Homework 14 - Equalisation ANSWERS

1. What do the terms (a) cut and (b) boost mean?

(a) to reduce in db a certain frequency (b) to increase in db a certain frequency

2. Give 3 uses of EQ.

(i) Separate instruments in the frequency spectrum (in conjunction with panning) (ii) Change the tonal quality of a sound by enhancing certain desirable characteristics of the sound (boost) (iii) Change the tonal quality of a sound by removing certain unwanted characteristics of a sound (cut) (iv) You could have also said: enhance the quality of individual sounds, helping them sit within a certain range of the frequency spectrum, and therefore improving the overall clarity of a mix (kind of like the answer to (i)) (v) You could have also said: apply to the master bus to enhance the quality of an overall mix, i.e. as in mastering

3. Name 3 common pitfalls when using EQ.

(i) Boosts to certain frequencies are made using too narrow a bandwidth, at too high a +db level resulting in harsh and unrealistic frequency content being added to the sound (ii) EQing in isolation i.e. applying EQ to a soloed sound, rather than in the context of a mix as a whole (iii) Boosting the middle frequencies too much can lead to a boxy sound (iv) You could have also said: over-use of EQ in a particular frequency area e.g. boosting all the top frequencies, resulting in a harsh overall sounding mix

4. How does a Graphic EQ work?

Divides the frequency spectrum into a number of bands, which can be cut / boosted separately from one another.

5. Why is it call a "Graphic" EQ?

The alignment of the individual sliders that control the different frequency bands form graphic shapes e.g. the smile EQ curve, which adds boost to the low and high frequencies whilst cutting the middle frequencies.

6. What is notch filtering, and what type of EQ would you use to achieve this? Notch filtering is applying a specified frequency band using a very narrow bandwidth to a particular frequency, where a certain character of the sound being EQed is undesirable and therefore needs removing (by this specified frequency band being cut considerably). E.g. the squeak of a bass drum pedal can be honed in upon by identifying the particular frequency of the squeak, and therefore removed (or at least significantly reduced) using notch

filtering. This would be best achieved using a Graphic EQ, with adjustable frequency bands and not static ones. 7. When referring to "Fixed EQ", what is fixed? The opposite of EQs with adjustable frequency bands, fixed EQs have predetermined bands of frequency that can be cut or boosted. For example, a fixed EQ that has 3 bands might be predetermined as such: Low 150Hz Mid 500Hz High 12kHz 8. What is a Shelf EQ? This is where all frequencies above or below a specified frequency are either cut (low shelf) or boosted (high shelf). 9. When using a high shelf to cut, what is this sometimes called? High Pass Filter Parametric EQ Notch Filter Low Pass Filter EQ Bell Curve Sub Bass Frequencies 10. Explain your answer to question 9.
Because the higher frequency content is significantly reduced, allowing only the lower / low-mid frequencies to pass through attenuated (depending on the severity of the high shelf cut applied).

11. What control does Parametric EQ have, that the other types of EQ do not? A Q curve or bandwidth increasing / decreasing control. 12. Explain what this control does (e.g. explain what your answer to question 11 does). The ability to increase / decrease the bandwidth around a specified frequency.
A wide Q control application, around 465Hz @ +10db A narrow Q control application, around 500Hz @ +10db

 13. What is a "Bell Curve"? A bell curve is the shape of an EQ application around a specific frequency band (i.e. graphic and parametric EQs), as apposed to the shape of a shelf EQ or high/ low pass filter:
Bell Curve EQ (High) Shelf EQ

(High) Pass Filter