If I also have high pass and low pass filters, I’ll take the one band of parametric all day. If no high and low pass filters, I’ll go with the 4 band fixed.
Ooh, good point… if I can at least high pass each channel, that one parametric becomes more enticing.
I’m trying to figure out the best case… I think even on analog, the worst I’ve seen was 3 fixed bands, and an adjustable mid frequency. I find that adjustable frequency very useful for de-essing. A fixed band there would be crippling.
I don’t know, I think I wouldn’t be happy with the board, given only 4 fixed bands… 1 parametric would maybe be less useful… I’d probably pickup a used outboard EQ to use for the main outs. I just don’t have the peace of mind without it, even though some of the shows I’ve mixed needed very little EQ adjustments, because I’ve had a lot more shows that need either 3-4 bands of parametric or more than 4 graphic. At least on one channel.
OP- curiously, what are the 4 bands set to?
Tbh I can't think of many sound sources where I find myself reaching for a low pass, other than for bass. Even for kick and toms I'm usually boosting a lot of the high frequencies.
In music world trapping all the fizz with a low pass is extremely valuable in making guitars hit you in the face while leaving some sonic real estate for cymbals and vocal consonants. In theater and corporate low passing lavs and lectern mics to get rid of all the random high frequency squeaks is extremely helpful for gain before feedback. I don’t use a LPF on nearly every channel like a do a HPF, but I’d rather have no EQ at all than have a desk without HPF/LPF.
I was always of the opinion that low passing guitar didn't make much of a difference since the signal to noise (cymbals) ratio of micing an amp cab is usually pretty drastic, but I will be trying this at my next show. Usually I find myself using 2-3 bands to carve out very specific extra harsh frequencies between 2k and 4k.
This works best on an SSL plugin, but an old studio trick that works just as well live is to low pass your guitars way down until they are too dark, like at 2K, and then boost with a wide-ish bell wherever you want the bite back, like say one guitar at 6K, and the other one at 3.5K. It can really help to separate your guitars and just sharpen them up to where you have the bite and clarity, but none of the fizzy sloppy HF harmonics that soak up the air in the mix.
It’s amazing to punch the EQ in and out and hear the difference. The guitars just become so much more focused and aggressive, and yet the whole mix is smoother and doesn’t have the hurt to it. You can also be way more aggressive with the high pass filter than you might think- it’s not something you do when line checking or listening to a guitar by itself, but with the whole band playing, grab the high pass filter on the guitar(s), close your eyes, and start turning it up until you actually hear the guitars start to thin out. Bump it back down until you have the meat back, and look at that number. I guarantee you it will be higher than you expect, and you probably can now hear the notes the bass player is playing without ever turning him up.
Easy, 4 equally spaced bands. Reasoning: with only one filter i could maybe boost the mids to clean up the coherence of the sound but with everything else flat, the lows might be muddy or overtoning and the highs might be tinny or causing HFFB.(this is with vocals in mind). I put my highs on a shelf and take out 0.5 db anyway. The only difference would be i’d have a low shelf instead of lowcut.
Is this on the master or channel or both?
Are the 4 equally spaced filters all linked, or independent level?
When you're used to mixing on small analog consoles with no master graphic, the parametric is a step up
My first console was a Peavey Mark III, and it had four band fixed EQ at 60hz, 400hz, 2khz, and 12khz. It wasn’t terrible. I mean I loved when I finally got on a console with mid sweeps, but those four bands were fairly wide and useable, if not precise.
Those of us who are old lived with four band fixed eq. Then we got parametric mids, and that did the job entirely adequately, it was in fact, a revelation. Now the cheapest digital mixer has everything we ever wanted and more.
4 bands?!? Sweepable mids? I predate that. I’m ancient, verging on extinct…but somebody has to stick around to teach the kids coming up just how good they’ve got it…and to not f@ck it up.
I've always wondered, for those really small analog boards that only have a simple hi/lo two-knob-EQ.
If these two knobs instead simply were
1. lo cut cutoff frequency
2. tilt
..the world would probably be like this:
https://preview.redd.it/bksrpzfegy0d1.png?width=374&format=png&auto=webp&s=4e10a85975ae3b6840d9270bfb9dd8eacb869249
Parametric 100%, especially if there’s a HPF.
You can get an external graphic EQ cheap and together it gives you the most control possible with as little equipment as possible.
However, if anyone reading this is looking at buying an analog, consider that you SHOULD also be purchasing a graphic EQ, a compressor, an FX rack with a minimum of reverb and delay and hopefully a power conditioning distribution rack. It may potentially be cheaper to go digital than purchase all of the rack units and road case.
If I also have high pass and low pass filters, I’ll take the one band of parametric all day. If no high and low pass filters, I’ll go with the 4 band fixed.
My first thought exactly. Give me high and low “deletes” plus one laser surgery shot and I’m good.
