EQing technique I just thought of...

TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Production Studio
-- EQing technique I just thought of...

Posted by alanzo on Jan-17-2010 18:05:

EQing technique I just thought of...

Something I did last night while painstakingly EQing my current track is to hicut everything but the percussion around 9khz. That way you can actually distinguish the hats/snap of the kick/etc from everything else. Sort of reserving the upper 11khz (from 20hz-20khz) for percussion.

Of course, if there is no percussion playing and I want soem sort of really intense sound, I won't, but I'm saying generally speaking in the mix, does anyone else do this?

Posted by Nightshift on Jan-17-2010 18:07:

yes

Posted by alanzo on Jan-17-2010 18:07:

quote:
Originally posted by Nightshift
yes

Posted by tehlord on Jan-17-2010 18:13:

I already do that.

No

I already do that when I remember.

edit - and I dont do it on my long 'verb send.

Posted by DigiNut on Jan-17-2010 18:19:

I often either boost the drums or shelf (shelve?) the other instruments at about 12k. Cutting seems a bit extreme to me but it probably depends on the track, and just how much high end those synths are putting out.

Posted by Subtle on Jan-17-2010 18:37:

I dont understand.

What did u do exactly ?

Posted by Acton on Jan-17-2010 18:42:

quote:
Originally posted by Subtle
I dont understand.

What did u do exactly ?

This!

Posted by alanzo on Jan-17-2010 18:53:

quote:
Originally posted by Subtle
I dont understand.

What did u do exactly ?

Put a 9khz low pass filter on all my intstruments so the percussion can get through easier.

Posted by alanzo on Jan-17-2010 18:54:

Also, glad to know this is a commonly used technique. Thanks!

Posted by tehlord on Jan-17-2010 19:04:

Actually this is only a trick I learned a few weeks ago but putting a low/high pass EQ in front of a shaping EQ just seems to get more out of the sound. I use Cubase EQ for low and high cuts then IIEQ Pro to boost or notch.

The latest thing i'm working on after this little trick sounds, well almost listenable

Posted by DJ RANN on Jan-17-2010 19:33:

I do it too but sometimes go a tiny bit further: create two busses with their "paas EQ" - lo perc and high perc, that way you have slightly more control and are not doing a uniform single pass type EQ on the drums, just the parts that need it most.

Posted by RichieV on Jan-17-2010 19:34:

i don't enjoy hihats having boosted highs. I find it shrill and annoying. I prefer drums to have a rather restricted high shelf with the synths and actual musical devices to occupy that range. I will say that most people do what you prescribed above but I really don't like it. I turns every hihat in to a shaker.

Posted by alanzo on Jan-17-2010 20:31:

quote:
Originally posted by RichieV
i don't enjoy hihats having boosted highs. I find it shrill and annoying. I prefer drums to have a rather restricted high shelf with the synths and actual musical devices to occupy that range. I will say that most people do what you prescribed above but I really don't like it. I turns every hihat in to a shaker.

I'm not saying to boost the highs. rather cut everything out of your instruments so you can hear the hats better.

Posted by kitphillips on Jan-18-2010 11:26:

I tend to find that my mixes have too little highs, so I tend to just boost across the board. Generally only my hats are up there though... too much use of that low pass filter on the synths perhaps...

Posted by Detuned on Jan-18-2010 13:03:

yeah, i do that all the time aswell, but in a more subtle way, not by high cutting, but by using a hi shelf filter type/mode, started doing this 3 years ago or something, by analyzing other records, you would be surprised if you'd know how widely this technique is used