Community Forums Archive

Go Back

Subject:??frequency analysis??
Posted by: freaksarise
Date:9/24/2002 7:04:29 PM

Since I learned that every instrument has its fundamental and harmonic place in the frequency spectrum my mixes are much CLEANER and each sound has its own little spot that it sits. The end result? I can hear everything no matter which system I playback on.

Now I would like to understand how to apply knowledge to using the FREQUENCY ANALYSIS tool (in anything). Could someone explain other then what HELP would do in an application?

How do you use it in real world applications? Could you study a PRO MIX from a MAJOR STUDIO RELEASE, then compare a similar mix of your own to it, then from here discover where things sit in order to get THAT SOUND???

Also could someone recommend a solid book or site for learning things such as this?
Thanks guys!!!!
FA

Subject:RE: ??frequency analysis??
Reply by: Chienworks
Date:9/25/2002 12:54:15 PM

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I think you're getting a little too carried away with theory here. In reality, instruments and voices overlap the vast majority of their frequencies. Starting from the fundamental frequencies up through the audible harmonics, a tuba and piccolo actually share a large portion of their frequency range; the tuba starts 3 octaves lower, but they share at least 4 octaves of harmonics. Those are two of the most extreme instruments. Most others overlap even more than that. Also keep in mind that most instruments have a fundamental range of a couple of octaves or more, so even the fundamentals overlap.

This reminds me of the time that someone wanted me to remix a finished two-track recording. He thought the bass guitar was bad and wanted me to remove it. When i tried to explain that it couldn't be done, he pointed to the 31 band graphic EQ and told me to turn down the bass guitar EQ knob. Sorry, not that simple and easy.

Subject:RE: ??frequency analysis??
Reply by: freaksarise
Date:9/25/2002 5:37:13 PM

Naaaaa, that's cool man.
I didn't actually mean it to be that defined between frequencies. I'm talking about finding the core area that tapering off the surrounding freq with a long slope (Q setting). This truly did help my mixes and eliminated the phase cancellation that was occuring before. The instruments I'm referring to are traditional rock pieces that actually do sit far away from eachother to do this. Sometimes if something does share the same realm I will find the octave and boost it IE Kick Drum and Bass Guitar.

This is what I go by as a start:

Fundamentals (Harmonics)

Snare: 100-200hz (1-20khz)
Kick: 30-147hz (1-6khz)
Bass: 41-300Hz (1-7khz)
Electric gtr: 82-1319Hz (1-3.5khz)
Voice: 131-494hz (1-12khz)

This truly did save my mixes. Prior to this I used to place the final on a different system and each system would have a certain instrument pop out while others were lost. But each time it was something different that was popping and being lost.

Also with this, I now know what to boost for a punch and what to cut for ...

Really good stuff. Before this I would randomly push and pull freq not realizing what they were for.
Anyway, thanks and hope this helps understand where I am coming from. :)

FA

ps...in another forum, I was told to chill with the Frequency Analyzer for 2 reasons:

1. I am comparing a final mastered mix to a premix
2. This tool is for measuring the dynamics of freq not anything else about the mix. So I can test to see if the bass is loud enough on the chorus (or I can use my ears)
Thanks again man.



Go Back