3 band EQ and HPF 75 hz Question.

Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 11:26 am

I want to record some music in the band I am in, but I want to get as good of a sound out of the recorder as I can. The band consists of 1 singer, 2 guitarists, 1 bassist, and 1 drummer. The recording device I use is an Alesis Multimix 16 USB 2.0. The mixer as a 3 band EQ and does high pass filtering at 75 hz.

I have a vague idea of how to use the equalizer but I would like to know more. So does anybondy have any tips or maybe a good website that I could go to to find out more information on it?

The unit has a 75 hz high pass filter on it and I was wondering what would be the best intruments to use it on?

Thanks.

Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:54 pm

With the HPF, IMO ALWAYS enable it on any microphone unless you're pointing that mic at a bass guitar or kick drum.
You can use it on anything, if it seems too bassy(one guitar I deal with has a real punch to it and the HPF is necessary to keep my ears from imploding).

In case you didn't know, it just drastically reduces the frequencies below the specified one. With vocal mics it'll minimise a lot of plosives and breath noise.

Are the mids on the EQ sweepable?

Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 9:37 pm

I'm of fan of HPF's, but only when absolutely necessary. If there's that much low end in the core, take care of it at the source.

Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 9:57 pm

Quote:

does anybondy have any tips

Do not touch the EQ until you've exhausted all your possible mic placement options.

Make sure each input is hitting unity.

Move the mic if it doesn't sound right.

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:03 am

Massive Mastering: No choice with us live.
Unless I physically encase the mic stands in liquid nitrogen, someone will move them. Literally, I move things and by the time I walk back to the desk, someone is grabbing this and tilting that. It peanuts me off.

BTW why is this question in the mastering forum?

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 5:45 pm

Codemonkey wrote:

BTW why is this question in the mastering forum?

we seem to be in the Recording Studio forum ?

this is more a live sound issue than anything else
in live sound you have to do what you have to do
if that means use the HPF ... then use it

for people that have not survived live sound it can be hard to describe some of the things that cause the most trouble

Codemonkey has already mentioned turning his back to find that things have been moved

the stage can be cluncky and this sound travels up ALL mic stands and gets IN everything
use the HPF

when you have to use the EQ for room troubles
yes that is very bad but you have to survive
try putting the same corrction into as many mics as possible
SO THAT
when you get the two track recording back home ... a reversal of the correct might make it sound normal

this is live band recording using the FOH production desk
it's not easy and very hit/miss
Guerrilla Recording

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:27 pm

Uh? I could've sworn the bit below said Mastering Sound when I posted that.

Our stage is wooden, has rot and when I recorded a choir, the recording was full of someone tapping their foot. So +1 to that.
Although to get rid of it, I'd've needed to roll off from 200Hz, falling fast. Bit too much IMO.
When the bombs start falling, it's all about damage limitation - not about stopping the impacts totally.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 2:03 pm

Codemonkey wrote:

Uh? I could've sworn the bit below said Mastering Sound when I posted that.

Our stage is wooden, has rot and when I recorded a choir, the recording was full of someone tapping their foot. So +1 to that.
Although to get rid of it, I'd've needed to roll off from 200Hz, falling fast. Bit too much IMO.
When the bombs start falling, it's all about damage limitation - not about stopping the impacts totally.

I usually try to make the sound avoiding as much as possible to touch any EQ, working on the mics position. Then in the mixing stage you could use some EQ. But it's really hard to tell how and what to do, it depends by a lots of thing. As on many other things, experience is the best way to learn.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 7:28 pm

As I said before, when you can't walk 15m without someone undoing your lovely mic adjustment, and can't get any distance between singer and mic due to the massive ring from the cymbals, you have zero choice but to turn knobs.

Now, if/when we record a song properly... Twisted Evil

people will quickly get to disliking my new way of working things.

This topic sponsored by: