Equalization - Boss BR-1180 User Manual

What is EQ?
An EQ or equalizer can boost or cut the volume of a defined portion or portions of a
sound's frequency spectrum. All sounds (with a few exceptions such as electronically
generated sine waves) are made up of a fundamental tone and various weaker overtones.
These tones and overtones (also referred to as harmonics) make up the color of a sound.
A tone is created out of vibrations that disturb the air. We perceive these waves as sound.
The faster the vibration, the higher the perceived pitch. In musical terms pitches are
notes. For the purpose of equalization we work with tone in terms of the frequency (the
speed of a sound waves vibration.) Frequency is measured in hertz. The second factor
that we work with is volume or the size of those wave forms. Volume or gain is measured
in decibels. By adjusting the gains up or down of frequencies within a sound's frequency
spectrum we can reshape the color of a sound.
The most common types of EQs are graphic and parametric EQs. A graphic EQ uses
sliders (physical or virtual) to adjust the gains of individual fixed frequency bands. A
frequency band includes the selected frequency and affects the frequencies above and
below it. A typical graphic EQ can have anywhere from 5 to 31 bands. You might find
these kinds of EQ's on your home stereo or as the last device before the power amp in a
studio or stage setup to EQ the overall sound of a room.
A parametric EQ lets you select the frequency band to be manipulated and often it lets
you select the width of the frequency band to be manipulated. The size of an adjustable
bandwidth is referred to as its Q.
Both graphic and parametric equalizers can also be classified as to how adjusting the gain
of a frequency affects the frequencies above and below that frequency. An EQ that
affects adjacent frequencies evenly in a gradated manner is said to be a peaking EQ. Its
easy to picture if you visualize a hill or peak being created when a frequency is boosted
or a valley as the frequency gain is decreased.
A shelving EQ creates a shelf above a frequency or it can create a shelf below a selected
frequency. For example if a high frequency is boosted there is a slope up to that
frequency and all frequencies above are boosted evenly. The two band equalizers on the
channels of the BR-1180 are of the shelving type.
To boost or cut frequencies on a track in the BR-1180 use the following procedure:
1) Press the EQ button.
2) Press the REC TRACK button for the track that you want to EQ.
3) Use the TIME/VALUE wheel to turn that channel's EQ to on.
4) CURSOR to the parameter that you want to adjust.
• LOW GAIN- cuts or boosts what is selected for LOW FREQ
• LOW FREQ-selects the frequency to be adjusted for the low EQ.
• HIGH GAIN- cuts or boosts what is selected for HIGH FREQ.
• HIGH FREQ- Selects the frequency to adjusted for the high EQ.
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