Tonnie
Newbie
Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Nigeria |
| How Do I Learn To Use EQs Properly? |
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Hello,
I've always had this problem of setting EQ and somebody else comes around and change it.
I want to learn new techniques on using and setting EQs.
Is there is simply formular?
I wish someone could help me.
Thanks.
Tonnie |
Tue Mar 16, 2004 7:32 pm |
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AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2048
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| Learning E.Q. |
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In my opinion there is no "correct" way for e.q.
However as you posted here in the Live Sound forum I'll assume you need some advice about that.
Live Sound E.Q. can be different to say a studio e.q.
With Live Sound e.q. the first thing you'd be thinking of is to e.q. the front of house speakers (FOH) for the room. This means you ensure they sound "flat" (without peaks and troughs) in the usable range for the most amount of people.
Typically an engineer will play white/pink noise through the speakers and then an e.q. unit is used to "flatten" the areas so the speakers are "equalised" for the room. The reason for this is that each room will detract OR increase certain frequencies due to it's contruction.
Once the above is done other e.q. is used as a corrective measure to reduce feedback possibilities or tonal improvements.
As it sounds as if you are kinda new to this field the first thing you might want to do is embark on training your ears. This is a good tool which you can download from our site.
http://www.audiocourses.com/download-file-41.html
Also you would be wise to start to understand (listen) to the frequencies that typical instruments use.
Hope that helps, it's a massive subject so just keep posting.
Cheers
_________________
It's all in the ears. - Learn the concepts not the software.
Audio Courses is a way into the music business for you
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Tue Mar 16, 2004 8:27 pm |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 711
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
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Chris's answer was very technical, useful no doubt, but technical.
Im assuming you want to use the eq to make things sound better rather than "tuning" your PA.
Obviously the best way to learn is to get someone else to teach you. As you said before other people come up and change it, now, either they are morons and dont have a clue or most possibly they know what there doing. I know it might seem embarrasing but when things are calm why not ask one of them to teach you a thing a two. Thats how i learnt it.
Another way is to experiment. try playing a song with a good range of frequencies (pop songs are probably the best) then take out everything but the bass end on the graphic and try all the different frequencies after the other. This will give you a good idea of how the frequency range breaks down.
Then set up a mic near a speaker, not on it. on the mixer set the fader to unity (0) then increase the gain until feedback starts. It should be a standard level and not increasing in loudness, when this happens it is progressive feedback and can be very dangerous to you and your equipment so avoid it at all costs. You can guess roughly where this is on your eq. Go a bit lower than your guess on the eq and bring that frequency all the way down. If feedback does not stop return it to the middle and move to the next frequency. When you find the frequency that cuts the feedback bring down the frequency either side of it to make a V shape. Then you can adjust it to take out as little as possible but still cutting feedback, if you get my drift. This is known as a "notch filter" and is a crucial tool in live sound situations. Unfortunately once you have made the "notch" another frequency of feedback will become apparent. Repeat as necessary. It is important to get a good balance between good sound and no feedback because having too many deep notches will make it sound weird. Thats why you must be subtle.
This is known as "ringing out" in the business, use the phrase fairly often, it will make people think you know what youre talking about.
It will take ages when you first start but once you get used to it it can be done in seconds. What i have just said is for use on a graphic EQ. If you tell me which mixer you use i will explain the features of your mixer, such as the band EQ, low pass filters and parametric.
Give it a go, i hope this has helped
-Paul
_________________
If In Doubt...Hit It With a Hammer, If Still In Doubt... Find a Bigger Hammer. |
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Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:07 am |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 711
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
Ill just add that the technique i described with using a song and listening to the different frequencies is a self taught way of learning what the program Chris posted a link to will teach you. Give both of them a go and by then you will most certainly be an expert!!!
-Paul
P.S that was the longest message ive ever posted and im still adding more!
_________________
If In Doubt...Hit It With a Hammer, If Still In Doubt... Find a Bigger Hammer. |
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Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:12 am |
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AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2048
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| Good Advice |
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Wailing that's good practical advice.
Do please note all though, that there could be a heap of notch filters in the e.q. unit IF the PA is not "tuned" in the first place. Badly tuned systems feedback to hell. Get it sounding good and flat first then tweak it.
Just something to ponder on.
_________________
It's all in the ears. - Learn the concepts not the software.
Audio Courses is a way into the music business for you
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Wed Mar 17, 2004 6:49 am |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 711
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
Yes of course but for a beginner its probably better for a beginner to learn the basics first. Especially as tonnie may not have an RTA.
Maybe if you could write something similar to what i have but on tuning PA we could put them together and it would make a good article.
_________________
If In Doubt...Hit It With a Hammer, If Still In Doubt... Find a Bigger Hammer. |
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Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:24 am |
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Tonnie
Newbie
Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Nigeria |
| How Do I Learn To Use EQs? |
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Hi Guys,
This is the best set of lectures I've ever goten on this field. I must say that I've not made a wrong choice of beloging to this group. You people have exremely wonderful.
My challenges are solved. The idea I got was to get a player to play a particular music and master how it sounds carefully.
Then I'd go the EQ and practise all you've told me. Working on each frequency and listening to the original sound would help me a lot to achieve my goal. Since I know how the original sound.
One more thing. Is there a manual or site information that can increase my knowledge on instrument and voice mixing in sound system.
We do have a large auditorium and we use different mixers foe different halls. We have Allen & Heath ML5000 and ML3000, Mackie 48 channel e.t.c
I'd appreciate your contributions.
Tonnie |
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Thu Mar 18, 2004 9:01 pm |
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Tonnie
Newbie
Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Nigeria |
| How Do I Learn To Use EQs? |
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Hi Guys,
This is the best set of lectures I've ever goten on this field. I must say that I've not made a wrong choice of beloging to this group. You people have exremely wonderful.
My challenges are solved. The idea I got was to get a player to play a particular music and master how it sounds carefully.
Then I'd go the EQ and practise all you've told me. Working on each frequency and listening to the original sound would help me a lot to achieve my goal. Since I know how the original sound.
One more thing. Is there a manual or site information that can increase my knowledge on instrument and voice mixing in sound system.
We do have a large auditorium and we use different mixers foe different halls. We have Allen & Heath ML5000 and ML3000, Mackie 48 channel e.t.c
I'd appreciate your contributions.
Tonnie |
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Thu Mar 18, 2004 9:02 pm |
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