thanks Nestor..
But I still think this should be better placed on the Pulsar study, in fact that forum has other topics as the physics of sound.. wich I think it has a lot to do with pulsar stuff.., that's just my opinion.
Thanks again for your help.
Snoopy
Mastering advices from the GURUS
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Nestor
- Posts: 6676
- Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Fourth Dimension Paradise, Cloud Nine!
BRASS AND STRINGS
As with vocals, brass and string instruments also tend to occupy the mid-range of the spectrum, typically 80Hz to 1kHz, unless you count the tuba, in which case you can add almost and octave to the bottom of that figure. Brass and string instruments work on entirely different principles but they do respond to equalisation in similar ways. Between 1kHz and 3.5kHz the sound ca become nasal or honky, which means a little subtle cutting in this region can sweeten thins up. To add high-end sizzle, move up to the 6-10kHz band and try a little boost there, but don’t overdo it or the sound will become “spitty”. For a warm pad sound from string samples, brass samples and synth patches, roll off a little top and add a hint of boost between 300 and 400Hz.
As with vocals, brass and string instruments also tend to occupy the mid-range of the spectrum, typically 80Hz to 1kHz, unless you count the tuba, in which case you can add almost and octave to the bottom of that figure. Brass and string instruments work on entirely different principles but they do respond to equalisation in similar ways. Between 1kHz and 3.5kHz the sound ca become nasal or honky, which means a little subtle cutting in this region can sweeten thins up. To add high-end sizzle, move up to the 6-10kHz band and try a little boost there, but don’t overdo it or the sound will become “spitty”. For a warm pad sound from string samples, brass samples and synth patches, roll off a little top and add a hint of boost between 300 and 400Hz.
*MUSIC* The most Powerful Language in the world! *INDEED*
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Nestor
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- Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Fourth Dimension Paradise, Cloud Nine!
BRIGHT SOUNDS
Few instruments produce a great amount of energy at the high end of the spectrum, the piccolo and xylophone coming closest in the 600Hz to 5kHz range. The upper harmonics of cymbals, belt-trees, triangles and suchlike extend well beyond the limit of human hearing.
Sampled and synthesised sounds haven’t been included, because they can cover whatever range the electrical circuitry is capable of supporting which, in theory, can be the entire audio spectrum.
Few instruments produce a great amount of energy at the high end of the spectrum, the piccolo and xylophone coming closest in the 600Hz to 5kHz range. The upper harmonics of cymbals, belt-trees, triangles and suchlike extend well beyond the limit of human hearing.
Sampled and synthesised sounds haven’t been included, because they can cover whatever range the electrical circuitry is capable of supporting which, in theory, can be the entire audio spectrum.
*MUSIC* The most Powerful Language in the world! *INDEED*
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Nestor
- Posts: 6676
- Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Fourth Dimension Paradise, Cloud Nine!
USEFUL EQ FREQUENCIES
Mains hum occurs at 50Hz – 60Hz in the USA and some other countries – (and its multiples), so applying cut at 50Hz and 100Hz using a narrowly tuned parametric can help to remove it from a recording without significantly changing the overall sound. However, you need a good quality equaliser to do this as poor equalisers might “ring” noticeably at the frequency they’re tuned to, even in cut mode. A third octave graphic may also help in this situation but other types of equaliser are likely to have too wide a range, which means that some of the wanted bass sounds will be seriously affected. Expect some change to the wanted sound though, especially if you need to apply a lot of cut.
The best anti-hum filters exist as software plug-ins for computer audio workstations where some packages are capable of automatically tracking small variations in the hum frequency and at the same time, deploying additional filters to deal with the harmonics. There may also be a facility whereby the filter cut is less severe when the sound being treated is loud enough to mask the hum as the less EQ cut you use, the less audible any side effects will be. There are also dedicated digital hardware hum filters that work in a similar principle.
