[ddots-l] Re: EQing tracks
- From: "Sean A. Cummins" <Sean@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:04:22 -0700
Hay Gang,
This one's for Kurt!
I've been reading your conversations with Chris and I thought you might like
to read this article from Cakewalk. It's written for the visually
dependent, so you'll just have to forgive them!
Sean A. Cummins
Sonitus fx: Equalizer
by Michael Nickolas
This is the third installment in our series of Sonitus:fx tech tips. If you
missed the previous tips on the fx:multiband and fx:delay you can catch up
at
http://www.cakewalk.com/tips.
If you're new to Cakewalk products and are wondering what in the world we
are talking about, the Sonitus:fx Suite is a highly acclaimed group of
effect
processors included with SONAR 4 Producer Edition (also included in SONAR 4
Producer is the Sonitus Surround Compressor). If you are using SONAR 4
Studio
Edition, previous versions of SONAR, or other Cakewalk products that support
DirectX effects such as Home Studio, Music Creator, Project5, Guitar Tracks
Pro, Plasma, or Kinetic, the Sonitus:fx suite is available as a separate
purchase, either individually or as a suite.
So with that behind us we can begin discussing the fx:equalizer. And what
could be more boring than a discussion on EQing? I mean it is one of the
less
glamorous effects you will find in your arsenal isn't it? Delays are cool,
all kinds of fun there. Same with reverbs, you can really hear them working.
Well EQ, while not as alluring as the other "ear candy" effects, is the meat
and potatoes of a mix. Used properly, it can shape and mold the individual
elements of your mix into a cohesive whole. Misused, I suppose it can shape
and mold the individual elements of your mix into an un-cohesive mess.
So let's see what the Sonitus fx:equalizer brings to the table. It's a six
band parametric equalizer. Parametric equalizer is an equalizer with
adjustable
frequency, level, filters and "Q" (more on filters and "Q" later). This is
different from a graphic equalizer, which you may be more familiar with. A
graphic
equalizer utilizes a slider for each band which boosts or cuts the
frequency. The frequency is fixed. Figure 1 shows a graphic equalizer;
figure 2 shows
the Sonitus parametric equalizer. You can see how the Sonitus parametric
equalizer can offer much more control over the audio making up your project.
Figure 1
Figure 2
The Sonitus fx:equalizer has five selectable filter types for each band. You
can choose from Peak/Dip, Shelving Low, Shelving High, Lowpass and Highpass.
For example, to cut all frequencies below a selected band, select it and set
the filter type to Highpass. To cut all frequencies above, set the bands
filter
to Lowpass. The shelving filter gives you a more gradual raising or lowering
than a low or high pass filter and cumulates in a "shelf" rather than a
sharp
drop off.
I think the best tip I can offer when using the Sonitus fx:equalizer is try
to do subtractive EQing and not additive eqing. The difference being in
subtractive
EQing you are pulling down the level of a given frequency. In additive EQing
you are raising the level of the chosen frequency. For example, you have an
acoustic guitar track that sounds too "muddy". Your first instinct may be to
raise the frequencies around 4kHz to brighten up the sound a bit. But you
are better off pulling down the low-mid frequencies around 325Hz instead!
Here is an example of doing this using the Sonitus fx:equalizer in SONAR 4
Producer
edition.
Select the acoustic guitar audio track for EQing.
In the acoustic guitar track's Track/Bus Inspector click the Enable/Disable
button that's next to the Band menu.
Double click in the EQ's Plot (Graph) area, located just below the trim
setting. This opens up the tracks built in Sonitus fx:equalizer.
Click the reset button.
Disable bands 1,2,4,5,6 by clicking on the corresponding number in the Band
column.
Set band 3's Q to 2.
As the song is playing, raise (that' right raise it for now) band three
above the 0db line by clicking and dragging it in the graph area. Keeping it
raised,
drag it left and right until you find the spot where the muddiness gets
really bad. Now, lower the band below the 0db line until the muddiness goes
away
and the track sounds clearer.
Fine tune by adjusting the Q setting. The Q setting sets the width of
frequencies surrounding the chosen frequency that will be cut. A higher
setting makes
for a narrower band of surrounding frequencies, a lower setting includes a
greater range of surrounding frequencies. Choose a Q setting that removes
the
muddiness, but doesn't alter the "non-mud" frequencies too much.
Here are a few tricks specific to the Sonitus fx:equalizer you may not have
stumbled across:
Control click on multiple bands in the graph view to select them. All
selected bands will move together while dragging just one of them. Adjacent
bands
can be selected by clicking and dragging to draw a "rubberband" rectangle
selection around them.
Right clicking anywhere in the graph will show a pop up menu where you can
change the default db range being displayed.
Double clicking on a band number in the graph view will enable/disable it.
Holding the shift key while dragging a band left or right will adjust the Q
setting. So will selecting the band and using your mouse wheel.
Right clicking on a band number in the Band column brings up a dialog box
with options to copy the bands settings to another band or to all bands.
A final thought to leave you with- the EQing you do on an individual track
may sound great in the context of the mix, that is when all the instruments
are
in. If you were to solo the track, it might sound lousy by itself, much to
the dismay of the performer should he or she be present. Don't worry about
it,
this is normal. Remember the idea of using EQ is to shape the individual
instruments into a cohesive whole!
Michael Nickolas is a guitarist and composer in Marlborough MA. Recent
compositions have been used on ABC's "One Life to Live ". Visit him at
www.studionineproductions.com.
Email to michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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