubt leave it out... but if you're not in doubt feel free to employ a good tool. One other bit of caution... most [and I do mean MOST!!!] of the budget equalizers of this world will do far more damage than good. Their lack of headroom and linear phase response through the audio spectrum [and beyond] even without any of the knobs being turned is often very destructive.
The least expensive equalizer I have ever met that will do an acceptable job is the Speck Electronics "ASC-T" and/or the Toft EC-1 and/or ATC-2.
Best of luck.
P
Parissound
New member
"A real engineer NEVER uses EQ. She/he uses compression instead."
What? That is the dummest crap I read in a while.
What? That is the dummest crap I read in a while.
blueroommusic
you want this big boy?
you sir, win the idiot of the day award...that is unless you intended to be one, in which case, kudos
X
XLR
______
Relax amigo. He was kidding.
Tim
blueroommusic
you want this big boy?
forgive me...I was born without the ability to detect sarcasm and humor...
I was also born without the ability to control the volume of my voice!!!!
I was also born without the ability to control the volume of my voice!!!!
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
ouch............
CIRO
Eu mesmo
Parissound said:
It´s true that compression can (trying differente values to attack and realese controls, for ex. ), give excelent results, "shaping" some sounds in a differente way that simply control the dinamic range .
But say that a "real enginner" NEVER uses eq ...
MY SONGS
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=562934
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X
XLR
______
I'd try to avoid EQ'ing while tracking when a beginner. Ten years from now you'll have EQ's much better than what you've got now. And you’ll know how to use it better. If you keep original tracks clear of processing you can go back later and re-mix them with better gear. It'd be a shame to apply a crappy EQ to a great performance and then never be able to change it.
Personally, I hate EQ. I use it only when I absolutely have to. It makes things sound less real to me.
I don't have a good hardware EQ and that's maybe a key factor, but I do have pretty good software EQ's (Waves linear, and PLPar EQ). Every EQ I've used warps the sound in some way, not counting the frequency range affected by the intended processing. In my use, EQ is audio duct tape. A fix for something I should have done better originally.
But my use may be different than yours so YMMV.
Tim
Personally, I hate EQ. I use it only when I absolutely have to. It makes things sound less real to me.
I don't have a good hardware EQ and that's maybe a key factor, but I do have pretty good software EQ's (Waves linear, and PLPar EQ). Every EQ I've used warps the sound in some way, not counting the frequency range affected by the intended processing. In my use, EQ is audio duct tape.
A fix for something I should have done better originally.But my use may be different than yours so YMMV.
Tim
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
Some people just apparently have no bs filter 
I mean, seriously........
That said, I have been the idiot of the day far more than once
I mean, seriously........That said, I have been the idiot of the day far more than once
Timothy Lawler said:
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
Come on, seriously, you think?????? lol
you guys kill me, you really do......
you guys kill me, you really do......
CIRO said:
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ricky52_97
New member
Wow!!
Thanks for all the great info. My home recording rig is a yamaha digital 16 trk recorder with built in mixer, onboard fx, etc...... Anybody with any experience with this kind of unit
Thanks for all the great info. My home recording rig is a yamaha digital 16 trk recorder with built in mixer, onboard fx, etc...... Anybody with any experience with this kind of unit
crosstudio
New member
hey experts... does that include low cut?
do you apply low-cut to the non-kick/bass tracks during tracking?
do you apply low-cut to the non-kick/bass tracks during tracking?
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