EQ?

[ColinThomson]

Do you people EQ your pieces, or has Vienna been eq'd to perfection already? I ask this because I have a piece that seems to me to be to heavy in the low frequency, but i wondered if I could actually improve on a product like Vienna, or not. I haven't worked too much with it, but it makes me wonder if those around here tweak the EQ or not.

Colin Thomson

[Dietz]

I can't talk for other users, of course, but I'll try to give you some kind of "official" point of view :-)

Our samples are delivered as pure as possible. This means: The only filtering and EQ-ing we apply is to get rid of obvious interferences (like low-frequency rumbling or other noises) or stuff like resonances that stand out from other notes. In some cases, a sample stays almost untouched; others undergo a meticulous and time-consuming mastering process.

For our users, this has two consequences: On the one hand, all options are still intact to sculpt the sound to one's needs (... some pieces will ask for a direct, maybe more "raw" sound of a solo instrument, while another, huge arrangement, needs a broad, fat and breathy sound). The second example, on the other hand, could need some serious housecleaning to save the mix from being overcrowded, frequency-wise. Here you will grab a good EQ and maybe even some dynamics processor to bring the piece you're working on into shape.

In short - if you feel the the piece you're working on could be easier in the low-end, don't hesitate to clean it up a bit. The worst consequence could be that you decide to switch the EQ off again at a later stage. :-)

All the best,

/Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library

[ColinThomson]

Thanks Dietz. I worked with my piece, and all my fiddling never made anything better.  :)  I guess you Vienna people know what your doing ;)

So, I think my mixing skills could certainly use improvement. Can anyone recommend a good book on mixing? Or any training material. Thanks.

Colin Thomson