Mixing Competing Frequencies

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caycay

New member
Ive been mixing some tracks that have several competing frequencies. When I pan them, the mix still sounds a little cluttered, and when I try and eq them, to make space, I end up with limp sounding instruments.... I was just wondering if anyone had any tips to mixing competing frequencies?

Also, when your applying EQ to the competing frequencies, do you typically try to completely cut out the unwanted competing frequencies to make them fit? Or do you just try and lower unwanted frequencies in the two competing frequencies?
 
I am by no means a professional mixing engineer but I never use panning as a solution to competing frequencies. Usually when there are two competing frequencies I always look towards the arrangement of the song.

The best solution towards competing frequencies is good arrangement.
 
it is more likely to be a problem with note choices in your source tracks than a problem that eq alone can fix.
 
use parallel processing on both tracks and eq and compress as needs be to get them to sit nice- panning is always useful for this problem despite what was offered in the first reply
 
bandcoach said:
use parallel processing on both tracks and eq and compress as needs be to get them to sit nice- panning is always useful for this problem despite what was offered in the first reply
Click to expand...

Ok thanks.

With the eq question, do you completely take out unwanted frequencies that's causing two competing frequencies?

or do you just lower the frequencies in the eq, that are causing two frequencies to compete?
 
caycay said:
...do you completely take out unwanted frequencies that's causing two competing frequencies? ...
Click to expand...
The simple but annoying answer is, you EQ till it sounds fine.
I´m into EDM mostly nowadays and there it is normal to layer a lot of sounds. So the normal way I do this is that I send sounds that I know I want to reside in a given frequency range to a bus and then do the final EQ there. I can still EQ the individual sounds before they hit the bus, but I can do some last minute easy but effective EQ there on the bus.
In this way I gather a lot of different tracks in buses.

If they compete I do subtractive EQ till I believe it sounds good yes. Wether or not you should remove all? Depends. Use your ears. There is no rules actually, you just want it to sound good.
From what I have seen, the most common newcomer mistake when mixing is to have too cluttered mixes (EDM). They tend to use too little compression and too little subtractive EQ. Also too little boosting EQ where the sound should sparkle more.

Hope you sort something outta this answer.

Best of luck.
 
caycay said:
Ok thanks.

With the eq question, do you completely take out unwanted frequencies that's causing two competing frequencies?

or do you just lower the frequencies in the eq, that are causing two frequencies to compete?
Click to expand...

start with just the two tracks audible - solo both channels
now eq just one of these channels
you will probably need to use a parametric eq (peq) so that you can attack the problem using F, bandwidth and (Q) and cut
once you have identified and controlled one channel apply the exact same settings to the other channel
adjust the cut level on both to be half of what your initial values were (as both channels are the problem)
now bring in the pair of parallel channels you were asked to make in my last answer
apply a multiband compressor to those channels, using the values you have identified using the peq
bypass the peq in the original channels
pan the paired channels left and right remember to adjust channel faders levels so that the original level is still attained
unsolo and listen to the whole mix
tweak to taste
 
Last edited:
Heyclown said:
The simple but annoying answer is, you EQ till it sounds fine.
I´m into EDM mostly nowadays and there it is normal to layer a lot of sounds. So the normal way I do this is that I send sounds that I know I want to reside in a given frequency range to a bus and then do the final EQ there. I can still EQ the individual sounds before they hit the bus, but I can do some last minute easy but effective EQ there on the bus.
In this way I gather a lot of different tracks in buses.

If they compete I do subtractive EQ till I believe it sounds good yes. Wether or not you should remove all? Depends. Use your ears. There is no rules actually, you just want it to sound good.
From what I have seen, the most common newcomer mistake when mixing is to have too cluttered mixes (EDM). They tend to use too little compression and too little subtractive EQ. Also too little boosting EQ where the sound should sparkle more.

Hope you sort something outta this answer.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...
I think when people have made an intentional attempt to mix something, more often than not they over eq and over compress. Unless they are just making songs and don't even know what mixing is. But I get your point.
 
Band stop filters on corresponding peaks and any other harmonic masking. Use a spectrum analyzer and your ears. Give them a spot in the 3d stage of your mix...
 
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