This EQ Curve is Blowing My Mind

Goodbye Ozone! I've found a new EQ for all of my mixes...
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[@StevenMelin]

📈If anyone would like to recreate my curve: 63 Hz & below = 0 dB 80 Hz = -1.4 dB 100 Hz = -2.9 dB 125 Hz = -4.2 dB 160 Hz = -6 dB 200 Hz = -3 dB 250 Hz = -4.5 dB 315 Hz = -3 dB 400 Hz = -3.9 dB 500 Hz = -4.8 dB 630 Hz = -6 dB 800 Hz = -4.5 dB 1k Hz = -3.3 dB 1.25k Hz = -4dB 1.6k Hz = -4.3 dB 2k Hz = -6 dB 2.5k Hz = -4.5 dB 3.15k Hz = -3.6 dB 4k Hz = -1.9 dB 5k Hz & above = 0 dB

[@mrgriffton9935]

I just tried this and it worked way too well, I' questioning everything i have learnt about mixing

[@StevenMelin]

@mrgriffton9935 🤣🤣🤣 you and me both

[@GreasyDaddy]

Dude I tried it as well and am kind of freaking out. After adjusting for taste it absolutely works. Crazy crazy.

[@StevenMelin]

@@GreasyDaddy🔥🔥🔥 crazy how well it works in almost all contexts

[@HobbieOne]

Thanks the gems! (You forget the "-". logically its 500 Hz = -4.8 dB not 4.8 db, right?)

[@kevinlong4657]

There is no silver bullet in EQing. It is an art form AND a science, and needs to be adjusted to every source, speaker system, room and audience.

[@zoardfricska1233]

always a pleasure to read someone who undertsand things in their complexity

[@JoelBrandonMedia]

Right, but there are universal truths.

[@Exius-Zero]

I checked out the original video and found what I think, is an even more accurate frequency spectrum by analyzing the brief image of his physical mixer. I spent a lot of time re-crafting the details of this, and am pretty sure it's about 95% accurate: 80 Hz & below = 0 dB 100 Hz = -2.0 dB 125 Hz = -4.0 dB 160 Hz = -6.0 dB 200 Hz = -4.0 dB 250 Hz = -3.0 dB 315 Hz = -2.5 dB 400 Hz = -2.5 dB 500 Hz = -2.0 dB 630 Hz = -2.5 dB 800 Hz = -3.0 dB 1k Hz = -3.0 dB 1.25k Hz = -3.0 dB 1.6k Hz = -3.0 dB 2k Hz = -2.5 dB 2.5k Hz = -3.5 dB 3.15k Hz = -2.0 dB 4k Hz = -1.0 dB 5k Hz & above = 0 dB

[@TheLeon1032]

thanks for that

[@timnordberg7204]

HELL YEAH FINALLY 100% SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT ALL DRIVERS, HORNS, CABINETS, AMPS, CONSOLES AND ROOMS SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME!

[@kenbeaupre9973]

I've been waiting for this comment! LMAO. And, who uses a graphic in 2024 to tune a PA??? LMAO

[@LeChapeauMusic]

@@kenbeaupre9973 you won't believe it, this year i once did live sound with an analog system, and i used a graphic like the one with the faders for every frequency to tune the speakers 🤣🤣🤣

[@JeffEllisWorldwide]

You're essentially adding volume so you think it sounds better. You're adding 6db across the board but only dipping out certain frequencies by 6 dB or less so there will be a net gain. This is why you can put it on almost any mix and you think it sounds better. If you normalized for volume it would paint a different picture. (try it, you will come to find the benefit or lack of benefit would relate more to the overall frequency balance of the mix) Also, there is no such thing as good and bad frequencies. You're hornswoggling yourself with volume, This is a very classic mixing pitfall. One good rule of thumb is if it works on everything, you can bet you're adding volume. Sorry to have to call you out on this but you're pushing bad information that most people on here will not have the experience to know better. This is why so many people are universally responding to how crazy it is that this works on every mix. Everyones just adding volume to their mix hehe. Great channel overall though !

[@AutPen38]

Indeed. That 6dB boost after only cutting some frequencies and mostly by less than 6dB just means the whole thing will sound louder, which usually sounds better. (it could also cause clipping). As I understand it, you only need 30 bands of EQ for mixing live music at very loud volumes on very large speakers. This is because our brains/ears react to sounds differently at different volumes. When music is played very loud, the mid-range sounds much harsher/fatiguing than it does at normal volume, so the live mix engineer needs to cut the mids more than a studio/mastering engineer does for recordings. Similarly, if you're at a festival, you want the speakers to pump out tons of bass. You don't want that on your home speakers or on the radio. In normal mixing, you want the midrange to be relatively loud, to make vocals and mid-range melodic instruments intelligible.

[@joechill772]

Umm... but not all audio sources have that exact freq energy. Sometimes that EQ curve will work, but a lot of times it won't.

[@codykeating8956]

I mix FOH at the church with Steven and he sent me this. I tried it last Sunday and it was insane how much better the mix was! Can’t thank you enough brother! 🙏🏼

[@StevenMelin]

Only the best for the best! 🤘

[@markiethetiger2461]

I also did that mix in church and it sounded great

[@nikht0]

Keep in mind he stated this eq curve is specifically for mixing live sound REALLY loud. As the volume gets higher, your ears become more sensitive to the high-mids, as plotted in the Fletcher Munson/equal loudness curve. His eq curve mitigates this effect.

