Manalyzer does not change display after EQing?

[haui]

Hello,

first I have to say that I really enjoy the MFreeEffectsBundle, I also acquired a license for it But I'm having an issue with the MAnalyzer. The display does not change when I equalize the sound. I made a video to explain the issue. The display of the analyzer from Live changes but the display of the MAnalyzer does not. Did I do something wrong?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXh0tspY2r0


Kind Regards
haui

[MeldaProduction]

Hi haui,

it DOES change! Just watch the units . MAnalyzer is from 0dB to -60dB and normalizes (makes the loudest frequency touch 0dB, that's good for comparison between different signals). When the filter gets engaged, the Live analyzer increases resolution to -180dB and confuses you. The thing is, you didn't change the signal really, you just made more or less everything lower. Even in MAnalyzer you can see how the bottom end got louder - it actually didn't get louder, just the high end got more silent .

If you want to learn to work with analyzers, I'd suggest using MNoiseGenerator.

[haui]

Yeh, It does change a bit

But you say I didn't change the signal? How do you mean that? Of course I changed it (by making everything lower starting on high frequencies). I mean I could hear the sound disappearing I'm confused.

So you say MAnalyzer normalizes that and is pushing the highest amplitude to 0 dB? I guess I can switch that off because right now I cannot understand how that should help me? When I cut out certain frequencies in a sound so that I can't hear them anymore, I want to see on my analyzer that those frequencies are lower than before. Like the analyzer of Live does (or others that I tried). How do I compare two sounds when I lower the level of some frequencies, but the analyzer ist not really showing it? I mean I do not need to compare to sounds that have their amplitude at -60 dB or something

For example, when I have the MAnalyzer in the masterchannel and then press the "Fill" button in the MAnalyzer it is red in the bottom end. When I then put a highpass on all instruments, it is still red, even when the mix has no bass anymore. Somehow I find this not helpful

I hope I do not sound like a complete idiot since I am actually working (playing around) with audioprocessing as a hobby for a while now:)

Cheers
haui

[MeldaProduction]

Well, you are basically using the analyzer as an overcomplicated peak meter .

The question you should ask yourself is what you want to analyze. If it is audio level, then use a peak meter. If you are interested in spectral content use an analyzer. Don't do both. Well, you could, but as you can see, despite the changes are there, you don't see them. You will need some experience before you will be able to "read" it well enough.

On the video it is clearly visible that there is a change every time you move the filters. I'll explain what you should be seeing: The filter you used is not very steep, probably 12dB/oct and you set Q to 0.17, which makes it completely nonresonant in the main stage around the cutoff. So, as you can HEAR, you move the filters and there is some slight change in spectrum, but in general the main difference is overall volume. Your audio has just about 3 harmonics, so the difference between highest major frequency and lowest one is less than 2 octaves. So in extreme scenario the difference between level of the highest and lowest frequency would be 24dB, clearly minimum on 180dB/oct analyzer (which render's Live's analyzer useless).

So what you learn from analysis in Live:
- The audio level goes down.

What you learn from MAnalyzer:
- Spectrum of dominant frequencies in your signal is really small, less than 2 octaves.
- The filter is configured in such a way, that its impact on spectral content is very small and mostly affects overall level. So rather use gain
- There's lot of noise in your signal, that's why when you go down with the LP, there's an increase in low-frequency content - the important fact is that the content IS there.

AGAIN, take MNoiseGenerator and start playing with noise, everything's more visible there.

[haui]

Alright, I think I understand now. Thank you very much for explaining I will still play around with the noise generator a bit I think

[bbaggins]

The key clue in Vojtech's first reply is "it normalizes". This is one of MAnalyzer's (and big brother MMultiAnalyzer's) greatest features, IMO: the graph always fills the display regardless of absolute levels. That way, you're comparing relative values, which is what you're primarily interested in anyway when you use a spectrum analyzer.

Watching it with white noise is much more informative than a synth tone simply because it has gobs of frequencies (well, technically ALL of them) to view. Consequently, you'll be able to see a visible change in the graphic no matter what you do with your equalizer.

[MeldaProduction]

Exactly!