ReaFIR Vs. Godzilla

[Form SR]

I searched for ReaFIR with no results, so I'm just going to post now.

I've made a recording. I get to a good spot for a rough mix and burn it down to see what it sounds like on regular speakers, ie the car and living room. Holy cow! There's some kinda droned bass sound going on in the upper registers of the bass frequencies. I couldn't hear it on my monitors, computer speakers or my cans while tracking or mixing. I've never had that happen before. And it's loud, and extremely noticeable.

So my first question, is how in the world could that have found it's way in there? I know that would be real hard for anybody to answer without seeing my setup and hearing it / being there during mixing and tracking.

Ok, so using reafir I find that there is a rather large spike on the guitar tracks. It's not very wide but it's through the roof volume wise. still not having any idea how this got there, or even being able hear it while i'm trying to fix it, I use ReaFIR to eq out this godzilla sized bass frequency to a more tame level.

My second question is this: Is there a better way of doing this using the gate functions of Reafir instead of the EQ? the general problem with using EQ is that it's cutting out some other frequecies that I don't want to cut.

I've never gated using Reafir before, anyone want to point me in the right direction if this is a better idea?

[shemp]

Originally Posted by Form SR

the general problem with using EQ is that it's cutting out some other frequecies that I don't want to cut.

But you DO want to tame this frequency. Notch out the offending spike like you said to the level it "belongs" with ReaFir ON THE TRACK(s) WITH THE SPIKE. If you notch narrow enough, it shouldn't be a problem.

If you were cutting the spike on the Master Track, then I can see your concern about cutting other frequencies (or really that same frequency coming from other tracks.)

[martygras]

What's the frequency where the bump is?
If it's only on the guitar tracks, that may be a clue as to where the bump is originating.
Were the guitar tracks recorded through different inputs than other tracks?

Try turning the guitar tracks plug-ins off 1 by 1 to see if it's a plug problem.

[Form SR]

At the moment i'm not on my DAW computer so I can't tell you exactly what the frequency is. I think where it's coming from is the palm muting on the guitar. As if that small bit of frequency is continually resonating. The only difference in setup between this and tracks in the past is that I'm using a new pre-amp on this where in the past, I've not used one at all. That's got to be where it's coming from.

The reason I don't like the sound after trying to EQ out the spike is because of the same reason. (oh yeah, reafir is only on the guitar tracks, it rids the initial problem but crates another)I probably just need to keep playing with it because those palm mutes need some of that frequency to sound good. So far, notching out the eq there, makes those palm muted notes sound hollow. With some time and very careful tweeking I could probably get it right.

But that's why I asked about the gate option - wondering if there is a way to simply cut off the frequencies at a certain volume level. that way, it's still there, it's just not constant and way too loud. Would that be a better option?

[Fabian]

Try Schwa's Spectro, it gives you surgical power over the frequencies.

[gofer]

Another method would be to use two eqs and parameter modulation. The idea is to use eq 1 to bandpass the unwanted frequency, so only that freq is getting through. Eq 2 is a notch filter that would notch out that unwanted frequency. Now you can use eq 1 as parameter modulation source for the gain of eq 2's notch in a way that the gain of that notch filter gets lower the more of the offending frequency is present.
Kinda tricky to dial in, but gives good results.

[nofish]

or try to "abuse" a deesser so it only kicks in when the offending frequency appears

[Form SR]

thanks for the replies. I'll give that spectro a shot first. If it really is "surgical" then that might be the better and the easier option.

[Tedwood]

I would look for the track it coming from - using your spectrum analyser (I use Voxengos Span) solo you tracks until you find it and deal with on that track.

Is it on the media or is it being created in the chain by some processing?

Depends how wide it is but if ReaEQ's notch filter can't manage it it sounds like you got something on there that should be on there. Best way to deal with that is to retrack it if you can - otherewise it sounds like surgical repair would be best - a la wot Gofer said

[Form SR]

Originally Posted by Tedwood

I would look for the track it coming from - using your spectrum analyser (I use Voxengos Span) solo you tracks until you find it and deal with on that track.

Is it on the media or is it being created in the chain by some processing?

Depends how wide it is but if ReaEQ's notch filter can't manage it it sounds like you got something on there that should be on there. Best way to deal with that is to retrack it if you can - otherewise it sounds like surgical repair would be best - a la wot Gofer said

I find myself wondering if you actually read more than the first line or two of the original post. I am Jack's inflamed post count. Best way to deal is to retrack? uh, no, it's not. The gate question came up because it's not easy to fix with just a notch and retain the frequencies that i've dialed in. "Depends how wide it is but if ReaEQ's notch filter can't manage it it sounds like you got something on there that should be on there." I'm not even sure how to respond to that...are you drunk? ReaEQ is able to pinpoint, yes. But I wouldn't call it anything close to surgical though, not even compaired to ReaFir.

It's audible on some speakers while others completely ignore it which is what is making this real hard to fix. I'm terribly sorry I can't give an audio example. Palm muted guitar parts rely on that resonance for a lot of thier tone and it's hard to cut(notch) part of that without cutting to much of the offensive frequency or the surrounding frequencies that make up that resonance. Equally it's hard because with any frequency, it moves slightly depending on the note and how much of that note is being palm muted (resonateing)at the time.

[gofer]

???? I think Tedwoods answer was good and valid seeing the information we've got.

That different speakers make that frequencies more audible can have several reasons. Could be those speakers that don't sound boomy are just weak in that freq or those where you hear the boom are exaggerating (like eg some game speaker systems that blow up the bass to deliver more oomph for explosions and stuff). No way to tell without any info.

As a guitarist myself I can understand you like that extra kick in the stomach when palm muting, but when it shows as through-the -roof-spike, you simply seem to be overdoing it.

Your palm mutes sounding hollow with the notch filter hints to the notch being too narrow and too deep. Personally I simply roll the guitar track's bass frequencies off with a highpass filter. Depending on what else is going on in the mix this will be more or less drastic. As soon as a bass instrument is there, lots of the oomph on the guitar magically reappears, even when it's rolled off fairly rigidly.

[shemp]

Originally Posted by Form SR

Ok, so using reafir I find that there is a rather large spike on the guitar tracks. It's not very wide but it's through the roof volume wise.

You said there was a "large spike", "not very wide". That's all we have to base the responses on. No need to get rude. And like Tedwood said, sometimes re-tracking IS the only way to clear a problem.

[Form SR]

you know what, you're right. I appologize. It's just frustrating the crap outta me.

[Zee Wavesurfer]

Originally Posted by Form SR

Equally it's hard because with any frequency, it moves slightly depending on the note

That can only mean that what is annoying you was introduced by the recorded instrument.

For palm muting, the ''gug gug gug'' should be around 125Hz and anything below +/-80Hz is not only useless, but dissolves the palm muting's punch.

[gofer]

Originally Posted by Zee Wavesurfer

gug gug gug

I love it! Remembers me I once recorded a british guitarist who wanted "more of that 'ugga-ugga'" on his track. It didn't take long to find out he just wanted more 'gug gug gug'.