newbie question about eq's

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:30 am

hey everyone. please dont laugh at my question but im really trying to teach myself alot about recording. With graphic eqs i understand the concept, but with a paremetric eq, it doesnt seem like you have as much options yet seems to be the favored choice in top of the line recording. Ive seen from looking at most parametric eqs that you have your basic low, low-mid, high-mid, and treble all with your basic Db levels, but only with one knob for each to keep in only on chosen posistion (freq) when with a graphic eq you can adjust every freq. Does my question make sense. I hope so. WIth the parametric eq one knob has around 10 freq but obviously you can only choose one posistion. Any help would be great because i feel like im right there with learning the concepts of eqing. Also if someone has any links to sites that ellaborate on both graphic and parametric eqs that would be awesome. Thank you.

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:40 am

If you know what you want, then the parametric EQ will give it to you. Sometimes (many times?!), a graphic EQ will have it's frequency centers where you DON'T need them, and the width of the frequencies affected may be all wrong.

Parametric is control for those who know what they are doing.

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:13 am

hi tempest

when a eq doesn't have a freq-knob it isn't a parametric eq but a semi-parametric eq

a true parametric eq has 3 knobs for: freq, Q (width), and gain

cheers

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:49 pm

actually from reading your post your well on your way to undestanding these things... it's all about filters... and the all have 3 parameters... freq/"Q"/boost the difference is to what degree will the designer allow us to play with these three... a graphic gives us only one the boost... but then gives us alot of them... then there's a semiparametric which gives you fewer bands and lets you decide what freq it works at... then last the parametric which gives you access to all three...

now i know that the graphic gives you the most visual feedback and consequently is easier to understand initially... but the fact that you've got all these filters sitting there overlapping is what works against them... so bite the bullet and play with your parametric... it'll pay off in the long run...

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:03 pm

Do your research on the 'Q' of the parametric.
That's where the magic happens.
The chosen Freq is not the only freq affected. The 'q' can affect all the freq between any 2 bands.
In a recording environment you rarely need to adjust too many bands for any particular inst.
However in a live situation, a parametric might come in more handy.
A graphic eq is like a saw and a Parametric is more like a scapel. It depends on the level of precision you need for the job at hand.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:30 am

parametric also gives a more tangible way of finding what you want to eq. the frequency is "sweepable" so if you want to, say, find the sparkle on a vocal track you can set a soft "q" or bandwidth (amount of surrounding frequencies) - like a small sloping bump - and set a boost of gain - then sweep the frequency back and forth to hear what you like.

oppositely you can dial out a murky bass frequency by setting the gain to cut and sweeping til the murk is gone.

i like to dial out feedback on a live vocal mic by setting a small q (like a sharp spike) set the mic gain on the verge of feeding back, boost the eqs gain and sweep til the mic feedsback, then cut that freq.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:02 am

Imagine a mountain sitting out on the prarie. This is a rough idea of the wave controlled by a parametric EQ. The heighth of the mountain is the 'gain' the width of the base is the 'Q' and the point of the peak in relation to the prarie is the frequency selected.

In application, you first need to determine whether the EQ is being used as a surgical tool to remove an offending particular frequency or rather it is to used as a tone control to accentuate a particular RANGE of frequencies. A full parametric is able to do both, whereas the graphic EQ is more of a tone control as is semi-parametric.

In the studio, if you have placed your mics properly on a well-adjusted source, then use of EQ of any kind is simply adding something for the sake of effect.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:35 am

Davedog wrote:

.... A full parametric is able to do bother....

In my experience almost any eq is capable of doing a lot of bother.

I know I'm the last person who should be making fun of an obvious typo, but I couldn't resist. Laughing

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:15 pm

I stand corrected.... Laughing

Its easy to make mistakes when you can type at well over eight words per minute. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:05 am

GentleG wrote:

hi tempest

when a eq doesn't have a freq-knob it isn't a parametric eq but a semi-parametric eq

a true parametric eq has 3 knobs for: freq, Q (width), and gain

cheers

An EQ that doesn't let you select the frequency is a "fixed-band". A "semi-parametric" EQ lets you sweep or select the frequency, but not the bandwidth.

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