Hi
could u explain how the Equalizers bnefore and after preamp distortion affect the tone? I can't figure out tweaking which will get me the tone i want.
Thanx
A newbie
EQ before and after distortion
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- KVRAF
- 2750 posts since 2 Feb, 2005 from Raincoast of Grayland
EQ, Before and After. Pfft! What about during? 
What's the tone you want? Try the type of distortion that gets you close, then add EQ to sweeten. But, don't stop tweaking in frustration. Stop tweaking when it's toning.
What's the tone you want? Try the type of distortion that gets you close, then add EQ to sweeten. But, don't stop tweaking in frustration. Stop tweaking when it's toning.
perception: the stuff reality is made of.
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- KVRAF
- 2828 posts since 31 Dec, 2004 from Canarias
If you want to keep the timbre of the original signal (guitar in my case), I use to cut of (so no real eq) some high before and after the distortion/overdrive, because distortion creates a lot of extra high harmonics ! You just have to find the right balance between the two.
And as mandolarian pointed out : the choice of the type (sound) of the distortion/overdrive is most important !
And as mandolarian pointed out : the choice of the type (sound) of the distortion/overdrive is most important !
Carpo diem ergo sum !
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- KVRist
- 85 posts since 7 Jan, 2005
EQ before distortion changes the levels of the frequencies being distorted and therefore the amount of distortion at those frequencies. For example boosting the bass before the distortion will cause a low frequencies to have a high level of distortion. Cutting bass will mean low frequencies have less distortion.
If you are using lots of gain, and have lots of bass in your signal, then the high frequencies in the original signal will be clipped off.
EQ after distortion does not affect the level of distrtion at differnt frequenices, it simply adjusts the level of various frequencies.
If you are using lots of gain, and have lots of bass in your signal, then the high frequencies in the original signal will be clipped off.
EQ after distortion does not affect the level of distrtion at differnt frequenices, it simply adjusts the level of various frequencies.
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
Right, but the perceived effect is that the overall tone produced is changed when you EQ post-distortion, too.
A tried-and-true trick that guitarists have done for ages is to boost primarily the mids pre-distortion. Guitar is a mid-range instrument, with most of its 'balls' in there. If you're looking for that "mid-scooped" metal sound, you don't want to scoop pre-distortion, because you'll cut off your tone's testicles.
So, boost the mids to drive the amp harder, which produces, as Iain says, more distortion in that range of frequencies. But then when you cut back your mids coming OUT of the amp, you can bring the overall tone back in line and take out some of the 'honk', while maintaining the actual amount of distortion in those frequencies.
Not that you'll always want to 'scoop'-- that was just an example. I love mids in aggressive guitar sounds, so I'll usually keep a bunch in there. Even for "metal", I prefer a "crunch" sound (usually associated more with classic rock) and then just use muting technique to make it sound more like metal than rawk.
SO....
The short version....
If I use pre-distortion EQ, it is almost always a mid boost; however, there are always exceptions and you can experiment at will, particularly if you're doing the EQ and distortion with plug-ins and have the 'dry' guitar part to fool around with.
Greg
A tried-and-true trick that guitarists have done for ages is to boost primarily the mids pre-distortion. Guitar is a mid-range instrument, with most of its 'balls' in there. If you're looking for that "mid-scooped" metal sound, you don't want to scoop pre-distortion, because you'll cut off your tone's testicles.
So, boost the mids to drive the amp harder, which produces, as Iain says, more distortion in that range of frequencies. But then when you cut back your mids coming OUT of the amp, you can bring the overall tone back in line and take out some of the 'honk', while maintaining the actual amount of distortion in those frequencies.
Not that you'll always want to 'scoop'-- that was just an example. I love mids in aggressive guitar sounds, so I'll usually keep a bunch in there. Even for "metal", I prefer a "crunch" sound (usually associated more with classic rock) and then just use muting technique to make it sound more like metal than rawk.
SO....
The short version....
If I use pre-distortion EQ, it is almost always a mid boost; however, there are always exceptions and you can experiment at will, particularly if you're doing the EQ and distortion with plug-ins and have the 'dry' guitar part to fool around with.
Greg
