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Not sure if I asked this before on forum so forgive me if I have.
Some users on users showcase put out consistent stuff that is near if not professional standard.
So really from a technical point of view when dealing with all the different crowded frequencies in a mix, how much cutting of certain frequencies in tracks do you need to do, so as the whole mix is not too overcrowded in a certain frequency range.
I know that a persons ears are the first port of call to determine what you want soundwise but are they any generally held rules about what you need to cut or boost?
Usually I don't do much eq-ing to the realtracks just the vocals.
Thanks for any assistance.
Musiclover
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It will always depend on which RealTracks you are using and how they combine with the other Realtracks (that you are using).
And remember you should always EQ in context of the overall mix...
But some general guidelines...
Mostly you will find it advantageous to cut the low end of things that don't really need it.
An acoustic guitar in a full band mix should have "sparkle" - the low end will muddy your mix. You can often cut everything below 100 without affecting the guitar sound (sometimes bumping up the hi end - a shelf - is nice, too).
The pianos tend to muddy a crowded mix if you do not cut their low end - at less below 60 - but sometimes below 100, too. If you are mixing in a DAW, I also suggest that you do not add any reverb to the pianos in BIAB before transferring - leave them dry - if you need reverb add it in your DAW.
To get a Drum Group (as we have with BIAB) to have a tad more clarity, it can be very helpful to have a (considerable) dip of EQ about 400 - a "notch".
That same dip can sometimes help a bass have some definition. I often drop everything below 50 on the bass, too...
Don't forget, is it all subjective and IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MIX and depends on how the RT was originally recorded.
I would suggest you start with those basics and see how they work for you...
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Great question and great response!
I've wondered this same thing, and the guidelines REALLY help!
Thanks to both of you!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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I tend to cut everything in the 100-150 Hz range and below on all tracks except bass drum and bass guitar to keep the low end from getting too crowded. As far as the other instruments, on a particular instrument if I boost a narrow range, I'll cut that same range a little on the other instruments. This helps to give space for each part.
I've got a lot of these tips from therecordingrevolution.com.
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It will always depend on which RealTracks you are using and how they combine with the other Realtracks (that you are using).
And remember you should always EQ in context of the overall mix...
But some general guidelines...
Mostly you will find it advantageous to cut the low end of things that don't really need it.
An acoustic guitar in a full band mix should have "sparkle" - the low end will muddy your mix. You can often cut everything below 100 without affecting the guitar sound (sometimes bumping up the hi end - a shelf - is nice, too).
The pianos tend to muddy a crowded mix if you do not cut their low end - at less below 60 - but sometimes below 100, too. If you are mixing in a DAW, I also suggest that you do not add any reverb to the pianos in BIAB before transferring - leave them dry - if you need reverb add it in your DAW.
To get a Drum Group (as we have with BIAB) to have a tad more clarity, it can be very helpful to have a (considerable) dip of EQ about 400 - a "notch".
That same dip can sometimes help a bass have some definition. I often drop everything below 50 on the bass, too...
Don't forget, is it all subjective and IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MIX and depends on how the RT was originally recorded.
I would suggest you start with those basics and see how they work for you...
Some great pointers in the right direction there, thank you very much Floyd. That should keep me experimenting for a while. Thanks to everyone for replies. Musiclover
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A tip that I've heard from every pro audio engineer with whom I've worked is to use EQ to cut, not boost. Some good examples were mentioned above.
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Here is a video that will show the main points I was talking about... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weucxpmYYvwNote that he drops out everything below 100. And sets a notch at 400 (I notch a little deeper on the Drum Kit - he's using 3 dB... I might go 5 or 6 - but a more narrow notch)
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therecordingrevolution.com is a site that I think almost everyone can learn something. I subscribe to the site and Graham's videos, both are free and contain a lot of good information.
Last edited by MarioD; 06/25/15 09:16 AM.
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I think the answer, to some extent, lies further back in the chain - when you are putting together the arrangement. If you get too many instruments playing at the same time in the same octave, no amount of EQ is going to put that right.
If you give each instrument space in which to work, you'll get a much smoother frequency spectrum and the mix will need less processing. I appreciate that it's not always easy with realtracks - you can't ask the guitarist to play inversions higher up the neck for example, but MIDI tracks can be manipulated to good effect.
I still remember the engineer from whom I learnt such a lot some forty years ago saying - "Every time you reach for the EQ when mixing, it means you got something wrong when tracking". A bit harsh, maybe, but you can see his point.
ROG.
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"Every time you reach for the EQ when mixing, it means you got something wrong when tracking"
True
However tracking is a one time shot quite often, and mixing gets many many passes. So it is not unusual to use it.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Yup....cut more than you boost.
Cut almost everything as Floyd said....and yes, even the kick and bass depending....I'm glad he said this first because I caught some grief for saying the very same thing not too long ago....
You have to learn to wing it and to know what you should be listening for. Low end the to some extent, the high end are the problem areas.
I do believe that your EQ should be mostly flat and if not, you probably should go back and track it again....or in the case of real tracks.... pull the faders back to flat and start again. If the EQ looks like a mountain range..... you're off track and should go back to square one.
Of course, none of this applies to me.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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One other thing comes to mind.
If you've got too much energy in a particular frequency band, you could look at the dynamics of the instruments in that area. If they've all got a lot of dynamic range, the sum and difference could cause a problem. Flattening the tracks might sort it out without resorting to EQ.
Another quote from my old mentor, Malcolm, who used to flatten all rhythm tracks as a matter of principle -
"When I put a something in the mix, I want it to stay there".
ROG.
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One additional comment.... notice my signature line....
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
This is very important. It applies not only to the effects like EQ, compression, reverb, etc... but especially to the tracks.
Sure I like a fiddle and a steel and a dobro and a B3 and a piano and acoustic guitars and electric guitars and drums and bass, and...... do you get the idea? Yeah, well just because you have it and can use it doesn't mean you should use it.
In other words, if you have 20 tracks in a project, that's OK.... but just don't let them all play at the same time.
Some of my projects have 10 vocals and 6 guitar tracks, 3 piano tracks and so on.... but you only generally hear one thing at a time. I avoid, like the plague, having a piano soloing or filling when a guitar is also doing the same thing.... Gentlemen and ladies, please take your turn...one at a time.
Time to run the dog... back later...
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Excellent replies and great advice here, a thread that I will be bookmarking and reading through several times until I get the info in my tired old brain cells.
Was just thinking that if PG was to provide some files to download a song or something then maybe users could mix it and come back to the forum with the finished result, and the more expert could point out what was or wasn't done right.
But as mixing is such a big subject would it even be possible to point out for example "you didn't eq that guitar right" I sure would hope so.
Thanks again for all advice.
musiclover
Last edited by musiclover; 06/26/15 06:50 AM.
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But as mixing is such a big subject would it even be possible to point out for example "you didn't eq that guitar right" Sure, just let the guitar player do the mix! It'll be obvious.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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