[@StevenMelin]

Still works wonders for studio mixing too!

[@nikht0]

@@StevenMelin I tried your eq settings and compared it to just adding a 9db low shelf at 50hz and a 9db high shelf around 5000 (and then matched the output levels). It sounds quite close.

[@AP530]

When you MASTER you are making songs LOUDER and when u turn up the volume on ur music this EQ curve works perfect because LOUD mastered music and LOUD live music are both LOUD. So it works on mastering too. Ive been mastering for several years and I did it thru trial and error. Nothing on youtube would work and this eq curve is sonething close to what ive been doing and works well due to getting song loud and then eq n compressing it into the limiter.

[@theoldtreespot]

​@@AP530that makes sense

[@morbidmanmusic]

"5k and above beyond human hearing"...? You really said that!

[@morbidmanmusic]

Also, when you scoop out like that leaving low end, you lose headroom, not gain it. I agree with the clown below, that there is a lot of , I won"t call it bad, but certainly misinformed, and more so, misapplied.

[@afrohawk]

Thx for this vid. I missed the interview even though I am a Beato fan. I have to say this technique works really, really well. The Kick and Bass become so clear and present and all the mud, which I didn't know was there, disappeared. The A/B of this technique is a little disconcerting when you first try it but after about 2 minutes of listening and then A/Bing again, you will instantly come to hear how clear this technique makes everything. Excellent video. Thx.

[@StevenMelin]

I totally agree! 🔥

[@JoelBrandonMedia]

Awesome! EQ truly is the foundation of mixing. I’ve been working on it a lot recently. So crucial. You’re right, night and day improvement. I believe hi-hat is a higher fundamental than 2k. Also I think you meant above like 15k is the range people can’t usually hear. Loved the cue too!!

[@metaspaceaudio]

There is so much misinformation in this video I don't even know where to start...

[@StevenMelin]

How’s that?

[@morbidmanmusic]

I believe you, ... so, why don't you educate folks..? If you don't know where to start, then you are focused in the first place....

[@lilwombat]

im not a fan of this as a blanket eq for actual song mixes it's clearer but loses the weight i could see that being useful in a live setting. 160 300 700 and 2k are all good places to check anyway

[@StevenMelin]

Yeah, but I do think that this is a great starting place!

[@juhneing]

This method will work if you gain stage properly... Furthermore you do have to consider your high pass and low pass filters ... And lastly it is per stem... So you will ultimately need to mix to taste for each independent stem and then understand that you cannot introduce the same amount on the mix bus or the master bus because it will further compress and distort the sound. So you need to decide if you're going to use it on the mix bus only or each individual stem

[@StevenMelin]

@juhneing yep, great points!

[@jamaciasmusic]

This is why Pultec was so popular, it bases on this EQ curve “Smiley Face” or “V/U” shape. To balance a mix in Body because human hearing does need a help to perceive low frequencies, and on highs where the “vowel” area is and a gentle lift in the area is soothing for our ears, as long as we don’t push it a lot. At the end the goal is not to boost or cut individual frequencies but seeing it as a whole, if we see all the spectrum: A lift on bass frequencies human ears appreciate a lik help with, and a soothing mid/high range (vowel/formant area) both of them higher compared to the “muddy” area (150-300Hz)

[@AutPen38]

Yes, but you don't need a Pultec to make a smiley face. You can make approximately the same smiley shape with any 3- or 4-band EQ. Any old mixing desk would let you cut the midrange while boosting the bass and treble/air. It's just handy to be able to sweep the mid-band to a particular frequency (e.g. 160Hz) where you want the greatest attenuation. (The Pultec naturally made quite a sharp cut in an ideal place if you did attenuation at the same time as boosting the bass). I think those 30+ band EQs are only really useful in a live context where there might be some weird resonances. Thousands of smash-hit records were made on SSL desks with only a few EQ knobs set to produce simple "smiley face" effects.

[@frederikgroborsch3367]

I saw this video of Beato and was blown away, never checked it out. Love to watch your video now and what you did out of it... LETs GO!

[@adirsab]

basically the smiley face curve

[@alisynn]

yeah it’s literally just a more convoluted smiley face eq 😭

[@samphelps856]

The sea and sky is basically blue

[@Alckemy]

uwu curve

[@dafingaz]

@2:10 "and this stuff...Hertz" well played. I'm sold. 😂

[@joechapman8208]

This is interesting. My immediate thought was, "But I don't want to have a the same curve applied if my conscious decisions about these areas may also be changing," so I set up a preset in Soothe 2 to add extra processing to resonances in these points and adjusted the Q of each node to cover a similar area to the curve. This makes a positive difference to every premaster I've put through it so far (more subtle than the EQ, of course, but maybe better in the long run?). [edit] 5k and above is NOT beyond human hearing, wdym? As for doing the EQ curve instead, I made one working to -6dB with the mix at 100% so that it can be blended. I think the thing to do is start with the EQ's mix at 100, A/B the Bypass and listen for which parts it's negatively affecting, and then keep A/Bing as you bring the EQ's mix down until it's barely affecting those parts. You'll probably still be at about 50-75 of that curve, so you can definitely still hear it cutting into those problem areas quite a bit.

