Frequency Settings on a Mixer
in [Live Sound]
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From: DanielleOM on 7 Feb 2010 15:19 When I watch a friend mix I find I see all of the mixer frequency settings turned down to about the same spot at 9 o'clock. This seems counter intuitive to me. I keep thinking this is like just turning the levels down since all seem to be turned almost equally. I normally keep them at 12 o'clock with very minor tweaks in one direction or the other. Am I missing something here? Danielle
From: Audio1 on 7 Feb 2010 15:51 DanielleOM wrote: > > When I watch a friend mix I find I see all of the mixer frequency > settings turned down to about the same spot at 9 o'clock. > > This seems counter intuitive to me. I keep thinking this is like just > turning the levels down since all seem to be turned almost equally. I > normally keep them at 12 o'clock with very minor tweaks in one direction > or the other. > > Am I missing something here? Well, maybe a little more detail in your tale... I'm assuming you mean the boost/cut for the lows, mids, highs, your friend having them all at 9:00, you having them straight up +/-. If so, you're not missing much, indeed having them all at 9:00 is a lot like turning the levels down and having them at 12:00 plus or minus your tweaks is better. There are quite a few reasons to do it your way, numbering from the gain structure to frequency response to phase shift in the EQ filters... If you're actually referring to the frequency knob of channel EQ on a console that has such, along with a boost/cut knob and sometimes a bandwidth knob, then leaving them at a particular O'clock setting is not allowing yourself the full capabilities you have available. Being able to boost or cut around a particular frequency makes a huge difference in getting a good mix. Some instruments (for example) sound better with a little cut around 200 Hz, but another would sound good with a little boost at 2kHz. In this case it's also better to start with boost/cut at 12:00 and tweak from there. Something you could do that may help your understanding is to download and read the operating manuals for various mixers, from the one you use most of the time (if you haven't already) to those of bigger consoles, both analog and digital. Some of these manuals have very helpful suggestions about their use and can be very informative. Happy Mixing! - A1
From: liquidator on 7 Feb 2010 16:07 "Audio1" <Audio1(a)where.net> wrote in message news:MJFbn.100441$_96.23490(a)newsfe02.iad... >> >> Am I missing something here? > If so, > you're not missing much, indeed having them all at 9:00 is a lot like > turning the levels down Except you have a very simplistic view of how the EQ works. She is correct that the setting is bad. The EQ's have a curve, they don't just turn down a frequency band. Setting them all at anything but 12 oclock will result in a response graph that looks like a roller coaster. Whoever is running that board and setting it that way should be fired.
From: Audio1 on 7 Feb 2010 16:45 liquidator wrote: > "Audio1" <Audio1(a)where.net> wrote in message > news:MJFbn.100441$_96.23490(a)newsfe02.iad... >>> Am I missing something here? > If so, >> you're not missing much, indeed having them all at 9:00 is a lot like >> turning the levels down > > > Except you have a very simplistic view of how the EQ works. I was writing it for her, not you. > The EQ's have a curve, they don't just turn down a frequency band. Setting > them all at anything but 12 oclock will result in a response graph that > looks like a roller coaster. That's why I said 'a lot like...' From her post it sounds like she's pretty new to the game, new enough that trying to explain frequency response in a text medium would probably be more confusing than helpful. I notice you didn't do much more than criticize, typical of the hacks and has-beens on aapls. > Whoever is running that board and setting it that way should be fired. Maybe explaining what he's doing wrong would be sufficient. Neither you nor I started out fully capable of mixing, why do you expect him to be?
From: geoff on 7 Feb 2010 16:40
DanielleOM wrote: > When I watch a friend mix I find I see all of the mixer frequency > settings turned down to about the same spot at 9 o'clock. > > This seems counter intuitive to me. I keep thinking this is like just > turning the levels down since all seem to be turned almost equally. I > normally keep them at 12 o'clock with very minor tweaks in one > direction or the other. > > Am I missing something here? No, they are. Unless there is something that requires what woud need the bizzarely lumpy downward response that setting would give, which I doubt. I woud expect to see maybe the LF control backed down that far, especially if vocalsits likes eating mics, but not the other 2 or 3 bands as well. Your friend maybe should learn from you. geoff |