Do you EQ while tracking?

[Almost Human]

So I thought I would ask...who here likes to EQ while tracking? Is it something that you almost always do, or maybe something you never do? I've been wondering lately how everyone else approaches it...any insight into your methods is appreciated! thumbsup

[stellar]

on my current project I used no eq at all! during tracking OR mixing!! try THAT!

except for some high-pass filtering. if the instrument is guitars or vocals and the mic has a high pass tend to use it.

[mltamisin]

Yes. I'm comfortable enough with my room now to EQ while tracking.

[AdAudioInc]

Hi-pass only if needed - saves a band while mixing if I need to go extreme

[dbbubba]

I EQ as needed as I track because there are certian "truths" in EQ that every particular instrument requires. It is especially important to EQ drums because the sound that we are used to hearing is almost always an EQ'd sound. The fact tha certian mics are often combined into single or stereo tracks (eg: toms) requires that they be EQ'd before they are combined.

I know my EQ likes and dislikes and I'm not afraid to commit.

On the otherhand, I put down a very "true" sound and leave any drastic EQ or processing for mixdown.

My theory is that since you are building a soundfield it is neccesary to do it as you go.
If you just lay un-EQ'ed tracks you will end up with a lot to deal with later on.
It is a lot to sort out during mixdown!

I have recorded whole 24 track productions with only drum EQ, but I took a LOT of time during tracking to make sure that the sound was very close to what I wanted to ultimately hear.

Danny Brown

[con?one]

i don't... too permanent

[dbbubba]

Most of my EQ is cutting no more than -3 db at whatever freq. is neccesary.
I might cut more than that in the low mids for kick or toms.
I might boost a db or two at 3.5K on toms.
I usually EQ the snare a bit.
Obviously the kick needs EQ.

I almost never boost during tracking except for drum attack stuff.

I don't EQ much other than drums on the way in, but I might EQ a grand piano or anything that has multiple mics be combined onto a single or a pair of tracks.

Obviously, hi pass is needed.

I learned during the analog days and if you don't EQ for tape the anamolies inherent to tape will cause problems later on when EQing.
Mostly, boosting will increase you noise floor because you are dialing in more of the noise along with the signal.

You just gotta' know your EQ!
Personally, I'm pretty far from the EQ experimentation phase of my craft.

Danny Brown

[indie]

I eq drums while tracking BIG TIME. I have no fear with that....get it to sound like what you want while you're in there, is my my philosophy.
It's my opinion that with the onset of DAW's, people want to "keep their options open" which is one reason so many songs have hundreds of tracks now.
It seems that people are scared to "commit" to a sound now.
Fear not!! It's only music.
Micah

[Chris Parsons]

Since once i'm in the box, I stay there untill shrinkwrap, I try to eq as much as I can on the way in. I've got these SCAMP eqs that I love to use on kick and snare, and I use the eq on my 737 for vocals and other overdubs. Adding high end with a plugin just dosen't sound that good to my ears.

-Chris

[Crunchmeister]

I will do some light EQing while tracking, but usually save most of it for the mix. I'l occasionaly do a liittle high end tweaking if necessary.

I do EQ drums though. I to try to get the sound I want while recording. Then during mixdown, I'll tweak the EQs again a bit as necessary.

[joeq]

On my own stuff anyway, I like to EQ drums on the way in. I can be pretty drastic actually.

I know what I am after and if I screw up, its usually easy to get the drummer back in- since its me.

I have some lovely old tube EQs and I want their signature on the drums -esp kick and snare. I know I could reamp those tracks later but that involves the extra conversions. The occasional re-dos probably add up to half the time I would spend reamping every time.

[paterno]

Originally Posted by dbbubba

You just gotta' know your EQ!
Personally, I'm pretty far from the EQ experimentation phase of my craft.

For me, it's ALL ABOUT experimentation, with all aspects, including EQ. Yes, you find things that work for you, but experimentation is where the FUN is -- and where the innovation of your craft takes place. Assuming your monitoring environment works for you, if you are boosting something or cutting something and saying to yourself, 'that doesn't look right', then you should probably close your eyes and listen until it SOUNDS right to you. That's the whole point of having the EQ anyway [also known as a Response Shaping Amplifier!].

I'm going to do whatever it takes to get something to sound great from the start. If that means boosting +12 dB at 3K then that's what I'm going to do.

The only thing anyone cares about in the end is if it sounds good or not. Do it by whatever means necessary. It's not brain surgery -- if you mess up it only sounds bad...

Cheers,
John

[blackcatdigi]

Always on drums.

Everything else is case by case.

Years ago, I used no EQ during tracking. It made for a longer, tougher mix.

Commit!

[wwittman]

Always... there is no point in putting off something I know I'll need at some point.

if it sounds fine I'll leave it alone, but if it needs EQ I do it as soon as I hear it needs it.

Recording is SUPPOSED TO BE "permanent".

If you are unprepared to make decisions then someone else should be engineering.

[six_wax]

Some friends of mine got to look over Eliot Schiener's shoulder during a tracking session... Said he was doing some eq'ing and fader-riding to tape that most would consider 'drastic'...

I've been EQ'ing more and more to tape --and compressing less!-- as I do more mixing... Also, doing what you can to get the source tracks closer to record-caliber will quickly expose where you're slacking in the tracking...

