Automating EQ

[LBTM]

@Sweetman really helpful post. these settings are also available in REAPER. i've used them in the last albums i've mixed and they're a good time-saver.

 

[MetalSound]

What would you guys recommend as a controller that would work well for that? Frequency sweeps and maybe a fader and or a switch.

mackie control is nice. i bought one some time ago but i hardly ever use it for automation.
but it´s very nice to do some quick volume changes while tracking.

p.s.: nuendo is nice for automation, too.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

So in the latest EP I mixed the guitars in some parts were sounding louder and harsher than needed. I tried some volume automation but that didn't do the trick, so I though EQ automation! So I used BootEQ mkII to cut some of the harsh 2-4k mids in these parts and that really did the trick. So what's your expiriences with eq automation?

For this particular case, I use the waves c1sc. No need to automate since when the frequency range I selected pop out, c1sc attenuate it for me.

If I need to change my eq for a specific section, part, note...etc, I mult the track. Quicker to deal with fader ride and mute than eq automation for me.

 

[JeffTD]

If I need to change my eq for a specific section, part, note...etc, I mult the track. Quicker to deal with fader ride and mute than eq automation for me.

This. Apple+D to duplicate track, cut out region you want affected, tweak channel settings, done. I only use EQ automation for one-off effects (radio, muffled, envelope filter, surgical/corrective eq, etc), so automation is usually more of a pain than just duplicating the track and muting it accordingly.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

If I need to change my eq for a specific section, part, note...etc, I mult the track. Quicker to deal with fader ride and mute than eq automation for me.

This. Apple+D to duplicate track, cut out region you want affected, tweak channel settings, done. I only use EQ automation for one-off effects (radio, muffled, envelope filter, surgical/corrective eq, etc), so automation is usually more of a pain than just duplicating the track and muting it accordingly.

I used to do that too, before working on Pro Tools and trying to apply that philosophy of keeping the same "layout" on the desk for any project (same number of tracks, same assignment (20 is always bass, etc etc)). But again, to me Automation is what makes PTHD lightyears ahead of the others and I wouldn't even have considered it before.

 

[Vicioushead]

I learned how to do EQ automation in Logic but I could never figure out how to make it return to my regular setting

 

[LBTM]

I learned how to do EQ automation in Logic but I could never figure out how to make it return to my regular setting

Automate it back to your regular setting?

 

[Jordon]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but automating a LPF on toms to reduce the top-end of the bleed is pretty cool, especially if you have great-sounding toms that you don't want to replace, or don't have samples of from the session.

 

[KHE]

^ that just rememberd me how much i love reapers parameter modulation function

 

[LeSedna]

I used to do that too, before working on Pro Tools and trying to apply that philosophy of keeping the same "layout" on the desk for any project (same number of tracks, same assignment (20 is always bass, etc etc)). But again, to me Automation is what makes PTHD lightyears ahead of the others and I wouldn't even have considered it before.

I have tried that at some point (at my own level) but I thought that it would be annoying whenever something special comes in. Say you have 2 or 3 solo guitarists instead of 1 as per your usual layout, would you break your layout ? Or does your layout involves buses which absorbs this possibility (no matter the number of solists you will have one bus to feed them all to a single track) ?

I have like my own setup (left to right starting with drums - kick first up to overheads then room -, then bass, guitars, vocals, synths/strings, and finally whatever is left) but can't limit myself to the same faders in all project I create, it would be nice though to be able to use any controller I want.

By the way don't you use the artist series controllers now ?

 

[Mikaël-ange]

This. Apple+D to duplicate track, cut out region you want affected, tweak channel settings, done. I only use EQ automation for one-off effects (radio, muffled, envelope filter, surgical/corrective eq, etc), so automation is usually more of a pain than just duplicating the track and muting it accordingly.

Exactly

I used to do that too, before working on Pro Tools and trying to apply that philosophy of keeping the same "layout" on the desk for any project (same number of tracks, same assignment (20 is always bass, etc etc)). But again, to me Automation is what makes PTHD lightyears ahead of the others and I wouldn't even have considered it before.

You can still do that in PT.
But don't think too far about keeping track count the same, it's not possible (even CLA layout change).
I keep my color coding and PT layout the same in all my session for example.
From 40 tracks to 100+ track.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I have tried that at some point (at my own level) but I thought that it would be annoying whenever something special comes in. Say you have 2 or 3 solo guitarists instead of 1 as per your usual layout, would you break your layout ? Or does your layout involves buses which absorbs this possibility (no matter the number of solists you will have one bus to feed them all to a single track) ?

I have like my own setup (left to right starting with drums - kick first up to overheads then room -, then bass, guitars, vocals, synths/strings, and finally whatever is left) but can't limit myself to the same faders in all project I create, it would be nice though to be able to use any controller I want.

By the way don't you use the artist series controllers now ?

No it doesn't break the layout as long as you have thought out about all possibilities initially. I have more channels than needed for most case and if needed, I reorganise the audio (for instance 16 vocals channels, or 16 keys, etc) and just hide the ones I don't need, but still keeping the number exacts (so for instance vocals will always start at channel #90, keys at #110 etc (those are just examples).
Yes I use the artist series.

You can still do that in PT.
But don't think too far about keeping track count the same, it's not possible (even CLA layout change).
I keep my color coding and PT layout the same in all my session for example.
From 40 tracks to 100+ track.

Yeah I can still do that in PT, I just don't want to since it's much easier and faster the new way. I have mixed quite a few albums since I created that setup and only once did I have to add a track at some point.

 

[JeffTD]

I used to do that too, before working on Pro Tools and trying to apply that philosophy of keeping the same "layout" on the desk for any project (same number of tracks, same assignment (20 is always bass, etc etc)). But again, to me Automation is what makes PTHD lightyears ahead of the others and I wouldn't even have considered it before.

It's cool, editing and MIDI application to me is what makes PT lightyears behind the others .

Why would you try to keep the same layout for every project when it will most certainly change? What happens if you go from mixing a 4 piece kit to a 7 piece? Or you want to use triggers on one the kit but not on another? Multiple mics for guitar amps on one project, single for another. I just don't understand why you'd limit yourself like that. I understand planning ahead and having buffers with your numbers, but then you end up with a ton of empty tracks, don't you?

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Why would you try to keep the same layout for every project when it will most certainly change? What happens if you go from mixing a 4 piece kit to a 7 piece? Or you want to use triggers on one the kit but not on another? Multiple mics for guitar amps on one project, single for another. I just don't understand why you'd limit yourself like that. I understand planning ahead and having buffers with your numbers, but then you end up with a ton of empty tracks, don't you?

I do but I don't care, they don't eat any CPU or screen real estate