'air band' battle: fresh air, air shelf, clariphonic 2

[Funky40]

Set a parametric EQ's high band to shelf with the widest Q possible, then boost 20KHz or higher.

Phase shift is caused by the resonance peak around the band. The wider the Q, the less you'll notice it.

ok, i get the idea. Thanks Uncle E !

[Nug Wrangler]

Luftikus

[bmanic]

Personally I think "air" is best done with simple and very gentle high shelving filters. You'll need two of them to do the best illusion of air. One where you cut from around 1kHz just a little bit and then the other set to around 10 to 15kHz and you boost it quite a bit. This separates the sizzling highs from all the "busy" stuff in the mids and high-mids. The illusion is "air".

If you want to create air by applying saturation (aka an "exciter") then I do recommend going out of the box if at all possible but if you need to do this in plugin form, make sure whatever you use for saturation isn't aliasing a lot. All those folded back harmonics will hit the 2 to 5kHz area which works extremely effectively against the air illusion you are trying to create.

[legendCNCD]

Yes, you can also use TDR Nova(GE) to do this where you kick 1000Hz down and kick up the 10-15kHz at the same time. Works nicely on some material

[Digivolt]

Silver Bullet has an air band as well that's worth considering as the full package is good

[Funky40]

Ok, so you foolks take it at 1khz down. Interesting to see.


This is vs. a Synth patch, zebralette3:
I´ve made a complex EQ morph 2-3 weeks ago, then i added a 2nd control with another morph on same EQ with the purpose to have a high-freq boost going. To have sort of an airband was the idea.
i suck down at 3-4khz, Q=1, while i boost the highs. Those start at Gain=0 at 5khz and goes up to 15khz while gain increases (up to +12db).

I just made som tests vs. 1khz. I don´t like that vs. my Synth sound. It sounds so VA.
But i guess you talk full mixes or buses ?

Vs. my synth patches, sucking down 3-4-5khz makes it sound much more like an analog Synth.
i suck down those 3.5Khz with up to -8db. I could even go further.

Ok, making this tests right now gives me an idea what you folks are after, i guess.

[whassup]

Ok, so you foolks take it at 1khz down. Interesting to see.


This is vs. a Synth patch, zebralette3:
I´ve made a complex EQ morph 2-3 weeks ago, then i added a 2nd control with another morph on same EQ with the purpose to have a high-freq boost going. To have sort of an airband was the idea.
i suck down at 3-4khz, Q=1, while i boost the highs. Those start at Gain=0 at 5khz and goes up to 15khz while gain increases (up to +12db).

I just made som tests vs. 1khz. I don´t like that vs. my Synth sound. It sounds so VA.
But i guess you talk full mixes or buses ?

Vs. my synth patches, sucking down 3-4-5khz makes it sound much more like an analog Synth.
i suck down those 3.5Khz with up to -8db. I could even go further.

Ok, making this tests right now gives me an idea what you folks are after, i guess.

For what you describe I think you're doing it right.
That wonderful 3.5kHz area that our ears are most sensitive for has to be meticulously tweaked to make things feels and sound right.

[billinder33]

I usually think of 'air' as a vocal or mastering thing. Never felt the need for it on a synth unless it was in an ambient context.

I'm usually whacking 'air' frequencies on synths to make room for the hats.

[fisherKing]

i would try this on vocals, drums (the overheads). live stuff. whole mixes. not much use for (most) synths, drum machine stuff...

[jtsterays]

The air EQ curve is a high shelf/bell boost + a slight high mid wide bell cut. That's basically the secret to the Massive Passive famous air boost. DMG Equilibrium has a very unique air boost with the same concept, and you can't replicate it with 2 points from basic EQs.

But static EQ boost is only half of the equation. For the full air effect, dynamics had to be involved too. No poky transients (HF limiter or saturation, with oversampling) + upward compression or the Dolby air trick (extreme compressed HF mixed in parallel with the main signal).
The high frequency shouldn't have crazy dynamics and clicky transients that jumps around everywhere, should be compressed and controlled, smooth like actual wind amplitude envelope if that make sense.
It's less about gear, more about technique. Hardware do these HF transient smoothing dynamics stuff automatically, that's why lots of people prefer it, but you can replicate that ITB (remember to alway use oversampling when dealing with HF)

[fisherKing]

hmm. i used air shelf on a vocal track, but ultimately removed it; just not needed. and i tried it on a large string section, and then... removed it. so am expecting i'll use this a lot less than i thought. still, good to have it for that moment when......

[Funky40]

The dolby air band trick is new to me. Thanks for mention ..@jtsterays

[Raddler1]

The airband on UAD's Topline is the best I've ever heard. Acustica Jade is very good as well.

[Morgaxx]

I have been using Rothair for almost a decade. Was/is a secret weapon. I have the free Slate one but I think I prefer Rothair. I don't use them often enough to have a firm opinion.

https://www.audiopluginsforfree.com/roth-air/

[El°HYM]