Using Mid Side EQ In Mixing (for space and clarity)

Рет қаралды 24,195

Күн бұрын

Mid side EQ isn’t just for mastering, it’s used in mixing to create more clarity and separation between instruments. In this video, I’ll explain what mid side EQ is and how to use it on the high mids to separate a piano from the guitars in a busy chorus.
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:05 What is mid side EQ?
01:44 How to use mid side EQ in a mix
02:17 Eqing the piano using mid side processing
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-- Using Mid Side EQ In Mixing --
A very powerful, yet often confusing EQ technique, mid side processing is a tool you can use to create clarity and separation when mixing. Mid side EQ processes the stereo field differently to a regular stereo EQ and allows you to adjust frequencies in the centre of a stereo track independently of the sides.
In this video I explain exactly what mid side EQ processing is and demonstrate how you can use it to clean up the mid range to bring more clarity and definition to instruments without boosting the faders which might otherwise result in the mix getting too loud and creating distortion.
Not just reserved for mastering engineers, mixing engineers and music producers can use it too!
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My name is Sara Carter, I’m a professional mix engineer with over 18 years experience, and on this music production channel I’m going to share some of my best mixing tips using a simple mixing tutorial style that will teach you how to mix music like a pro music producer in your own home studio.
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-- Related Content --
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#MidSideEQ #EQ #MusicProduction #HomeStudio #MixingTutorial
~~ Music Credits ~~
Song used is “Golden” by We Were Astronauts courtesy of Warren Huart ‪@Producelikeapro‬
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Leila Warner - www.leilawarner.com
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Пікірлер: 147

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Is mid side EQ something you use regularly in your mixes? Do you have a favourite EQ tip to share? Let me know in the comments!

@Johnscompany 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video its really great that trick. And i love your english accent. 🤘

@timball8429 3 жыл бұрын

I use the Chandler Curvebender on my mix bus set to side chain. It’s subtle but great for clarity, air and bass focus.

@dpinskey 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve begun dabbling with mid-side compression of my drum and cymbal buses but haven’t tried mid-side eq as of yet. Can’t wait to give it a go! Thank you!

@luvitluvitbaby 2 жыл бұрын

@@timball8429 I have it too, but I never thought to use it that way. I have the one by Softube

@joshuakincheloe Жыл бұрын

Regularly and I love the song! I grabbed it instantly.

@Producelikeapro 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic Video Sara!! Thanks ever so much for posting!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Warren, thank you so much :)

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

You’re very welcome ☺️

@BurningBushPedagogy 5 ай бұрын

Finally found a real good teacher who is not in a rush to explain, unlike so many others on KZfaq they just go fast assuming what they thinking and know others just get it too. actually other videos to look for someone who can explain better. Thanks

@DeltaWhiskeyBravo13579 4 ай бұрын

Thanks Sara, great example of the power that mid side has. Likely the piano would not have gotten pulled out by simple panning. What am I doing with mid side? Two things, one as a 2 bus EQ in mid side with the Pulsar Audio 8200, the Massenberg emulation. Rolling off a bit of highs in the mid, and rolling off lows in the side. Then small shelves, bit of boost in the sub on the mid, high shelf on the side. Then in Studio One Plus, I have a splitter tool that I'm using to create mid side saturation via channel split, 2 mix tools to create mid side then convert back to stereo and convert gain up then back. Mid uses Soundtoys Decapitator, side gets Softube Harmonics. This is in an effects send channel, using different plugins to create harmonics that treat mid and side separately. A mad scientist moment.

@RoopeBb 2 жыл бұрын

Another fabulously explained and laid out tutorial from Sara. I genuinely think she’s one of the best tutors out there!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Yay, thank you! I'm so happy to be able to make tutorials that are helpful and understandable 😊

@redbigapplefloppa302 Жыл бұрын

This is just the right balance of going in depth, explaining the technical side details and communicating it in such a manner that non-professionals who want to learn mixing beyond the 4 minute "use this easy trick" & "these plugins will step your mixing game up" videos.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the feedback, I try to always cover the “why” as well as the “how”

@retrochannel1763 3 жыл бұрын

I came for a research about sidechain compressing - but I stayed because the amazing voice and style of speech and teaching. Subscrived and I will listen to all the lessons - twice :) Thanx for german subtitles!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Retro Channel that means a lot 😊

@chrisdiablomusic 3 жыл бұрын

I confess that I still don't understand the stereo field fully, after a long time trying at all this, but I don't have to understand how it all works, thankfully, with clear guides like this one. If it works it works... more time for music. I'm going to put this to use, tomorrow! Wonderfully explained. Thank you.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chris Diablo that means a lot 😊

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to be able to help!

@ramseysounds2086 3 жыл бұрын

Probably the simplest explanation of M/S I’ve heard. Love the example as well. One to use for sure 👍 Thank you

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@joejordan4246 2 жыл бұрын

This is a fairly new eq concept for me Sara. Your explanation made perfect sense. Thanks very much!!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Great! I hope it works for you

@stickyburdock 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! I learnt A lot, thanks for posting, have heard about it and seen a few vids but no one has explained it so clearly! or at least in a way I can get my head around! and great to see you back!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome!

@eljuanchosf 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video as always! Love the clarity of concepts and the progression. Thank you much! Much love from Madrid!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@vongluck3714 3 жыл бұрын

Hello Sara, I thank you so much about this trick, many time i had this problem, and your response have a subtle and perfect result.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it helped!

@bestdisco1979 Жыл бұрын

Hi Sara, of all the you tube vids I’ve looked at on this topic and I have pretty much seen them all this is by far the most straight forward and well paced of the lot. Thank you for demystifying the subject . Incidentally I too have a piano that’s lost in the mix so I’m eager to get started.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Great 👍

@timball8429 3 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial, Sara! Thanks for sharing.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

@BillyPalmerMusic 3 жыл бұрын

Particularly helped seeing this with a contextual demo. Have come across mid-side in mastering, but never really understood how to use it in the mixing phase. THANK YOU!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Great to hear!

@reziahamed9255 3 жыл бұрын

Commenting before even watching the video to state how great to see you back with the gold mine of tips n tricks :) Cheers Sara & God Bless...

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@adammaznev4069 2 жыл бұрын

Finally someone with a calming voice

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I'm glad to deliver a less hyped tutorial 😃

@simongrozovsky1258 7 ай бұрын

omg great video! You saved me! No one explained m/s so clear and simple

@gavinhumemusic 2 жыл бұрын

Really helpful video. I use stereo pianos a lot and I think this is really going to help make more room in the mix. Came across your channel through your appearance on Produce Like a Pro and making my way through your other videos. Some really good stuff.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@tomlewis4748 10 ай бұрын

I began using pretty much the same technique. I created a bus that has this M/S setup. The lead instruments or vocals, the kick, bass, and snare go straight to the output (they have little 'wideness' inherent in them anyway, and M/S doesn't really do anything useful for them). Everything else? It's routed to that bus, including the reverbs. As far as low-passing, I do that before the bus, at the track level. That bus also contains a side-chain compressor triggered by the lead instrument or vocal, so the accompaniment pumps a bit, but not noticeably. Bottom line, the lead instrument or vocal then stands out a bit amore without turning it up. There's more room in the center, and the entire mix sounds wider.

@bassbuzzmusic6681 3 жыл бұрын

Best teacher i found keep it up

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😃

@bassbuzzmusic6681 3 жыл бұрын

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing i want to know about what things should be in stereo i m confused between them i know low frequency things should be in mono but what instruments or drums should be in stereo

@pavelcal1798 Жыл бұрын

Such a great teacher!!!! Great explanation. Finally I understood what this is about. I really thank you!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

You're very welcome!

@kamusik2 2 жыл бұрын

Your videos are awesome! I'm learning a lot from you. Thank you so much! Cheers from Brazil :)

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Karen Ávila, thank you so much :)

@connollytunes 2 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! This was excellent. I really have never seen this explained so simply and so well. This was a big help. Thank you. And with real instruments! So many tutorials are ruined by the music chosen. We're not all mixing Trap music, and it's very different in terms of mixing. First time I've ever seen one of your videos. And considering 80% of what I watch on KZfaq is mixing stuff, I'm amazed KZfaq has never pushed you my way. Or me, your way. You know what I mean. It's also nice that you're a fellow Englander. 😊

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

So glad it helped you!

@danswaggin 2 жыл бұрын

You explain things very well. Thanks.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊

@TheDerider 3 жыл бұрын

Great explanation and example. Learned something useful. Many thanks 🙏😎

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@reidrainwatermusic 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for such a clear explanation! Subscribed!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@felixfast4ward Жыл бұрын

Amazing !! Well presented !

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

@merkotan4679 Жыл бұрын

Tank you so much Sara for this good advice! Right now I am working on rock song with piano buried behind guitars. Applied your advice in my mix - it works marvelously )

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

That's brilliant!

