DAN DUGAN
>> Your illustration shows clusters of narrow-band notch filters. Why
>> did
>>
ROB DANIELSON
> Yes, the end graphic is cumulative following the process of
> attenuating the loudest, exaggerated narrow bandwidths one at a time.
> Softer, but also exaggerated, adjacent bands can become audible when
> a loud bandwidth is attenuated. Using the Eqium plug, clusters of
> pitches or "chords" are typical-- especially >5Khz and in the lower
> mid-range. Wider parametric settings are often useful in
> accommodating mid-range adjustments.
This is--how shall I say it?--an eccentric approach. Narrow-band
notches are used to take out specific frequency noises or resonances.
The differences between mics will almost always be of a broader-band
nature.
> I'd have to use a much deeper "cut" using one, wide, parametric band
> to get the same amount of noise/hiss reduction. Wide curves usually
> sound flatter and life-less compared to multiple notch filtering. I
> use Eqium for narrow parametric tuning. Firium is much better for
> overall balancing when mastering.
>
> Recordists are always using using different monitoring systems when
> we share sound files. My technique surely addresses some monitor
> specific conditions especially in the lower mid-range where
> speakers/headphones seem to be most challenged. For example, my
> attempt to create a match may not sound as "right" on your playback
> equipment as it did to me or even "wrong" on your gear. I made the
> comparison as a reference; all of what we describe is relative-- both
> to our ears and our equipment. Why bother? I think it may prove
> important that we learn to acknowledge the short-comings in our gear
> and practices as well as celebrate our successes.
It may well be that you are equalizing resonant peaks in your monitor/
room situation, or individual frequencies that happen to be present in
that particular recording. A more effective approach is to do detailed
equalization of your monitor system. Then use broad-band equalization
on program files that will have a better chance of being useful on
other recordings and other monitor systems.
> (For those who are curious) In order to detect "exaggerated" pitches
> in broad bandwidth recordings, I alternate between headphones and
> speakers fading-in the volume from silence to a low play level a
> number of times listening for the loudest sustained pitch that
> "stands out." Pitches that stand out seem to protrude towards the
> ears rather seem to reside _within_ the illusionary stereo space.
> The increased volume of the exaggerated pitches tend to mask other
> pitches/elements in the recording. The result can be more tonally
> balanced playback. Raising the playback volume can sound more like
> one is opening a window to another space that lies "behind the
> speaker" compared to simply increasing the sound level that seems to
> come _out_ of the speaker. Rob D.
I agree with that description of the improvement that equalization can
provide--but monitors come first if you're going to work at that level
of detail.
-Dan Dugan
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