![]() ![]() Broadcast and recording studios use sophisticated equalizers capable of much more detailed adjustments, such as eliminating unwanted sounds or making certain instruments or voices more prominent. Graphic and parametric equalizers have much more flexibility in tailoring the frequency content of an audio signal. Most hi-fi equipment uses relatively simple filters to make bass and treble adjustments. The circuit or equipment used to achieve this is called an equalizer. This pedal is a parametric equalizer.Įqualization, or simply EQ, in sound recording and reproduction is the process of adjusting the volume of different frequency bands within an audio signal. So if you do an A-B test, make sure you correct for level differences to get a level playing field.Equalizers are also made in compact pedal-style effect units for use by electric guitarists. This has to do with the way our ears work. Keep in mind that when comparing two recordings, the loudest often sounds better to your ears. That way you’ll probably get a better result with fewer adjustments. Has it really gotten much better? This can sometimes lead to situations where it turns out to be best to start all over again. When you think you have found the perfect EQ setting, do a reality check: turn off the EQ. Why amplify first? Well, our ears are just more sensitive to that, so it makes the process a little easier. Now you just turn the frequency knob and sweep through the entire frequency spectrum until you find the frequency you were looking for. To find that specific frequency it, it’s best to first boost any frequency, say with 10 dB and with a fairly narrow Q-factor of 3. Or a very harsh sound you want to attenuate a little. Maybe you hear a ‘boxy’ sound in a recording. Ok, so how do you make the sound of a recording better with an EQ? And the more you amplify or attenuate, the wider this frequency range becomes. It is always a wider group of frequencies. In reality you never amplify or attenuate only 1 frequency with a sweepable EQ. It makes it easier to find the problem area’s. So why boost first if you want to cut it in the end? Because our ears are more sensitive to that. This way you can find exactly the frequency you are looking for and attenuate it. Next you sweep trough the low frequencies. To fix this, you select a random frequency and boost this. You simply ‘sweep’ through the frequency spectrum, select the frequency you are looking for and you amplify or attenuate that.Įxample: let’s say you hear too much bass in a recording. There are 2 basic controls: a control to turn frequencies up or down and another to choose which frequencies exactly. How does it work? We’ll start with the sweepable EQ, which is actually a simplified version of a parametric EQ. ![]() This type is used most by audio engineers. With a parametric EQ you have the most control over everything. Let’s have a look at some of the other flavours! But that’s not the only type of EQ there is. Or you can turn those frequencies down (and lower the volume) if you want something to sound like it is a little more in the back. So if you want something to sound a little more up-front in the mix, you can add some mids and highs (and turn up the volume of that track a bit). Because one of the ‘hints’ for our brain to determine whether something is close to us or far away is the amount of mid and high frequencies we hear. So for example I try to make it sound like the singer is right in front of you and the band is playing just behind that singer.Īn EQ helps a great deal to achieve that effect. Because with an EQ you can give everything its ‘own place’ in the stereo field.Īs mentioned before, I always try to mix in ‘3D’. Personally, I think an EQ is one of the most versatile mix-tools. You can use it to boost frequencies you want to hear and cut frequencies you don’t want to hear. An equalizer is basically just a volume knob, but one that only works on a specific frequency.
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