Parametric

Using the parametric equalizer allows you to choose the frequency that you want to change as well as the range of frequencies around that frequency. With a parametric EQ, you dial-in the frequency that you want to change and then set the range itself (referred to as the Q) that you want to affect. This type of EQ is called a peak, or notch, EQ in Pro Tools; it’s designated by the icon shown here in the margin.

Q is a number that signifies the range of frequencies that the EQ affects — usually between one-half and two octaves. Pro Tools offers settings from 0.10 to 10, with the lower numbers allowing larger ranges of frequencies to be EQed.

You choose your Q setting based on what you hear in the mix. Just as you can experiment with different frequencies to adjust in the mix, you can also try different Q settings to find the best possible frequency range to use.

The beauty of using a parametric EQ is that you can take a small band (range) of frequencies and then boost (increase) or cut (decrease) them. This capability enables you to get the various instruments in a mix to fit with one another. (This technique is carving out frequencies.) When you’re mixing, the parametric EQ is the most useful equalizer because you can adjust the frequency response of each instrument so that the other instruments can be heard clearly in the mix. The only downside to using parametric EQs is that they need processing power to run. If you have a lot of EQing to do, you might end up stressing your system pretty hard. (Yet another reason to have a powerful computer.)

Low-shelf/high-shelf

A shelf equalizer affects a range of frequencies above (high-shelf) or below (low-shelf) the target frequency. Shelf EQs are generally used to roll off the top or bottom end of the frequency spectrum. For example, you can set a low-shelf EQ to roll off the frequencies below 250 hertz (Hz), which reduces the amount of rumble (low-frequency noise) in a recording. You generally use the shelf EQ to adjust the lowest and highest frequencies and the parametric EQ to adjust any in-between frequencies when you mix.

In Pro Tools, the low- and high-shelf EQs are designated with the icons seen here in the margin. The low-shelf is the left-facing fork, (top) and the high-shelf is the right-facing art in the margin (bottom).

Low-pass/high-pass

Believe it or not, sometimes your track just sounds better if you eliminate a few carefully chosen frequencies. You just need to know which ones to target. That’s where a couple of Pro Tools capabilities can help with the needed audio acrobatics: low-pass (ducking the high frequencies you don’t want) and high-pass (jumping over the low frequencies you don’t want).

This type of EQ is actually called a filter because, um, it filters out frequencies either higher (low-pass) or lower (high-pass) than the target frequency. A low-pass filter is used for eliminating unwanted high frequencies, and a high-pass filter is useful for getting rid of unwanted low frequencies. In Pro Tools, the low- and high-pass filters are designated with the icons seen here in the margin. The low-pass filter is the downward slope (top) and the high-pass filter is the upward slope (bottom) art in the margin.

Inserting an EQ plug-in in a track

To EQ a track, you first need to insert the Pro Tools AudioSuite plug-in in the track. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Choose View⇒  Mix Window⇒  Inserts from the main menu to make sure that the Inserts section is showing in the Mix window.

2. Click the top arrow on the left side of the Inserts section of the track’s channels strip.

   The Inserts drop-down menu appears, as shown in Figure 3-1.

3. To fit the type of track you have, select the Multi-Channel Plug-In or the Multi-Mono Plug-In option.

   If your track is stereo, use Multi-Channel; if it’s mono, use Multi-Mono.

4. Select the 1-Band EQ3, 4-Band EQ-3, or 7-Band EQ 3 option.

   Your chosen EQ plug-in window opens. (The 1-Band EQ 3 option lets you set one EQ parameter, whereas the 4-Band EQ 3 option lets you work with four parameters. I bet you can guess how many parameters you work with in 7-Band EQ-3.) For more on which option would work best for you, check out the following section.

5. Adjust the parameters that you want to EQ.

   You can find the particulars for each kind of EQ — parametric, low-shelf/high-shelf, and low-pass/high-pass — later in the chapter.

