Tone Shaping - Sharp PEQ Cuts

JRod4928

JRod4928

Power User
When you are tone shaping, do you ever introduce sharp PEQ cuts for certain offending frequencies?

I never took the time to do this, but on a few higher gain presets (Soldano Hot Rod, Friedman HBE, Soldano SLO) I recognized w/ headphones a sharp spike at about 3300 Hz. Didn't matter which IR I tried. Once I isolated it, I put a PEQ block immediately after the amp w/ a Notch at that frequency with high Q to cut it out. It made a very noticable difference and instantly made the tone sound more open and less stuffy/nasal.

Does anyone else scrutinize this closely?
Since this happens with multiple high gain amp models, I'm wondering if this spike is a pickup characteristic for my PRS.

I don't like doing stuff like this because of the collateral 'damage' to the nearby frequencies that I don't want to cut - but it did help.
 
Brewce said:
IIRC, Justin York recommends this if necessary. Not sure where he places the block.
Click to expand...

Ocnor said:
Yep! I use a multiband compressor and a parametric EQ after the cab block in almost every preset.
Click to expand...
He does suggest it here after cab block. But since it happens regardless of IR, and because I split signal to send non-IR signal to my On stage Cab, Im putting it directly after amp block before it hits any effects.

@York Audio

Post in thread 'York Audio Master Thread - Newest Cab Pack: KW 412 M25-SH' https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...st-cab-pack-kw-412-m25-sh.156603/post-2104096
 
"Do I ever" isn't a super meaningful question to me. I do what I need to do.

Scrutinize? Like crazy but after a while it becomes more instinctive.
Something I'm into recently is cutting to "de-clutter." I look for frequencies I can cut (in a mix) without really changing the character of what I'm listening to*. It helps (in reverse?) to answer to the question, "Which frequencies are creating the essential character here that I find pleasing?"

Of course, this comes AFTER the kinds of EQing that create that essential pleasing character. I would say it's uncommon but not unheard of that this means making "sharp PEQ cuts". It all depends.

*This is like an inside-out version of the age-old technique of boosting to find the things one doesn't like, then cutting those frequencies.
 
Last edited:
Admin M@ said:
"Do I ever" isn't a super meaningful question to me. I do what I need to do.

Scrutinize? Like crazy but after a while it becomes more instinctive.
Something I'm into recently is cutting to "de-clutter." I look for frequencies I can cut (in a mix) without really changing the character of what I'm listening to*. It helps (in reverse?) to answer to the question, "Which frequencies are creating the essential character here that I find pleasing?"

Of course, this comes AFTER the kinds of EQing that create that essential pleasing character. I would say it's uncommon but not unheard of that this means making "sharp PEQ cuts". It all depends.

*This is like an inside-out version of the age-old technique of boosting to find the things one doesn't like, then cutting those frequencies.
Click to expand...


That's insightful.

I suppose it's easier to identify a general character of a tone that I DO want. But it's easier to pinpoint a SPECIFIC frequency that stands out that I DONT like... I haven't thought about it in reverse. I'll have to give that some thought.

For me with headphones there was a upper range hiss (for lack of better phrase) that stood out like a sore thumb and was causing ear fatigue. I had to revisit it 2 separate days to find the actual frequency because I think my ears adjusted on day 1.

I guess it could be the headphones (Sennheiser HD 280 pro). But i don't hear this hissing on other amps.
 
Last edited:
I do. Black winters have, to my ears, in my signal chain, an annoying freq at 133hz that I notch out. I figure, if we can, why not notch these out? I’m all for it!
 
JRod4928 said:
Since this happens with multiple high gain amp models, I'm wondering if this spike is a pickup characteristic for my PRS.
Click to expand...
As a quick test, you might shift the PEQ to the front of the preset, for curiosity, since you wondered if this spike might be characteristic of your PRS pickup(s).

If the pickup(s) ARE injecting this spike, it would be at a much smaller amplitude and should take a much less pronounced PEQ to offset, prior to the signal going through amplification (Drive block or Amp block).

If you find that it is a characteristic of the pickup, you might store the PEQ to drop into other presets that require it.

Cheers
Lee
 
I use the input eq in the amp block to get rid of some low mud and to tame some 3K frequencies of my guitar
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom