How To Fix Frequency Masking with FabFilter Pro Q3 (Part 1: Kick & Bass)

Toronto music producer 5PiECE explains what frequency masking is, and how to resolve it around the bass and the kick drum.
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FabFilter Pro Q3 - bit.ly/3q5B6k2
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“Above The Bar” by SRE - spoti.fi/3tmvc1B
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⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰
0:00 Introduction
0:37 What Is Frequency Masking
2:42 Why Sidechain Compression Isn't The Answer
3:44 Setting It Up
4:35 Identifying The Masked Frequencies
6:29 Fixing Frequency Masking - What NOT To Do
7:32 Fixing Frequency Masking Transparently
10:12 Setting Up The Dynamic EQ & Sidechain
12:19 A/B Comparison
13:35 Summary of Results
14:13 Step-by-Step Summary
15:46 Conclusion
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Copyright 5PiECE Music 2021

[@norbel97]

I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recording Arts from Full Sail. They taught me to use the Channel Strip from Avid’s Pro Tools plug-in selection. I’ve always used it but never was completely happy with how it works. I would always go for 65hz to duck the bass in order to enhance the kick. With this video I have relearned everything from side chain compression when it comes to that application. I’m using Pro-Q 3 now forever.

[@lostee2001]

Thanks again!🙂💪🏿. I keep coming back to this video each time i start a new project.👊🏿

[@kingaya.3124]

Very Helpful Tutorial, now I can fully utilise the Fabfilter Pro Q3. Thanks a lot

[@5piece]

Game changing tip for sure. Glad it helped!

[@lahayan]

Thank you so much ! I've already got FFQ3 and I was going to buy another plugin like Gulfoss ou Neutron to fix my mixes efficiently, I didn't know FFQ3 could do it so easily. Great great great video !

[@BillGraper]

10 years ago, I recorded a song with a strong keyboard intro on an external multitrack. That same keyboard comes in during the chorus, as well as a one note string. The lighter string completely drowns out the stronger keyboard. It was so weird. If I muted the string, the keyboard would come through strong. Back then, I didn't think there was a thing I could do about it. Now I know better.

[@5piece]

Yeah I’ve had similar experiences prior to learning this myself. Glad it could help shine some light! It’s a common problem. Cheers to future mixes not suffering from this anymore 🤙🏼

[@fastheartmartvideos]

Thank you for these great and helpful videos on EQ masking! So important and trick, but you make it easier to understand and figure out :) Makes me want to finally get down to using side chains.

[@1NeRIcha]

i've struggled with freq masking for a while. This is VERY helpful, thank you!

[@Fraeg]

Thanks man! while we inhabit very different worlds musically (black metal and grindcore), your video was a big help. Recently purchased Fabfilter essentials 3 pack and this really helped me. cheers mate.

[@5piece]

So glad to hear that Peter! The beauty of mixing and understanding techniques like this is that they always apply regardless of genre. We all have problems within our audio that we have to fix, just the context may be a bit different whether it’s hip hop, metal or something else altogether. Glad to hear I could help with this video!! Best of luck in your upcoming mixes 👍🏻

[@charliekey2979]

I was looking for a video like this, however, the level of detail make it much clearer than expected. Thanks a lot for this great content!

[@JJRocheO]

Thanks for explaining this as simply as possible. For any other DAW the key part he's talking about is just your sidechain selector 👍

[@5piece]

Thank you! 🙌🏼

[@dougpopejoy9605]

Brilliant! Watched it three times. With every pass I got a little more out of it. Thanks for taking the time and effort to create this for us.

[@dg-27]

Thanks so much for posting this. I've been struggling with this issue for a while. You made this is very easy to understand and follow. I'm a PT/Fab ProQ3 user already--can't wait to try it out.

[@teddybeargram3]

All joking aside I have learned alot on KZbin but you explained it so well. Awesome job

[@faithchuldxclusive9043]

Thnx for dropping such videos

[@5piece]

It's my pleasure! Glad I could help

[@cruxmind]

I love mixing dynamically. Music Moves, it isn't static!!

[@tapiamusic1]

Thanks for this Tutorial. I need to get that EQ Plugin!

[@EricTuba-t5v]

Thanks bro , helpful vedio!

[@Quais32]

Thank you for this.

[@BodyOfPlayMusic]

Thanks for sharing sidechain via Q3 bro.!

[@5piece]

Anytime!

