Audio Production Level 2 - EQ (Equalizer)This course makes EQ theory understandable, and gives many practical examples and comparisons to help you improve your audio production. I provide all the audio and plugins needed. Instead of just giving pre-determined settings for EQs for different instruments/voices, this course provides the knowledge so that you can work out your own settings for absolutely any given situation. As with Audio Production Level 2 - Compressors, it gives a solid grounding, moving forward in the competent use of EQ. IntroductionA comprehensive breakdown of everything you will learn in every section of this courseA recommendation to do the course in the order it’s presented to get the most out of it and whyHow to contact the tutor if you have any questions. Section 2: FrequenciesSpectrum Analyzers Using one plugin and two audio filesWhat is a Spectrum Analyzer, what it does, and how it can be usefulA description of the pluginA step by step guide to setting up the pluginSaving settings as a pre-setUseful features of the pluginSolving a problem using the Spectrum Analyser and the Reaper EQHarmonic Series Part 1The plugin and audio file that are usedThe different ways and terms of measuring the capability of human hearingThe direct relationship between frequencies and musical notesWhat the harmonic series isAn explanation of the Harmonic Series ChartHarmonic Series Part 2Hearing the different harmonics within an audio noteWhat effect it has when the different harmonics are turned downHaving a first look at a spectrogramUsing the EQ to remove individual harmonics and hearing the difference it makesFrequency RangesExplanation of what’s on the screenDividing the sound into 3 frequency rangesListening to how cutting the different frequency ranges soundsUsing the EQ to boost the high frequencySection 3: EQing Effectivel7High Pass FiltersHigh Pass Filters on vocalsThe plugins being used in this lessonWhy you use a high pass filter when it’s hard to hear any differenceLooking and listening to below the turnover frequencyWhat we are listening toThe two main reasons to use a High Pass FilterShelf EQsHigh shelf and Low shelf EqsWhat they are really effective forAlternative ways to achieve a similar effectListening to and fine tuning the EQExamples using High and Low shelf EQsFrequency Sweeping Part 1Why we use frequency sweepingThe three different frequency sweeping techniquesHow each of them workUsing solo and sweep with Reaper’s EQ and then with SPAN. Frequency Sweeping Part 2Frequency sweeping for problem solving to be turned downEnhancing “sweet spots” by turning them upBell EQA closer look at the Bell EQ and extending its usefulnessUsing two Eqs to change the shape of a Bell EQ and hearing the effectHow the ColourEQ worksAll its functions and its pros and consEQing by Microphone PlacementLooking at what an EQ isHow to alter the tone of the audio with careful microphone placementListening to how the different mic placements affect the recordingCombining different microphonesSection 4: Frequency JugglingLecture 13 Frequency MaskingUsing two audio files and two plug-insLooking at how the new plug-in worksUnderstanding why we use frequency jugglingExamples of when frequency juggling isn’t wantedVisuals of different instruments playing the same notePanning option pros and consPitch shift optionBoosts and FiltersFrequency juggling within the context of a small mixWhere to use EQ boosts and whyUsing frequency sweeping to find the nice and less nice sounding frequenciesListening to before and after using EQUsing Filters to affect the backing vocals and make them blend with the rest of the trackKick and BassExplanation of basic filtering of the tracks used in this lectureListening to tracks with and without kick and bassLooking at the spectrum analyser to see the frequency ranges in the kick and bassUsing boosting and cutting to help both kick and bass to be clearly heardSection 5: Spectral EditingSpectral Editing IntroThe audio and plugin used in this lectureWhat Spectral Editing meansLooking at the various ways of visualising audioInformation about SpectroOpening the pluginAn example of the plugin in actionSpectral Editing - FixingExample of fixing in action in a drum loopExample of fixing in action in a guitar loopAn overview of Spectro and the buttons not already coveredDemonstrations of the fixesSpectral Editing - EnhancingThe audio used in this sessionWhere we want to enhanceBefore and after using the enhancementSection 6: EQ-ing With Your EarsIntroThe huge importance of training your ears, rather than completely relying on visual aidsAn introduction to this sectionAn in-depth explanation of the SSQ plug-in (with minimal visual aids) used in this sectionExercise 1, Single TrackStarting by EQ-ing a single trackWatching volume levels and whyDeciding on beefing up the kik and making it tighterEnhancing the ride cymbalA full explanation of what I am doing with the SSQ plug-inListening to the “before” and “after"Exercise 2, MixingMixing a section of the multi-track session