[@StevenMelin]

Cool experiment! I’m still playing around with this myself, so the point of this vid was to share the curve and see if anyone else is experiencing the same awesome results 😅

[@jasonesty3880]

This curve (and variations of it) is a staple in live production sound. Has been for years.

[@ProDoucher]

Not really. Most of the time when you see a graphic eq like that it’s because they rung out the PA too much so there’s almost no chance of feedback.

[@jasonesty3880]

@@ProDoucher At any professional level in sound, it should be assumed that the PA has been rung out pre-sound check. My above comment takes that for granted.

[@Sector_VII]

This is such an amazing technique! When I saw the Rick Beato, I just had to try it out for myself. Thank you for covering this!

[@mylittleheartscar]

This is something you do subconsciously in Electronic Dance Music especially if you are mixing for headphone music or trying to get loud with out paining for big EDC or Ultra shows. Only problem is processing power and time someone has to make a perfect loud yet destroyed mixes Love the info

[@davidasher22]

This is well known in studio mixing also. They call it a scooped mix. And yes it can definitely make things sound more pristine and clear. But unfortunately you’re also removing the most important part of a mix which is the midrange. My recommendation is to definitely study this and learn how it works, but in the end, you wanna know how to dial in that mid range. Learn how to mix the mid range correctly and you’ll have much better mixes.

[@You-ud2fp]

Midrange maybe the heart and soul of music, and the easiest to hear, but this is also the reason it can be so ear grating, so this totally makes sense, with the gain staging

[@NerismaStudios]

If I can add to this, IMO this curve is honestly a super nice touch to a mastering chain. BUT, it doesn’t negate a proper mixdown. There’s always moving parts and if two instruments are clashing somewhere, fixing in the master chain with this is like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound: it may hide the problem but it didn’t fix it. Other thing I feel worth mentioning is that when I set these up in my Pro-Q, I really dialed in the Q and dB/oct, and you HAVE to use the gain scale to dial it in.

[@StevenMelin]

@NerismaStudios Great points! I totally agree.

[@AutPen38]

I'm a big fan of "scooped" masters or what used to be called the "disco smile" that emphasised kick, bass, and hi-hats (at the expense of vocals and mid-range instruments) as it made things sound groovier in the clubs and on the radio. I'm unlikely to make a severe cut at 160Hz though. Many of my favourite records from the '80s have 'ear-splitting' snares at around that frequency. It might be painful to hear them in a live setting without a good engineer utilizing his 30-band EQ to reduce their prominence at loud volume, but a lot of great records (by Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson etc) would sound weird/terrible with their snares turned down by 6dB.

[@midnightsocean2689]

That cool if you trust someone quoted as saying: "5k and above is kinda beyond human hearing".

[@morbidmanmusic]

Glad someone else caught that classic!

[@davelordy]

[with a parametric EQ] _"There's no level of accuracy or repeatability"_ Perhaps this is unfair, but when I hear statements like that I tend to skip to another video, as you get put in the _"oh I get it, he doesn't know what he's talking about"_ category.

[@Songwriter376]

So, this works regardless of the room acoustics and monitors used??

[@redinger44841]

I saw the original video from Rick beato and I was intrigued but I never got around to testing it. Thanks for the video because it did remind me to get around to actually testing this. Also thanks for the EQ settings in the comments. This is going to be fun!

[@LeChapeauMusic]

Hey PLEASE don't use it on studio mixes. It seems like you haven't quite understood the purpose of it. These are the frequencies most live sound engineers struggle with when EQing their speakers by ear. When doing studio mixes, you have to think of the translation between different sound systems. You should take care of the individual instruments and EQ them based on what you hear on your monitoring environment, or if you don't have a good monitoring environment, on multiple devices. You shouldn't EQ the master "so you don't have to EQ the individual tracks". That's only for live sound.

[@StevenMelin]

I hear you! Although, I’ve found that by applying this EQ to the master (and thus lowering the pain frequencies), it opens up space for me to then EQ individual instruments as needed. I’m not sure if this will continue to apply to all tracks, but so far it’s improved 10/10 tracks that I’ve tried it on!

[@BukanIbuMu]

Yes. This is so dangerous for beginners.

[@StevenMelin]

More dangerous than slapping Ozone on the master and calling it mixed & mastered? 🤨

[@caspermaster-com]

No such thing as ”live technique” in this context, if it works it works. Its simply Eqin the mixbuss, very common technique for mixing.

[@RicardoMartinez-ee1sz]

I think this is just a "smiley curve" similar to what Gullfoss uses to boost its volume, it doesn't just apply gain to the lows and highs but carves the middles/pain frequencies to get its loudness. As with Ozone, I don't think it is a bad plugin, it gives you all the basic materials you need to make a good Master. If you use the mastering assistant you are just lazy to learn or inexperienced. Either way it comes down to how you use it and if you know when to use it.

[@markcole4001]

Thanks for your remarkable insights. I too saw the Natale - Beato video, but wrongly assumed it was a technique limited to live music / big venue / loud volume situations. You took the time and applied the intellectual curiosity to test it in a recorded music / studio venue / reasonable volume situation. You are quite right that this technique has a dramatic, positive, impact on mixing songs. I very much appreciate your work on this.