[@amigazo3972]

Clear as a water tutorial. Thank you buddy.

[@with_miki3253]

Good guy ! I'm Korean, Thanks Your video ! !

[@romanboiarchuk2048]

As always great tips, summary at the end is awesome, cause i have short memory XD

[@dp_recording8718]

Thanks for all your efforts. I like how clear you present problems and solutions in a concise manner.

[@5piece]

Anytime Re! 🙌🏼 That’s exactly what I try to do with these videos. I appreciate you noticing 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@Mofe_Chords]

Great! Thank you so much! I just have one question. What if the conflicting sounds are more than two ??

[@gidybosstv2824]

Awesome stuff bro thanks❤

[@k-hz2742]

Amazing tut this is life changing fam cheers

[@5piece]

Awesome, glad I could help!! 🙏🏼

[@3bnuri]

very helpfull stuff, thanks mate

[@yepicxmusic]

You deserve a reward for explaining so clean. Hats off man!!

[@5piece]

I appreciate you Yepicx Music! Just trying to help others like yourself 🙌🏼 hope to do more of that in my upcoming videos 🙏🏼

[@ChrizzBeatz]

great video man, going to spend alot of time checking out the rest of your vids, ez sub

[@Fadabeat]

Dude I appreciate the effort you put on this useful content🙏🏻

[@5piece]

Anytime ! Happy to help 🙏🏼

[@arnoldxode]

+1 this content is worth some bucks and we gettin it for free, thanks for the video man

[@5piece]

Appreciate you Arnold! Anytime 👊🏼

[@MarkBennett007]

Educational….thank you

[@dodo13500]

You just got a new fan. Thank you!!!

[@5piece]

Appreciate you for watching and subscribing !!! 🙌🏼

[@dirtyhype]

Great video 🙏

[@idanregev1617]

best best best! very helpful!

[@jammer777]

Thanks! Very helpful!

[@5piece]

Anytime ! 🙌🏼

[@truthseeker630]

Great tutorial, you're the man!!!! ... definitely subscribed!

[@5piece]

Thank you!!! 🙌🏼

[@yabonney]

Excellent vid 👌🏿

[@5piece]

Thank you! 🙌🏼

[@guillaumeteboul2886]

Thanks a lot 5 !

[@5piece]

Anytime my friend! 🙌🏼

[@lostee2001]

5Piece! I liked and subscribed. Thanks so much!

[@salvaloco13]

The gems in this 🔥🔥🔥

[@5piece]

More coming soon 😋 thanks for watching bro!!!

[@pcas9]

Your clear explanation was awesome

[@5piece]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching

[@vi_zikx]

Tnx a lot but what if we have 4 type of bass playing together?? Could we fix'em we this method all along??

[@BorisBarroso]

I have done this a lot on Bitwig, modulators make it very simple to do

[@2hiptae]

Thanks for breaking it down. Perfectly!

[@5piece]

Anytime! 🙌🏼

[@fourtheye111]

Excellent explanation of this process.

[@5piece]

Thank you Belial! Glad I could break it down in a smooth way 🙌🏼

[@DevinHall-ln6ks]

legit thank you

[@benyaeast4741]

thank you for your amazing content ❤ its helping a lot ❤

[@Emmeno]

Thanks a lot for this brother.

[@5piece]

I got you! Thanks for watching 🙏🏼

[@PKkeys]

Great video mate!

[@5piece]

Thank you PKkeys!!!

[@FacuRossi]

Great video, Thanks!

[@5piece]

Anytime! Thanks for watching 🙌🏼

[@andrewmelnyk6416]

thanks a lot💖🙏

[@galadhonx9825]

Why don’t I have all of the UI options at the top like you do? I can’t see the “key” tool and a few others.

[@audiomixing7582]

super helpful, thanks!

[@gwsound]

Thanks for the clear video.

[@5piece]

Anytime my friend 🙌🏼

[@playboyfan001]

THNX BBY

[@leslygeorge5751]

❤Excellent sir thanks

[@frankybass72]

Great video. This helps me a lot!! Thank you!

[@5piece]

Anytime Frankie!!!

[@Its_Potion]

Incredible video! My only question is how to activate this Key trigger within Ableton? No matter what I try I can’t find the Key Icon that should be above the Pro-Q logo.. Within Ableton, is there another way of achieving this key trigger?

