frequency analysis help/frequency spectrum

[so-fye]

how does a frequency analysis work? what is it for? hwo to use it in my mix and mastering

[richiebee]

Different things happen at different frequencies. A spectrum analyzer can help you balance things, and find nasties.

My favourite frequency chart is here -

Interactive Frequency Chart - Independent Recording Network

It's a little odd in some respects, but is a good resource. This is not a spectrum analyzer by the way... but it can help you interpret one.

[String7th]

Never rely on them for 100% of your mixing.
If you hear some frequency is piercing or muddy, use them to help find what can be turned down.

[Audio~Geek]

once in a while I put Inspector Free on the master to see what's going on in the low end.

The analyzer built in to the UBER awesome ApEQ is even better.

[bitflipper]

Originally Posted by so-fye

how does a frequency analysis work? what is it for? hwo to use it in my mix and mastering

A superb little tool that everybody should have is Voxengo's SPAN. It's a free download.

Of course, if you don't know what you're looking at it will be of little use. I recommend importing some of your favorite CDs into your DAW and viewing their spectra using SPAN. This will familiarize you with what a good spectrum looks like. You will soon discover that there is no single "best" spectrum, but there are commonalities between well-made recordings of similar genres.

If you want to spring for a hundred bucks, a product called Har-Bal is a great learning tool. Meant as a mastering equalizer (it's essentially an 8,192-band EQ with intelligence), it's also good for examining and learning from commercial recordings, and for experimentation.

Spectral analysis is almost essential for those who don't have great speakers and an acoustically-treated room. Without some kind of visual sanity check, it's next to impossible to set the EQ of your mixes, especially in the low end. Anyone who's having problems with mixes that sound OK in the studio but nowhere else can benefit from spectral analysis.

[so-fye]

i have diamond waves frequency analysis. is that a good one?

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by bitflipper

A superb little tool that everybody should have is Voxengo's SPAN. It's a free download.

Of course, if you don't know what you're looking at it will be of little use. I recommend importing some of your favorite CDs into your DAW and viewing their spectra using SPAN. This will familiarize you with what a good spectrum looks like. You will soon discover that there is no single "best" spectrum, but there are commonalities between well-made recordings of similar genres.

If you want to spring for a hundred bucks, a product called Har-Bal is a great learning tool. Meant as a mastering equalizer (it's essentially an 8,192-band EQ with intelligence), it's also good for examining and learning from commercial recordings, and for experimentation.

Spectral analysis is almost essential for those who don't have great speakers and an acoustically-treated room. Without some kind of visual sanity check, it's next to impossible to set the EQ of your mixes, especially in the low end. Anyone who's having problems with mixes that sound OK in the studio but nowhere else can benefit from spectral analysis.

+1 on Voxengo's SPAN. Also, their FreeG Stereo as well (not for Freq Analysis, but good for looking at your peak and RMS levels on the master bus).

[cakewalkgg]

Originally Posted by richiebee

Different things happen at different frequencies. A spectrum analyzer can help you balance things, and find nasties.

My favourite frequency chart is here -

Interactive Frequency Chart - Independent Recording Network

It's a little odd in some respects, but is a good resource. This is not a spectrum analyzer by the way... but it can help you interpret one.

This is really cool!
thanks for this