Live Sound EQ Strategy

Рет қаралды 27,610

3 жыл бұрын

These are strategies for using the right EQ in the right places to succeed with live sound.
EQ is a type of filter for frequencies that in practice acts like a frequency specific volume control.
EQ can be used to fix problems or enhance the tone.
Three places in a sound system where EQ is used for different purposes -
System Processor - EQ the speakers to make them sound their best
Between mixer and PA - EQ the speakers to the room
Channel EQ - Tone control for that input
Cut EQ first, boost second
Use Busses to EQ logical groups of channels
When EQ'ing look at harmonically related frequencies
Use your ears, when it sounds good it is good
Actual EQ tutorials will come in the future, this is a strategy video on the subject to get us started
Here is a link to one of many frequency charts available online
blog.landr.com/wp-content/uplo...
Here is an article with information on EQ for live sound
www.academysoundsllc.com/sing...
Please excuse a slight change in sound at the end of the video as there was a change in the ambient noise in the theatre which I didn't notice until the video was being edited.
As usual, there is more than one right answer in sound, but there are some definitely wrong answers.
My suggestion is always to use as little processing as possible. Fix problems with mic placement or choice of mic. Use only as much EQ as is necessary. Mix actively and listen attentively. Hopefully this way of thinking about how to strategize EQ use is handy for anyone who has to deal with EQ in live sound production.

Пікірлер: 20

@carlstewart365 2 жыл бұрын

As a veteran audio engineer for live events with over 30 years of experience, I appreciate the way you've organized and explained the concepts in this video. Well done.

@Sed_Wes Жыл бұрын

I’ve been a sound engineer in a club for about 3 months now, and I had to figure out a lot of stuff for myself. People complimented me that I could make the band pleasant to listen to at live concerts, because I naturally can hear and understand what has to be tuned volume-wise. That said, EQ has been my bane, and I had to randomly mess with it, until the problem went away. This video really helped me to add structure to what I already knew and also taught me a bunch of things. Thank you for making this!

@scottrobinson9752 2 жыл бұрын

I've been a live sound engineer for 33 yrs. I too started on my parents console stereo. At a young age I found a Sunn P.A. Eight mixer at a garage sale for $5. And also bought a couple homemade gray fuzzy 12" pa speakers with piezo tweeters for $10 at the same garage sale. I already had a Radio Shack High-Ball microphone 🎤.... The Sunn mixer had high and low rotary eqs on each channel, and a 7 band built in graphic for the mains. Thats where my relationship with eq began. I sat with that little rig for months and months working out signal flow and eq. To me that little $15 PA felt like flying a space ship. Eventually that little mixer died and I got a Peavey Mark III 12 ch... which was awesome! I still have it in fact. Not long after that I found out a guy in my neighborhood owned a sound company. He used to pay me $20 to help load his truck before gigs. Then I started going to gigs. He was an old Showco guy, and had an old Showco system called the "Hurler" rig. It was a gigantic modular ground stacked PA (Led Zeppelins old PA in fact)... I learned a lot about crossovers and system processing then, and how to use more advanced graphic and parametric eqs

@George-xs9so Жыл бұрын

One of the best videos I’ve seen and that is after 45 years of mixing live sound! Great job. Wish everybody saw this!!

@darrellleblancdrumcovers911 2 жыл бұрын

Your channel is priceless, Thanks man. I supported your channel.

@Hail2Russia 3 жыл бұрын

Great video Paul, would love to see more!

@smpmusiclinksstudio2769 Жыл бұрын

Great Explanation, Thankyou Paul 😎

@chemad55tv61 2 жыл бұрын

Good info n advice.... TQ

@57Techboy 7 ай бұрын

Great video, lots of valuable information and strategies. But the proper term you should have used is Dynamic EQ instead of Active EQ which is basically a multiband frequency-dependent compressor. The term Active EQ is what Mc DSP calls their AR 600 Dynamic EQ plugin. Cheers, Perry.