make music now EQ for beginners

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This month we get to grips with one of the most important tools in the plug-in workshop EQ
audible characteristics. For example, if a hi-fi speaker emphasises frequencies around 1kHz, it could be said to have a nasal sound. If the same speaker is not very efficient when it comes to reproducing frequencies between 100 and 500Hz, it might be described as having a thin sound. In order to make effective use of EQ, its important to train your ears to link perceived sonic qualities with particular frequency bands this skill will allow you to quickly enhance a sound in a predictable way, or correct a tonal deficiency without having to get your bearings by experimentation first. cm

aving already covered most of the basic types of effect in our Essential Guide series, its now time to look at equalisation, or EQ for short. EQ is among the most versatile tools we have, but it's also one of the hardest to master, requiring practice, experience and lots of patience. All sounds which are audible to the human ear fall in the sonic spectrum, that runs from 20 cycles per second (20Hz) to about 22,000 cycles per second (22kHz). Although the spectrum is obviously continuous (any frequency value is possible), certain parts of it are well known for exhibiting particular

EQ IS ONE OF THE HARDEST TOOLS TO MASTER, REQUIRING PRACTICE, EXPERIENCE AND LOTS OF PATIENCE

JARGON BUSTER

3 PARAMETRIC EQ A type of EQ plug-in that offers a very fine degree of control, using three parameters for each band: frequency, Q-factor and gain. 3 Q-FACTOR Sets the width of the EQ band. High Q values allow for very specific or narrow adjustment, but can sound quite resonant and unnatural. 3 NASAL A term used to describe excess power in the frequency band around 1kHz (600Hz-1.5kHz). Use a parametric equaliser with a low Q value to fix this problem. 3 BOXY A word used to describe excess power in the frequency band around 500Hz (300-800Hz). Use a parametric equaliser with a medium Q value to remedy this.

EQ CURVE This curve graphically depicts the frequency response of each of the individual filters as well as the plug-in as a whole

FREQUENCY This is used to control the centre frequency of one of the EQ bands

Q This controls the range of the filter each side of the frequency band. Use low Q values to get a more natural sound

FAT This option enables a high quality filtering technique which improves the accuracy of an EQ plug-in, particularly with higher frequencies

LIM/SAT Use these two buttons to select the saturation model required to give the right amount of analogue warmth to the sound

GAIN This controls the amount of boost or cut applied by the band. Try to use cuts rather than boosts, as a general rule

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EQ for beginners make music now Q&A focus

WHAT IS IT?
As weve established, EQ is primarily a tool for manipulating the relative balance of frequencies within the audible spectrum. Er, what?', we hear you cry. In simpler terms, it's a tool for changing the tonal balance of an individual sound or a complete mix. Several different types of EQ exist, ranging from simple tone controls, which are used to accommodate broad adjustments, right through to parametric equalisers and notch filters which can operate with surgical precision on very specific frequencies. With any equaliser, particular settings will modify the frequency spectrum of the incoming signal in a certain way, and this is generally characterised by the use of an EQ curve. An EQ curve is best viewed graphically, in order to give a clear, visual representation of the impact the current settings are having on the signal that's being processed. Some parametric equalisers (see Five To Try, below) also offer a spectrum analyser that plots out the current frequency content of the signal in real time. The spectrum analyser is often placed directly behind the EQ curve, allowing particularly accurate and convenient EQ adjustments to be made while monitoring the incoming signal (both graphically and aurally). While some equalisers offer one set of parameters that operate on both left and right channels, others offer independent settings for each channel.

WHAT'S IT USED FOR?

One of the most common applications for EQ is problem solving cutting out noise or interference, or taming excessive peaks at particular frequencies. Most real mixers offer a low-cut button that reduces the level of the signal below 100Hz; this is particularly useful for removing mechanical microphone noise, for example. In the virtual studio, where the majority of signals are completely noise and interference-free, EQ can still play an important part in sculpting the tonal balance of sounds produced entirely within the digital domain ie, inside a computer. It can be used to subtly enhance or emphasise a particular characteristic of a sound, or radically alter the sound with more extreme settings. Hence, this is one of the most versatile effects in the plug-in rack. EQ is used heavily during the mixing process, usually to craft individual sounds so that they fit together properly in the mix. Its also often used on entire mixes as the first step in the mastering process (to provide tonal balance and correction of the entire mix). It's particularly important to use a good quality, natural sounding plug-in when applying EQ for such purposes.
3 Shure thing: EQ will remove any nasty mic-related noises, like sibilance and breathiness from vocals

HOW DO I USE IT?

As weve already seen, equalisation can be used in a number of different situations, so well try and pass on some general advice here that's going to be relevant to most typical applications. When making any EQ adjustments, try starting off by setting one band to a fairly drastic boost, then sweep the frequency up and down to find the particular range of frequencies you want to operate on. Having set the frequency, adjust the Q value and gain until you achieve the result you're looking for. Generally speaking, its good practice to use an EQ plug-in to cut rather than boost (although cutting one frequency can be viewed as boosting all other frequencies!). Try to picture a stone mason chipping away unwanted marble to carve out a statue, rather than gluing on left-over chips from elsewhere. Or something like that. Although EQ plug-ins are generally very system/CPU friendly, its a good idea to avoid any unnecessary adjustments, as unless you have a good, high end plug-in, the sound may end up losing its focus and, as a result, its impact in the mix. In other words, make sure youve switched off any unused bands and always try to use conservative settings where possible (small boosts/cuts with wide Q values). Follow these general guidelines and you'll be on your way to mastering the art of EQing!

FIVE TO TRY...
DiscoDSP EQ30
www.discodsp.com

Fruity Parametric EQ
www.pluginspot.com

ParEQ

www.ntrack.com

HarmoniEQ

www.voxengo.com

NyquistEQ

magnus.smartelectronix.com

STEP BY STEP Applying equalisation in FL Studio with PSP MasterQ

Start FL Studio and load the track Toby-Striker (found in the ProjectsCool stuff folder). Disable the Fruity Parametric EQ and Limiter placed in the master channel and load the DirectX version of PSP MasterQ (the > VST version has a compatibility issue with FL Studio). >

In MasterQ, enable the bass rolloff, setting the frequency to 38Hz and the Q value to 0.48. Removing the excess bass will free up headroom, allowing the level of the whole track to be raised. Click the right Lim-Sat button to turn > on Vintage Limiting. >

The track sounds a little nasal. Set one of the parametric EQs to a high Q value with high gain, then sweep the frequency to find the resonant frequency around 440Hz. Widen the Q factor to about 0.55 and apply a small cut. Click the PROC button to compare the sounds.

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