Instrument EQ: in group, or separately?

[Torniojaws]

I never really thought about this earlier, but do you insert EQ (or any effects, for the matter) into the group channel, or each channel separately. For example, 1 EQ into each guitar track, or just one EQ into the guitar group channel?

Mm, a mod can delete that other thread, vBulletin gave some strange error and the post came out empty :S

 

[Ermz]

One EQ in the group channel. There's no point in doing them individually. Just takes up more time and is a means to the same result.

 

[Matt Crooks]

One EQ in the group channel. There's no point in doing them individually. Just takes up more time and is a means to the same result.

Not true. The gain staging will be different if you insert the EQ on a track by track basis.

That doesn't mean that it's better or worse, just different. However, I prefer to EQ each track.

 

[axeman720]

i do a little of both. I usually bus each amp to an aux and send that to two channels. I may have a eq etc...on the bus and then eq on the console as well. The console is my main eq and the subtleties are on the bus if needed. there is no right or wrong in this situation.

 

[Ermz]

In what sense? If you bus the two tracks directly to the group then all you're doing is a virtual rout within the DAW. If you have a multi-mono EQ plug-in, it will apply the EQ to both sides identically AFAIK. If I'm missing something please tell me, because I don't see where gain staging fits into it.

 

[Matt Crooks]

In what sense? If you bus the two tracks directly to the group then all you're doing is a virtual rout within the DAW. If you have a multi-mono EQ plug-in, it will apply the EQ to both sides identically AFAIK. If I'm missing something please tell me, because I don't see where gain staging fits into it.

In this case you're correct - you are applying the EQ to individual tracks. But say you're quad tracking, and you have 100 L 80 L 80 R and 100 R - now your left/right EQs are EQ'ing the summed left and right, which will be a more powerful signal than the signals on their own. Same thing with Toms - if you have 4 toms bussing them and EQ/compressing them is different than doing each one separately.

 

[JeffTD]

Damnit... I've been sending Gats and Toms to group channels... I'll have to see if my machine can handle 2xSonalksis plugs on 9 more tracks than it's already doing.

 

[TheDude]

I never really thought about this earlier, but do you insert EQ (or any effects, for the matter) into the group channel, or each channel separately. For example, 1 EQ into each guitar track, or just one EQ into the guitar group channel?

Yes. Both.

 

[ptgeek911]

In theory, it makes more sense to bus them. For example. You have two tracks of a mesa boogie and two tracks of a 5150. Bus the Mesa's to a stereo aux track and eq. Do the same to the 5150. In the end, you will have two aux channels, each with seperate eq, comp, etc. which cuts your dsp or cpu power by half. But this only applies to rythm tracks that are the same. I would never bus a rythm and a lead (even octave leads) to the same aux channel even if they are the same amp, because they will almost alway need different boosts and cuts in the eq.

OT: I was just fooling around on PT using the EQIII and after using Waves RenEQ for so long, I might have to switch. I'm really liking the EQIII. Also the DVerb on a plate setting is also a thing I'm liking on guitars.

 

[TheStoryteller]

I never EQ the individual rhythm guitar tracks, but I DO bus and EQ them in more than one step. For example, I usually record 4 tracks of PODxt guitars, with 2 different sounds. I send the first two tracks to a bus, and do some surgical EQ, like hi/lo-pass and removal of annoying frequences (usually around 2-4k). Then I do the same with the other 2 tracks. And THEN I send those 2 buses to a "guitar master bus" where I do some coloring EQ to fit the mix. For example, I usually cut out a couple of dB around 3-400 Hz and raise a few dB around 6-7k. If a multiband compressor is needed I will usually put it in the guitar master bus as well. Not always though.... if the first bus sounds considerably bassier than the second (for example), I usually use a multiband compressor on the individual buses, with individual settings.

 

[zmetallica]

sometimes (key sometimes) EQing individually i find i get a more full sound if i EQ the guitars differently, cutting different frequencies while using different guitars/amps. then again you could do this on the amp itself, but if you don't like the amp's EQ then it works. remember each overdub is a different performance and possibly different equipment. it all responds different and acts differently with each other.

in most cases with guitars and bass I'd say get the best sound into the recording as possible then EQ the group to polish it up more during. experiment with both, but remember the group track takes less time, which can be crucial in the studio.

 

[axeman720]

i bus the guitars but send to seperate outputs to save on cpu load, keep my automation to one track and to make sure that both sides are as consistent as possible. There may just be an eq, or there may be a multiband comp, a transient designer, tape satuartion plug in etc...on the bus depending on what im lookin for soundwise. It just keeps me a bit more organized, if that makes sense.

 

[JeffTD]

i bus the guitars but send to seperate outputs to save on cpu load,

Hmm.. how do you do this? In Nuendo, I can set the output of my gat tracks to a guitar bus, and the output of that bus to a stereo output, but how do you send them to the bus AND individual outs?

 

[metalkingdom]

I'm not into group eq or compression (except l/r of course). I'm not into group anything...

 

[nuclearass]

I usually do it the same way as Storyteller, but I sometimes eq the individual tracks too if the're played with a different guitar or different guitarist. I would guess that there's no "right way" to do it as long as everything is organized and you feel comfortable with the way you do it.

 

[Pman]

hmm
can someone tell me how to EQ tracks all at once
i always do them invidually when they all use the same EQ (most of the time)

 

[axeman720]

Hmm.. how do you do this? In Nuendo, I can set the output of my gat tracks to a guitar bus, and the output of that bus to a stereo output, but how do you send them to the bus AND individual outs?

I send the tracks to a stereo bus, pan them hard left and right and then i assign the output to a stereo on pro tools. For example, 1 and 2 (or any odd then even number outputs) are considered a stereo out, but when you pan them hard you actually get two outputs, makes sense right? You can then use the pannin in pro tools to control how signal goes to each side.

Hope this helps

 

[JeffTD]

Ah ok... Makes much more sense now. I was reading way too far into that one.

 

[Ermz]

I never EQ the individual rhythm guitar tracks, but I DO bus and EQ them in more than one step. For example, I usually record 4 tracks of PODxt guitars, with 2 different sounds. I send the first two tracks to a bus, and do some surgical EQ, like hi/lo-pass and removal of annoying frequences (usually around 2-4k). Then I do the same with the other 2 tracks. And THEN I send those 2 buses to a "guitar master bus" where I do some coloring EQ to fit the mix. For example, I usually cut out a couple of dB around 3-400 Hz and raise a few dB around 6-7k. If a multiband compressor is needed I will usually put it in the guitar master bus as well. Not always though.... if the first bus sounds considerably bassier than the second (for example), I usually use a multiband compressor on the individual buses, with individual settings.

Yeah, that's exactly what I've always done. I just thought that was the commonly accepted way of doing it.

I basically bus each pair of tracks together and take out annoying frequencies present in one and not the other and in a way, sculpt them so that they will sit together as 4 tracks. Once all 4 are hitting the same bus, that's where the coloring EQ is done.

 

[Tachy]

I prefer do the eq on each track, for me works better.....