ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show  (Read 3968 times)

Hui Chiu Wing Mountain

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16
Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« on: June 12, 2007, 04:20:35 AM »

I see some engineer already setup the EQ on every track before equipment setup.
Like kick, snare, hat, overhead, crash, ride, bass guitar, acoustic, ele guitar...
They neglect the brand, acoustic setting, and use dedicated EQ.
Do you think it is a good way?

Actually, do you think there is really a EQ setting that suit most situations?

I am very query about this.

Logged

Mike Christy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1185
    • http://www.piscessound.com
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2007, 09:19:39 AM »

Hui,

Are you sure that they are setting the EQ, and not centering each pot to a flat EQ to start?

Otherwise, they may be engineering with their eyes, and not their ears. (Although, the kick drum often has ~250Hz notched out, that's almost universal)

Mike
Logged
Pisces Sound
Seacoast New Hampshire
Southern Maine

Shane Smith

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 427
    • http://www.santoria.ie
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2007, 09:41:17 AM »

Yes I think there is a universal EQ...flat! Then cut or boost as required or as problems occur. That's my approach anyway.
Logged
School is never out.

Cory 'Rooster' McKinnon

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 175
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2007, 09:41:33 AM »

Another question is: Was the engineer familiar with the band?

In addition to freelancing I am also the exclusive sound guy for a band, and already knowing what the kick, snare, guitars, etc sound like can save a little time on the front end, but ALWAYS LISTEN to be sure.  Just because I can set some EQ before I hear them play doesn't mean I don't go back and tweak after I listen to it.

When working with a band I'm not familiar with I always start at 0.

When working a festival style show I set up for the first band, then spend most of the first song of each new band going through and tweaking channel EQ accordingly, then spend the second song tweaking the mix, if necessary.

Just my .02
Logged
----
"Words, like eyeglasses, blur everything that they do not make clear"
                                   Joseph Joubert

Tom Reid

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7412
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2007, 10:11:56 AM »

Hui Chiu Wing Mountain wrote on Tue, 12 June 2007 03:20

I see some engineer already setup the EQ on every track before equipment setup.
Like kick, snare, hat, overhead, crash, ride, bass guitar, acoustic, ele guitar...
They neglect the brand, acoustic setting, and use dedicated EQ.
Do you think it is a good way?

Actually, do you think there is really a EQ setting that suit most situations?

I am very query about this.




My thinking is there is no correct way.

Like others have said, the board is supposed to be zeroed out, or all the EQ set to 0 or flat.

If the mixer is familiar with the band, he may have a starting point for everything but there are going to be plenty of variables as every system/environment is different.

The preferred eq method is to use as much raw acoustic power as possible, and use EQ minimally to remove (or add) coloration.  One cannot do that without hearing what's going on.
Logged
tom

What does Buddha do on his day off?

Phil LaDue

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4039
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2007, 02:19:35 PM »

Always Zeroed, but knowing the room as well as I do there are certain cuts and boosts that almost always happen for some instruments.

Patrick Tracy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2492
    • Boulder Sound Guy
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2007, 02:26:11 PM »

Phil LaDue wrote on Tue, 12 June 2007 12:19

Always Zeroed, but knowing the room as well as I do there are certain cuts and boosts that almost always happen for some instruments.

For example, when I mix rock or anything loud the singers will need to be very close to their vocal mics. Since they will be using a cardioid or super cardioid mic there will be significant proximity effect. I almost always start with the LF and low mids lowered on those channels.

Phil LaDue

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4039
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2007, 02:28:44 PM »

Patrick Tracy wrote on Tue, 12 June 2007 14:26

For example, when I mix rock or anything loud the singers will need to be very close to their vocal mics. Since they will be using a cardioid or super cardioid mic there will be significant proximity effect. I almost always start with the LF and low mids lowered on those channels.

Yep, same here.

Jake Scudder

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1395
    • http://www.jakescudder.com
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2007, 02:29:45 PM »

The only thing I might preset are high-pass and low-pass filters.
Logged
Website: http://www.jakescudder.com

480.262.7742

Brad Gibson

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 392
    • http://WWW.CAPITALAPRODUCTIONS.COM
Re: Your way to tune EQ on live board on band or live show
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2007, 02:40:10 PM »

I will put some eq on things like cymbals and hats before I start.  I also do hi pass and lo pass before I hear the system.  I try to use as little eq as I have to.  I like to listen to what is coming off the stage with no pa and try to duplicate the sound I hear thru the pa.  He also may be setting up things like polarity swaps and phantom power before he goes to listen to things.

Brad Gibson
Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
 

Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.035 seconds with 20 queries.