@frankhaselhorst9368 3 жыл бұрын

So glad you are back!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Frank!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Frank Haselhorst, thank you so much :)

@jimbrechin1089 3 жыл бұрын

Will give this a go - thanks for the clarity!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Jim, you’re welcome ☺️

@davebops2478 Жыл бұрын

Superb video!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@CIPHER7968 3 жыл бұрын

Good to see you back, Sara.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! 😄

@marceloribeirosimoes8959 Жыл бұрын

Even it seem to be obvious (after all done), it was clever and precisely done! Cool! Thank you!!!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@BhajanVibes 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing such valuable information, I have learnt a lot from you !! Thank you 😊

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad!

@paulb6630 3 жыл бұрын

Outstanding Video

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Paul B, thank you so much :)

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul 🙏

@Pax30001 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this tip!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome ☺️

@deepspacemusicofficial9671 2 жыл бұрын

Loved it 😊 thanks

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Deep Space Music Official, thank you so much :)

@xelent1 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!

@user-eg4zk5ko3o Жыл бұрын

so simple and very helpful

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@tropicoma Жыл бұрын

holy crap THANKSS SO Much , i subbed and liked

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Glad to have helped, and thanks for the sub!

@FinnEcesMusic Жыл бұрын

Great segment

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@lahattec 3 жыл бұрын

Good luck on the new course!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Clay! 🤞

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Clay LaHatte, thank you so much :)

@gradyshawver7643 Ай бұрын

Nice! Thanks.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Ай бұрын

No problem!

@muffinmusicstudio4149 4 ай бұрын

Thank u ❤❤❤

@reziahamed9255 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing Tip as always Sara.. Hope with a bit of automation on the Eq bands, you could create more excitement/energy during choruses & duck it slightly away a bit during the verses & be a bit reserved. I hope that the M/S theory will extend to the realm of Compression as well, by having the MID signal stay proud & make the Sides a bit more controlled & compressed & vise versa.. Or may be also upward compression on the sides to breath in some air for somewhat a narrow/lethargic mix :)) Glad people like you nourish the world of music. Thanks a ton & best.. Love from Sri Lanka.. :)

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Good suggestion regards the mid side compression

@specialbeat 2 жыл бұрын

This was brilliant, thank you Sara. Now how to execute in my DAW. :-) Thank you.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Great! Glad to help!

@stech_x8329 2 жыл бұрын

Nice thanks

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!

@bryansmith6865 Жыл бұрын

Great video, I'll make sure to subscribe to your channel!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Thanks 🙏 Glad you liked it!

@Hermiel 3 жыл бұрын

I discovered M/S in the mid-late 90's and soon started recording recording everything as such, even mono sources because usually it was easy enough put an extra mic up and the results were usually very cool. I don't always do it now for mono sources but I almost always have some M/S processing on my master bus and occasionally on groups.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

It's a really useful trick to add a little more width for groups, like distorted chorus guitars!

@Hermiel 3 жыл бұрын

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Yes, exactly. I'll often often pull the mid down a couple of dB to widen the image of the mix or a group and I might compress the sides a little more to keep synths from wandering around. I mean, the options are endless.

@JohnCutliffe 5 ай бұрын

Great video :)

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@karamoslyanis6250 2 жыл бұрын

I found you by hazard while searching & what a surprise, Just wanted to say Thank You

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

In a good way? Haha! Thanks!

@karamoslyanis6250 2 жыл бұрын

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing i would love too, but i'm so far away haha

@dp_recording8718 Жыл бұрын

Thx so much Sara. To get guitars out of the way of vocal in the center - could you do this to the guitars as well? just boost the sides [cut mids] at another frequency say 2.5 or 3.5?

@DanielPestanaTranslations Жыл бұрын

Hi Sara. After researching this topic for a long time and watching several confusing videos, your video finally shows up and I’m finally able to start grasping what exactly is mid-side and how and when to use it. Thank you so much for a really simple and clear explanation. I’m happy with my mix, but since it’s rock, the only thing missing are those wide guitars we hear in modern rock albums, like Foo Fighters. Do you think this mid-side technique is the right path to achieve those wide guitars? I’ve literally tried everything else with no luck. Thank you again.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Yes, I've used this to widen guitars but my go-to is to use Nugen's Stereoizer or Waves S1 and to automate it so the guitars aren't wide all the time, just in key moments. That and panning hard left and right. I also add a little widening to the entire mix.

