Here's a quick tip from my upcoming mix tutorial,
which I'm releasing alongside my new single, Sympathy.
You're probably familiar with the never-ending debate about whether you should EQ before or after compression.
I've even written a detailed answer about it here.
But what about EQ'ing before compression while you're listening to the already compressed signal?
Have you tried that?
You often add an EQ after a compressor because the compressor changes the tone of the signal because it squeezes the dynamics. The compressor squeezes the louder parts of the frequency range,
often bringing out unwanted frequencies that weren't so prevalent before.
This is easily fixed by adding another EQ after the compressor and cutting those frequencies away.
However, instead of adding an EQ after the compressor to sculpt the tone yet again, try this instead:
Just open up the previous EQ and
adjust the EQ curves while listening to the compressed signal.
You'll hear how the compressor changes depending on the EQ curve of the track going into the compressor.
It's an interesting ear-training exercise and a fun way to understand the relationship between EQ and compression.
Try that on your next
session and let me know what you find out.
If you want more mixing tips from me, read Step By Step Mixing here, download my mix templates and masterclass inside the Easy Mix Approach, or get hands-on coaching inside Home Studio Mastery.
Have a great weekend,
Björgvin