Global, sweepable EQ?

Maceoparker

I´ve noticed there´s a sweepable EQ available for each individual song, including the possibility to adjust the bandwidth (Q) of the selected frequency in the low-mid and high-mid ranges.

The global EQ, though, seems limited to a set number of fixed frequencies.

The sweepable option with bandwidth adjustment possibilities seems more versatile in some ways. But perhaps I´m thinking about this the wrong way?

Is it possible to apply the setting for one individual song to all songs, with some sort of "macro command"?

Thanks!

peter

No, you can't copy the eqaulizer settings between songs.

The global equalizer is meant to make room adjustments for any who uses a mixer with only limited equalizer settings. I used this graphic equalizer because it is the most common type to use for room corrections. Technically it is no big deal to change that to a 4 or 6 band parametric but I don't know if this would set off users that are used to the graphic equalizer.

Damir

peter ,just a suggestion if its not too much work, a simple choice between the two types of master EQ and let the user choose the one that works best for them and perhaps once you get enough feedback to the most popular get rid of the other one if its not really beeing used, but if you find feedback is 50/50 keep them both , everyones happy, i do use the master eq as i have changed from JBL to YAMAHA speakers and find generally i need to bring up the top end as the Yamahas sound dull and thats because the JBL EONS were always known for their bright horns so all my songs were setup for them.
So a master EQ in ST3 has definitely saved me a lot of work which type would be better, well i would have to try them both to see.

MasterAnt

Another option is to increase the number of bands of the graphic eq, assuming it doesn't use a lot more cpu power. Maybe with say a 15-band EQ, you'd get the more specific control you're looking for. Graphic EQs are better for easily seeing a picture of sound correction, which I think is easier for everyone, but especially for musicians who aren't that technical on the subject of sound engineering. Setting up 8-parametrics for a complex correction would require what... 24 settings? I could easily use all of 15-graphic EQ sliders, but setting 45-parametric settings for the same result would be a nightmare, or perhaps nearly impossible with frequency overlapping.

Damir

MasterAnt I tend to agree with your logic Ant, plus now days most PA systems are pretty good when it comes to frequency response, I think a general tweak is all that’s needed it’s not like you are trying to find a specific frequency that is causing feedback, you are just correcting slight PA inadequacies, since you are dealing with song files only they have mostly already been EQed to achieve the sound the creator intended, the master EQ should only be required to correct for change in PA equipment and as I said before this should be a minor tweak in a general sense.
If you need more precise EQ on all your songs then you are in big trouble , you need to go back to the DAW and correct your final EQ processing in the EDiT process, in fact once you do your final mix down in the DAW you should aim to complete it so you don’t need any ST3 master EQ, once you have achieved that means you have the best mix for your PA and then if you do change PA you have got some control for correction.But you have to have some reference point , I never rely on my headsets or monitors, I always use the actual PA speakers to finalise my mix and I make sure the speakers EQs are flat response no bass boost or top end boost, I always have my subs connected as well, so ideally I have the sound I want without the need for any ST3 EQ, but I do use ST3 EQ for very slight correction on only some songs, and as I said the master EQ I only started using recently because I changed my PA, I wish now I was more aware of this issue I would have taken my IPad with me and used it as a test to choose my new PA perhaps I would have been better off with the JBL speakers.
But I was so impressed with the Yamahas but I was listening to the shops music not my own that was EQed for JBLs , so that’s a lesson for others buying new PA, take your ST3 files with you and use your own files before buying a new system, and keep everything flat.
Sorry I got carried away again.
My opinion after all that , just keep it as it is, it should be good enough to do what it was intended to do it should not be used to fix something that was caused somewhere else in the process.

MasterAnt

Damir

Damir the master EQ should only be required to correct for change in PA equipment

This should be done on the master EQ on your mixer, not in ST3 so that your vocals and any instruments are also corrected for the speakers / room. I always run a graphic EQ at the end of my mix and only buy mixers with a master graphic. That's quite difficult to do nowadays when you're trying to get the smallest mixer possible. They also provide you with fewer frequencies on the small mixers, but you can make most things right on 7 or more bands. I definitely avoid 5-band "master" graphics EQs. I currently use a MACKIE ProFX8 V2 which does a fair job with only 7-bands.

