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•
While the music is playing, sweep the EQ band's center
frequency to find the offending frequency.
•
Once the offending frequency is found, lower the EQ
band's gain to a negative value to reduce the level of
that frequency. Then, adjust the band's Q to a value
that achieves the most natural sound.
•
Use shelving EQs to boost the low and high frequencies—
When adjusting the low and high frequency extremes
of the sound (mastering engineers call these the "corner
frequencies"), shelving EQs sound the most natural. If you
want to bring up the overall level of the bottom end, use a
low shelf EQ set in the 60-120 Hz range. If you want to add
some air and sparkle, use a high shelf EQ set in the 10-14
kHz range.
•
Fix it in the mix—If you find you're trying to fix drastic tonal
problems at the mastering stage, you might want to think
about going back and remixing the song entirely.
Bass Cut Tips
The normal use of the MTK's Bass Cut is to remove subsonics,
those very low frequencies that are felt more than heard.
Subsonics can only be reproduced when played through a
sound system that includes a subwoofer. Some systems that
don't have a subwoofer expend energy by trying to reproduce
subsonics anyway, even if they're not audible. As such,
removing them can actually make the music sound better by
increasing the system's available power or "headroom. "
If your music contains a lot of low-frequency energy, and is
intended to be played on sound systems with a subwoofer,
you may want to turn the Bass Cut off. For most types of music,
however, a Bass Cut setting of 20 Hz is usually appropriate.
Enhancer Tips
•
Add a little air—The Enhancer is best used to add a little
sparkle and air to the sound. The result is different than
what you'd get by simply turning up the high-end of the
EQ, as harmonics are actually being added to the signal.
The best results are usually achieved by setting FREQ (Hz)
to 4000 or higher.
•
A little goes a long way—The Enhancer is a seductive
effect, one that can add a lot of energy and "zing" to a mix.
As such, it's easy to get carried away with it. Be careful
about how much you add, as extreme settings can sound
unnatural and harsh.
Multiband Processor Tips
The MTK's multiband expander and multiband
compressor give you an enormous amount of
control over the impact of the musical presentation.
You can use one or the other, or both at the same time. Some
general rules of thumb are:
•
If you want to enhance the music's impact and punch—use
the multiband compressor.
•
If you want to enhance the energy of the music—use the
multiband expander.
•
If you want to tame uneven dynamics—use the multiband
compressor.
•
If you want to eliminate noise at the beginning and end of
a song, or during a silent moment in the song—use the
multiband expander.
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