What’s more, most of them (Sonnox Oxford EQ, DMG Audio Equilibrium, iZotope Neutron 3 EQ, FabFilter Pro-Q 3 et al) even let you select different filter types and models for each band, further increasing their versatility and effectiveness.Īt the other end of the timeline, though lacking the adjustable Q control essential to a parametric EQ, with their ‘indented’ knob-based controls, emulations of vintage EQs such as the Neve 1073 (Sonimus Burnley 73, IK Multimedia EQ 73), semi-parametric API 550A ( UAD API 500 Series Collection, IK Multimedia EQ-PA) and others offer less precision than their modern descendants, but impart an inherent musicality and warmth thanks to their faux analogue architecture. The latest generation of parametric EQ plugins, with their interactive graphical displays and scalpel-sharp filters, are limitless in their sculpting capabilities. The ability to cut or boost narrow bands by precise and sizeable amounts is essential for resolving clashes between signals operating in the same frequency ranges – vocals and guitars, for example – and tamping down unwanted resonances or emphasising underpowered components within a sound. This is the type to reach for when you need to fix issues in the mix or make detailed changes to individual sounds – that’s most of the time, then. Parametric EQīy far the most flexible member of the EQ family, the parametric EQ enables adjustment of one or more independent frequency bands in terms of centre frequency, bandwidth (Q) and gain. Of course, there are no hard and fast rules here, and what appears to be the ‘wrong’ EQ for a given role might turn out to work wonders but gaining an understanding of where to start the EQ selection process for the most commonly encountered tracking and mixing tasks is an important stage in any producer’s development. Within that remit, though, there are certain things to consider when deciding which EQ to deploy for a particular purpose, relating to both the technical specifics of the equalisation method itself and the sonic characteristics of the circuitry powering it, be that virtual or physical. At the fundamental level, equalisation is a straightforward enough concept: the attenuating and/or boosting of targeted frequencies in an audio signal in order to improve it in both its own right and the context of other sounds playing at the same time (ie, ‘the mix’).

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