What's best, EQ or Compressor First? (Beginner Tips for Mixing)
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- How do you decide to use an EQ or compressor first when you listen to a track when mixing? Shouldn’t you always use EQ first? Well, it depends. In this video I want to share with you my trick for deciding the processing order of EQ and compression when I begin listening to sounds in a mix.
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:58 EQ before or after compression
01:21 Deciding the EQ compression order
01:55 Using an EQ before compression
02:39 How a compressor controls dynamic range
05:30 Using a VU meter to set up the low end
06:25 Recap my trick for deciding the EQ compressor order
08:04 Bloopers !!
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-- EQ or Compressor First? (Beginner Tips for Mixing) --
This is a common question that many beginners ask when learning to mix music, does EQ go before compression or after?
Most will probably think that EQ always goes first, but not necessarily. There’s a little process I go through that I want to share in this video that will help you decide what’s best for your track when you are first listening to tracks when you begin mixing.
I’ll also explain why you might decide to use EQ before a compressor rather than the other way around and also why you might go straight for compression. Hint: you can use a compressor as an EQ too! Mind blown...
There are also some bloopers at the end for a bit of fun!
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How about you? Do you have a preferred order that works best for you or do you just go with your gut?
Depends on the material, but in metal I'll normally filter the source with an EQ and then compress if needed.
Conversely, I will compress bass first normally, especially when going for a tight, aggressive active pick up sound.
@@MartinvonBargen Yes, me too with bass. I'll have a filter right at the end of the chain to fine tune the blend with the guitars.
I think it can be relly cool to push a frequenzy range before a compressor. Becouse it will peak out way less than when bosting after.
Always appreciate your calm informative style! Also great to see a Northern lass repping!!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it 😄
how does this only have 6000 views??? there is so much terrible nonsense on yootoob and your videos are outstanding. plus it’s lovely to hear a fellow northerner on the interwebs. keep it up
Thanks!
I force myself during some times to work with less fancy solutions, but most often I've been using the key input to filter the compressor response with the same signal. That way I don't lose information, change balance and can use the compressor completely as a shaping tool instead of peak reduction. Thanks for great detailed videos.
You're very welcome!
I really like your style and the way you teach. I think it is superb!
Wow, thank you so much 😁
Thank you for making these vidoes informative and easy to follow
My pleasure!
This makes perfect sense. Thanks for explaining so clearly.
You're very welcome!
Your videos are absolutely brilliant! Thank you!
Thank you so much! Glad you like them
Subtractive EQ pre compression and additive EQ post compression. Excellent!
Thanks for sharing - Cheers!
mvh
It doesn't always have to be like that though, it depends on the recording (and how tired you are haha!!) 😉
Great video!👍
Örebromusik, thank you so much :)
I like your content and how calmly you explain things. You just got a sub!
Welcome aboard!
Thank you for your advice. Really appreciated it!
You're very welcome Claudio, I'm pleased you like the video!
For me : EQ (Fab Filter Pro-Q3) in first for cleaning, Compressor (Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor) in second, and in last position an analogic EQ (Waves VEQ-3)for color sound. It's my chain for E-Guitar and many track.
Sounds good!
Great video!
Thanks!
More bloopers!! Love that
There’s one at the end of this weeks video 😂
What a fantastic video! This is the first of yours that I've seen and I subscribed right away. Thank you for your generosity and fine delivery of content. I look forward to viewing more of your videos.
Awesome! Thank you!
So easy to follow your tutorials. I actually learn things and get more experimental after watching your vids, many thanks.
Thanks Russ, that means a lot 😊
Great video,thanks for your efforts ,can you give some examples?
Yes, there'll be a future video on that. Thanks for watching!
My philosophy is EQing can either clean a signal or shape the tone. You want a clean signal going into your compressor, so throw an EQ (specifically used for cleaning the signal) before the compressor. Then use an EQ to shape your tone after the compressor. If you're signal is already clean then you don't really need the one going in, but realistically there's almost ALWAYS a little cleaning you can do if you have anything coming in from a microphone or something. So the only time I see me not using that initial EQ is if I was just like, compressing a digital instrument or something.
YES! Perfect! Thanks for sharing, we have the same philosophy 😃
sara, your content is really good. i have just subscribed. keep it up. greeting from south london
Awesome! Thank you!
Would love to see your approach towards delay throws and reverb throws.
Coming soon!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Thank you.
I just discovered your channel yesterday afternoon and I just wanted to let you know that your videos are very helpful. I have been writing and recording my own music at home for the past 6 years but never really got into the technique of mixing/mastering because I was having fun just doing that as a hobby. I have about 15 songs that I am happy with and decided that I needed to learn how to make them actually sound commercially acceptable since I have enough content for a album. Since then, I have become almost obsessed with learning this craft. I started about 2-3 months ago and have yet to produce a mix that I am happy with but I feel I am getting close. I have watched many different channels who have offered many different tips and tricks and some of them have helped but some of them have not. I am really liking your teaching style and the English accent makes it so much more soothing and calm to listen to while I am at my paid job. Keep up the good work and I will continue to watch your videos and take your advice when it is applicable to my genre of music(rock/heavy metal). I have one quick question if you know the answer and wouldn’t mind answering it for me. I really like using the Waves SSL E Channel because of its multi functional ability. It helps save processing power on my computer(that really needs an upgrade but can’t I afford it right now). Do you know if the compressor on it engages before or after the eq and can you change the routing of it so it can still be used as a before and after compression EQ?
Welcome to the wonderful world of mixing! The Waves SSL E channel is a great plugin, the compressor defaults to pre-EQ unless you press the CH OUT button, then is switches position. The Split button will disconnect the filter section only, so you can just move that on its own if you wish. Hope that helps!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Yes that helps. I was trying to figure it out in the manual and that’s what I was thinking it was showing in the charts but I wanted confirmation from an professional. Now it’s time to go back and hit that CH Out button on any EQ that has boosts and compressor engaged and see if that makes any difference in my tracks. Thank you for the answer and response! I look forward to your future videos!
First video I've watched from this channel, but phenomenal job! You really nail this niche of demystifying mixing/compression, and your website is clean and well put-together. You've got my email and sub, I appreciate your channel; keep on the good work :)
Seth, thanks for watching, subscribing and for the feedback!
Nice video
Thanks
Beautiful explanation of this issue. Is that really an R. Crum poster on the wall?!?!?!
Thank you so much 😊. No, it’s a Sylvia Massy signed print 👍
Why not before AND after the compressor?! :)
Why not indeed! Totally valid thing to do and I do it often, thanks for watching!
Yep, my philosophy too; fix - compress - enhance.
Yes!
Full vocal mixing please
Ok, thanks for the feedback!
great video: what about saturation plugins. where in the chain should these be placed?
anywhere you like, wherever they sound good to you! 😁
Apologies if slightly off topic but I hear a lot about the high energy ultra low frequency 'rumble' (below 15-20hz) adding up in a mix even though it's actually inaudible, even on studio monitors. In your opinion are there any dangers or disadvantages to sticking a hi-pass filter on every channel, regardless of other later EQ or compression moves, in order to avoid this issue?
I actually use a steep hi pass filter at 20Hz on all my main sub groups before they reach the mix bus and it actually gives the impression of a more weighty low end (IMO) especially on drums. So try it and see!
I usually eq prior to compression to avoid pumping. But some EDM artists might like this effect and can use side-chain compression prior to eq to trigger other effects elsewhere in the signal chain such as boosting a bass note for that pumping EDM bass or ducking a frequency where you can trigger the eq on a bass instrument to be ducked by something like a kick drum so that the bass dips and the kick pops through. I do have a question now that arose while thinking about signal chain and using compression inserts on an analog board where the channel strip has eq built into it: is the compression insert pre or post eq? I have to go find out now.
Pre or post EQ? Yes, there is normally a way to switch them around but it depends on the board. The EDM mixers use all sorts of tricks to create sounds and manipulate them. Amazing what can be done!
if the audio sound is dirty and needs to be cleaned, if it needs subtractive EQ, then would it be wiser to go for the surgical subtractive eq first and then compression?
That's the way I do it. I remove with a clean EQ first like Fabfilter Pro Q3 or a stock EQ.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing thank you :)
I saw this technique called emphasis deemphasis where you boost with an EQ into either compression or saturation, then after the signal cut the same frequencies. Im curious I am just trying to grasp my head around this. If you were to boost into a compressor, that means that you are attenuating that part of the signal more correct?
That's right. It's how Dolby works to reduce tape hiss. Boosts and compresses the highs on the way to tape then cuts and expands the highs on the way from tape.
@@oldunclemick thank you
I prefer to insert eq first for the reasons you give. Can I ask though, what would the difference be to insert two separate eq's with cuts or boosts different on each one or to have one eq with two cuts or boosts? Hope that makes sense. Thanks.
No difference really, possibly some slight phasing but nothing to worry about.
Is that a Sylvia Massy print in the background? 🙃
YES! Well spotted!
That reminds me - first i have to fix my lava lamp ...
Haha! 😂