[@DouglasBartolmeAudio-bj4br]

Yo Steven! This is fantastic. Instantly improved my mixes. Thank you! Rick Beato is the man!

[@StevenMelin]

So good, right!?

[@TemmeSikkema]

Fantastic video. Thanks for presenting this so clearly.

[@shineliketko]

Just tried this and wow! I used the Kirchhoff eq and tested this. 4 db seemed to work for the track I was working on but seeing how this can make that drastic of a change in clarity is astounding. Thanks for sharing!

[@StevenMelin]

Right there with you! Yeah, it doesn’t always need to be so extreme. For Dave Natale, he mentioned that he usually goes -15dB at the lowest for massive stadiums, which makes sense with all the low end build up with subs and thousands of bodies in a room / hundreds of feet from stage to ears. But in the studio, I’ve found 3 to 6 dB to be the sweet spot so far 🔥

[@pukkadelta4486]

Would you be kind enough to share the Kirchhoff preset please? Thanks.

[@shineliketko]

@@pukkadelta4486 for sure!

[@klementus]

This is interesting. Often these frequencies are cut off in one way or another when mixing, so it is worth trying to mix this curve in the right proportion. Thanks for sharing this.

[@mallorca1guy]

isnt that curve meant for live purposes?

[@Tomydeclerqueplus]

put proq3 on thet frequencies... put them all in dynamic mode, and attenuate them only when they are to loud

[@wrecken12]

It totally changed my mix..Thanks for this info

[@DEADLINETV]

Ah, this is brilliant! I've recreated your GEQ settings and it sounds brilliant! I also discovered how awesome GEQ is! If you set the range to 0 and then dial it up, you just stop when it sounds good! It keeps all proportions! Thank you and Dave and Rick!

[@StevenMelin]

I totally agree!

[@aeonslight]

You can just listen to the mix and take away frequencies that are annoying. There’s no reason to cut it in this specific way for every song. Also 5k is nowhere near the limit of human hearing, that’s 20k

[@mirkomarkovic3438]

So attenuate all frequencies, got it

[@mudestud_io]

I have been meaning to try this since I seen the original video, thanks for sharing!

[@StevenMelin]

Give it a shot!

[@dronescenicmatics]

Just tried this on a big orchestral track and it blew my mind!!

[@HyperNova137]

Started watching this on a random impulse KZbin click while I was eating, and I was already more than halfway through the video when I finally looked down and recognized your name... I'm already using a ton of your music in an RPG Maker game that I'm developing, but I'd never come across your channel before until now, lol.

[@GMRecording]

Game changer! Thanks for this 😊

[@OzricTentaclesRule]

This curve seems to keep the mix in a sonic place and then even after mix and effects etc ,,, seems to kind of automatically keep things within a happy range to the ear... on its face it also seems to help with masking issues in those ranges... been using it for a while on just about all my mixes.... and it doesn't matter if you mix in mono or stereo from my experience using a curve like this... I have dynamics built into mine but I can adjust to the uniqueness of the mix as I go.. Great to hear your vid....

[@PatrickObiang]

I'll give it a try. BRAVO!

[@Lloyd333]

Man I thought the ozone layer depleted again

[@StevenMelin]

☁️ ☁️ ☁️

[@Mikeaguado]

So I tried a version of this last night and loved the result, I think the smart way to do this is similar to how Dave does it, his adjustment of this curve is dependant on the room/venue he's in so I think these "rules" can be applied in a mix dependant context. So I used a graphic eq last night, cut everything in between 80hz-5k to -6db, then based on his I "hate" 160hz, 630hz, 2-4k pain concepts started adding these frequencies back into the mix one slider at a time but making sure that the core freqs he mentions are relatively lower than the rest. Essentially using a similar curve to his but custom for my mix, I think the overall concept is still very useful for studio mixing if applied in this way instead of just being a preset. I mean there's no reason to cut -6 or -12db of 160hz out if it's not in your mix but looking at specific "problem" frequencies and testing reducing them judiciously makes sense

[@StevenMelin]

Fantastic application of the EQ! 👏

[@Mikeaguado]

@@StevenMelin Thanks man and thanks for the inspiration to check out the concept! If I had only seen Rick's video I would have thought to myself that this technique could only apply to live sound :)

[@StevenMelin]

That seems to be a common response! But sound is sound…regardless of in studio or live stadium! What changes is the amount to dial in.

[@nothing7ish]

Interesting. I should give it a shot sooner or later.

[@RC_991]

I've approximated the curve in the Ableton EQ using 8 bands, then put on every individual track and using the Scale % to adjust to taste so I can remove harshness without gutting the mix entirely. Works great! Thanks.

[@rossco78]

you could also have multiple eq 8's to cover all eq moves.

[@mysteriousstranger9496]

@@rossco78 That's a bad idea.

[@beatpax]

casn i get that eq preset...because when i try it i cannot get that curve with the m

[@AutPen38]

If you really want to try using a graphic EQ, there is a free one by Voxengo (makers of SPAN) called Marvel GEQ that has 16 bands, which is more than enough for mixing normal music. The 30-band models only really make sense for live settings where the speakers are playing VERY LOUD, which causes some frequencies to sound louder than they do when played at normal volume.

