Are You Using This EQ Trick? Left and Right Channel EQ

In this tutorial, I am going to explore a more advanced mixing concept.
It's all about using an EQ which can split the Left and Right channel of the audio you are mixing so you can treat each side with a different EQ curve.
It's not something you will need to use often, but it can save a big headache with poorly recorded tracks and will help you achieve balance.

This technique allows you to subtly or dramatically change the stereo width of guitars, synths, keys and more.

DAW: FL Studio 20 Signature Edition
Plugins used: Ozone 9 EQ and TR5 EQual linear phase EQ
Many other plugins support this function so check your plugin folder and see what you've got :)
Advanced EQ Tutorial - Left and Right Channel EQ

[ashishGupta-riks]

Most important tip: Take a BREAK while working continuously. Ears get tired. Give them rest for a fresh perspective.

[PAXMATMusic]

Hey, my EQ Trick is to add a Fruity Parametric EQ 2 on your master while you work, and cut your room resonance (mine is 146Hz).
Disable it during rendering ! Your room bass resonance should be located between 80Hz and 180Hz.

To know your room bass resonance peak, use a 20Hz to 20kHz sine wave YouTube video played on your speakers, recording using your microphone (or even your phone), and then analyse with an EQ where your peak is (Spectroid is a good app for smartphones to do this).

Also, it should be hearable too while playing video. Have fun producing without this annoying peak :)

[KushDave]

It was quiet a great tip thank you @Michael. My advice for everyone would be that if you'll have recorded any live orchestra( especially with violin and chello )in relatively small acoustic space then we usually hear resonances with different frequencies with different orchestral instrument so in order to get rid of those resonant frequencies put all recorded samples into mono and then eq it . It actually reduces your time of mixing individual samples and it is also a quick solution for getting good results in short time and if you stereo widen those solo mixed samples it'll sound just great and warm.

[HarryBeats_]

Goldilocks' porridge
One tip that is well known in the producer community that I think being aware of does far more good than harm is the old:
"high pass/low cut everything besides the kick & bass below ~100hz".

I found this advice really helpful when I was starting out and it often fixes more problems than it creates. Nobody likes a thin or muddy mix so use it where appropriate and remember that 100hz is just a starting point. It's all situational and depends on what you're trying to achieve. As Michael often says, have a goal in mind, eg: helping your pads/low mid content instruments sit above your bass rather than on it.

[theyeetball]

One thing I like to do is whenever I add any new sounds to a project, I'll always equalize them first. If it's a sound that doesn't need any low end, I'll cut out the low end in that sound to make room for low end sounds like bass and vice versa for most sounds that mostly reside in the low end frequencies to make space for high end sounds, along with taking away frequencies I don't like and boosting frequencies I like. By doing this, my mix comes out a lot cleaner, remedying a lot of that harshness and muddiness that can come from placing a bunch of synths, drums, and other instruments on top of each other with no treatment.

It's such a simple thing, but it helps out tremendously in the long run.

[Ralsum]

Your are the best teacher in the music industry 💯
If I didn’t like the sound of any lead or bass i just do anything with seven bands in Eq and sometimes its sounds f**king good..

[VoxlMusic]

Hey, my EQ tip is that Fruity parametric EQ 2 is enough for almost everything! You can even use it as a mid/side EQ or left/right EQ if you use it with Patcher. Also it is very CPU friendly plugin.

[FORCEGOD]

My favorite eq tip is to boost some on the 7-8k on the vocals to get that crispy sound. Depending on the vocalist and recording, but most of the time it works. Otherwise this tip about stereo widening with eq is amazing. Love it!!!

[jesseanthonymusic]

Some Tips I've learned:
1. I've been mixing my own stuff for a while and could never get the sound I was hearing in my room to translate to other places, especially my car. But then I watched Mike's room resonances video and followed what he did and essentially gave my room an EQ to cut those weird frequencies that were causing bad mixing decisions.
2. I've learned from another mix engineer, to think of all of the instruments as a puzzle and you're putting all of the pieces together where they belong. Instead of having everything clash against each other, you're giving everything its own spot so it can breath in the mix.