I personally don't use any EQs in ST3; only a 6dB boost to the master gain. If, however, I was acquiring ready-made backtracks then I'd probably be EQIng them per song. The only use case for the ST3 master EQ for me is when I'm running backtracks to something like a portable bluetooth speaker, while singing and playing guitar unplugged...

Damir But you have to have some reference point

Yes, that's the first bit of advice I'd give someone new to setting sound. Find a well-balanced mix, learn what it sounds like, and use that from now on to set your master EQ. Once you have that mix sounding good, then work backwards with minor tweaks on your channels or per song which then should not change from gig to gig.

I use Mark Knopfler's song "What It Is" when listening to studio headphones and live PAs in-store. Why that song? Not because it has the best mix ever, but because I'm happy to sound like how I can make that song sound. Live, I play one of my own tracks that isn't compressed, and has more punch, which was mixed in studio with monitors that sound great playing "What It Is". Setting master EQ at gigs now takes less than 1-minute, and I have no need to adjust any channel EQs... But to get down to 1-minute might take someone 15-years of experience to achieve. Start by learning what each slider sounds like, also so much easier to do on a graphic than on a parametric.

Damir

MasterAnt hi Ant,it sounds like we think alike, the reason i didnt mention microphone and guitar was to keep it simple, but you are correct if you run your mic and guitar directly to your mixer, i dont, my ipad runs in to my Lexicon and so does my mic and guitar, i have some control of microphone tone on the Lexicon and i have an EQ on my accoustic to be able to balance everything then i feed this mix in to my small Yamaha mixer that has basic EQ on channel strip with no master EQ which really isnt needed because i have already balanced all three sources through the Lexicon pedal once ive got the best out of it then i can slightly tweak on my Yamaha mixer , and the last tweak if needed i have very limited tonal control on the yamaha speakers.
So i can easily perform using anyones system, i know my stereo out from my Lehicon is exactly how i want it , the sound engineer than just has to get me on air and perhaps tweak that stereo chanel a bit to compensate for his PA .
My first thing i setup is my sure sm58 microphone so it sounds great my guitar then automatically sounds fine and i have some eq control on the guitar itself, then i play my test drum track, then i might have a slight tweak on the ST3 master EQ because if that sounds fine i know all my other track will, when its all balanced and sounding as good as i can make it through the Lexicon i set up my input to mixer then bring up my channel fader to its pre set level than i then bring up my master fader to 12 oclock position , with all volumes down and power off , i turn on a speaker at a time and crank up my drum track to a max level i need for the size of the venue, i do this for every speaker, this sets up my bench mark level now with the 12 oclock position being my you could say max level i wind it down to my actual normal level knowing i can safely theak to 12 oclock on my master and still not have feedback plus some more kick ass if needed but 12 oclock is the optimum i adjust all my powered speaker pre amps to suit the size of venue if its a smaller venue i drop the gain on the speaker system so my mixer master fader uses more of its travel but still keeking it well below of beeing driven hard, i try to use my mixer where all the stages are driven very confourtably and then i setup the speakers inputs to suit the size of venue if its a larger venue i increase the speakers gains to suit.
My 10 input Yamaha mixer is a brilliant little gadget which simply gives me easy hand control of my master volume and if i have my iphone i can always use it as a suppliment device for background music, every so often i might have a guest singer or musician so having four mic inputs and 3 stereo inputs is all i need, but beeing so small it is easy to have it on a stand reasonably close to my microphone without looking too bulky on stage.
The Mixer and speakers are so good i hardly need to do any tweaking of EQs, my setup time is 15minutes using PA that consists of 2 yamaha 12 inch 1000w ea and JBL18 subs total power around 3500watts. I can also plug my Lexicon foot pedal straight in to the PA without a mixer and get away with it but not having a master volume at hand makes me very nervous.With this size rig i can blast away 600 guests in a well acoustically designed venue.
If i travel and use others PA i have a guitar in one hand and a computer bag over my shoulder and i am ready to rockn roll thanks to my Lexicon and ST3.