Ways to increase high end without eq

[bozmillar]

I'm trying to add some new tricks to my bag. I find that eq is not always the best way to increase the high end/clarity/crispness/whatever other stupid word you like to use. Here are a few things that I use to increase the apparent high end in a track/song.

this is more of a brainstorming session, so let me know any ideas you have, even if they seem dumb.

1) distortion. Kind of like the bass distortion thread, it can bring out some high end content without using eq. This is pretty much how exciters work.

2) stereo spread. I find that when I use a multiband stereo widener, the high end seems to open up and I don't need nearly as much eq to make it sound clearer. I say multiband because I don't like applying a widener to the low end.

3) ???

[Jeronimo Mora]

I find that high passing aggressively tends increase the apparent high end in a track. Done over the entire mix, it can add up. Ever tried any harmonic exciters?

[m24p]

If you're actually wanting to add clarity, than I'm not sure this will help, but I often use ambiances that add high end: delays with all the low cut out, reverbs, that sort of thing. Shimmer actually pitch shifts some of the ambiance, it worked awesome on the piano for present tense, which I didn't EQ at all (just a HPF and LPF for the denser parts.

Transient designers can really bring out the high end snap on drums, or the clicky sound on bass, etc.

I've used sidechain filters on compressors to get them to duck harsh parts... you could try using them to duck parts with too much LF but I doubt that would help.

Of course, a MULTIBAND compressor could certainly do that.

[PunkGuy]

I'm pretty judicious about giving certain frequencies to certain instruments. If an instrument doesn't make much use of a frequency range I will pretty much kill it. Once I clear out the high end of places it doesn't belong, like the bass and kick drum, I find that everythying isn't fighting for a piece of fizzy pie. I suppose that is using EQ, but if I use a multiband compressor does it still count as EQ lol? Other than that it's pretty much more EQ and distortion.

When it comes to bass and guitar I've found that pick selection and mic placement can go a long way. I still remember the day I compared my "tried and true" jazz III pick to other picks objectively. Well blow me down, that jazz III is @#$% dark. I think that is technically EQing also, I'm just not twisting any knobs...

[rook2c4]

Capture the audio differently - set up the microphone at a greater distance to the sound source as you normally would (maybe even a tad off-axis to the source if the room's acoustics allow), and use a microphone that records upper frequency detail well. I use a Shure SM81 for this, but I'm sure there are even better choices out there... models that actually over-emphasize high frequencies.

[m24p]

I'm pretty judicious about giving certain frequencies to certain instruments. If an instrument doesn't make much use of a frequency range I will pretty much kill it. Once I clear out the high end of places it doesn't belong, like the bass and kick drum, I find that everythying isn't fighting for a piece of fizzy pie. I suppose that is using EQ

Right, but it's not using EQ directly on the instrument you want.

[willj]

Extreme high passing used as layering - meaning i have used the 4k to 12k range from a doubled guitar track, and have blended that in on other guitar trax in the past.

Cutting mids, lows, and everything BUT the freq you want to keep. duh!

I like MP's comment. There have been times ive wanted to add a lil top end, but adding delay (not even with a severly cut low end) took care of the issue. There is no question that the ambience you choose has an impact, whether its natural or digital.

Hi freq expansion - one of my fav presets is the Waves C1 High Frequency Enhancer.

Different mics - My NTK on a guitar cab gives me an annoying amount of hi end

Any of the paralel techniques - with a severely hi passed buss well present in the mix.

Varying impedance?

[brandondrury]

These days when I want more top end, the first thing I generally do is cut somewhere else with EQ. Yanking back 1-4k almost seems to give better 10k than simply boosting 10k. I'm not sure why.

There are certain tube distortions that I've encountered in life (I still can't find a plugin that does it) that are freakin' awesome at adding that extra harmonic up top.

2) stereo spread. I find that when I use a multiband stereo widener, the high end seems to open up and I don't need nearly as much eq to make it sound clearer. I say multiband because I don't like applying a widener to the low end.

I was playing around with the Ozone spacial thing and mono-izing the low end (as discussed here Guys, you are using way to much low end. It's starting to piss me off. ....a trick that's very helpful) and I was surprised by just how bright you can make things sound by widening them. I've used serveral different wideners a zillion times and don't recall it being nearly as effective for adding top end as in Ozone 5.

Brandon

[EnSkorSang]

Well this thread is obv about mixing but....

Go back to the recording chain (or: think about what the final result should be when tracking). Change mics and preamps. SDC to cut out lows, or use a tube preamp and overload it a bit (guess that works best if you have an insane motown-type voice). Try a different room etc etc...

Im guessing distortion & stereo spread are kind of subtle (At least compared to cutting about with eq)...you might just get that extra few percent by changing a few things when tracking??

[Convectuoso]

Maybe EQ itself isnt the problem. But the type of EQ being used.

Whether that be the style, or analog vs digital.

IME on a good analog EQ, the top end shelf almost is always the best way to add top end, and you can usually get away with at least 5 more db than on a digital EQ.