[@topijokinen]

Thanks for the video! I watched the interview and it was really interesting. I think he is doing kind of room calibration with this like Sonarworks for the arenas. Pretty genius especially if others are not doing this. But in principle it shouldnt be applicaple to mixing records, why not just calibrate your speakers? However I tried it and it made things sound more defined. But probably should pay more attention to those frequencies in the mix and not just on the mix bus/master?

[@StevenMelin]

I think this is far more than just room calibration! Yeah, we should always be careful not to use a “blanket” trick for all uses, but I think this is an incredible starting point that can be tweaked per track.

[@topijokinen]

@@StevenMelin yeah, this could be a great starting point for mix. What makes me think its a kind of room calibration is that he said that he uses James Newton Howard & friends cd to do this. But yes, there might be something more to it but I think its definately kind of room calibration also. But the aim is probably just not flat but something that actually sounds roughly good and then he continues with individual mics and instruments. But I will definately also play more with this so thanks for bringing this up! 👍

[@12asujaysarveshkc3]

What is the Q value of the dips ??

[@ookamimusic4019]

This is crazy, never heard of this kind of curve,.. will check it out as well 🙂😃

[@StevenMelin]

You & me both! It’s absolutely wild. Try it out! 🔥

[@ookamimusic4019]

☺

[@ayeapprove]

For all those people wondering about the Q settings: "For its 30 main bands, the GEQ Classic component uses “Proportional Q” filters. The Q value is proportional to the gain adjustment; increasing a band’s gain narrows the filter width." So it's hard to recreate those settings without a similar working plugin

[@richertz]

Might explain why I find a lot of live music sounding a bit questionable. I get the idea though and wont argue against it. Don't let it rule you though.

[@johnellers]

Yank you for sharing this. It's quite interesting, I will try it out.

[@PippPriss]

On the 1:17 sample it sounded way better with the EQ applied, but on the sample starting at 1:30 the EQ buried the "power" of the segment, but it did change it a lot, so "It's night and day" is true! I guess it shows that there is no blanket statement, but only preference. But cool video nonetheless, I was entertained a lot!

[@Chaos-Dynamics]

I watched the video as well but thought it was just for live mixing, definitely will try this but I think it shouldn’t be applied on the masterbus. Getting rid off these annoying frequencies on individual tracks would be a better approach imo. But that’s just a guess I have to try it out myself first lol 😊

[@StevenMelin]

Give it a shot on master bus (with some added EQ on individual tracks as needed too) and let us know your findings!

[@RobRuffMusic]

Do you have this on The master or just the strings? I'm confused... Also whats a similar EQ plugin I can buy/download with this many bands? Fl studio does not have an EQ like that.

[@shwanzi3944]

Yes it does, Equo and parametric EQ

[@nienie2261]

It works like magic!

[@adrianmasound]

These frequencies are also the ones you need to perfectly translate your mix into small speakers (tv speakers, phone speakers, earbuds...). It's true that at first glance , listening to it in studio monitors or headphones it sounds "cleaner", you still have lows and highs, but if you get your music into a game or a film/TV show, the mixer will eq out your lows and highs to leave space for SFXs, so with your "EQ preset" your music will sound thin and poorly defined buried behind the dialogue and SFXs. It's true that the mid range can be ear piercing, but I don't think the solution is to just "attenuate" it in your sum. The midrange is the most important range to transtale your mix into any speaker and situation, it needs is to be controled, that means mixing carefully analysing which instruments are "clashing" and >building up< these freqencies, prioritise the ones which need in and trim these in the other ones that don't need it. If one specific instrument has infrequent nasty resonances when playing certain notes, dynamic or technique, you can use dynamic EQs to tame and control those moments. If you think 6dBs is "not too much", think that -6dBsFS is half as loud as 0dBFS, so every time you boost 6dBsFS you're making things double as loud, and everytime you attenuate 6dbFS you're making think half as loud. In the same way there's no recipes for composing, there's no recipes for mixing and mastering. EQing in mixing/mastering is about control, not about killing frequencies just becase "uh, those are BAD frequencies". There's not a thing such "bad frequencies". P.S.: I don't write this comment with the intention of offend or attack you, I think you're a great composer but this mixing advise is just bad advise.

[@StevenMelin]

Great thoughts to consider, thanks for sharing!

[@Tabzunderground]

I came across the same video too , haven’t tried it but will do so today

[@tamashitrying]

thanks , I saw the video but got intimidated by fabfilter thanks for showing the eq curve !!!

[@StevenMelin]

Yeah! This definitely simplifies it (and sounds better as a result)!

[@josephriddlestone4684]

I can see how this would sound clean and tight, you've eliminated all the problem bands. However, this is far too extreme for a master bus, the context was a muddy drum kit on a live rig. If your using this curve in a mastering context, your mixes are off. Anything beyond 2 or 3db Up or down on a mix bus is a sign that some individual tracks need attention. You're probably EQ'ing for your room too, without realising. My suspicion is these mixes would sound thin and lifeless in some contexts, albeit clean and tight. Is suspect they'd lack weight in a car and would sound thin and bright on a WiFi speaker. There is no such thing as a universal, fix all EQ curve, music is too alive. I recommend asking some of your spare ears (friends with musical ears), to listen on their systems and see how translate. When mastering and mixing engineers have templates, they're devices set neutrally, ready for moves to fit the song. If avoid any preset curves, beyond mixing into a bus compressor.

