Mixing question

**Wilby89** · 04-05-2012

Im using FL Studio and I normally EQ my tracks etc as im making the beat but I dont add anything onto the master channel but I do have a Gemini PS-02 MIXER beside me and I was thinking do you think I should use the eq on that to mix the master as im making the beat and then when the track is done duplicate the Eqing ive done on the mixer to the Paramatic EQ2 on the master channel and then have the EQ on the mixer as Default So the changes Ive done on the mixer are now cloned to the master channel in FL Studio.

**Mr. June** · 04-05-2012

What you're suggesting is an option, however I wouldn't advise putting an eq on the master; I'd try to accomplish the sound your looking for via eq's on the individual tracks. EQing the entire mix is usually done in the mastering stage...that being said, nothing is absolute! If your productions come out better with an eq on the master (or if your mastering your own stuff) - go for it!

**noblewordz** · 04-05-2012

I guess you could if you wanted but I see no advantage in doing it.

**The Beat Pharmacy** · 04-05-2012

I wouldn't Eq the master channel.

**krushing** · 04-05-2012

I personally don't see anything wrong with EQ on the master. It's obviously not a fix for a bad mix, but slight, broad-Q lifts or cuts here and there can be very useful in shaping the overall tonality...if you know what you're doing, that is.

**RawKnowledge** · 04-05-2012

In my opinion using a eq on the master can be negative and positive. Negative if you don't level the individual sounds first before applying the eq, and positive if you do level the individuals first then move on to tweaking the eq. DON'T USE PRESETS! Not all presets work as is based on your mixing. I recommend tweaking presets and saving them as new for personalization.

**Tee-em** · 04-06-2012

Logically, opinions aside, how do you expect to trust the eq on the master channel if you are making adjustments in the mix itself? By "expect to trust" I mean relying on your ears to keep track of the dynamic fluctuations in frequency response between low mid and high frequencines which generate the overall balance between the distributed densities of these ranges. For instance, if you attenuate or amplify a highhat to bring it more towards the front of the overall mix or behind a vocal that sits well in the overall mix, but the high hat you want to be further or closer to the vocal, and you adjust the high hat by +\- 2 db, then you will now need to also make an adjustment to the vocal to keep the vocal balanced with the snare/clap, bass, mid range bass, bass drum, etc., because adjusting a high hat changes the way you perceive the position of the vocal in the overall mix. Now, if you have already eq'd the master, and now you want to go eq the master again, after you feel like you have your high hat right, but you want to eq the master because a snare isn't sitting right, when you do so, you will be going back into the mix to adjust the individual channels that need to be attenuated or amplified as a result of moving frequencies around in a way where the frequencies you are attenuating or amplifying are changing the way you hear other frequencies.

It is a very messy work flow, and that is why others have said they don't see the advantage or that you should eq the individual channels of the mix itself or that you should know what your doing to effect the overall tonality with broad q lifts and cuts.

Broad q lifts and cuts are actually only truer the higher you move though the frequency spectrum. In the low end you would actually use narrower bands. The reason for this is the size of the waves you are working with. Higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths, thus a broader band width will cover a broader space over shorter frequencies, while lower frequencies cover larger distances, and narrower bands are utilized to make adjustments to larger spaces.

It is hard to explain, but if you were in a room looking at a wave about 110 hz, while you could see the wave was about 10 feet, and that was where your sweet spot in your eq sits, amplifying the richness of this frequency with a broad q will also amplify the 20 foot wave at 70 hz, as well as every wave length above & between 110 hz and 70 hz as far as the broad band reaches. 70 hz may be a frequency you want to amplify because of it's richness, but the frequncies that cover a very large amount of space in between 70 and 110 hz in this example will muddy up the low end.

The same but opposite principle works in the hi frequencies; broader band to affect a larger amount of smaller spaces.

Great thing is this works so naturally and really sets the clarity of your mix apart from newbies that haven't been taught about this principle.

Anyway, getting back to considering mixing different channels together, so much about mixing is getting over the fact that you think you like how the character of an individual sound sits in your mix so that you hear the how the overall mix sits itself when your ears judge it.

Presets are a great way to understand the mechanics of what you are working with in any effect. What is important overall is being able to make your own presets. Then you have presets you can tweak more constructively then the preset that gave your sounds a character that you like, so you tweak parameters you barely understand to get something you think sounds better, only to find out later when you've learned more that you didn't actually know what you were doing when you actually find out what you should be doing.

**WeissSound** · 04-06-2012

I know a few mixers who mix into a high boost. If you know you're going to be adding high end to a lot of different things throughout the mix it can be helpful to (a) preserve resources and (b) keep your perspective on a brighter mix. That said, I don't personally do it.