SlickEQ M Gain/Q interaction

As you know most mastering equalizers offer stepped Q control with Q value optimized for mastering applications. SlickEQ M follows this way too. But instead of copying famous mastering equalizers we developed our own Gain/Q interaction scheme and it was fine-tuned and then approved by real mastering engineers.

Check this example picture for peaking filter graphs:

As you can see it’s symmetric proportional Q behavior but besides, it’s not only Gain/Q interaction but it’s actually Gain/Freq/Q interaction. The picture is for “Normal” Q mode but don’t forget, we have 2 steeper and 2 shallower modes too.

Tip: Instead of clicking on “Normal” to open menu allowing to change the mode to “Steep” or “Shallow” just drag the value by the mouse (like gain or frequency value), mousewheel works too.

Now check shelving filters Gain/Freq/Q interaction yourself. Enjoy!

 

SlickEQ M and some tricks for it

Trick #1.

1. Go to http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-slickeq-m/ and download demo version of SlickEQ M.
2. Create new project, add you track and use SlickEQ M in mastering chain.
3. Render the project.
4. If you reopen the project all changes for SlickEQ M demo version will be lost (no persistence) so either forget this project and use the settings from scratch for next time or go “true analog experience” and use recall sheet like on hardware EQ.

Here’s recall sheet for SlickEQ M. But you also can find it on the last page of the [manual].

Trick #2.

As I’m not professional mastering engineer it always pretty hard for me to get starting points for mastering EQ. Neither using common points (for example 6k for clarity and so on) nor searching the frequencies by boost and sweep work for me. But in SlickEQ M its “learn” ability gives pretty nice starting points!

1. Add SlickEQ M to your track
2. Rewind to most representative part of the track (usually chorus works best)
3. Play audio
4. Press “Learn” in SlickEQ M.
5. Wait until “Learning” becomes “Action” and select “AutoEQ”.
6. You may open the display to inspect the resulting curve.
7. If the result is too much, play with “Range” control to reduce it a bit.
8. If you dislike the result, try another parts of the song and press “Re-learn”.
9. Now close the display to shift your focus on listening and use just “Gain” knobs as on simple graphical equalizer! To reduce your freedom you may even turn on stepped mode and apply stepped gain changes!
10. And finally add some of “analog” touch by randomizing “pan” controls for 0.1..0.3 dB in both sides.

Enjoy!