[@ndtaylor40]

This is strange. Just tried it on a project and it sounds pretty good to me. Thanks for sharing!

[@StevenMelin]

It’s like audio wizardry! 🧙‍♂️

[@synthoelectro]

For someone who has mixed for 24 years, this is seriously helpful.

[@StevenMelin]

Glad to hear it! 🤘

[@synthoelectro]

@@StevenMelin hoping this works. I remember back in the day when starting in 2000 I use to boost the EQ, and used it as volume. I kind of stopped that, so this takes me back. Seems what you start with you should continue using.

[@StevenMelin]

Keep in mind that this EQ curve is for removing unwanted pain frequencies, not boosting anything. But because this will remove volume, you can boost it back with the output equal to the amount you removed (-6dB removal = 6dB output gain more or less).

[@synthoelectro]

@@StevenMelin yeah I find that helpful so I hope to try it. When I mix my personal music I have a certain way I do it. It might cripple and squeeze out the life of my mixes but trying is really all I can do.

[@rugososphotos3646]

Quite interesting, my first thought was oh "its just a smile eq", but hearing why the individual frequencies are treated that way, makes me wanna try it, will use it like you with a graphic eq that lets me set the range for the whole eq

[@ClintMoody]

“No level of accuracy or repeatability…” Mate…

[@morbidmanmusic]

Well, you can repeat it, ... as a preset, but it still won't work well!

[@wildbird78]

If you use FabFilter what are your Q settings on each band ?

[@bjh3661]

srely, it depends on the frequency balace of the signal you start with?

[@IKTAJJ]

Interesting....I will try that out.....but with a mix knob.... Add the % of this eq to my mix ....just to see how much it needs that curve.

[@Arron_Mottram]

Dave was talking about the drum EQ. Why would you ever remove so many frequencies from your full mix? And what does it have to do with Ozone? It's a great mastering tool if you know how to set it manually.

[@morbidmanmusic]

Stop being rational and logical.

[@jetadaman]

I think if you have to reduce something by 6db on the master, something is wrong in the mix. The mastering stage is usually for subtle moves. The heavy work is done in the mix

[@morbidmanmusic]

Yeah, this will mess with levels of things in the mix really badly. It use to be "fix it in the mix" now, its one step beyond... I always liked know what you want and get it at the source... those days are slowly going away.. let AI butucher it for the next decade too.. ugh. Now I'm depressed. Lol

[@derekrushe]

It's a live sound eq curve. It is not meant for studio work. Unless you've been a live engineer and know the interactions with the mics to the boxes then you're just going to get yourself in trouble. Do not use this for your studio mixes.

[@morbidmanmusic]

Let them waste another year messing around.. 😕

[@dylanhalloran981]

Any chance u could link a txt document with all the dB's cause its way too small to read on my phone and there is a 31 band eq on the play store that im hoping will work for this bit can't read the fine print

[@StevenMelin]

I don’t think it’s meant to be an exact curve numerically, but rather a shape. It’s basically 2 “M’s”, focusing on reducing a few key frequencies around 130, 600, & 2k.

[@StevenMelin]

But yes! Just pinned a comment with my exact settings :)

[@morbidmanmusic]

Is your DAW on your phone? Look on the computer.

[@SHONSL]

I made a fab filter Pro-Q preset version of this and MAN, this shit WORKS! Everything sounds so much cleaner.

[@StevenMelin]

🤘🤘🤘

[@steenwaldorf4782]

How did you do it in Fabfilter Pro-Q? i have tried, and just plotted the values in, but it didnt sound the same as a 32 band EQ.

[@AdelSweezy]

like a person who realy strugle to improov in mastering i will difntly try it thanks for sharing

[@taurusstephens8059]

Nahh he didn’t say it gradually goes up after 2k he said it goes back up after 4k.

[@malikamer4385]

Amazing video, i’ll try this preset

[@AaronTrimbleMusic]

Your music has gotten so good! EQ is by far the most powerful mastering tool you have. 😎 (my credentials: Apple Digital Masters certified). You will find a HIGH LEVEL ABOVE THAT if you will focus on getting rid of RESONANCES your music.

[@StevenMelin]

Very kind of you!

[@bmh770]

Hey steve ive just found your channel and im happy to find another cubase user so ive subbed. Hope it helps

[@raffa9783]

when recreating this in pro q, what q / shelf for the bands do you guys use? do you mess with the gain scale on the bottom right under output vol? also the 160 band compared to 630 and 2k ( which are all -6) gets reduced less because the surrounding bands aren't as close. Is this the same in the graphical EQ

[@StevenMelin]

I’m not sure you can truly recreate this in a graphical EQ

[@midichlorians7051]

this works amazing

[@rolandoastudillojara3054]

Hello! This technique seems very similar to mixing with a limiter at +6 and then removing it when exporting, since by having those +6 you end up mixing at a much more limited level, precisely in the mid-range since, as you say, The human ear is much more sensitive in this range, only in a different way, we would be reaching the same thing basically. I have also seen a video where, with a multiband compressor, the engineer in question compresses the midrange and expands the low and high range, obviously with parameters that work for him. I'll see how it works for me with this technique, greetings!

