wet and dry
- Thread starter Merle
- Start date
esactun
New member
"Dry" is the pure, unadulterated signal. "Wet" is the signal with effects. If you sing into a mic, the signal from the mic is dry. If the signal passes through a reverb, it's now wet.
"Low shelf" on EQ means that all frequencies below the freq you set wil be EQd. A 6dB cut with a 300hZ low shelf will cut all freqs below 300hZ by 6dB (ignoring slope, that is). A high shelf works the opposite way. A 6dB cut with a 5000hZ low shelf will cut all freqs above 5000hZ (again, ignoring slope) by 6dB. Sometimes "low shelf" will be referred to as "high pass" (cuz the highs pass thru), and the high shelf will be called "low pass" (for the converse reason).
{By slope I mean the component's built-in (or adjustable) slope... ferinstance, the cut/boost of a low shelf EQ will have an octave width or Q. A low shelf (like one of my plugins) set for a 6dB cut at 40hZ cuts the freqs from 40 to 20 in a descending fashion (the lower the freq, the closer to 6dB is the cut). 20hz and below are cut by the full 6dB, though 30hz is only cut by 3dB or so.}
"Low shelf" on EQ means that all frequencies below the freq you set wil be EQd. A 6dB cut with a 300hZ low shelf will cut all freqs below 300hZ by 6dB (ignoring slope, that is). A high shelf works the opposite way. A 6dB cut with a 5000hZ low shelf will cut all freqs above 5000hZ (again, ignoring slope) by 6dB. Sometimes "low shelf" will be referred to as "high pass" (cuz the highs pass thru), and the high shelf will be called "low pass" (for the converse reason).
{By slope I mean the component's built-in (or adjustable) slope... ferinstance, the cut/boost of a low shelf EQ will have an octave width or Q. A low shelf (like one of my plugins) set for a 6dB cut at 40hZ cuts the freqs from 40 to 20 in a descending fashion (the lower the freq, the closer to 6dB is the cut). 20hz and below are cut by the full 6dB, though 30hz is only cut by 3dB or so.}
esactun, thanks for the information! You went over my head a little with the indepth info about "shelf" because I am not experienced enough to really know where to set these particular setting too!
Right now, I am just trying to use my ear to get the sound like I like it, and then burn a CD and listen to it on other stereos and the car and try to make adjustments as I see fit, however, I end up going through to many CDs and I can't erase them afterwards!
This is probably a stupid question, but, are their any rule-of-thumb for settings for, lets say, a classical guitar only? I am a flamenco guitar player and a flamenco guitar has certain characterics as a classical guitar.
Merle
Right now, I am just trying to use my ear to get the sound like I like it, and then burn a CD and listen to it on other stereos and the car and try to make adjustments as I see fit, however, I end up going through to many CDs and I can't erase them afterwards!
This is probably a stupid question, but, are their any rule-of-thumb for settings for, lets say, a classical guitar only? I am a flamenco guitar player and a flamenco guitar has certain characterics as a classical guitar.
Merle
esactun
New member
You're welcome! And yes, this stuff can get confusing and/or esoteric very quickly...
Here's a post I stole from a post by shackrock, who stole it from ausrock, who got it from...? It's a handy dandy beginner's guideline. You'll have to listen close to make the adjustments that you want, but often these will get you "in the ballpark." I found this helpful, as well as a few articles at http://www.prorec.com (search for "All Things BEing EQ-ual" and "Why Your Mixes Suck"). They all helped me a lot.
-----------------------------------
FREQUENCY: USES:
50Hz
1. Increase to add more fullness to lowest frequency instruments like foot, floor tom, and the bass.
2. Reduce to decrease the "boom" of the bass and will increase overtones and the recognition of bass line in the mix. This is most often used on loud bass lines like rock.
