Frequency Conflicts
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Posted on Mar 29, 2007 09:45 am
mclir9
www.witchsmark.com
Member Since: Aug 13, 2006
Probably a silly question, but here it goes. When you are fixing frequency conflicts within a song, like when the Kick drum and Bass Guitar are cancelling each other out so you adjust the frequency using a Parametric EQ, would you analyze each individual Track and adjust the Bass Guitar track for instance or would you actually adjust the Stereo Mixdown as a whole??
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Kaos62Kaos is only a form of insanityMember
Since: Feb 03, 2005
Mar 29, 2007 11:31 am No silly questions here. if you don't ask how will you ever know?
I tend to listen to the 2 tracks together and adjust one or the other by reducing the required freq by a few db's, this is generally with a relatively narrow 'q' for example maybe reducing the bass around 80hz 'ish and reducing the kick around the 120hz'ish if it is rather boomy. My kick and bass tracks are both generally staight down the middle.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Mar 29, 2007 11:36 am Almost 100% of the time, I fix it on the individual tracks. there's not a whole lot you can do as far as notching on the stereo mixdown. The goal is to cut frequencies out of one instrument(s) to make room for another isntrument to shine through. If you cut those frequencies out of the mix as a whole, you end up with neither instrument shining through.
Parametric EQ all the way as far as I'm concearned. Sweepable frequencies and adjustable Qs are indispensible for notching. These aren't features that you generally find on graphic EQs, although some do have sweepable bands.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Mar 29, 2007 01:36 pm Yup, individual. If I want the low fat tone on bass I boost my kick around 90-100 and roll it off at 80 allowing the bass to occupy more of the 70-80 range.
On a song I'm doing now, the kick is dominating 80, I cut the bass a few db at 80, rolled it off at 60 and bumped it at 150. They are mixing pretty well so far.
There is a great writeup on this with very cool visual aid in the tips section... *looking for it*... Aha, here it is!
www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=154
mclir9www.witchsmark.comMember
Since: Aug 13, 2006
Mar 29, 2007 02:41 pm I'm finally starting to understand this whole frequency conflict thing, however what can I use to actually see them graphically like in the tutorial Captain linked too. Is this Spectrum Analyzer the right tool to see conflicting Frequencies www.voxengo.com/product/SPAN, or should I be using something else. I use Adobe Audition 2.0, is there one built in to it??
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Mar 29, 2007 03:19 pm Not sure if Audition has one biult in, I will have to look tonight.
For the most part you should just be able to use your ear if you have a semi-understanding of what occupies what. You will not necessarily see conflicts using an analyzer, you can get an idea of what freq's the instrument is taking up though. That way when you hear a conflict you will know where to notch.
The ones I work on the most is 1) Playing the kick and bass together and making sure they work. 2) Guitars and vocals, if you know what freq the vox are at you can notch a cpl db in that range on the guitar tracks and they will sit together nicely. I usually roll my guitars off a little high for my band (~140-160) as I like the bass to cover most of the low end.
Once again though, this is just how I do things, others probably have some good tips. Mainly though, your ears will be your greatest weapon vs. an analyzer as it just offers a little input.
P.S. If that analyzer is free, try it out. Once you do it a few times you won't even need to look is my prediction.
Mar 29, 2007 03:33 pm The article Tripps linked to is great. The art of mixing is a grand one. Laying each instrument in it's pocket is the hardest thing (in my opinion) to come to grips with. Each track can sound great solo, mix 'em together and they start stepping on each other and get all muddy...
...and on the 8th day God created the parametric equalizer... :-)
mclir9www.witchsmark.comMember
Since: Aug 13, 2006
Mar 29, 2007 03:45 pm Cool, I will probalbly do better just listening once I fully understand what it sounds like when 2 things step on each other, like the Bass and Kick.... will they actually cancel each other out or 1 cancel the other out to like a mute?? I know that Audition has a EQ that actually sits on each Track, when I open it it is a Parametric Type EQ with 3 options to move around one low, one mid and one higher and the positions can be moved and changed to different frequencies and Decibels. This would be great if I can accomplish what I need with these because they are laid out right there in front of my Mixer.
Mar 29, 2007 04:00 pm Depending on levels, phase and frequency they can cancel each other, make a muddy mess, take definition away, etc...it just always sucks.
Waves parametrics rock, one has up to 10 bands available...what I do is just try to emphasize defining frequencies for any given instrument and don't let others tread in that space as much.
www.homerecordingconnecti...story&id=38 is a good article with some good beginning pointers to frequencies and where they play in different instruments...it's brief, but useful.
Mar 29, 2007 06:40 pm www.harbal.com
excellent tool for 'seeing' frequency's....here's the bad news, you really shouldn't judge sound with your eyes, that's like tasting food with your ears. using a frequency analyzer can help you get a feel for what's goon' on, but it's not really goin' to 'show' you where your tracks are overlaping...if anything, you could use it to see where the most energy is commin' from and start there....
example: pull up your kick drum track on your analyzer and it'll probably be peaking around 80hz, now check your bass, and you'll see that it's more around 120hz, so by 'seeing' that, you can cut the kick at 120, and cut the bass at 80, and now each track has a home and you'll be able to hear them both clearly. keep in mind, the kick has a 'click' around 2k. depending on the situation, you'll wanna bring it out more, or push it back.
cheers
wyd