If you want to EQ a bunch of tracks at the same time and use the same settings (submixes, for example), you can do this the following way:

1. Select one of the buses from the Output selector in each track that you want to submix.

2. Choose Track⇒  New from the main menu.

   The New Track dialog box appears.

3. Use the drop-down menus to enter the number of tracks that you want (choose 1), the type (choose Auxiliary Input), and whether you want your track in stereo or mono.
4. Use your new track’s Input selector to select the bus that you used for the output of the submix tracks as the input for this auxiliary track.

5. Insert one of the EQ plug-ins from the Insert drop-down menu in this auxiliary track.

   The EQ plug-in window opens.

6. Adjust the EQ settings to get the sound that you want.

   You can find the particulars for each kind of EQ — parametric low-shelf/high-shelf, and low-pass/high-pass — later in the chapter.

Perusing Pro Tools EQ options

Using an EQ in Pro Tools comprises selecting one of the plug-ins, inserting it in the track that you want to affect, and setting your parameters. Pro Tools comes with three basic EQs: 1-band EQ, 4-band EQ, and 7-band EQ.

You can also use any 64 bit AAX Native or AAX AudioSuite EQ plug-in, but these have to be purchased separately. If you do an Internet search with the keywords 64 bit AAX plug-ins, you’re sure to find tons to choose from. The 1-band EQ plug-in for Pro Tools, as shown in Figure 3-2, lets you apply one EQ filter to a track. This EQ is useful if you just want to adjust one parameter. You can choose any of the types of EQs — parametric, low-shelf/high-shelf, and low-pass/high-pass — by clicking the appropriate button to engage your chosen EQ.

4-band and 7-band EQs

The 4-band and 7-band EQs in Pro Tools, as shown in Figure 3-3, let you adjust up to four or seven (respectively) EQ filters to a track. This type of EQ is useful when you have to do some major EQing to a track. Both EQs share the same window. The difference is that with the 4-band EQ, you can select only up to four of the seven possible bands of EQ. Comparatively, the 7-band EQ lets you use them all.

Figure 3-3 shows all seven bands. These are

• HPF (High-Pass Filter): Located to the left of the graphical display for the EQ, here you can choose the high-pass filter or the notch EQ setting.
• LPF (Low-Pass Filter): Located just to the left of the graphical display for the EQ, here you can choose the low-pass filter or the notch EQ setting.
• LF (Low Frequency): You can select between a peak or low-shelf EQ by clicking the appropriate icon next to the LF name.
• LMF (Lower-Middle Frequency): Your only option is a peak EQ.
• MF (Middle Frequency): Again, your only option is a peak EQ.
• HMF (High-Middle Frequency): Here you can adjust a peak EQ.
• HF (High Frequency): Like the LF option, this EQ can be a peak or shelf (this time a high-shield) EQ.

When you engage each band of EQ (by clicking the In button below the Q knob), a dot shows up in the graphical section of the EQ window to show you how your EQ is affecting the track the EQ is assigned to. You can check this by looking for a blue illuminated “In” button. These dots are color-coded to make it easy for you to see which band is where in the graph.

General EQ guidelines

Although some instruments do call for specific EQ guidelines, you need to think about some general considerations when EQing, regardless of the instrument involved. When it comes to the audible frequency spectrum (about 20 Hz to 20 kHz), certain frequencies have special characteristics. Table 3-1 describes these frequencies.

To adjust frequencies via Pro Tool EQ plug-ins, use the Frequency knob to choose the frequency you want to EQ and the Gain knob to control the amount of EQ that you boost (move the knob to the right) or cut (move the knob to the left) from your track.

You’re generally better off cutting a frequency than boosting one. This belief goes back to the days of analog EQs, which often added noise when boosting a signal. This can still be a factor with some digital EQs, but the issue is much less. Out of habit, I still try to cut frequencies before I boost them, and I recommend that you do the same (not out of habit, of course, but because if a noise difference exists between cutting and boosting, you might as well avoid it).