100Hz
1. Increase to add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments.
2. Increase to add fullness to guitars, snare.
3. Increase to add warmth to piano and horns.
4. Reduce to remove boom on guitars & increase clarity.
200Hz
1. Increase to add fullness to vocals.
2. Increase to add fullness to snare and guitar ( harder sound ).
3. Reduce to decrease muddiness of vocals or mid-range instruments.
4. Reduce to decrease gong sound of cymbals.
400Hz
1. Increase to add clarity to bass lines especially when speakers are at low volume.
2. Reduce to decrease "cardboard" sound of lower drums (foot and toms).
3. Reduce to decrease ambiance on cymbals.
800Hz
1. Increase for clarity and "punch" of bass.
2. Reduce to remove "cheap" sound of guitars.
1.5KHz
1. Increase for "clarity" and "pluck" of bass.
2. Reduce to remove dullness of guitars.
3KHz
1. Increase for more "pluck" of bass.
2. Increase for more attack of electric / acoustic guitar.
3. Increase for more attack on low piano parts.
4. Increase for more clarity / hardness on voice.
5. Reduce to increase breathy, soft sound on background vocals.
6. Reduce to disguise out-of-tune vocals / guitars.
5KHz
1. Increase for vocal presence.
2. Increase low frequency drum attack ( foot / toms).
3. Increase for more "finger sound" on bass.
4. Increase attack of piano, acoustic guitar and brightness on guitars (especially rock guitars).
5. Reduce to make background parts more distant.
6. Reduce to soften "thin" guitar.
7KHz
1. Increase to add attack on low frequency drums ( more metallic sound ).
2. Increase to add attack to percussion instruments.
3. Increase on dull singer.
4. Increase for more "finger sound" on acoustic bass.
5. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers.
6. Increase to add sharpness to synthesizers, rock guitars, acoustic guitar and piano.
10KHz
1. Increase to brighten vocals.
2. Increase for "light brightness" in acoustic guitar and piano.
3. Increase for hardness on cymbals.
4. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers.
15KHz
1. Increase to brighten vocals (breath sound).
2. Increase to brighten cymbals, string instruments and flutes.
3. Increase to make sampled synthesizer sound more real.
----------------------------------------------------
You have the right idea, listening to mixes on various systems. Yes, one does go through lots of CDs (but it must be cheaper than reels of pro analog tape
--actually it's often cheaper than decent cassette tapes!).
I find flamenco playing to be astounding. I can't even remotely do it myself.
Once I saw some guy on Letterman play a light-speed flamenco piece with guitar picks taped to an electric egg beater. That would be the closest I could get.
Here's a post I stole from a post by shackrock, who stole it from ausrock, who got it from...? It's a handy dandy beginner's guideline. You'll have to listen close to make the adjustments that you want, but often these will get you "in the ballpark." I found this helpful, as well as a few articles at http://www.prorec.com (search for "All Things BEing EQ-ual" and "Why Your Mixes Suck"). They all helped me a lot.
-----------------------------------
FREQUENCY: USES:
50Hz
1. Increase to add more fullness to lowest frequency instruments like foot, floor tom, and the bass.
2. Reduce to decrease the "boom" of the bass and will increase overtones and the recognition of bass line in the mix. This is most often used on loud bass lines like rock.
