EQ VST's - Looking for Advice - New to Mixing/Mastering

[nvisibl1]

I've been producing Electronic Dance Tracks for many years and have good experience in that, but I have don't have much experience in Post Production Mixing / Mastering, which I am now starting to do on my own.

Question:

Should I continue to use Abletons EQ Eight, or get another more professional VST to use and learn like Fabfilter Pro-Q 4?

I'm looking for the best tool to apply (and learn) that will help improve the end result quality of my tracks.

Feedback appreciated

[The Elf]

I would dare to suggest that EQ probably represents the most prolific area of available free plug-ins. Take a scout around them to see which might appeal to you. There are plenty of YouTube videos proclaiming the virtues of various free VST offerings, so I might start there.

[nvisibl1]

Thanks, i'll have a check

[Chromeman]

As a starting point, have a look at Tokyo Dawn Lab products. They have a number of free VSTs covering compression and EQ.

[Arpangel]

I’ve never had cause to use anything other than ReaEQ.

[Moroccomoose]

As Elf says, there are so many EQ vsts, free and otherwise, just dive in and see which one you like.

But what I would say is that you have to ask yourself (and answer!) What does 'More professional' mean to you? It might be as simple as the interface is nicer to use or is more intuitive, which makes you feel better using it. Or it might be some sonic characteristic you want for you mix.

Personally I would ditch the idea that 'things' can be more or less professional. Gear and software is never 'professional' or 'unprofessional', it is the user that applies skills professionally to achieve the best result by skillful application of what ever tools they have to hand.

I think the challenge is asking yourself what outcome are you trying to achieve that the stock EQ doesn't give.

Maybe its a 'character' EQ - one that might be emulating some classic hardware that is really more than just an EQ, or are you looking for a surgical EQ which might be much more transparent when applied. Or simply a nicer GUI. All valid reasons for switching,

Personally, I would try to get the most mileage out of what you have, so you really understand what you need, or what your existing tools don't give, certainly before spending money randomly hoping the next vst will make it all good - that is a bottomless pit that many in this forum have fallen into!! I know, I've jumped in before and the realization that 'its not the tools' hurts when you do eventually land!

[nvisibl1]

That's good advice. Thanks

[James Perrett]

As far as I can see, Eq 8 has everything you need in an eq. Other eqs may have more appropriate default settings for particular purposes but you should be able to get very close with Eq 8 if you learn how to drive it properly.

[nvisibl1]

thanks James, noted

[RichardT]

Hi nvisibl1,

If you want satisfy yourself that Eq8 is good enough, you could always download a demo version of a highly-regarded EQ and do a few comparisons.

[OneWorld]

As Elf says, there are so many EQ vsts, free and otherwise, just dive in and see which one you like.

But what I would say is that you have to ask yourself (and answer!) What does 'More professional' mean to you? It might be as simple as the interface is nicer to use or is more intuitive, which makes you feel better using it. Or it might be some sonic characteristic you want for you mix.

Personally I would ditch the idea that 'things' can be more or less professional. Gear and software is never 'professional' or 'unprofessional', it is the user that applies skills professionally to achieve the best result by skillful application of what ever tools they have to hand.

I think the challenge is asking yourself what outcome are you trying to achieve that the stock EQ doesn't give.

Maybe its a 'character' EQ - one that might be emulating some classic hardware that is really more than just an EQ, or are you looking for a surgical EQ which might be much more transparent when applied. Or simply a nicer GUI. All valid reasons for switching,

Personally, I would try to get the most mileage out of what you have, so you really understand what you need, or what your existing tools don't give, certainly before spending money randomly hoping the next vst will make it all good - that is a bottomless pit that many in this forum have fallen into!! I know, I've jumped in before and the realization that 'its not the tools' hurts when you do eventually land!

You make some very good points there - if you cannot find the perfect kit/VST etc, then it must be you.

"I think the challenge is asking yourself what outcome are you trying to achieve that the stock EQ doesn't give." - Spot on.

[R_A]

Should I continue to use Abletons EQ Eight, or get another more professional VST to use and learn like Fabfilter Pro-Q 4?

EQ8 is excellent. You don't need to buy anything.

I always try to use my DAWs stock plugins whenever I can. If I use an unusual third party plugin on a mix I always render that track to audio for easy recall later.

Who knows when somebody will want a mix without x (eg no vocals, no kick, stems etc)?

I got caught out by this early in my journey. I had an excellent, well paid opportunity to be part of a compilation album with some significantly larger artists (including Moby, The Cure, Mazzy Star) - however the artist compiling the album wanted to include my work, without the spoken word element that was in one composition, and they wished to run two of my tracks into one. This meant going back into the mixes - and I no longer had a few of the plugins that I had used... I got on the compilation - but had to spend three days remixing my compositions. Lesson learned!

[nvisibl1]

Wise advise RA, thanks

Seems conclusive then, to stick with EQ8

[RichardT]

Yes, that's a very good point! I think it's a good idea to create an archive for each project - including rendering every track with and without effects.

There are some synths as well as plugins that no longer run after a time - such as NI's Absynth.

[R_A]

There are some synths as well as plugins that no longer run after a time - such as NI's Absynth.

Absolutely! I always render all vst instruments to audio before mixing to ensure that they are completely static. 'Analogue modelling' or in the case of complex sound design vsts moving filters etc can really mess with ones head during a mix.

Thankfully Absynth still runs on Windows (it's one of the few vst instruments that I like and use) - though I reckon it's probably obsolete on modern Apple computers.

[adrian_k]

Wise advise RA, thanks

Seems conclusive then, to stick with EQ8

You might find this useful as a starting point https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/using-eq

[Arpangel]

Someone should make a VST of all the lesser known desk EQ's, not the high end stuff, the crap stuff, it could be called "Bottom End"
Classic EQ from the likes of MM, Studiomaster, Tascam, and Realistic.

[chanceoperation]

If you decide to try a different EQ, try one that really is different. Check out Eventide SplitEQ for example.

[Zukan]

Strangely, EQ is one of the tools I rarely use other than to clean and correct audio. The odd minimum-phase designed eq is still used when I want to add some character to a sound, but nowadays I opt for other processes to help achieve that requirement—distortion being the primary weapon.

As the Elf stated, EQs are the one processor that is regularly offered for free: TDR's Nova GE, Luftikus, Voxengo's Curve EQ and so on....tons of freebies out there that are actually very, very good. BUT, the EQs that come bundled in DAWs are extremely good nowadays.

[Wonks]

As the Elf stated, EQs are the one processor that is regularly offered for free: TDR's Nova GE...

No, Eddie, the TDR Nova is free, but the TDR Nova GE is paid for (hence the "Gentleman's Edition" GE tag). However isn't much to buy and the extra EQ bands and higher sloped LP and HP filter options are well worth it.

It's an easy mistake to make (as most of us have the GE version), but the distinction between the free and the paid for versions needs to be made.

[Zukan]

Ah yes, my mistake. Gettin' old's well dodgy.

[Wonks]

Ah yes, my mistake. Gettin' old's well dodgy.

You've always been dodgy.