[@fatcatnordleadx]

i have been doing this for years in live , only recently doing post production . I strongly agree on that fFletcher-Munson Curve is highly flawed

[@vadimmartynyuk]

For recordings the EQ curve is almost the opposite of this

[@romanx3267]

wtf, this is incredible,

[@mv883]

thanks!

[@richardwilson7207]

You should post the preset.

[@StevenMelin]

Just pinned the comment!

[@MrEcutler]

This EQ sucks the life out of everything

[@pulsarstar]

Would you throw this on a balanced mix? When I did, My 808 kick started overpowering the mix. Maybe I should I dial the kick down -3 db or so, what you think?

[@StevenMelin]

I think if you throw this on a balanced / finished mix, you’ll definitely need to adjust any individual tracks / stems that are now overpowered. So my rule of thumb to start with is when I turn on this GEQ30 preset, which is set to a range of -6dB (at the peaks), it’s also set to +6dB output to help compensate for the dip in loudness. So in your case yeah, that kick drum is gonna be smokin’ loud unless you turn it down roughly around the same amount as your output gain. Make sense? None of this is a one-size-fits-all (nothing is in music or mixing!), but rather a starting place based on frequencies that our ears prefer.

[@pulsarstar]

@@StevenMelin Thank you so much!

[@AutPen38]

@@StevenMelin Boosting the whole mix by 6dB when most of the frequencies got cut by less than that (and the bass wasn't cut at all) is kind of idiotic. You should only boost enough to get back to the same average volume that you started with, otherwise your ears will simply be tricked by the additional loudness. (Louder sounds better). You may also cause clipping/digital distortion if your mix was already near 0dBFS before you make these cuts and boosts. If your biggest individual cut was 6dB, the overall volume probably doesn't need to be boosted more than 2 or 3dB to get it back to the original level.

[@basementrockets5798]

Ignore most of the prematurely judgmental armchair experts in the comments who've replied with opinions and not results or data... It definitely can be useful for mixing/mastering depending on the source material, if you start with small gradual amounts and scale it to taste, before reaching Dave Natale's live audio preference (and not just for EQ; emphasis/de-emphasis EQ, SCEQ compression, etc). Example: 160 Hz divided: -6 > -4.5 > -3 > -1.5 > -0.75 (or just -1 dB; more common) If you have a device that isn't capable of scaling the values gradually, make multiples (5 custom EQ curve presets) of each value scaled/divided down and choose the most suitable one. Even better, save those as presets for later use. It also helps to Low Shelf decrease or High Pass cut unnecessary low frequencies before the fundamental frequency and work with the 'curve' frequencies remaining after the Low Shelf/High Pass cut. Example: Hi-Hats or Cymbals, highly unlikely that you'll need frequencies below the fundamental frequency (*Edit for clarity: Gentle roll off at the fundamental or sub octave of the fundamental frequency. I tend to go with or a 6 or 12 dB/Oct slope). These are the values for the smallest amounts (Example: 160 Hz: -1.5 dB / -1 dB) 63 Hz & below = 0dB (or -0.17 dB / -0.11 dB; half of 80 Hz values) 80 Hz = -0.35 db / -0.23 dB 100 Hz = -0.72 dB / -0.48 dB 125 Hz = -1.05 dB / -0.70 db 160 Hz = -1.5 dB / -1 dB 200 Hz = -0.75 dB / -0.50 dB 250 Hz = -1.12 dB / -0.75 315 Hz = -0.75 dB / -0.50 dB 400 Hz = -0.97 dB / -0.65 dB 500 Hz = -1.2 dB / -0.80 db 630 Hz = -1.5 dB / 1 dB 800 Hz = -1.12 dB / -0.75 dB 1 kHz = -0.82 dB / -0.55 dB 1.25 kHz = -1dB / -0.66 dB 1.6 kHz = -1.07 dB / -0.71 dB 2 kHz = -1.50 dB / -1 dB 2.5 kHz = -1.12 dB / -0.75 dB 3.15 kHz = -0.90 dB / -0.60 4 kHz = -0.47 dB / -0.31 5 kHz & above = 0 dB (or 6-6.30 kHz set to a relative amount as 3-3.15 kHz, based on the octave

[@StevenMelin]

Well said! 🤘

[@basementrockets5798]

