Art DUAL TUBE EQ User Manual page 5

track during mixing, the Dual Tube EQ is a better sounding and
more flexible equalizer. It all comes down to economics: Mixer
manufacturers need to make trade-offs to keep prices down
while keeping performance up.
The use of external processing (equalizers, preamps and com-
pressors) has sonic and practical benefits when you consider
that most recording is done one or two channels at a time. For
those of us on a budget, it just doesn't make sense to spend a
ton of money on a "cadillac" console when a budget mixer and
a few pieces of external gear is more cost effective. Even those
engineers who regularly work on "big" consoles use external
EQs, compressors and preamps!
Why should I use a parametric EQ?
Parametric EQs can give you more control over a signal -- they
can provide subtle or drastic results because they can be tuned
to specific frequencies. Parametric EQs allow you to boost or
cut narrow frequency bands to make individual instruments "sit"
better with other instruments when combined in a mix. This is
usually accomplished with one or two bands.
What is the best way to use EQ?
There are two schools of thought on EQ: 1) Use as much as
you need to make things sound good. 2) Don't use any EQ.
Most people follow the suggestion of "if it sounds good, it is
good." You need to use your ears and judge for yourself as their
are no steadfast rules for EQ'ing. Here are a few pointers to
guide you.
Always tweak the instrument you are EQ'ing while listening to it
in the mix. EQ'ing an instrument when it is soloed doesn't give
you a good representation of how it will sound when mixed with
other instruments. You'd be surprised at how bad a "killer" guitar
track can sound when it is isolated from the rest of the mix.
Remember, what makes it killer is how it sounds in relation to
the other instruments! Keep the big picture in mind.
Most people think of EQ as boosting only ("we'll just add a little
EQ..."). Many times a "bad" sounding instrument can be fixed
by simply isolating the bad frequency and pulling it out. After
you determine approximately where the "problem area" is in the
instrument (highs, lows, mids), isolate the track and boost one
4 4