SKnote MainEQ - Dynamic EQ, great control on the mix.

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Effects Discussion
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

MainEQ is a special, modern dynamic equaliser with lots of unique features.

Image

- Graphical interface.
- Dynamic filtering with full control for upward and downward action.
- Ten parametric filters (Resonant Low-Shelf, Resonant High-Shelf, 8x Peaking).
- High-Pass and Low-pass filters.
- Tilt filter.
- “Polys”. Filters can be grouped together and moved as one, also by control-keys for alternate movement (e.g. move base gain and target gain together, move on opposite directions, etc.).
- Mid/Side filtering. Each filter can be balanced to act on Mid and Side in different, continuous quantities.
- Global Action control. Scales all filters’ gains to fine tune the action of the EQ. Similar to parallel EQing but without any phase issue.
- Inter-band and inter-track dynamic control. Set a frequency band to control another one or a track to control another track’s EQ (e.g. set the bassdrum to duck the bass guitar).
- Log-scale spectrum analyser. Analyse input, output, other tracks.
- Internal and inter-track spectral matching/carving/flattening (e.g. set vocals track to tame frequencies and get space in the guitars’ track).
- Plain-text preset copy/paste (share presets as plain text in forums).
- Through-clipboard preset copy/paste. Copy from one instance, paste to another one.
- Four preset slots for easy comparisons.
- True Auto-Gain! Engage it and get the output level always matched to the input (and bypass, of course). No ear-fooling.
- Invert button. Get all the filters’ gains inverted as one for complimentary settings (e.g. copy from a competing one, paste to another one and invert).
- Utilities. Useful quick templates, overall settings, undo/redo, etc.

Available as VST/AU/AAX.

http://www.sknoteaudio.com
Last edited by quintosardo on Fri Sep 20, 2019 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post

A few examples:

- Carve the spectrum of the guitars to make space for the vocals.
- Flatten the overall spectrum of an instrument and re-model it. Use Tilt for a new balance.
- Set a series of peaking filters along an harmonic series (use Polys to get them linked as one).
- Get the high-freq peaks of the drums to duck the low-end for better definition.
- Set an overall equalisation as the target. Think "target spectrum" instead of "EQ gain".
- Equalise the Side component of a stereo signal to control ambience while keeping focus untouched.
- Equalise the Mid component to "detach" the source from ambience.
- Set an EQ configuration, then make it dynamic to make the effect less blatant.
- Copy the preset from an instance, paste it into another, invert for quick complimentary equalisation.
- Copy a preset and paste it into a forum post for quick sharing.

Post

Looks nice! Do the instances of the plugin directly talk to each other for inter-track dynamic control, without needing to set up side chaining in the DAW?

Post

Yes, right. Just set instance's identity as a controller in the top right corner.
Last edited by quintosardo on Mon Sep 23, 2019 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

Post

I own several Sknote plugins and have become a fan. This one looks cool. However, I will pass, as I have my set of go-to EQs and will not change anything at the moment.

I have to point out Quinto is a very nice guy who delivers very high quality and deserves every support we can give him. I exchanged some e-mails with him on softsynths and future plans for 2020. @Quinto: Perhaps this interests other people, too, so can you give some details on this?

Post

Is there a demo available?

Post

ralfrobert wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 6:59 pm I own several Sknote plugins and have become a fan. This one looks cool. However, I will pass, as I have my set of go-to EQs and will not change anything at the moment.

I have to point out Quinto is a very nice guy who delivers very high quality and deserves every support we can give him. I exchanged some e-mails with him on softsynths and future plans for 2020. @Quinto: Perhaps this interests other people, too, so can you give some details on this?
Hey, thanks!

I would like to add that we couldn't make these without the help from the other people here ;)

Plans:
- Overall update of all existing products (preset management, GUI, AAX and AAX-DSP, general improvement, extension of options, etc.).
- Guitar cabinets (you'll see).
- New sets of beautiful drums from studios around the world.
- High-gain guitar amps (added to existing, extremely appreciated low-mid gain ones, Deluxe1 and TwinR).
- Synthesis!
- Winter NAMM Jan 2020.

