Using an audio analyzer?

[irpacynot]

I can't say I've any previous experience with the plugin, but dear Lord, there's this frequency (area of frequencies) that's giving my acoustic guitar some type of "bubbly" sound that's driving me ape ****. I've been trying for two days to negotiate it. My main approach is always to slowly move the EQ freq. around until I nail it, but I think my ears have become too numb to be objective at this point.

I have the Melda MAnalyzer plugin, but I can't make heads or tails of how to properly utilize it.

Anyone kind enough to help an old noob?

[billinder33]

I don't own anything Melda, but the Melda MAnalyzer looks more like a frequency analyzer, whereas this kind of problem is often better troubleshot with a true spectral analyzer like the one in Melda MMultiAnalyzer (the 'Sonogram' tab).

Some DAWs actually include one (Reaper, for example), and better yet, allow you to directly edit the spectrum and fix the problem directly (again, Reaper). YMMV depending upon your DAW, but if your DAW includes one, I'd start there.

[bagpipe200]

I use the free Voxengo SPAN VST when I want to see the sound visually. Works great:

https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/

[bmanic]

Sometimes it's not a matter of EQ only. Could be a case of EQ + Compression, or if it's really out of control (usually low-mids on acoustic guitar) then perhaps even tame it with a multiband compressor or dynamic EQ.

Also, you may want to check out this newly released plugin. Could be very well suited for your guitar woes: https://www.wavesfactory.com/audio-plugins/equalizer/

Alternatively https://www.voxengo.com/product/teote/video/

.. if you want a 2nd pair of ears, feel free to PM me and I can take a listen to the track.

[plexuss]

I can't say I've any previous experience with the plugin, but dear Lord, there's this frequency (area of frequencies) that's giving my acoustic guitar some type of "bubbly" sound that's driving me ape ****. I've been trying for two days to negotiate it. My main approach is always to slowly move the EQ freq. around until I nail it, but I think my ears have become too numb to be objective at this point.

I have the Melda MAnalyzer plugin, but I can't make heads or tails of how to properly utilize it.

Anyone kind enough to help an old noob?

When you say "bubbly" I have to infer what that could mean. I imagined what a bubbly sound on an ac. guitar might sound like. If I heard what I heard in my head, I would say it's more of a dynamic correction you are after. An EQ curve is static, in that the curve doesnt change as its applied on the signal. A dynamic EQ curve will change gain or other parameters depending on some other parameters, usually of the source audio. Not sure if you are aware of the dynamic EQ concept or not so pardon me if you already do. If it were me I'd try dailing up a single curve and placing it in around the range of the bubbling sound. If it's low rumbly bubbling, then EQ the low end. If the bubbling has more of a woody boxy sound, tarken low mids. More of a crack with high end detail, upper mid. And I cant think of bubbling that would occur in the high end but if so, high end.
You can use your analyzer to see if there are unusual peaks in the audio that visually correspond to the bubbly sound and target that range. Then start cutting and adjusting the curve width (Q) and see if you can curtail the bubbling while keeping the over-all ac. guit sounding ok. If not a dynamic EQ might be needed. A dynamic EQ can be set to automatically cut and/or boost based on the amplitude/loudness of the audio. For example on lower volumes, no effect but as the track get louder it can cut or boost frequencies. Its really a bandwidth limited compressor where the bandwidth is your EQ curve.

hope that helps.

[irpacynot]

Sometimes it's not a matter of EQ only. Could be a case of EQ + Compression, or if it's really out of control (usually low-mids on acoustic guitar) then perhaps even tame it with a multiband compressor or dynamic EQ.

Also, you may want to check out this newly released plugin. Could be very well suited for your guitar woes: https://www.wavesfactory.com/audio-plugins/equalizer/

Alternatively https://www.voxengo.com/product/teote/video/

.. if you want a 2nd pair of ears, feel free to PM me and I can take a listen to the track.

First, thanks, everyone, for the replies. A lot of helpful stuff. I've actually had the SPAN plug-in as well, but have yet to put it to good use.

When I have tried to use either of these plugins (SPAN or MAnalyzer), I just don't really know what I'm looking at.

But yes, thank you, bmanic. If you're still up for it, I'll try and PM you the track.

BRB, gonna render it real quick.

[irpacynot]

When you say "bubbly" I have to infer what that could mean. I imagined what a bubbly sound on an ac. guitar might sound like. If I heard what I heard in my head, I would say it's more of a dynamic correction you are after. An EQ curve is static, in that the curve doesnt change as its applied on the signal. A dynamic EQ curve will change gain or other parameters depending on some other parameters, usually of the source audio. Not sure if you are aware of the dynamic EQ concept or not so pardon me if you already do. If it were me I'd try dailing up a single curve and placing it in around the range of the bubbling sound. If it's low rumbly bubbling, then EQ the low end. If the bubbling has more of a woody boxy sound, tarken low mids. More of a crack with high end detail, upper mid. And I cant think of bubbling that would occur in the high end but if so, high end.
You can use your analyzer to see if there are unusual peaks in the audio that visually correspond to the bubbly sound and target that range. Then start cutting and adjusting the curve width (Q) and see if you can curtail the bubbling while keeping the over-all ac. guit sounding ok. If not a dynamic EQ might be needed. A dynamic EQ can be set to automatically cut and/or boost based on the amplitude/loudness of the audio. For example on lower volumes, no effect but as the track get louder it can cut or boost frequencies. Its really a bandwidth limited compressor where the bandwidth is your EQ curve.

hope that helps.

Thank you, yes that does help.

The sound seems to be pretty much occurring only on the B (second) string, but I looked at my notes (it was recorded two or three weeks back) and forgot I had recorded it in what I call B-gad (DADGAD tuned down to B for the root). So, everything was much lower than usual. I probably should have done a better job catering the rest of the song around that tuning, but kinda lost myself in the moment.