[GearHunter]

Cuts and filters only. HPF, LPF, and mid-cuts on say, kick. No boosts. The older I get, the less EQ I use, tracking or mixing.

[joeq]

Originally Posted by six_wax

... will quickly expose where you're slacking in the tracking...

hey! that rhymes!

[Mark Vain]

Depends on what the instrument is, and what the state of the track is.

I never EQ sounds soloed, be it while tracking or while mixing. So if there's not yet a context to hear it in, I'll leave it until there is.

Corrective filtering, like hipassing a vocal track is a different thing.


Mark

[lofi]

My theory is that since you are building a soundfield it is neccesary to do it as you go.

everything is eq..room, mic placement, mic choice, preamp,compression...

even eq

on the way in - all of that is mostly corrective
on the way out - mostly creative unless deadline is close

[kidvybes]

...once I become familiar with a particular mic/pre/singer combination, I may use parametric to selectively "tune out" particularly troublesome frequencies (on some of the newer condenser mics for instance)...very minor tweaks...always subtracting...never boosting...I'd prefer not to do it at all, but have achieved some positive results being very stingy with the cuts...

[John Peacock]

Yes. Get the tracks the way you want them to sound as you record them.

In my younger days I was always afraid of putting EQ or compression to "tape." I realize now that I have no interest in committing to tape a less-than-stellar sound. Assuming the source sounds great, I'll first experiment with mics and their placement, but after that, if it still needs something... Why else would we spend all this money on our outboard EQs? Nothing crazy... Not much more than plus or minus a few dB here or there. But "fixing it in the mix" is ridiculous. If it doesn't sound great going to tape, how can you be sure it ever will?

I mix in the box, so I try to use my outboard gear on the way in. When it's time to mix, it is so much more enjoyable (and faster) to have these tracks that actually sound good. Coupled with the fact that 80% of my "reverbs" come from room mics, most of my mixing is actually just finding levels and pan placements (also known as the fun stuff).

-Jp

[Andreas G]

I try everything to get the best possible tracks, 'cause this determines the soundquality of the project.

[guid0]

Almost never. Although the accoustics in my tracking environment are okay and generally translate well out of the room, I prefer working on the mic selection/placement and working out glaring anomalies with the musicians.

I tend to see EQ as a creative tool (Mix) rather than a corrective one (Taming problems during tracking)

Whenever I do use EQ during tracking, I always tend to regret the decision come mixing time.

[Alexi]

never more than 6 db.

[jayfrigo]

Only when I want to...

But seriously, if it helps me get what i want, then sure, I'll use EQ. I don't usually use any compression to tape (or disc as the case may be), but a number of tracks usually get at least some EQ to tape. I certainly err to the conservative side, and I'd rather get it close using mic choice and placement before reaching for EQ, but I'm not adverse to popping in the EQ if necessary. Especially in popular music styles, EQ is an integral part of the sound. I love doing natural-sounding minimalist recording as well, but modern sounds require modern production techniques. Don't be afraid to commit to some things now and again Don't paint yourself into a corner, but start making at least some decisions early on. Fear of committing plus lack of focus are a big problem with DAW based newbie recording these days.

[absrec]

Originally Posted by wwittman

Always... there is no point in putting off something I know I'll need at some point.

if it sounds fine I'll leave it alone, but if it needs EQ I do it as soon as I hear it needs it.

Recording is SUPPOSED TO BE "permanent".

If you are unprepared to make decisions then someone else should be engineering.

YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what I'm talking about! I'm the same way. Every once in a while, I paint myself in a corner, but it's nothing like a few years ago when I was a little pussy-boy. It used to take me a day or two to mix a song. Now, it takes me a couple hours. Commit, ya'll! Go home early and crack open a PBR!

[NotRude]

Always, I pretty much know where I want my mix and take it one step further, but if asomeone else is recording something I'll mix I beg them to record flat!!!

[nek]

Originally Posted by wwittman

If you are unprepared to make decisions then someone else should be engineering.

I have heard a lot of "old" engineers say basic the exact same thing.


Make decisions, make mistakes, learn from them.

[YZ!]

I Always EQ to tape;
I Frequently print wet tracks;
I Usually ride levels to tape.

The only thing I track with no EQ is lead vocals, but I do ride'em quite a bit...

The sound is in the tracking, mixdown time is for fine-tuning...

Besides, how are the musicians supposed to play with confidence if what they hear is not "the sound"??

The magic happens in the tracking, not later.

Jay Frigoletto and William Wittman said it better than I could:

JF: Fear of committing plus lack of focus are a big problem with DAW based newbie recording these days.

WW: If you are unprepared to make decisions then someone else should be engineering.

[allaccess]

Originally Posted by paterno

The only thing anyone cares about in the end is if it sounds good or not. Do it by whatever means necessary. It's not brain surgery -- if you mess up it only sounds bad...

Well said my friend...

No one's gonna get hurt. just make it sound good, that's what we're here for.

Elliot Scheiner told me that he thinks that EQing off tape sounds different than EQing onto tape (or disk or whatever) and I tend to be of the same opinion. Moving the mic around, changing the amp sound, changing the compressor or mic pre or mic are all EQ, so why be afraid of turning a knob when you're already going so far in choosing all the right compnents in the chain otherwise?

Ryan Hewitt