Post

Here is a quick video showing one of the many, many reasons why we really love this tool: using it to balance the sound of an instrument in a mix.

It is a raw multitrack recording we made in the studio. Quite buggy and raw sounding. In this video we work on the lead guitar. The first thing I would do would be engaging an EQ and starting with listening and moving filters aroung to get a good, balanced sound.

In this video, an instance of MainEQ is inserted and its "Flat" feature is used to automatically set all the filters.

https://youtu.be/XnICkB5bvJQ

- Insert MainEQ on guitar's channel.
- Engage the analyser, in Input/Output mode.
- Double click on the spectrum to reset the maxes.
- Let some of the part play, enough to store a significant snapshot of the maxes.
- Press "Flat" in the analyser region.
- All filters are set and grouped together in a "Poly". Adjust them a bit vetrically.
- Adjust manually, here the Hi-pass and Lo-pass filters are engaged.

The slots are used in the video to continuosly compare the new settings with neutral setup.
Also note that Autogain is engaged.
The perceived big boost in volume is not real. The level of the track is the same. It could even be lowered now, leaving space for something else in the mix or for higher final level.

Note how the goal is _not_ getting a crisp target spectrum but working in "analog mode", like manually moving the filters for a smooth balance.
The analyser has a log frequency scale to keep the same resolution on all frequencies, useful for such balancing jobs.

Post

Answering to a request on YouTube, here we go wqith some use on a bass guitar in a mix.

https://youtu.be/ufFgXVk3KWQ

The inter-band control is used here, together with multiband dynamic EQ-ing and slight Lo-pass.
- A boost is set to identify the midrange (filter 7).
- A cut is set (filter 3) to remove some critical low frequency range. It is set to dynamic, controlled by previous filter's detector. On attacks, tracked by sensitive filter 7, low range is controlled down. Getting clarity.
Filter 7 (midrange) is also set to dynamic, to add presence while keeping its action transparent. Threshold and action are set to get a little average boost (see the moving curve).
- A Low-shelf big boost is set to give body. An opposite dynamic target is set and parameters are programmed to get a null average action. Thanks to MainEQ's kind of dynamic response, this gives sustain and control to the low range.
- Low-pass is engaged and set for some control on extreme highs.

When comparing to the dry track in the mix, the new sound is a lot better controlled, without all those variable boosts on frequencies. More effective than simple compression on the overall sound.
Also various notes have a more homogeneous level.

Honestly I'm extremely happy because of how quick and easy it was (it is reconstructed in the video, of course, but it was a quite straightforward process when I did it).

Post

jochicago wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 9:07 pm Is there a demo available?
Quinto, I think you have not yet commented on this. As far I can see, there are no demos for most of your products. --- Is this going to change?

Other point: What is your refund policy in the unlikely case that somebody is unhappy with what she / he bought?

Post

ralfrobert wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 10:24 am
jochicago wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 9:07 pm Is there a demo available?
Quinto, I think you have not yet commented on this. As far I can see, there are no demos for most of your products. --- Is this going to change?

Other point: What is your refund policy in the unlikely case that somebody is unhappy with what she / he bought?
Uh, sorry. It should be out today.

Anyhow, you can get MainEQ now and just send it back if it is not for you (well, I bet it will...) :)

Post

I just got Cuttertone yesterday, which I tested on some material and already love for the sound adjustments it can do. Another hidden jewel in your plugin offerings.

As for the EQ: I am getting more and more curious, as you published several videos showing what it can do. I will give them a look and decide on it later.

Can you already tell how long the intro offer will last? (I think I am not the only one here to whom 29 dollars are a little investment ... but still an investment. Running on very low funds, I have to consider such a thing several times. --- Life is still a lot of fun, though.)

Post

Sure, we are adding ten more days because of the lack of a demo that we are going to upload now.

Post

It looked like I still had some credits from previous purchases so I could get this for $15. What a great deal :tu:

Post

I absolutely love this credits thing we have ;)

Post Reply

Return to “Effects”