The exact frequencies that you end up cutting or boosting depend on three factors: the sound you’re after, the tonal characteristic of the instrument, and the relationship between all the instruments in the song. In the following sections, I list a variety of frequencies to cut or boost for each instrument (Table 3-2 shows an overview). If you don’t want to follow all the suggestions, choose only the ones that fit with your goals.

The parametric EQ is the type of EQ you use most when trying to get your tracks to fit together. This EQ gives you the greatest control over the range of frequencies you can adjust. The other EQ types (high-shelf, low-shelf, high-pass, low-pass) can often be used successfully for the top or bottom frequencies listed in the sections that follow.

Equalizing vocals

For the majority of popular music, the vocals are the most important instrument in the song. You need to hear them clearly, and they should contain the character of the singer’s voice and style. One of the most common mistakes in mixing vocals is to make them too loud. The next most common mistake is to make them too quiet. (The second mistake most often occurs when a shy or self-conscious vocalist is doing the mixing.) You want the lead vocals to shine through, but you don’t want them to overpower the other instruments. The best way to do this is to EQ the vocal tracks so they can sit nicely in the mix and still be heard clearly. The following guidelines can help you do this.

Equalizing guitar

For the most part, you want to avoid getting a muddy guitar sound and make sure that the guitar attack comes through in the mix.

Equalizing bass

Bass instruments can get muddy pretty fast. The mud generally happens in the 200–300 Hz range, so I either leave that alone or cut just a little if the bass lacks definition. I rarely add any frequencies below 100 Hz. If the instrument sounds flat or thin, I boost some between 100–200 Hz. Adding a little between 500 Hz–1 kHz can increase the punch, and a boost between 2.5–5 kHz accentuates the attack, adding a little brightness to the bass.

One of the most important things to keep in mind with a bass guitar is to make sure that it and a kick drum can both be heard. You need to adjust the frequencies of these two instruments to make room for both. If you add a frequency to a kick drum, try cutting the same frequency from the bass.

Equalizing drums

The guidelines for EQing drums depend on whether you use live acoustic drums or a drum machine. (A drum machine probably requires less EQ because the sounds were already EQed when they were created.) The type and placement of your mic or mics also affect how you EQ the drums. (You can find out more about mic placement in Book 3, Chapter 3.)

Equalizing percussion

High-pitched percussion instruments (shakers, for example) sound good when the higher frequencies are boosted a little bit — say, higher than 10 kHz. This adds some brightness and softness to their sound. You can also roll off many of the lower frequencies, lower than 500 Hz, to eliminate any boxiness that might be present from miking too closely. (See Book 3, Chapter 3 for more on mic placement.)

Lower-pitched percussion instruments, such as maracas, can also have the lower frequencies cut a little: Use 250 Hz and lower. Try boosting frequencies between 2.5 and 5 kHz to add more of the instruments’ attack. To brighten them up, add a little bit in the 8–10 kHz range.

Equalizing piano

For pianos, you often want to make sure that the instrument has both a nice attack and a warm-bodied tone. You can add attack in the 2.5–5 kHz range, and warmth can be added in the 80–150 Hz range. If your piano sounds boomy or muddy, try cutting a little between 200 and 400 Hz.

Equalizing horns

You find a variety of horns, from tubas to soprano saxophones, so to offer blanket recommendations for all of them would be ridiculous (although I’m no stranger to the ridiculous). So, with this thought in mind, I often start the EQ process for these instruments by looking at the 100 to 200 Hz range to add warmth to thin-sounding instruments. Next, I approach the 400 to 800 Hz range to get rid of any muddiness that occurs — unless it’s a really low horn like a tuba. For really low horns, I often look for the muddiness a little lower — say, in the 200 to 400 Hz range. To add some more attack to a horn, you can tweak the 2.5 to 5 kHz range a bit, and to add some of the breath of the instrument, look toward the 7 to 9 kHz range.