Types of EQ - do you use hardware or software EQ and why?

[frank1985]

I've become inspired to experiment with EQ in a mix I'm working on. I'm using ReaEQ to do so, and am pleased with the results so far. I just did some tweaks here and there. I've done real basic stuff in the past but I am trying out new (to me) concepts as I go along.

I'm not completely new to EQ theory, but I am applying what I have learned from Kenny Goia's videos on YouTube.

I really appreciate all the input from everyone!

I'm not an expert by far, but best thing with EQ is to not overcomplicate it.... Broad Q for boosts and narrow for cuts. A lot of the time you only need high and low pass. You should already have a good balance with volume levels only, with EQ providing finishing touches. Also arrangement ties in to EQ....if everything is in its own range then EQ doesn't have to be as extreme. I spent years getting bogged down, blindly making micro adjustments to EQ, wasting time trying to achieve the perfect mix, when actually 80 percent of the work is down to the song itself, it's arrangement etc. Once you're happy with that....ask yourself, how can EQ accentuate what's already there...? That's my two cents...as I say I'm no expert, I'm always learning,.but this was my latest breakthrough

 

[Eric V]

I'm not an expert by far, but best thing with EQ is to not overcomplicate it.... Broad Q for boosts and narrow for cuts. A lot of the time you only need high and low pass. You should already have a good balance with volume levels only, with EQ providing finishing touches. Also arrangement ties in to EQ....if everything is in its own range then EQ doesn't have to be as extreme. I spent years getting bogged down, blindly making micro adjustments to EQ, wasting time trying to achieve the perfect mix, when actually 80 percent of the work is down to the song itself, it's arrangement etc. Once you're happy with that....ask yourself, how can EQ accentuate what's already there...? That's my two cents...as I say I'm no expert, I'm always learning,.but this was my latest breakthrough

That sounds like wise advice to me, thanks Frank.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

I've become inspired to experiment with EQ in a mix I'm working on. I'm using ReaEQ to do so, and am pleased with the results so far. I just did some tweaks here and there. I've done real basic stuff in the past but I am trying out new (to me) concepts as I go along.

I'm not completely new to EQ theory, but I am applying what I have learned from Kenny Goia's videos on YouTube.

I really appreciate all the input from everyone!

EQing tracks, like pretty much everything related to mixing, is one of those things that will take a lot of practice and a lot of experience to get good at, and the best way to get that wxperience and practice is to just do it a lot, and expect that you'll feel like you're flying blind and and fumbling for a long time, but you'll eventually "fail up" with time.

So, just go and experiment a lot. Don't worry about adding anything on input, just get tracks into your computer and experiment a lot, and over time you'll get hang for this and you'll start to hear what needs to change before you even reach for your EQ. It'll take a long time, years, likely, but put the work in and you'll get there.

 

[Eric V]

EQing tracks, like pretty much everything related to mixing, is one of those things that will take a lot of practice and a lot of experience to get good at, and the best way to get that wxperience and practice is to just do it a lot, and expect that you'll feel like you're flying blind and and fumbling for a long time, but you'll eventually "fail up" with time.

So, just go and experiment a lot. Don't worry about adding anything on input, just get tracks into your computer and experiment a lot, and over time you'll get hang for this and you'll start to hear what needs to change before you even reach for your EQ. It'll take a long time, years, likely, but put the work in and you'll get there.

That also sounds like good advice, thanks Drew.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

I do wide or narrow cuts and boosts all the time as needed. It's the occasional super narrow filter that I generally apply only as a cut in cases where there's some weird resonance.

 

[Eric V]

Another question, does anyone have a specific workflow when using EQ, such as starting with lower frequencies? Or anywhere that issues stand out?

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

Touching on what I said before - and prefacing this with the fact that I am a borderline novice-know-nothing who no one should ever take any advice from - I use EQ to tweak just a little when tracking/capturing with the aim of trying to get the sound as close to "good" as possible. <--- This is subjective and I'm the only judge. This follows what probably most of us have heard from "pros" - that getting it right at the source is a very good goal - and a good start.

After the ball of clay is largely formed and everything is tracked - I use EQ (ReaEQ) to 1) fix any annoying characteristics or obvious problems with this or that - and to 2) try to give everything it's own space. I'm still learning how to do that. I find it a tedious process - trying to get everything to sit right.

In fact - out of the entire process of making a recording - from beginning to finish - I find using EQ during the mixing and polishing process to be the most tedious and my least favorite part of the process.

I think that's why I've really taken to ReaEQ - because it's made something that can be a drag.... uh.... less so. Because I can just use the mouse and sweep things around and kinda get to where I think I need to be so... um.... efficiently.

 

[Eric V]

Touching on what I said before - and prefacing this with the fact that I am a borderline novice-know-nothing who no one should ever take any advice from - I use EQ to tweak just a little when tracking/capturing with the aim of trying to get the sound as close to "good" as possible. <--- This is subjective and I'm the only judge. This follows what probably most of us have heard from "pros" - that getting it right at the source is a very good goal - and a good start.

After the ball of clay is largely formed and everything is tracked - I use EQ (ReaEQ) to 1) fix any annoying characteristics or obvious problems with this or that - and to 2) try to give everything it's own space. I'm still learning how to do that. I find it a tedious process - trying to get everything to sit right.

In fact - out of the entire process of making a recording - from beginning to finish - I find using EQ during the mixing and polishing process to be the most tedious and my least favorite part of the process.

I think that's why I've really taken to ReaEQ - because it's made something that can be a drag.... uh.... less so. Because I can just use the mouse and sweep things around and kinda get to where I think I need to be so... um.... efficiently.

Thankyou PHM, for the thoughtful and insightful reply.