question for EQ users.

[hpharley90]

I record using EZ Drummer or Superior Drummer and myself adding electric and or acoustic guitars and electric bass maybe some midi piano and vocals.

So my question for those using basically my input structure do you use Mixcraft's 3 band or parametric eq in your mixing or do you use just channel strip say Waves SSL E-channel for example or an Acoustica VST and keep Mixcrafts eq bypassed or use both together?
How do you all use the EQ?

I don't know which is proper way to do with all the different options.

[Mark Bliss]

Whatever one prefers I suppose.
Personally, IMO, the 3 bands mid-band frequency isn't really typically in the desired range by default, I may use the high and/or low band, but usually I like something more flexible.
On the "input" or recording side of things, I may use either the Mixcraft parametric, or a 3rd party plug-in. I kind of have a preference (due to familiarity) for an SSL style channel strip, and since I own some good examples...
When mixing I may use something more "surgical" and for that I usually like to use a dynamic EQ with spectrum analyzing built in- for example Pro-Q or Nova.

[hpharley90]

Whatever one prefers I suppose.
Personally, IMO, the 3 bands mid-band frequency isn't really typically in the desired range by default, I may use the high and/or low band, but usually I like something more flexible.
On the "input" or recording side of things, I may use either the Mixcraft parametric, or a 3rd party plug-in. I kind of have a preference (due to familiarity) for an SSL style channel strip, and since I own some good examples...
When mixing I may use something more "surgical" and for that I usually like to use a dynamic EQ with spectrum analyzing built in- for example Pro-Q or Nova.

So you use one type for recording and another for mixing that is more precise with an analyzer. thank you.
Would you use parametric in conjunction 3rd party or use them separately?

[Rolling Estonian]

I record using EZ Drummer or Superior Drummer and myself adding electric and or acoustic guitars and electric bass maybe some midi piano and vocals.

This is what I do, or attempt to do! lol

I use Fabfilter ProQ 3 on every track, I don't even know half the features but it's an amazing EQ. I'm just a hobbyist having fun but I can't see a reason not to have it on every track, submix, send, bus or Master. It's a tiny profile and just kicks ass.

M

[Sturdy]

fwiw, I just put mixes together for songwriting, nothing super surgical, but here's what I use often. Low and high pass gets used often on guitars and basses to strip away low rumble or unneccessary high freqs. Additionally, I use mixcraft's 10 band eq plug (I think it's 10 band?) for tweaking specific frequencies. I find bass guitar in particular benefits from tweaking a bit to enhance the attack and remove some mud. My guitars often sound pretty close to what I want other than stripping out the unneeded low freq's so get minimal treatment other than panning/volume adjust.

I'm afraid of doing too much - it innevitably starts to sound worse if I fiddle around too much.

[Northfield.Lenox]

Sort of related - you can now get the Ozone 11 EQ as a free effect from NI

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... one-11-eq/

[aquataur]

EQ-ing and compression are an art to master. You can save or ruin an entire mix with them.
EQ is static and compression a dynamic effect and then there are also the in-betweens. More dangerous weapons.
So use with care.

I adhere to Mike Senior´s advise to first fix the coarse frequency range of each instrument.
One can expect that they have done their homework for EZD, so you can concentrate on the others.

For that, 10-band EQ´s are a pretty blunt tool. Any simple low-pass or high pass will be superior for simple tailoring tasks, because the just produce a dedicated roll-off. 10 band EQs don´t produce roll-offs and don´t limit certain frequencies (although they have a frequency written on top of them), but limit a bell-shaped band around their designated center-frequency. To me, they are totally obsolete and redundant.

A param EQ is a sledgehammer for a roll-off filter, although I admit, I often slam one in and make it behave like one just for convenience, and because they usually visualize your signal. But this again requires many controls to set, meaning many controls that may be set wrong.

After the initial gain staging, you may find that some dynamic instruments like drums and bass are in competition with each other in times.
This is the time to haul out something like NOVA, or any dynamic EQ. Or a notch filter to eliminate certain pesky frequencies.

But again, this is advanced art and you should avoid those if you are not absolutely sure that you can harness them.

[Mark Bliss]

So you use one type for recording and another for mixing that is more precise with an analyzer. thank you.
Would you use parametric in conjunction 3rd party or use them separately?

I wouldn't suggest I have never but... Unlikely.
The addition of the parametric was a great improvement for those who want use what is native in Mixcraft, no question.
I lobbied heavily for it, as I found the three-band lacking personally.

But honestly, by the time that happened I had become fairly used to using a third party option to do what I wanted personally. Thats not a knock, just the way it goes.
And more directly to your question, I would discourage stacking any more inserts than required to do the desired task.

Course adjustment early, fine tuning later (as alluded above by Aquataur)
And always keep in mind- *What sounds good in solo may not be ideal in the context of a mix, and what sounds good in the context of the mix may not sound ideal in solo."

And always pay attention to advice that refers to Mike Senior's book...

[m9havock]

To add the honorable mentions for EQs

The included "TB Parametric EQ" is great because it has nice features its light on the system resources. It can add it to every track as basic setup.
And Acoustic's 31 Band EQ is solid for quick surgical work with its 6-24dB filters.
Then save your fancy EQ for later on the bus.

The EQs built in on the mixer are not in the right sequence on the signal chain for me, thus I never use them but they sound good.

[Mr.Mxyzptlk]

I also use TB Parametric EQ to tidy up each track and either Sonible's SmartEQ3 or Kirchhoff-EQ on the Master Track. Sonible's range is really good. Like most, I also recently got the free Ozone 11 EQ so will be trying that out.

[aquataur]

(...) a dynamic EQ with spectrum analyzing built in- for example Pro-Q or Nova.

Did you ever look at TB F|X4? I like the look of Nova, but I find it less than intuitive with things that appear and then are grayed out again.
It has spectrum and incredible compressor shapes. It looks uncluttered and self-assuring.