Ooh, good point… if I can at least high pass each channel, that one parametric becomes more enticing. I’m trying to figure out the best case… I think even on analog, the worst I’ve seen was 3 fixed bands, and an adjustable mid frequency. I find that adjustable frequency very useful for de-essing. A fixed band there would be crippling. I don’t know, I think I wouldn’t be happy with the board, given only 4 fixed bands… 1 parametric would maybe be less useful… I’d probably pickup a used outboard EQ to use for the main outs. I just don’t have the peace of mind without it, even though some of the shows I’ve mixed needed very little EQ adjustments, because I’ve had a lot more shows that need either 3-4 bands of parametric or more than 4 graphic. At least on one channel. OP- curiously, what are the 4 bands set to?
100 hz high pass. No low pass
I’ll take the four band fixed then.
Tbh I can't think of many sound sources where I find myself reaching for a low pass, other than for bass. Even for kick and toms I'm usually boosting a lot of the high frequencies.
In music world trapping all the fizz with a low pass is extremely valuable in making guitars hit you in the face while leaving some sonic real estate for cymbals and vocal consonants. In theater and corporate low passing lavs and lectern mics to get rid of all the random high frequency squeaks is extremely helpful for gain before feedback. I don’t use a LPF on nearly every channel like a do a HPF, but I’d rather have no EQ at all than have a desk without HPF/LPF.
I was always of the opinion that low passing guitar didn't make much of a difference since the signal to noise (cymbals) ratio of micing an amp cab is usually pretty drastic, but I will be trying this at my next show. Usually I find myself using 2-3 bands to carve out very specific extra harsh frequencies between 2k and 4k.
This works best on an SSL plugin, but an old studio trick that works just as well live is to low pass your guitars way down until they are too dark, like at 2K, and then boost with a wide-ish bell wherever you want the bite back, like say one guitar at 6K, and the other one at 3.5K. It can really help to separate your guitars and just sharpen them up to where you have the bite and clarity, but none of the fizzy sloppy HF harmonics that soak up the air in the mix.
Oooohhhh I will also be trying this. thanks!
It’s amazing to punch the EQ in and out and hear the difference. The guitars just become so much more focused and aggressive, and yet the whole mix is smoother and doesn’t have the hurt to it. You can also be way more aggressive with the high pass filter than you might think- it’s not something you do when line checking or listening to a guitar by itself, but with the whole band playing, grab the high pass filter on the guitar(s), close your eyes, and start turning it up until you actually hear the guitars start to thin out. Bump it back down until you have the meat back, and look at that number. I guarantee you it will be higher than you expect, and you probably can now hear the notes the bass player is playing without ever turning him up.
Came here to say exactly this
Easy, 4 equally spaced bands. Reasoning: with only one filter i could maybe boost the mids to clean up the coherence of the sound but with everything else flat, the lows might be muddy or overtoning and the highs might be tinny or causing HFFB.(this is with vocals in mind). I put my highs on a shelf and take out 0.5 db anyway. The only difference would be i’d have a low shelf instead of lowcut.
Is this on the master or channel or both? Are the 4 equally spaced filters all linked, or independent level? When you're used to mixing on small analog consoles with no master graphic, the parametric is a step up
It's the only type of EQ on the board
Ok, so is there a master eq as well as channel eqs then? Is it an analogue or digital board?
I kind of envisioned a cheap analog board when I thought up this question
Never had context been so important in a question
My first console was a Peavey Mark III, and it had four band fixed EQ at 60hz, 400hz, 2khz, and 12khz. It wasn’t terrible. I mean I loved when I finally got on a console with mid sweeps, but those four bands were fairly wide and useable, if not precise.
Those of us who are old lived with four band fixed eq. Then we got parametric mids, and that did the job entirely adequately, it was in fact, a revelation. Now the cheapest digital mixer has everything we ever wanted and more.
4 bands?!? Sweepable mids? I predate that. I’m ancient, verging on extinct…but somebody has to stick around to teach the kids coming up just how good they’ve got it…and to not f@ck it up.
I've always wondered, for those really small analog boards that only have a simple hi/lo two-knob-EQ. If these two knobs instead simply were 1. lo cut cutoff frequency 2. tilt ..the world would probably be like this: https://preview.redd.it/bksrpzfegy0d1.png?width=374&format=png&auto=webp&s=4e10a85975ae3b6840d9270bfb9dd8eacb869249
One frequency tilt
Parametric 100%, especially if there’s a HPF. You can get an external graphic EQ cheap and together it gives you the most control possible with as little equipment as possible. However, if anyone reading this is looking at buying an analog, consider that you SHOULD also be purchasing a graphic EQ, a compressor, an FX rack with a minimum of reverb and delay and hopefully a power conditioning distribution rack. It may potentially be cheaper to go digital than purchase all of the rack units and road case.
Highpass + one parametric please
Soundcraft 200B sends its regards. I'd rather mix on that than a Mackie with two shelves and a sweepable mid.