[@5piece]

You would set the sidechain as you would normally for the stock ableton plugins like the glue compressor. In Ableton, the sidechain isn’t visible within the actual plug-in GUI window, but rather the plug-in preview that is usually at the bottom of your screen. Not sure how to describe it- but it’s the square that represents a plug-in at the bottom when you click on a channel, featuring the arrow, wrench and on/off buttons. Pressing the arrow should expose the sidechain menu and allow you to select a key/trigger like I’ve done in Pro Tools, albeit a bit differently but achieving the same end result. Hope this helps.

[@Its_Potion]

@@5piece perfect! It worked, big ups man this was a largely noticeable improvement on my low end clarity.

[@Soundofjoy]

Thanks for this channel. I'm a home studio gospel music producer/musician and all the assist I can get I'll take. New subscriber also.

[@5piece]

Ayyy welcome Soundofjoy! Glad to help and thanks for watching 🙏🏼

[@richardmcarthur40]

That was gold man, thanks

[@5piece]

Anytime Richard! Thanks for watching 👊🏼

[@krzysztofbejda8106]

Well explained ! Thanks

[@5piece]

No problem! Thank you for watching 👊🏼

[@RedHunterOfficial]

Hi there, sounds like the automation not working for me. its staying static throughout, and still has the dynamic happened without the kick on top.

[@DidoInFlames]

I needed that info about fabfilter pro q3

[@5piece]

Happy to help!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Thanks for the Video. If I may, just one little detail. The loudness of your intro was so much higher than when you were just talking that when it came on it really hurt my ears. Great video.

[@sreonly]

bro... it's the key details for me 🤯

[@5piece]

It’s always the little things that add up! Salute my G!

[@user-vy2gh5co3c]

I do not have that symbol to activate the side chain?

[@campar1043]

is the dynamic eq ducking basically what the trackspacer plugin does?

[@5piece]

In a nutshell, yup! You can use TrackSpacer to automate the process and make it easier, or you can do things manually with a dynamic EQ or multiband compressor. Similar outcome, just different processes at the end of the day.

[@quintonudink3538]

commenting for the algorithm

[@5piece]

Smart move 🤙🏼

[@rinzmusic]

My question here is, why don't use the Pro-MB for this? With the pro-mb you can set attack and release timings. I feel like you will have the same result with more control :)

[@5piece]

You certainly can, although I find the Pro MB can’t narrow down the Q to the same degree as the FFQ3. The EQ also has better analyzing abilities which is the key to this whole thing. If you watch my other vids, you know I love the Pro MB so trust me, I’d put it to work if it made sense but here, I think the Pro Q3 is the go to. That being said, I’m usually doing some combo of both. Perhaps the Q3 on individual masked sounds, then the Pro MB on groups to further break up masking via broader sidechaining. Hope this helps 🤙🏼

[@PabloCaputto]

Still cant understand how functions the threshold on dynamic eq.. the threshold is upon the kick ? can you explain this? thank you

[@PabloCaputto]

you have the treshold on -21 db aprox.. -21 of what? :)

[@5piece]

@@PabloCaputto When we set the sidechain and set the trigger near the threshold to receive signal FROM the sidechain (the kick being the sidechain trigger in this case, which is applied to the bass), then the threshold level is showing the level of the KICK. We then set the level of the threshold so that the KICK exceeds it, and therefore triggers the dynamic EQ band to reduce. We can adjust this to taste but for me, I set it to -21db as you said. The number is irrelevant, the reaction/reduction achieved is what matters. All you need to do is set it so the kick exceeds the threshold and achieves a reduction based on your taste / goal. So, for max clarity, every time the kick passes the threshold, it triggers the dynamic band to reduce that frequency on the bass, thus reducing frequency masking between the two sounds

[@Chattavox]

Going to try this method the side chain compression is not doing justice.

[@5piece]

Dope! Let me know how it works out for you 🙌🏼

[@skymelodysongs1358]

🔥🔥🔥

[@willWILDfire]

🔥

[@almightytreegod]

How would this differ from using sidechain compression if your compressor has a frequency and Q setting for the sidechain?

[@5piece]

I feel like they’re pretty comparable- only thing is I also find that the sidechain compression doesn’t always have as narrow of a Q as using a dynamic EQ like the Pro Q. In other words, you can’t always be as specific with what you’re affecting. I think either solution is perfectly fine though, especially if you don’t have access to both options. I interchangeably use them both. Best of luck!