[ToxiKraft]

I just used this technique today on a percussive stem that had an annoying snare-like sound on the very far left. Never forget that you DO have the option to get rid of those types of things without affecting everything!

[michaelphase]

My favorite EQ trick is adding a Pro-Q3 on my master channel and using Mid/Side to enhance the stereo field within my songs. I will generally do a lowcut of 225 to 300hz on the Sideband and a bell around any of the harsh 2.5-4.5khz region so my song feels more pleasant to start off within the creative process. If it still sounds good towards the end of the song, I would fine-tune the EQ bands to the scale of the song.

[inthemix]

What are your favourite EQ tips and tricks?

[onetimelimbo]

One of my favorite EQ tricks is boosting frequencies between 2000 - 3000 khz not only to help with the transients of the instruments at hand but also to boost up harmonics. On vocals I like subtracting frequencies between 400 - 700 hz to get rid of the boxiness in my voice, especially since I record at home. Hope I win :) thank you for the opportunity.

[snldgbts]

You gave us very good advice. I'm sure I'll try it when I run into a complicated sample.

Tip: I use a Pro-Q3 where I make a peak and I can hear only this one peak, the others stay muted and then the frequencies that vibrate or whistle mute to a minimum, then the sound is much clearer and I can afford more volume, use a lot at low and at high frequencies! Peace ♥

[pagenotfound-ktfu]

The only person that explained L/R eq in full and easy to understand. Ty.

[SATR.]

Hi great vid today... Im still using FL studio 11 for last year really getting to know it.. I used to use cubase sx years ago but my stuff always sounded very unpolished.. I didn't like fl studio at first it was so different to cubase but now I've fully converted but it changed the way I work and create somehow.. Made my stuff alot more electronic. Anywaywud love fl studio 20 and enjoy your videos so much your a diligent humble talented dude with no ego so keep it up. Respect.
My top EQ Tips Always reduce certain frequencies first before trying to boost others...
Close your eyes and don't rely on the visual aid..trust ears... Keep bypassing on and off and ask yourself if it sounds better or worse.. Clearer or muddier..does it enhance it or make it sound no better...
Think about where the sound should sit in the spectrum of frequencies..
My friend showed me sometimes how ruthless with cutting frequencies... To make every sit together in the mix... Don't be afraid to try cutting out nice frequencies you actually like in a sound aswell to see if it fits better and brings out more clarity. Even if they sound awful on their own wen played together everything g has it place and is heard alot more...
k about the frequencies of the sound and if they are rivaling the same frequencies in other sou ds your using.. Thats it for Peace bro. Good luck to us all 🍀

[MattFlanc]

When I discovered M/S and L/R I really loved applying it to my piano, especially M/S. I like boosting the highs a bit on the sides and adjust the mid-lows accordingly in the center

[DarkSideofSynth]

Parallel EQing. Not for correction urposes usually but rather for sculpting sound, and often in conjunction with parallel compression. You can get interesting results. Even for layering/sound design: send the same signal to different buses with different eq settings and you can get a sound which you would not get by simply equalising one track.

[Karabast]

My EQ tip - try having the EQ in different spots in the effect chain, having it as the first or last plugin will drastically change the sound.

[DaveJigar]

Thank you so much Mike. You are doing amazing help for all artists out there including me. Have learned a lot from you. Really wish to get FL so giving in my thoughts.

The very fundamental EQ Tip: Understand the instrument and how you envision it in the arrangement. Then start doing EQing. Have seen people making mistakes of randomising and hoping for something good.

Basic EQ tip: Look at the effects you are going to add on. Decide wether EQing before or after will do the work. Sometimes you need to do both the times as well. Doing in small parts is better than one big jump. Also dynamic EQing will help to avoid certain things at specific moments instead of removing those frequencies from entire track which you will in case of linear...

PRO TIP: Subscribe to this channel and listen to this man. He knows what he says. Also don't go by what I say. Listen to #Miavono and decide for yourself.

Metta to all 🙏😇