Do you EQ on the recording chain?

AudioJunky · Post by **AudioJunky** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:19 pm

Do most of you find that if you have to EQ on the chain to the DAW, that you probably need to use a different mic... or do you just EQ until happy with the tone?

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:36 pm

going in, i get as far as i can with the source + mic + technique and then lean on EQ as little as i can.

but there's always exceptions.

Mark Alan Miller · Post by **Mark Alan Miller** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:38 pm

RefD wrote:going in, i get as far as i can with the source + mic + technique and then lean on EQ as little as i can.

but there's always exceptions.

Yep, pretty much!

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:28 pm

Me three, unless I've got something obviously "manufactured" in mind.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

directaction · Post by **directaction** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:52 pm

yeah, if you can get a good mix from the start, you'll experience less degradation of your sound quality from either sub-par eq plug-ins or converting to and from analog again (this is assuming you're recording digitally)

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:25 am

Lately the only EQ I've been applying on the way in has been a little low-end rolloff here and there, and a couple of weeks ago I boosted some high end. But that was with a GML pre so I think I managed to avoid the sub-par signal path thingy.

Generally I will rely on source sound and mic selection though.

Professor · Post by **Professor** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:10 am

The mic and the placement are the 'tone controls' for the signal while tracking... except for perhaps a low roll-off to dump ot HVAC or other rumblin' stuff.
It takes the same amount of energy to EQ on the way in or during mixdown, except one causes more stress and is harder to undo later if it's not the right sound.

-Jeremy

Fletcher · Post by **Fletcher** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:26 am

Using microphone selection and placement as your main "tone control" is without a doubt the best course of action... but after you have gotten the sound pretty much where you want it in "solo"... and then combine it with the other sounds that will comprise the song I have often found that there will be an area in the "sonic arrangement" that is either getting jammed up or left unfulfilled... at which point an equalizer is a wonderful tool to get the sound to work and play well with the rest of the arrangement.

Recording with no equalizers what so ever is a great learning excercize that has made me a far better recording engineer... but at the end of the day when it is commercial product and I have to put my best audio forward [as opposed to a low or no pay demo where I'm doing it so I can experiment with stuff instead of charging what I should charge]... equalizers are a very important part of the program.

Peace.

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:17 am

there is a reason why pretty much every console has an EQ on every channel... there is nothing wrong with using EQ!

the only times that I eq on the way in are when I'm recording to tape, and there are sounds that I know I will want brighter in the mix, and don't want to EQ later and just bring up the hiss along with the high end, like fingerstyle acoustic guitar, brushes on snare, etc... if i overdo it, it's easy to just use the same EQ on mixdown and knock off a bit of the highs, and deal with some tape hiss as well.

If EQ was such a terrible thing, something tells me Pultecs and 10xx modules wouldn't be so coveted.

John

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:33 am

Going to tape I may throw some pre-emphasis in line with something that I like for eq. The EQ should be something that you like the tone of before you even twist a knob...

That being said, I rarely EQ on the way in, but when I do it is for a very specific reason. If I know I want a little more thwack or boom on the kick I may throw a little massive passive at it on the way in.... or I may even throw some top on a vocal, just so i can cut a little during the mix with a plug and then boost again with a pultec and have the vocal "hold its tone" even with a ton of compression.

Every situation is unique, so none of these statements should be interpreted as a "rule" by any means.

Do whatcha need to do to get it to sound right. when I didnt have a bunch of mic's i eq'd to tape all the time. Nothing wrong with it at all. There is nothing "wrong" with doing anything in the name of making something sound good. That is what it is all about, period.

Fletcher · Post by **Fletcher** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:18 pm

as talking more about midrange sonic arrangements that "pre-emphasis" for keeping tape noise at bay... and like I mentioned, it was a great exercize to work without equalizers of any kind for a couple of years... really helped me hone my microphone selection and placement chops.

Best of luck with it.

ceilingcat84 · Post by **ceilingcat84** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:27 pm

I try to avoid using eq at all during tracking so i can learn which mics and mic placements work for which applications. so far i haven't run into situations where i know beforehand which elements of the mix are going to need eq, so i save it for teh mixdown phase.

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:05 pm

I used to be die hard against EQ..though now I've grown comfortable using a good EQ on the way in to put it in the spot I want..so yeah just know exactly what you want to do and set it..bing bang boom..if your not sure wait till after..I've been EQing electric guitar on the way in mostly in recent sessions..

dokushoka · Post by **dokushoka** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:37 pm

Twisting knobs always makes it look like you're doing something important and that the client is getting their money's worth. Why not do it?

Professor · Post by **Professor** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:24 am

That's pretty much the philosophy that made Funk Logic a successful company, isn't it?

-J

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Do you EQ on the recording chain?

Do you EQ on the recording chain?

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