Today I thought I would like to share a quick idea about EQing. I like to think of EQing audio as trimming the fat from instruments that need to work together. For example if you record a guitar track & separate vocal track, you may want the song to sound balanced (guitar & vocals to be at similar volume) but for the vocals to be nice and clear. So this where you will use a EQ (setting of 3000 Hz -9db with a Q of 1) to cut a hole in the guitar track so the vocals can poke through. Now you can turn up the guitar track and your song should sound balanced. Well that's the idea anyway. Of course if you are recording a whole band (guitar, bass & drums) you will want to apply that similar idea over all your tracks. 
      Another problem you will encounter will be the low frequency's. Always roll off low frequency's below 100 Hz on all instruments except for the Kick drum & the Bass guitar. To much low energy will cause the mastering compressor to drag the rest of the volume down on your song, making it sound quiet.
      So to recap its all about cutting off the less important frequency's of some instruments so the more important parts get to poke through.

Here are some websites that I found helpful that are well worth reading over, as there is a lot more to it than my very brief explanation.

http://www.audiorecording.me/complete-eq-settings-to-start-when-doing-audio-mixing.html

http://www.music-articles.com/audiorecording/eq-settings-that-will-make-your-mixes-come-alive---by-john-vestman.html

Cheers
Mat

The Latest Ribbon Device Blog: Studio Madness. http://ping.fm/yCVl0

   The last 2 weeks I have locked myself away in the studio putting finishing touches on the latest Ribbon Device album the "Soft Pedal". Its amazing how many hours you can rack up panning, nudging volume levels, EQing, & compressing. Not to mention how long it takes to write and record all the tracks by yourself. Im sure the obsession & the work practice is not healthy, haha eh yeah.
     Its funny in this day and age how you can do everything yourself given some time & a computer. If you have the DIY attitude and believe no task is to great you can really drive yourself bat shit crazy until your hearts content. On one hand it's great you don't have to convince the other band members that your idea is worth pursuing the way you hear it. And then on the other hand you spend far too much time turning over every rock to see if there is some gold you over looked.
   All in all Im really happy with the end result & look forward to sharing my madness in the coming months. Cheese Mat

The Ribbon Device live on 3CR tomorrow at 12pm (3CR Community Radio 855 AM)
http://ping.fm/HT3Wd

The Ribbon Device live on 3CR tomorrow at 12pm

Tomorrow I will be performing live on 3CR Community Radio 855 AM
From 12pm-1pm on the show Roominations (A awesome show dedicated to homeless issues as well as music and arts from our unsung community.) I will playing a couple of originals & retro Pop covers on the sitar so it should be a Bombay blast. Tune in during your lunch time break & I will take you down the rabbit hole for an hour.

cheers
Mat

The latest Ribbon Device Blog
The Ribbon Device play tonight at the Thornbury Theatre!
http://ping.fm/pVtE6

The Ribbon Device play tonight at the Thornbury Theatre

The Ribbon Device will playing at the Thornbury theatre tonight going under the name the "Sitar All Stars". We will be playing apart of the Los Vega's styled show "The Last Greatest Show On Earth".
It is a benefit concert to support a music program at the John Cade psychiatric unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. The money raised will go to musical instruments, a juke box, and the hire of music therapist for a year. I know if I ever end up there I would much rather play instruments and listen to records than sit around reading woman's day.
The show has been put on by the amazing Julie "Monty" Montan, the same girl who put on the Muppet show at the Thornbury theatre, last year. Anyone who attended that show will attest how super amazing that show was. This time around she has put together an army of 60+ musicians, impersonators, dancers, magicians, & other mind bending treats.
Here is a more detailed list of tonight's entertainment:
Freddie Mercury and Queen, Dean Martin, Cher, Liberace and more. There are so many highlights - I cant list them all. The Tivoli Lovelies from the Tivoli Theatre circa 1940 will be making a very rare and very special appearance. Starlet Simone Page Jones is playing an opera singing lion, Sunny Leunig is the Magosopher, Justin Marshall on Vibraphone, Shags Chamberlain and the Atomic Explosions, Geoff O'Connor and Jessica Venables will tie the knot at the chapel at the end of the universe. Super Wild Horses will tell your fortune, Viva Las Luscombe etc. etc, etc.

One night only
Only one night left on earth
Departing at 6.30pm
$25 pre sale
you can get here
http://www.webtickets.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=3109
$35 at the door

I hope I will be seeing you in Vegas