The Frequency Element: Using the Equalizer
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Chapter 7 The Frequency Element: Using The Equalizer Even though an engineer has every intention of making his recording sound as big and as clear as possible during tracking and overdubs, it often happens that the frequency range of some (or even all) of the tracks are somewhat limited when it comes time to mix. This can be due to the tracks being recorded in a different studio where different monitors or signal path was used, the sound of the instruments themselves, or the taste of the artist or producer. When it comes to the mix, it’s up to the mixing engineer to extend the frequency range of those tracks if it’s appropriate. In the quest to make things sound bigger, fatter, brighter, and clearer, the equalizer is the chief tool used by most mixers, but perhaps more than any other audio tool, it’s how it’s used that separates the average engineer from the master. “I tend to like things to sound sort of natural, but I don’t care what it takes to make it sound like that. Some people get a very preconceived set of notions that you can’t do this or you can’t do that, but as Bruce Swedien said to me, he doesn’t care if you have to turn the knob around backwards; if it sounds good, it is good. Assuming that you have a reference point that you can trust, of course.” —Allen Sides “I find that the more that I mix, the less I actually EQ, but I’m not afraid to bring up a Pultec and whack it up to +10 if something needs it.” —Joe Chiccarelli The Goals Of Equalization While we may not think about it when we’re doing it, there are three primary goals when equalizing: To make an instrument sound clearer and more defined. To make the instrument or mix bigger and larger than life. To make all the elements of a mix fit together better by putting each instrument in its own predominate frequency range. Sometimes just being aware of which of these you’re trying to accomplish at the moment can help you get the sound you’re looking for quickly and easily, rather than just randomly twisting some knobs until you think it might sound right. The Frequency Bands and What They Do Before we examine the various methods of equalization, it’s important to note specific areas of the audio frequency bandwidth and how they affect what we hear. The audio band can effectively be broken down into six distinct ranges, each one having an enormous impact on the total sound (see Table 7.1). Table 7.1: The Audible Frequency Ranges di Gar Kulka, Leo. “Equalization - The Highest, Most Sustained Expression of the Recordist’s Heart.” Recording Engineer/Producer, Vol. 3, Number 6, November/December 1972 For those of you who have an easier time visualizing the audio spectrum in one- octave increments (like those found on a graphic equalizer), here’s an octave look at the same chart (see Table 7.2). Table 7.2: Graphic Equalizer Chart EQ Methods Since each specific song, arrangement, instrument, and player is unique, it’s impossible to give anything other than some general guidelines when it comes to equalization methods. That said, there are a number of methods that can quickly and easily get you in the ballpark, as long as you know what you’re going for. Remember that different engineers have different ways of arriving at the same end, so if the following doesn’t work for you, keep trying. The method doesn’t matter, only the end result. Before these methods are outlined, it’s really important that you observe the following: Listen! Open up your ears and listen carefully to all the nuances of the sound. Everything you hear is important. Make sure you’re monitoring at a comfortable level—not too loud and not too quiet. If it’s too quiet, you may be fooled by the non- linearity of the speakers and overcompensate. If it’s too loud, certain frequencies may be masked or overemphasized by the non-linearities of the ear itself, and again you will overcompensate. Method One: Equalize For Definition Even source material that’s been recorded well can sound lifeless, thanks to certain frequencies being overemphasized or others being severely attenuated. More often than not, the lack of definition of an instrument is because of too much lower midrange in approximately the 400 to 800Hz area. This area adds a “boxy” quality to the sound. Sometimes it’s because the sound is lacking in the 3kHz to 6kHz area that makes it undefined. Subtractive equalization is a method that allows you to zero in on the frequencies that are masking the definition in a sound. 1. Set the Boost/Cut control to a moderate level of cut (8 or 10dB should work) 2. Sweep through the frequencies until you find the frequency where the sound has the least amount of boxiness and the most definition (see Figure 7.1). 3. Adjust the amount of cut to taste. Be aware that too much cut makes the sound thinner. Figure 7.1: Low-end frequency sweep © 2017 Bobby Owsinski, All Rights Reserved There are two spots in the frequency spectrum where the subtractive equalization is particularly effective: between 200Hz and 600Hz and between 2kHz and 4kHz. This is because most directional microphones provide a natural boost at 200 to 600Hz because of the proximity effect brought about by close-miking, and many mics (especially those known for being good vocal mics) have a presence boost between 2kHz and 4kHz. Dipping those frequencies a few dB (more or less as needed) can make the track sound much more natural than if you were to try to add frequencies instead. If there were a limited number of microphones (or even just one) used to record all the instruments in a home studio, these two frequency bands (or any other where there’s a peak in the response) will build up as more and more instruments are added. By dipping those frequency bands a bit, you’ll find that many of the instruments can sit better in the mix without having to add much EQ at all. “What I hate to see is an engineer or producer start EQing before they’ve heard the sound source. To me, it’s kinda like salting and peppering your food before you’ve tasted it. I always like to listen to the sound source first, whether it’s recorded or live, and see how well it holds up without any EQ or whatever.” —Bruce Swedien TIP: Always try attenuating (cutting) the frequency first. This is preferable because all equalizers add phase shift as you boost, which results in an undesirable coloring of the sound. Usually, the more EQ you add, the more phase shift is also added and the harder it may be to fit the instrument into the mix as a result. Many engineers are judicious in their use of EQ, but that being said, anything goes! If it sounds good, it is good. Alternate Method 1. Starting with your EQ flat, remove all the bottom end below 100Hz by turning the low-frequency control to full cut. 2. Using the rest of your EQ, tune the mid-upper midrange until the sound is thick yet distinct. 3. Round it out with a supporting lower-mid tone to give it some body. 4. Slowly bring up the mud-inducing bottom end enough to move air, but not so much as to make the sound muddy. 5. Add some high-frequency EQ for definition (see Figure 7.2). Figure 7.2: EQing for more definition © 2017 Bobby Owsinski, All Rights Reserved “I just try to get stuff to sound natural, but at the same time be very vivid. I break it down into roughly three areas: mids, the top and the bottom; then there’s low mids and high mids. Generally, except for a very few instruments or a few microphones, cutting flat doesn’t sound good to most people’s ears, so I’ll say, ‘Well, if this is a state-of-the-art preamp and a great mic and it doesn’t sound that great to me, why?’ Well, the midrange is not quite vivid enough. Okay, we’ll look at the 3k, 4k range, maybe 2500. Why don’t we make it kind of come to life like a shot of cappuccino and open it up a little bit? Then maybe I’m not hearing the air around things, so let’s go up to 10k or 15k and just bump it up a little bit and see if we can kind of perk it up. Now, all that sounds good, but our bottom is kind of undefined. We don’t have any meat down there. Well, let’s sweep through and see what helps the low end. Sometimes, depending on different instruments, a hundred cycles can do wonders for some instruments. Sometimes you need to dip out at 400 cycles, because that’s the area that sometimes just clouds up and takes the clarity away, but a lot of times adding a little 400 can fatten things up.” —Ed Seay Method 2: Equalize For Size Making a sound bigger or larger than life usually comes from the addition of bass and sub-bass frequencies in the 40Hz to 250Hz range, although most will come from an area just below 100Hz, a region just above 100Hz, or both.