PreSonus Studio Channel - Manual (Page 23)

OPERATION
21 | PreSonus 2007
Shelving EQ
A shelving EQ attenuates or boost frequencies above or below a specified cutoff point. Shelving equalizers
come in two different varieties: high-pass and low-pass.
Low-pass shelving filters pass all frequencies below the specified cutoff frequency while attenuating all the
frequencies above it. A high-pass filter does the opposite: passing all frequencies above the specified cut-off
frequency while attenuating everything below.
3.3.2 How to find the best and leave the rest
Included at the end of this section are some general frequency principles to guide you through the wonderful
world of equalization, but these are far from set in stone. So how do you find the best and worst each
instrument has to offer and adjust them accordingly? Here’s a quick guide:
Each instrument resonates most in a specific bandwidth, so, for instance, if you are working on your kick
drum mic, you would start with the lowest bandwidth and tune in the best sounding low end and move on to
the attack. It is not uncommon to hear an annoying ringing or a ‘twang’ somewhere mixed in with your
amazing sounding low end and perfect attack, so your next task will be to find that offending frequency and
notch it out. Once you are satisfied with your kick drum, mute it and move on to the next instrument.
Taking your time with equalization is well worth the effort. Your mix will have better separation and more
clarity when each instrument’s EQ is set so that it shines through the mix. Here are some things to keep in
mind as you venture on into equalization:
 You can only do so much. Not every instrument can have a full rich low end and a sharp attack. If
every instrument is EQ’d to have the same effect, it will lose its identity in the mix. Your goal is not
individual perfection, it is perfection in unity.
 Step away from the mix. Your ears get fatigued just like the rest of you. If you are working
particularly hard on one instrument, your ears will be quite literally numbed to that frequency range.
 Your memory is not what you think it is. Comparing a flat EQ and the curve that you’ve created
allows you to see exactly what you’ve done. So be honest with yourself. Sometimes that EQ setting
you’ve been working on for 15 minutes is not the right choice, move on.
 Never be afraid of taking a risk. The best EQ tricks were found by mad scientists of sound.
“Playing” applies to engineers as well as musicians.