Mains hum occurs at 50Hz – 60Hz in the USA and some other countries – (and its multiples), so applying cut at 50Hz and 100Hz using a narrowly tuned parametric can help to remove it from a recording without significantly changing the overall sound. However, you need a good quality equaliser to do this as poor equalisers might “ring” noticeably at the frequency they’re tuned to, even in cut mode. A third octave graphic may also help in this situation but other types of equaliser are likely to have too wide a range, which means that some of the wanted bass sounds will be seriously affected. Expect some change to the wanted sound though, especially if you need to apply a lot of cut.
The best anti-hum filters exist as software plug-ins for computer audio workstations where some packages are capable of automatically tracking small variations in the hum frequency and at the same time, deploying additional filters to deal with the harmonics. There may also be a facility whereby the filter cut is less severe when the sound being treated is loud enough to mask the hum as the less EQ cut you use, the less audible any side effects will be. There are also dedicated digital hardware hum filters that work in a similar principle.
*MUSIC* The most Powerful Language in the world! *INDEED*
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Nestor
- Posts: 6676
- Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Fourth Dimension Paradise, Cloud Nine!
QUICK EQ GUIDE
Bass drums and bass guitars: punchiness at around 80Hz, definition at 2.5 to 5kHz.
Electric guitars: boxy at around 200Hz, harsh or nasal between 1 and 2kHz. Brightness at 3 to 6kHz.
Acoustic guitars: muddy or boomy between 200Hz and 500Hz, nasal at 1kHz, zing at 5 to 7kHz. Add a little “air” EQ to open up the top end.
Air: to add more top end “zing” to a clean guitar or vocal sound, use a shelving high control, or better still a parametric with a low “Q set to boost at around 12 to 15 kHz. This latter setting is useful to add “air” to virtually any sound that contains high frequency harmonics. Experiment with applying broadband boost in the “air” band as this is a very useful production trick both for EQ’ing single sounds and for treating mixes.
Vocals: boominess at 150Hz, nasal at 1kHz, sibilance at 3 to 6kHz, air at 8 to 15kHz. Avoid excessive use of EQ when aiming for a natural sound.
Bass drums and bass guitars: punchiness at around 80Hz, definition at 2.5 to 5kHz.
Electric guitars: boxy at around 200Hz, harsh or nasal between 1 and 2kHz. Brightness at 3 to 6kHz.
Acoustic guitars: muddy or boomy between 200Hz and 500Hz, nasal at 1kHz, zing at 5 to 7kHz. Add a little “air” EQ to open up the top end.
Air: to add more top end “zing” to a clean guitar or vocal sound, use a shelving high control, or better still a parametric with a low “Q set to boost at around 12 to 15 kHz. This latter setting is useful to add “air” to virtually any sound that contains high frequency harmonics. Experiment with applying broadband boost in the “air” band as this is a very useful production trick both for EQ’ing single sounds and for treating mixes.
Vocals: boominess at 150Hz, nasal at 1kHz, sibilance at 3 to 6kHz, air at 8 to 15kHz. Avoid excessive use of EQ when aiming for a natural sound.
*MUSIC* The most Powerful Language in the world! *INDEED*
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blazesboylan
- Posts: 777
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 4:00 pm
- Location: The Great White North
- Contact:
As with most EQ, the PEQ4 don't stand up well past about +/- 6 dB of gain / trim. There are apparently hardware EQs that do but... who needs that much EQ?!??!
I'm very pleased with the PEQ4 -- very transparent. It is in fact the reason I started mixing "in the box" rather than with my outboard mixer.
Haven't had time to play with Celmo's Pultecator yet (has anyone else?) but I'll post a review once I've spent some time with it.
Cheers,
Johann
I'm very pleased with the PEQ4 -- very transparent. It is in fact the reason I started mixing "in the box" rather than with my outboard mixer.
Haven't had time to play with Celmo's Pultecator yet (has anyone else?) but I'll post a review once I've spent some time with it.
Cheers,
Johann
