Axe-Fx GEQ and PEQ question

Billbill

Power User
Hi all, just curious about these two EQ blocks and I'm experimenting with thier uses. Would like to know the technical diffidences between them and how you more experienced guys use them? I've found that the PEQ block can really help clean and tighten up the low end but I'm unfamiliar with some of its controls and bands functions. The GEQ is pretty straight forward and self explanatory but I've not messed with the PEQ too much. Sorta really liking it. Thoughts???
 
In a nutshell the GEQ is just a PEQ with fixed Q and fixed frequencies. Simpler but less fine control.

Parametric will give you more precision for surgical things, but one can accomplish a ton with either (especially considering how many different types of GEQs there are to choose from).

For my own uses I don’t really utilize the dedicated blocks often. I tend to be able to accomplish what I need with the filters built in to the cab block, with the occasional use of a filter block or two here or there for band-pass effects, but I never get too complex with multi-band surgical EQ myself.
 
The other little bit of complication involved in that is some GEQs have constant Q values and others have variable Qs that widen or narrow depending on how hard you’re cutting/boosting.

Both fixed, just the latter is a fixed curve as opposed to an absolute constant. If you scroll through the different GEQs you’ll see some labeled constant and others variable.
 
The other little bit of complication involved in that is some GEQs have constant Q values and others have variable Qs that widen or narrow depending on how hard you’re cutting/boosting.

Both fixed, just the latter is a fixed curve as opposed to an absolute constant. If you scroll through the different GEQs you’ll see some labeled constant and others variable.
Copy that! I was unaware of these facts so thank you!
 
Personally I always prefer PEQ. I like the control of it. I never use the EQ in the Amp Block. Most of the time I only use a Filter Block before the Amp Block as a clean boost & High & Low Cut & sometimes I’ll also use the one band PEQ in there to boost the mids.
The cool thing with the PEQ is that you can visually see what’s happening with the graph so that’ll kinda give you a self explanation as to what’s being adjusted as you turn the parameters.
 
Personally I always prefer PEQ. I like the control of it. I never use the EQ in the Amp Block. Most of the time I only use a Filter Block before the Amp Block as a clean boost & High & Low Cut & sometimes I’ll also use the one band PEQ in there to boost the mids.
The cool thing with the PEQ is that you can visually see what’s happening with the graph so that’ll kinda give you a self explanation as to what’s being adjusted as you turn the parameters.
Cool! I've noticed the graph but am new to how deep the axe parameter rabbit hole goes. Not sure what the numbers on graph mean; all I know is that they represent a frequency range. I've always just used my ears but I'd like to know what the hell someone means when they say "let's try 30htz or 8k lol.
 
Cool! I've noticed the graph but am new to how deep the axe parameter rabbit hole goes. Not sure what the numbers on graph mean; all I know is that they represent a frequency range. I've always just used my ears but I'd like to know what the hell someone means when they say "let's try 30htz or 8k lol.
Ahh, well then you are very new to EQing.. there’s a ton of great articles on the web that’ll explain it all & even get into specific instruments like guitar or how to EQ a kick drum etc..and what frequencies are tied to all those colorful adjectives we love to use like; flubby, muddy, sizzle, etc. However, really the only way to really develop an ear for it all is to start playing with them.
That’s another reason a Parametric EQ can be a really good tool is to learn and also find/pinpoint problem frequencies. Narrow the Q all the way and then raise the level up and sweep around while listening.. this will make your problem area stick out like a soar thumb. Then you can bring it down, widen the Q a bit and take out what you need without removing a huge slice of your Audio. But also doing that it helps you develop your ear, you can also do it With subtractive EQ as well.
 
Ahh, well then you are very new to EQing.. there’s a ton of great articles on the web that’ll explain it all & even get into specific instruments like guitar or how to EQ a kick drum etc..and what frequencies are tied to all those colorful adjectives we love to use like; flubby, muddy, sizzle, etc. However, really the only way to really develop an ear for it all is to start playing with them.
That’s another reason a Parametric EQ can be a really good tool is to learn and also find/pinpoint problem frequencies. Narrow the Q all the way and then raise the level up and sweep around while listening.. this will make your problem area stick out like a soar thumb. Then you can bring it down, widen the Q a bit and take out what you need without removing a huge slice of your Audio. But also doing that it helps you develop your ear, you can also do it With subtractive EQ as well.
Awesome!!!! I'm definitely new to EQing but have crafted some great sounds thus far but they could just be so much better if I knew what I was doing lol. I really appreciate your help. Thanks for all the pointers bro!!
 