[@gunnarg8074]

i need a tutorioal for fl studio on this, as sidechaining in fl studio is a nightmare!

[@5piece]

Wish I could help but I am not an FL guy. For FL tutorials, my guy Simon Servida is great, although I am sure there are also others. Best of luck!

[@ShaneMcCosky45]

So, do I need to make a side chain send or no?

[@5piece]

Yes - overviewed around 10:15 at the section called "Setting Up The Dynamic EQ & Sidechain"

[@stephenpenn9776]

I feel a little stupid asking this but I’m just thinking logically! You can never totally get rid of all the masking without the music sounding unnatural? Is this correct theory? Reason why I ask is Because I’ll go through the proper steps to reduce masking and their still shaded red on fab filter analyze. Not as much tho! And by the way the analyzer is set to post.

[@5piece]

Best thing to do is use your ears and listen. Even if there’s masking happening, it doesn’t mean you NEED to do something. You’d do it if it’s noticeably hard to hear the sound being masked. I’m not sure it’s possible to completely remove the masking and have things sound natural - it very well could be! But I find generally it’s not perfect. We just use this as a way to treat glaring problems and tolerate the ones we can. Hope this helps.

[@nickskywalker2568]

Awesome! I see you use pro-MB for the first sidechain, did you use it full band or multiband?

[@5piece]

If I’m not mistaken, I actually don’t use the Pro MB in this video but moreso just to compare between the dynamic mode on Pro Q3 vs using a sidechain on the Pro MB. I usually will use the Pro MB both in full band and multiband depending on the source- but usually in a sidechain scenario it’s multiband, focused on a specific problematic area like the lows and low mids.

[@nickskywalker2568]

@@5piece thanks!

[@wilsonalhongo5062]

you a goat !

[@jahvibez8311]

𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐫 🙏

[@Beatsbasteln]

the technique that you show is valid, but you could present it a little better imo. for example those pads in the background could be turned off for the compare or not be sidechain compressed already, because that kinda draws the attention away from the lowend's sidechain compression. on top of that a dip of less than 3db is super subtle. in an actual mixing situation where you're in the middle of the flow you might do something like that but for a tutorial i'd want to hear the effect a bit more dramatically. also if you dip it down harder you can usually compensate that by adjusting lookahead, attack and release. idk if pro-q3 has all these parameters for its filters' compressors, but that's usually what one would do when trying to nail the sidechain compression on a dynamic eq filter

[@5piece]

Thanks for the notes. I’ve learned over time that if I exaggerate what I do in these videos, folks complain about that and say it’s not realistic or practical, or it’s overly done (even if on purpose). Then when I do it more realistically like this, no matter how subtle, folks like yourself here also complain. Moral of the story, no one is ever happy, so I’m gunna keep doing me and providing value. I will keep your notes in mind for future videos. Thanks for watching.

[@Beatsbasteln]

@@5piece maybe a compromise would be overdoing it first on purpose and then dialing it back to the value you'd actually use, similiar to how it's sometimes done irl. the problem with the subtle-approach is that the only people you attract with that are the ones who are too pretentious to admit that they didn't hear it in order to not be inferior to the others. and i would have liked to hear it on your example material because it seemed cool. also sry if it seemed like complaining. it was more of an idea about a little potential for improvement. all in all i think it's cool how you structured everything and how you bring multiple advanced mixing techniques together with a reasonable usecase

[@5piece]

@@Beatsbasteln understandable. I appreciate the feedback and like your idea of exaggerating on purpose then dialling back, I actually have done that on previous vids but not this one for whatever reason. I’ll be more mindful moving forward. Thanks again for watching!!

[@slumdawgfilmz]

❤

[@peexstile]

How about using Trackspacer?

[@5piece]

I did a video about this recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bobMgnWObLt7itk

[@iamhandsome4291]

10:57

[@chjorgegaming6780]

TDR NOVA

[@5piece]

Great free plugin. Can’t do exactly what we’re doing here, particularly as far as being able to visually see the masking between sounds, but overall still a great tool to use 👍🏻

[@bestdisco1979]

This tutorial falls apart when it get to “ if you’re using a different DAW you’ll be looking in a different place “. It is Daw specific, the technique is great but

[@jedimonkeystud8726]

This video isn’t called “how to set up side chain on every single daw.” He’s just stating that you access side chaining differently on DAWS that aren’t pro tools.

[@catyjbeatz3594]

❤🇳🇬