@tennactennacerobert7732 Жыл бұрын

Hey, my question is could you have used side chain compression for this concept? Why static eq vs sidechain? They both fix frequency masking right? Or eq is more well thought out for frequency masking

@zer138 3 жыл бұрын

Separates stéréo in a different way the traditonal left / right mid; represents everything in the left /right but excluding the centre

@gourabshow3993 3 жыл бұрын

👍

@blvcksnowbeatz 5 ай бұрын

👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽🚀🚀🚀

@sammiller9855 2 жыл бұрын

What are your thoughts on a using mono-compatible stereo widener on a mono track such as the free Wider plugin by Infected Mushroom to move some of the mono (sum) content of an instrument to the sides (e.g 20%) to be able to use the EQ mid/side eq? The wider plugin uses a diverse all-pass and comb filtering algorithm to avoid phase cancellation in mono.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

So long as the stereo image isn't off and used gently I don't see any issue. I tend to look to more traditional methods to create a stereo-ness from a mono source, like delay or reverb.

@sgg6927 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the informative video ! How would you make space if the piano was a mono track?

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 ай бұрын

Probably by trying different panning positions first.

@chasingcolours6789 Жыл бұрын

Nice share :) Q: How does this effect the piano when mixing in mono (or listening back on a mono speaker) - does it disappear?

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

Probably not disappear but it will seem quieter

@ldr08eldaradome50 6 ай бұрын

Hey Sara, Is that EQ on Master? Because when you turned on song EQ shows everything I think

@bedtimeread 2 жыл бұрын

Sara thank you so much for the video and for the knowledge and wisdom that come with it, a couple quick questions if I may.. would you say that you use about 2 or 3 instances of mid/side EQ per session or would you say this is more like a novelty that's used once in a while like in the case of this project with the piano? And what happens when this mid/side EQ is collapsed in mono? would the mix have a good sound or is this one of those cases you say "listen, be thankful you can hear some of the piano because how it was produced, but don't expect much of a good sound coming from it when you listen to it in mono" ? 😅😅 Thank you very much once again!

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

When mixing it’s something I do occasionally. More often in a busy mix with everything and the kitchen sink in it! I always go to stereo first but if that’s not fixing my issue then I’ll go to mid side. I use mid side more when mastering a stereo mix. Hope that helps!

@bedtimeread 2 жыл бұрын

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Awesome, thank you!

@toddgreenwood9631 3 жыл бұрын

Hello Sara (in the process of watching all your vids BTW) I have yet to use mid/side eq in the manner you showed here. But if I did use it like this I would use three duplicate tracks with three different eq settings panned L/C/R because that is how my brain can understand this concept for set up and mixing. Could you please explain how you set this up with the one ProQ plug in on one stereo channel? This I do not understand. Or if any other readers here could explain their set up I'd love that also.

@nehansan 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Todd. You don't need to split tracks, MS is a pretty simple matrixing/decoding technique that will extract the Center and Sides components of a stereo sound. You can't do MS by simply duplicating, it works by adding and subtracting channels, you can do it manually, it always takes me some time to remember how to do the proper routing but it's fun. Anyway, MS is a built-in option in some EQ plugins, and it just happens that FabFilter Pro-Q has it, you just have to activate it. I think if you look at the bottom of the plug-in window on the right-hand side, you'll find the button.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks nehan

@toddgreenwood9631 3 жыл бұрын

@@nehansan Huh! Ok thanks for explaining. What about vocals? Have you used this on a vocal? I almost always track vocals in mono.

@nehansan 3 жыл бұрын

@@toddgreenwood9631 I don't use MS eq, I forget to try, but if you bus your vocal and its stereo reverb/delay/etc together in a stereo group, it can be fun to experiment with MS eq.

@dpinskey 3 жыл бұрын

Couldn’t tell on my small iPhone screen which channel you had your plugin on. Was it on your 2 bus or another?

@lahattec 3 жыл бұрын

She had it on the piano. Boosting 3K on the Sides and cutting 3K on the Mid.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Clay!

@JozefHollyPiano 2 жыл бұрын

Nice channel ;) sub

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks and welcome

@paololuvie8755 2 жыл бұрын

Sara , you are soooo sweet !!! Very nice and useful tutorial Thanks 😘

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@maseratifittipaldi Жыл бұрын

Mid (+) Side (-)

@Willi-Wucher Жыл бұрын

Ok, once in mixing, then these kind of things are probably to be done, cause there's no other choice, but ... ... if I really want to make the piano audible I personally would rather go back to song writing and arrangement to place the instruments into the right focus, e. g. change register/pitch, adapt nites/riffs etc.

@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Жыл бұрын

That's a great approach, if you can do that. Sometimes you have to work with what you've got and this technique is a good way to pull it out more, in that case. Thanks for watching!