KVR Audio

Lagrange · Post by **Lagrange** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:00 am

Can anyone tell me what the proper eq curve is and what plugin/software I could use to acheive this. I presently use Firium and I'm able to extremely even (flat) curve on individual instruments and I know that the higher the freq the lower the curve strength should be but Im not sure about the whole mix. Could it be a even decline from left to right or does it matter (within exceptable parameters)?

C

BFDrummer · Post by **BFDrummer** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:22 am

There is no 'proper' EQ curve .. the graph tells you how much you re boosting or cutting the signal (y axis) and on what fequencies (x axis). So a 'shallow curve' just means a little gain spread accross broad frequency range ..... a spike shaped curve means a lot of gain for a narrow frequency range etc etc

One thing I am sure Firium has (as all elemental audio stuff does) is a REALLY GOOD user guide (look in: Documents/ Elemental Audio Systems/Firium ).... I am sure it will explain EQ in general and Firium in particular very well.

In a project you may need to use all sorts of EQ settings on different tracks and on the master to achieve different results - so really there is no answer to your question!

Lagrange · Post by **Lagrange** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:52 am

I guess I meant if I have a mix for each instrument, what slant on my signal curve should I be shooting for?

C

BFDrummer · Post by **BFDrummer** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:25 am

The way you use EQ depends on how it sounds in the first place and how you want it to sound after EQing.... you have not even mentioned anything about the sound you are getting or the sound you want.

Firium is really designed as a mastering EQ - (but you can still use it to EQ anything of course) - is this what you are doing, using it as a mastering EQ to just shape the sound as a whole?

EQing is about listening and trying different settings and listening some more ....ask yourself is it too bassy, too trebley, too wooley, too thin, too muddy, too lumpy ... do you want it more crispy, or shiny, or more punchy or more welly?

Maybe Firium has some presets like 'more low end' or 'punchy' etc -try them out and use them as a starting point...

Maybe no EQ is needed at all?

Also, try listening to CD's of music you know well (by other bands) and compare your music to theirs.

But really, I stand by what I say read that user guide - I know elemental, they do really good user guides which will have good theory and practical examples to explain all about EQ.

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:37 am

cdunkeroo wrote:Can anyone tell me what the proper eq curve is and what plugin/software I could use to acheive this. I presently use Firium and I'm able to extremely even (flat) curve on individual instruments and I know that the higher the freq the lower the curve strength should be but Im not sure about the whole mix. Could it be a even decline from left to right or does it matter (within exceptable parameters)?

C

I take it you're talking about the mix spectrum curve, should it have smaller peaks as the frequencies increase? There's really no rule, but there are people that argue that there should be a minumum of peaks and valleys in a well mastered mix. Something like Voxengo Soniformer will help with that. You might want to check out HarBal, which is an analysis standalone program to also help balance the content of the entire spectrum in a mix.

But to say the peaks should gradually decrease as you move from low to high on the x axis isn't really saying much---just to say that it will probably sound like it has been filtered in favor of the lows so it will sound less bright and possibly more boomy.

But I'd say as to your question about software to "optimize" a mix specturm, try the two I mentioned above. If all else fails, just do what sounds good to you.

Jafo · Post by **Jafo** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 2:17 am

I almost answered, "PostScript curves, because their Béziers (3rd-order) are so much smoother than TrueType's (2nd-order)."

Damn, these 11-hour shifts at the Banjo Depot are doing weird things to my consciousness... Oh well, at least I can say I sell fatties (GHS) for a living.

greendoor · Post by **greendoor** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 2:22 am

Check out www.har-bal.com Basically, there is a desirable spectrum curve for different genres of music. Har-bal have analysed lots of successfull commercial mixes and prepared some preset curves to aim for. BUT - it's important to realise that every mix is unique and needs to be mixed with your ears and not your eyes. Just boosting a certain frequency without listening, you could be boosting a really nasty sound in your mix. Or just cutting a frequency without listening you could destroy a unique quality that was special to your mix.

Even so - there are industry expectations, and it's nice to have a curve to aim for.

Lagrange · Post by **Lagrange** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 2:48 am

Ok now check this ok.. Not in a rude way but humans ears suck BIG TIME.. Maybe if I had K9 hearing I would pay it some mind.. I know that there are engineers out there that have perfect abilities but come on lets be honest most of us are faaarrrrrrr from even being close to mixing down properly.. If no one else wants to admit to it then I will. WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS IS NOT WHAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS BEING HEARD. This is why I've started researching frequecy curves in the 1st place, in that, I've found most well mastered pop/hiphop/club music (If you look at from a spectral and or curve point of view) starts out higher (curve) Brighter (spectral) on the bottom and goes dimmer towards the top. It sounds "formulaik", I just want master to be "proper" and not have the lable tell me hmmm your snares sound kinda papery.. And that is the problem when I try to get all inventive and tweeky, my master almost never sounds good but when I just apply a set standard:

a. get all my separate instruments even (I dare say "FLAT") curves.
b. apply a global ramp from bottom to top.
c. do the dynamics some good..

The master sounds soooooo much better, professional and is actually more avalible for verbs, delays, chorus etc. I've come to realise that too many engineers, producers, musicians and the like get soooo caught up with bs standards and fail to remember that in this day and age (and probably since forever) MUSIC A PRODUCT TO BE PLAYED APPRECIATED SHELVED and so on and so on.. Theres no reason for me to try to romantise it.. point blank... So for me anyway, all I care is that my hard work isnt lost in a shitty master.. You feel me? Thats my rant for 2day...
:D

Put all the brovado aside or maybe not..

Lagrange · Post by **Lagrange** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:00 am

I dont think I need harbal or aams, sonicaly my masters are almost "there".. just need a ridged formula to efficiently churn out consistent product for overly demanding record lables and unwhitted cattle like consumers in a convair belt and economically challenged industry.

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:10 am

cdunkeroo wrote: WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS IS NOT WHAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS BEING HEARD.

If thats true you should probably just give up

.. or upgrade your monitors maybe?

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:24 am

you need a 22 band eq and a curve that looks like a swan in flight.

Lawnmower Of The Damned · Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:32 am

vurt wrote:you need a 22 band eq and a curve that looks like a man in tights.

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:37 am

vurt wrote:you need a 22 band eq and a curve that looks like a swan in flight.

That would be pretty. You could do it with Equium.

Lagrange · Post by **Lagrange** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:03 pm

"If thats true you should probably just give up Razz .. or upgrade your monitors maybe?" Listen b.. you think you can hear whats coming out at like 24khz? If you can I guess every dog whisle is giving you a headache right now... Caammaaaannnn dont an idiot... human ears SUCK...

C

™ · Post by ™ » Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:05 pm

cut em off?

What is the best EQ curve and effect to achieve it?