One trick to learn the sound of various frequencies is to use a band pass filter. Set the Q fairly high to make the filter pretty narrow. Play some full range music through it and sweep the frequency back and forth. A band pass filter only lets through a slice of audio centered around the chosen frequency. Makes it easier to hear what each part of the spectrum sounds like when all the other frequencies are blocked out of the way.
 
One trick to learn the sound of various frequencies is to use a band pass filter. Set the Q fairly high to make the filter pretty narrow. Play some full range music through it and sweep the frequency back and forth. A band pass filter only lets through a slice of audio centered around the chosen frequency. Makes it easier to hear what each part of the spectrum sounds like when all the other frequencies are blocked out of the way.
Cool! How do I play full range music through it? Are u referring to an EQ within a DAW?
 
EQ or filter in a DAW is probably the easiest, but you can do it with the Axe II using USB as well. Set your input mode on the Axe II to USB and put a filter block (type set to bandpass) on a row of shunts. You can then play music from your computer through the Axe II grid.

You can do the same using your guitar as input to hear the frequency parts of your guitar tones as well. Just put a filter block at the very end of the chain on any of your presets.
 
EQ or filter in a DAW is probably the easiest, but you can do it with the Axe II using USB as well. Set your input mode on the Axe II to USB and put a filter block (type set to bandpass) on a row of shunts. You can then play music from your computer through the Axe II grid.
Sweet! Going to try this out! Thanks man!
 
Sweet! Going to try this out! Thanks man!
Do it both ways with the bandpass like he described & with a peaking Filter with a narrow Q and sweeping with a boost then with a cut, so you can hear what it sounds like WITH the rest of the audio material as well. It’s good to hear in all 3 contexts, with both full range music & just your guitar. You can use the Looper to record yourself/your guitar so you don’t have to play then tweak/then play again... *this is a good trick to use when you want to dial in a tone as well..put something on a loop & just tweak away..*
 
One trick to learn the sound of various frequencies is to use a band pass filter. Set the Q fairly high to make the filter pretty narrow. Play some full range music through it and sweep the frequency back and forth. A band pass filter only lets through a slice of audio centered around the chosen frequency. Makes it easier to hear what each part of the spectrum sounds like when all the other frequencies are blocked out of the way.
Also when you do this, play with the Q value, widening & narrowing it, & it’ll train your ear frequency ranges so you’ll get good at being able to hear right away & say stuff like, “hey Charlie, that Kick Drum needs to come down about 2-3dB around 2-230Hz, give or take a Hz or two!”
:p
 
Most of the time (not 100%) true professional audio guys boost frequecies with the GEQ and use the PEQ to subtract/cut problem frequencies. Great advice in this thread on raising the Q and sweeping to find problem frequencies. A good bassist always has a PEQ running to cut frequencies
 
Most of the time (not 100%) true professional audio guys boost frequecies with the GEQ and use the PEQ to subtract/cut problem frequencies. Great advice in this thread on raising the Q and sweeping to find problem frequencies. A good bassist always has a PEQ running to cut frequencies
Another use for the PEQ, as with the Filter Block, is to use it as a Clean Boost. The PEQ offers even more customizable control over Frequencies to boost plus your Low & High Cuts. So it works really well if you want a bit of a mid boost along with throwing in a touch more highs with a low cut & High Cut and then up to 20dB boost. And you still have another band left to shape your low-mids. It’s almost like creating your own custom drive pedal, although it won’t add any distortion in of itself, it’ll certainly push an amp into screaming territory or just gently push it over the edge depending on how many dB you add to it. Obviously you could also use the GEQ as well for this, it just doesn’t offer nearly as much precision.
 
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