[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

How To Mix A Pop Song From Scratch
choice of bandwidth, can result in the "sound of the desk" coloring the mix overall, to a
much greater degree than it does with fully parametric EQ.
But having said that - in almost all cases - the "sound" of the EQ is probably still the
major distinguishing feature that separates one mixing console from another.
Graphic Equalizers
These are by and large an overkill They are best reserved for situations where a number
of extremely subtle audio artifacts are already taking place - such as the equalization of a
recording studio control room's main monitors, or the delicate final equalization of a
finished mix during the mastering process when preparing a CD or other release for
listening by the public at large. Graphic equalizers are much less suited to situations
where the actual "correction" required is more "general" such as EQing individual
instruments as part of a mix - although it must be said, with some particularly difficult
sounds, you may occasionally have to resort to using a graphic equalizer to solve the
problem - but not generally.
Passive and Valve Equalizers
It's worth mentioning in passing here, the subject of passive equalizers.
Most equalizers use circuitry that actively boosts or cuts the sound in the various bands
using electronic feedback techniques which can (and often does) introduce audible
"ringing" in the circuitry. Passive equalizers on the other hand work by already cutting
the sound in all frequency bands to begin with, using simple, un-powered, passive
electrical components like resistors, capacitors and inductors. A single, simply-designed
amplifier stage after the equalizer usually makes up for the loss in signal level, so that the
level is flat when all controls are in their "centre" position. Therefore, on such an
equalizer, when you "boost" a frequency, you're not really boosting it at all - you're just
allowing it to seep through unhindered by the passive circuitry. Valve equalizers often
work in exactly this way.
This gives a much smoother sound. In fact a lot of the "smoothness" attributed to valve
equalizers, often has little to do with the fact that they have valves in - it is instead due to
the fact that the equalizer circuitry is passive rather than active.
Copyright © 2004 Dreampoint Design and Engineering Ltd.
- 32 -
How To Mix A Pop Song From Scratch
So how do you use these all these different types of equalizers in practice?
Let me give some practical examples:
Noise Reduction Using EQ
The act of eliminating unwanted noise from a signal, is obviously one
application where it is far better to get the sound right at source.
Although this article is about mixing, it is worth mentioning here what
the problems are, and how they are normally solved at the recording
stage.
The elimination of rumbles is best achieved by careful microphone
placement and mounting, and the elimination of hum is best achieved
by both the careful choice and placement of the cables used - normally
"balanced" cables. Elimination of high-frequency radio interference is
also best achieved by the careful choice and placement of balanced
cables, but because high-frequency interference is so pervasive, this
might not always help. Taxicabs for example are often a source of RF
interference on microphone cables - especially if those cables are
unbalanced.
Hiss originating in microphones can be eliminated by the use of high-
output microphones coupled with high-performance balanced
microphone pre-amps which in the nineties, are now present even in
fairly "budget" mixing consoles.
Avoidance of hiss from a recording device (i.e. tape machine) is best
achieved by the use of a good noise-reduction system such as Dolby, or
by recording on a good digital system in the first place - unfortunately,
the digital to analog converters on budget recording systems (like some
PC sound cards) don't even come close to the high-performance that
high-performance digital or even top-end analog systems can
theoretically achieve.
Also, in practice, avoiding all of these sources of unwanted interference
is not always possible. Even the best isolated city-centre recording
studio can suffer from very low-frequency rumbles caused by nearby
traffic and trains, and the busy lifestyle in a city provides ample sources
of radio interference such as power lines, mobile phones, and taxicabs.
Despite the noble goals of the "purists" of sound recording theory, it
isn't always a practical idea to record all microphones "flat" (without
EQ). Although you might not be able to "hear" low-frequency rumble
from nearby traffic and other extraneous sources, you can certainly
"feel" it - especially if your recording involves a lot of microphones
open at once, where "spill" from nearby sound sources (like a bass
guitar amplifier) may be common..
For this reason then, it is almost always a good idea to switch in the
high-pass filter that most modern mixing desks provide when recording
from microphone. The exception to this, is obviously when you are
using a microphone to record a very low-frequency sound such as a
Copyright © 2004 Dreampoint Design and Engineering Ltd.
- 33 -
How To Mix A Pop Song From Scratch
bass guitar, a cello, or other low-frequency instrument, where keeping
ultra-low frequencies is paramount.
Similarly - at the top end - any musical instrument which involves an
electrical "pickup" device - such as an electric guitar or electric piano -
may be susceptible to high-frequency radio interference.
When recording electric pianos in particular, I always filter off the very
top-end until I can hear it muffling the sound, and then I open it out
again until I hit the sweet spot where the basic sound remains
unaffected by the filtering. This is based on many sad years experience
of recording an otherwise good "take" that is suddenly spoilt by [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
  • zanotowane.pl
  • doc.pisz.pl
  • pdf.pisz.pl
  • mons45.htw.pl
  • WÄ…tki
    Powered by wordpress | Theme: simpletex | © (...) lepiej tracić niż nigdy nie spotkać.