100Hz
1. Increase to add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments.
2. Increase to add fullness to guitars, snare.
3. Increase to add warmth to piano and horns.
4. Reduce to remove boom on guitars & increase clarity.
200Hz
1. Increase to add fullness to vocals.
2. Increase to add fullness to snare and guitar ( harder sound ).
3. Reduce to decrease muddiness of vocals or mid-range instruments.
4. Reduce to decrease gong sound of cymbals.
400Hz
1. Increase to add clarity to bass lines especially when speakers are at low volume.
2. Reduce to decrease "cardboard" sound of lower drums (foot and toms).
3. Reduce to decrease ambiance on cymbals.
800Hz
1. Increase for clarity and "punch" of bass.
2. Reduce to remove "cheap" sound of guitars.
1.5KHz
1. Increase for "clarity" and "pluck" of bass.
2. Reduce to remove dullness of guitars.
3KHz
1. Increase for more "pluck" of bass.
2. Increase for more attack of electric / acoustic guitar.
3. Increase for more attack on low piano parts.
4. Increase for more clarity / hardness on voice.
5. Reduce to increase breathy, soft sound on background vocals.
6. Reduce to disguise out-of-tune vocals / guitars.
5KHz
1. Increase for vocal presence.
2. Increase low frequency drum attack ( foot / toms).
3. Increase for more "finger sound" on bass.
4. Increase attack of piano, acoustic guitar and brightness on guitars (especially rock guitars).
5. Reduce to make background parts more distant.
6. Reduce to soften "thin" guitar.
7KHz
1. Increase to add attack on low frequency drums ( more metallic sound ).
2. Increase to add attack to percussion instruments.
3. Increase on dull singer.
4. Increase for more "finger sound" on acoustic bass.
5. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers.
6. Increase to add sharpness to synthesizers, rock guitars, acoustic guitar and piano.
10KHz
1. Increase to brighten vocals.
2. Increase for "light brightness" in acoustic guitar and piano.
3. Increase for hardness on cymbals.
4. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers.
15KHz
1. Increase to brighten vocals (breath sound).
2. Increase to brighten cymbals, string instruments and flutes.
3. Increase to make sampled synthesizer sound more real.
----------------------------------------------------
You have the right idea, listening to mixes on various systems. Yes, one does go through lots of CDs (but it must be cheaper than reels of pro analog tape
--actually it's often cheaper than decent cassette tapes!).I find flamenco playing to be astounding. I can't even remotely do it myself.
Once I saw some guy on Letterman play a light-speed flamenco piece with guitar picks taped to an electric egg beater. That would be the closest I could get.
esactun, WOW, thank you for that information! I like the idea of knowing now, with what you just gave me, just what and where at the different Hz levels I can go to try and elminate a particular disturbing sound...now wheather I can do it or not, this at least gives me a reference point from which to start!
One other thing...all my recordings (BOSS BR-8 digital recorder) I always placed the mic pointing at the soundhole, but, now I am going to place the mic right over my right shoulder. The reason I am going to do this, is because I read here on the forum, that's the best way to record acoustic guitar. Do you agree with that, and what are the benefits of doing that kind of mic placement as far as sound travels?
Merle
One other thing...all my recordings (BOSS BR-8 digital recorder) I always placed the mic pointing at the soundhole, but, now I am going to place the mic right over my right shoulder. The reason I am going to do this, is because I read here on the forum, that's the best way to record acoustic guitar. Do you agree with that, and what are the benefits of doing that kind of mic placement as far as sound travels?
Merle
esactun
New member
You're welcome!
I haven't recorded much acoustic guitar (and mine will sound lousy no matter how you mic it ), so I can't really say. I did read on here the suggestions about over-the-shoulder micing-- I think they say one over the shoulder (for string noises, and to replicate what you hear when you play) and another near the sound hole (could be an interesting stereo effect). I have yet to try it myself, but want to. Try asking this over in the Recording Techniques or Guitars and Basses forum; I know plenty of folks here have tried just this and will know (far!) more about it than I.
Make sure you thank shackrock and ausrock too for that large list of EQ's usual suspects!
I haven't recorded much acoustic guitar (and mine will sound lousy no matter how you mic it
), so I can't really say. I did read on here the suggestions about over-the-shoulder micing-- I think they say one over the shoulder (for string noises, and to replicate what you hear when you play) and another near the sound hole (could be an interesting stereo effect). I have yet to try it myself, but want to. Try asking this over in the Recording Techniques or Guitars and Basses forum; I know plenty of folks here have tried just this and will know (far!) more about it than I.Make sure you thank shackrock and ausrock too for that large list of EQ's usual suspects!
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Merle, all the info here is good stuff. I'm not telling you not to use EQ, but be careful with it. Use it like you use hot sauce; a little is good sometimes on certain things but to much can make it undigestable. You've already said you're doing the most important thing, you're using your ears. 