@@StevenMelin Thanks. I've been testing the curve in an Ableton rack of compressors in series, that i've been working on for a long time. After seeing your video, the idea to apply Dave's curve just seemed like perfect timing. It works surprisingly well and can sound very transparent and clean. Unfortunately, with a few caveats, it can only work with compressors that have a 96dB/Oct SCEQ filter like Fabfilter Pro-C2 for example (to really focus in on those specific frequencies and only those frequencies triggering the compressor). High CPU usage is another caveat. I have an M1, so it can handle it (44%). But since we're mixing, just process the audio and bounce. •20 compressors for each frequency (except the 0 dB frequencies can remain off) •Bandpass filters (96 dB/Oct LP and HP) •63 Hz to the 5 kHZ (I usually prefer 6 kHz, source-depending. Since it's the octave of 3 kHz and is within the 'pain frequency range', If I go higher, I will match or divide the amount of gain reduction from it's relative octave frequency) •Gain Reduction amounts represent the individual -dB amounts •I tend to keep all of the soft knees mapped together and usually at max, especially with 20 compressors going, which really keeps things transparent and clean (especially with oversampling on) •The fun part is when you start experimenting with Attack and Release times by dividing them from low frequencies to high frequencies or vice versa. Although, i'll tend to calculate and calibrate all of the release times together. If I have a Kick with a decay/release time of 125ms, comp release time will be 125ms or Auto Release. Auto Release can be more reliable, especially considering each frequency/compressor could be occurring at different time lengths within the waveform (Example: Transient Hit > Body/Resonance >Tail) Example: 63Hz compressor with an attack time set at 30ms divided by how many compressors you have (20) down to the 5 kHz amount or vice versa. 30 (ms) ÷ 20 (# of compressors) = 1.5 30 ms - 1.5 downwards until the last frequency/compressor. Then you sort of have a time-based Compressor-EQ hybrid Low Transient attack-based Slope 63 Hz >>>>> 5 kHz+ 30 ms >>>>> 1.5 ms High Transient attack-based Slope 63 Hz >>>>> 5 kHz+ 1.5 ms >>>>> 30 ms

[@morbidmanmusic]

You sound pretty armchair to me, and I'm guessing lots of others. Can you prove we are and you're not? Just the facts mAm.

[@basementrockets5798]

​@@morbidmanmusic I'm not interested in talking to you. Have a great day!

[@rook9309]

I see nothing wrong with using this as a basic standard reference. If it's a problem area in live settings, there's nothing stopping it from being a problem area in studio mixes to the less finely tuned ear.

[@AutPen38]

It's more of an issue with live settings than in the studio (or on your laptop/phone), because the frequency balance of music changes depending on how loud it is being played. (Read about Fletcher-Munson curves if you're inclined to learn more about how the human ear works). If you were next to the speakers at a festival, and the live mixer didn't cut the mids and the muddy frequencies, it would "make your ears bleed", or at least sound quite tiring. So live mixers cut the most "painful" frequencies. At quiet/normal listening levels, mastering engineers typically go with a more gentle "smile" EQ with just a gentle/wide cut in the mids, as that is more pleasant at a range of normal volumes and on various devices. It's only on the BIG speakers that you need 30 bands of EQ.

[@juhneing]

That's literally how I eq

[@Ee77Aa45]

Just try don't be hesitate🎉🎉🎉

[@KyleViewing]

Does anybody here know what the suggested points are for each frequency that is being attenuated? These were not clear for me😅. Would be great to build a preset for testing purposes.

[@StevenMelin]

Watch the end of the interview with Dave Natalie (link in description) and you can use DaveMs whiteboard drawing as your guide. He mentions a few frequencies by number specifically, but it’s more of a shape (two “M’s”) than exact science. But for me, I found the shape that my ears like and saved it as my preset to start with in future tracks.

[@KyleViewing]

@StevenMelin Thanks a ton, man. appreciate it.

[@BitterVet3D]

SO it's funny, all I really have on hand is the EQ 8 in Ableton and i also an Ozone user. I am having trouble finding a 30 Band EQ (there's not one i know off in LIVE or in iZotope). I don't think i can get that one you are using either. Any recommendations on a free or cheap EQ i can do this with? Or is there a way i could maybe adapt with Lives bult in EQ 8 or Ozones EQ?

[@StevenMelin]

Yeah! I think you can do this curve on any EQ if you take your time and try to create the general shape (2 Letter M shapes).

[@AGsosa]

EQ30 by discoDSP is free

[@BitterVet3D]

@@AGsosa Ah cool! I’ll check it out. Thanks!

[@markcole4001]

I just purchased the ModernG31 graphic EQ from Three Body Technology, who also make the highly regarded Kirchoff-EQ (parametric), and tried it on a mix. Worked very well, no artifacts, totally clean, very easy to use GUI.

[@ayeapprove]

Would you be so kind and create an impulse response of this EQ setting in this plugin? That way ALL of us can enjoy this.

[@user-eh1vp3ev3c]

I feel really bad for people who find themselves in a live orchestra session without access to EQ. They're limited to hearing the instruments as they really are, and it must be just awful for them....

[@StevenMelin]

Ha! In all fairness though, even when I record live orchestra I find myself using a ton of EQ for cinematic soundtracks.

[@user-eh1vp3ev3c]

@@StevenMelin You think something is being lost in the recording process? Something you can hear in the room that just doesn't translate to the recording, so we try to fix it with eq? Or are we all just so used to that "cinematic" mid scooped sound that became popular ~the late 90's/early 2000's? If it's just a trend maybe it's time for something new...

[@zeitakulobusta]

DR.S HATE THIS ONE TRICK!

[@sunghoonmoon602]

Cutting on 160 too much, you'll lose the warmth of bass. on 630, some good characters of male vocal. on 2k, presence of snare and guitar, etc. So use it conservatively when you master. Don't apply on every mix buses. Using multiband comp on mix buses to moderate those problematic spots can be a good approach. Use cutting with eq when you master but no more than -1 dB cut.

[@fatcatnordleadx]

Great video bro !! less hashness with eq !