Funny thing is I don't really find the same thing for compression, besides the 2 bus.

[Jjsodarock]

Hey Mr Bozmiller,
Ancient Hugarian secret that I often employ. It's not atall to difficult, but can be tricky. I turn down the bass
I agree with Supreem Commander on the Izotope 5 Advanced, it is a very usable plug in. Both the stereo-izer and the Harmonic Exciter can really clear up a track and add dangerous levels of high end. The multi-comp is allmost like majic when used well. Good Luck, Jojo

[dudermn]

I like how Mr.Stark likes technology so much.
But compression is good... as long as your analog compress only touch 2k and up

[Burny]

The expensive way would be a SPL Vitalizer MK2-T, one of the few outboard gear I still have :-)
Wonderful to add clarity and high end to a mix or a single signal.
It is in a way an EQ, but it can do stuff one could not do with a "normal" EQ.
There is a plugin version, but last time I looked it needed an iLoq, so I never used that.

[garageband]

The expensive way would be a SPL Vitalizer MK2-T,

I so want one of these. It's safe to say it's the only piece of gear I currently lust after and occasionally scheme to get in my rack.

[dudermn]

I wonder what a guitar sounds like with the drive to 6 on that thing

[Burny]

I wonder what a guitar sounds like with the drive to 6 on that thing

Hmmm, never tried that. There will be a clipping of some kind, but probably not that unpleasant.
In a hurry right now, but I will try later :-)

[Burny]

@dudermn
Setup: Cubase, AudioTrack, GuitarRig4 as insert, GR4 Tapedeck plays loop, Vitalizer as External Plug-in.

Vitalizer: Drive +6db, everything else neutral

To my ears the effect is near zero / super subtle.
It is kind of hard to get the clipping led next to the Drive knob to light up (with everything else in neutral).
I use the Drive knob only to get different levels of intensity from the device. As far as I remember the manual
it sets only the working level for everything behind.

[dudermn]

I like how you used GR4 as a D.I. with a loop machine
Those are some pretty cold tubes.

Might work out better playing jazz on that thing

[Burny]

I was just lazy with GR4 ;-) I used the prerecorded loops NI delivered...

I guess the tubes are only for the filter sections.
To get the input hotter, I tried a LA2 and even a Maximizer after that (so: GR4, LA2, Max, Vit), but only with the Bass section involved, I could get the led to light up.
And at that point it was hard to hear anything, since the clipping of the maximizer was quite prominent :-)

I remember that I tried recording my guitar with a Gainstation1 as D.I., but that made no real difference to the first channel of my Fireface800.
And there was no tube overdrive either.

But the Fireface can produce a quite nice fuzz effect, when you drive channel 1 a bit harder.
The SPL stuff is to clean for that kind of stuff. But great in the areas they are build for ;-)

Like increasing high end. Probably not the best example, but I attached a clip with and without the device.
So, we are back on topic ;-)

[dudermn]

So to make things clear, it just pretty much tightens the hi-end?

Boy does your compressor give the vibe that its jail-bait

[garageband]

but I attached a clip with and without the device.

You're the best. That's exactly what I figured it sounded like. Thanks a bunch, now I really want one.

[dudermn]

Like I said, jail bait.
You really want it.
But the simple purity of what this thing does is intoxicating.

[Burny]

You're the best. That's exactly what I figured it sounded like. Thanks a bunch, now I really want one.

Let me suggest a simple test: Play these two clips to someone not music related and on plain normal speakers.
Please don't insult that person for not hearing any difference and think about really wanting one :-)

It is the last hint of fairy dust we like to sprinkle on something to please OUR ears, 98% of the general population will not notice it...
And I remember a dull piano recording, were that thing couldn't do anything.

That said, I've just seen that the SPL plugins are now available without iLoq ;-)

[willj]

What kind of $$$ are we talking for this unit?? Im partial to this sound as opposed to the vitalizer. The only reason i ask is because with the vitalizer im not hearing enough of an "improvement" to warrant big money.

[Burny]

So to make things clear, it just pretty much tightens the hi-end?

It has four sections: Bass (soft/tight)+compression on the result, mid-high tune to brighten up, LC-EQ that is described to rearrange frequencies that would be otherwise covered, quite mustic,
but can give surprisingly nice results and Stereo Expander, that is supposed to minimize phase problems by tube magic...

What I did in the second clip was tighten the bass and a bit compression just on that. A bit of boost above 12k, a bit of LC-EQ at 3,6k and a tad of the stereo expander.
So the kick is a little tighter, a bit more air on the HH, the LC-EQ gave a bit of something to the snare and some chords on the piano are a bit wider.

Boy does your compressor give the vibe that its jail-bait

If you mean the difference between the files, that is all Vitalizer as last insert on the master.
All the other compression is just my usual way of doing it, a tube "heater" in front of a LA2A. That were just the first bits of an unfinished production...

May I ask what you meant exactly? I'm just curious.