6-Band EQ for BASS

IPv6Freely

Active member
I want to use the 6-band EQ for bass, but I assume the frequencies chosen are more treble-specific. What would you guys recommend changing to make this thing bass-friendly?
 
This is a good page to check out. If you know the frequencies you want to affect. Maybe take a look at the Boss Bass EQ and similar for starting points for the kind of frequencies. If you have an audio interface you could mess around with a parametric eq on there with your bass and sweep around frequencies of interest.

 
For reference, Boss Hz:

GE-71002004008001k63k26k4
GE-7B (Old)621252505001k2k4k
GEB-7 (New)501204005008004k510k

I'd recommend the earlier GE-7B's range, but your needs may be different than mine.


For reference, from TH Custom's EQ docs:

BASS
RESISTERCAP 1CAP 2HzQ
250k220n47n14410
250k100n22n31310
100k330n47n1865

MIDS
RESISTER CAP 1CAP 2HzQ
120k86n33n40010
100k47n22n72210
68k33n22n104510
68k220n22n4004
47k150n15n7153
68k68n10n10804
68k68n8n212004

HIGHS
RESISTERCAP 1CAP 2HzQ
47k33n4n727004
47k47n2n233332

*Q above — (3=oct, 10=quarter oct)

 
What or who?

What: Gadget development branch of MI6

Who: The head of the gadget development branch of MI6

440px-Desmond_Llewelyn_01.jpg
 
Can you explain what "Q" is?
Q is the width of the frequency you're modifying.

eq-narrow-wide-cut-boost-reaper.gif
Image courtesy of HomeTracked (link below).

It's oft said to cut narrow, boost wide — but really it depends on what you want to do with the EQ overall.

A wide Q affects the surrounding frequencies of the centre-freq band more than a narrow Q of same.

If you're fighting feedback, you'd want to cut the offending frequency without attenuating the fine upstanding freqy citizens surrounding it — so you use a narrow Q.

Wide EQ is probably better for a project like this 6-band, but too wide and the EQ ranges on either side of the freq you're adjusting get affected as well. A little overlap is okay, even desirable to some.
 
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Q is the width of the frequency you're modifying.

eq-narrow-wide-cut-boost-reaper.gif
Image courtesy of HomeTracked (link below).

It's oft said to cut narrow, boost wide — but really it depends on what you want to do with the EQ overall.

A wide Q affects the surrounding frequencies of the centre-freq band more than a narrow Q of same.

If you're fighting feedback, you'd want to cut the offending frequency without attenuating the fine upstanding freqy citizens surrounding it — so you use a narrow Q.

Wide EQ is probably better for a project like this 6-band, but too wide and the EQ ranges on either side of the freq you're adjusting get affected as well. A little overlap is okay, even desirable to some.
First, let me say that I love that you reply with one BS reply and then follow it up with a real one :D

Okay, I get it, I think. So, instead of cutting 100Hz and ONLY 100Hz, you cut 100Hz and a certain amount above and below that value. Is that right?

EDIT: Just read the article. Awesome! And it seems lower Q numbers means a wider cut/boost. Can you tell me if my understanding of how Q is derived is correct?

Eg. 220Hz is an A. That means 440Hz and 110Hz are also A. As you mentioned above, Q3 = octave and Q10 = 1/4 octave

Therefore if you cut 220Hz w/ Q3, you are cutting everything from 110Hz to 440Hz (but not equally because it's a wave)?

And if you cut 220Hz w/ Q10 you are cutting everything from 192.5Hz to 247.5Hz? (1/4 of an octave for an A is 27.5Hz)

Do I have that all right?
 
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Pretty much, although my understanding is that the octave for Q3 is centred around the peak of the wave — what you've described is a two-octave range surrounding the peak.

So, to use your A220Hz example, the peak would be right at 220Hz, while the troughs of the wave on either side would be midway betwen 110Hz and 220Hz, and again midway between 220Hz and 440Hz.

A quarter of an octave is on a sliding scale, so when you say "1/4 of an octave for an A is 27.5Hz", that's only true of A2 (110Hz). A quarter of A4 (440Hz) is going to be 110Hz. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_key_frequencies

If you cut 220Hz with a Q10, I'm not sure of the exact frequency range being cut on either side of the peak as I don't know the math involved to calculate it, but suffice it to say you've got the overall gist — a small number Q has a wide range with a soft peak, and a large Q# has a narrow sharp-peaked range; whether sharp or soft Q, the further you get away from the peak, the less affected the surrounding frequencies.
 
Pretty much, although my understanding is that the octave for Q3 is centred around the peak of the wave — what you've described is a two-octave range surrounding the peak.

So, to use your A220Hz example, the peak would be right at 220Hz, while the troughs of the wave on either side would be midway betwen 110Hz and 220Hz, and again midway between 220Hz and 440Hz.

A quarter of an octave is on a sliding scale, so when you say "1/4 of an octave for an A is 27.5Hz", that's only true of A2 (110Hz). A quarter of A4 (440Hz) is going to be 110Hz. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_key_frequencies

If you cut 220Hz with a Q10, I'm not sure of the exact frequency range being cut on either side of the peak as I don't know the math involved to calculate it, but suffice it to say you've got the overall gist — a small number Q has a wide range with a soft peak, and a large Q# has a narrow sharp-peaked range; whether sharp or soft Q, the further you get away from the peak, the less affected the surrounding frequencies.
Oh, I got it. 1 octave centered on the frequency you're adjusting.

And yes, I should have specified 1/4 of A2 and not just "an A"

I get it now, and this will help a ton. I'm going to breadboard this thing to dial in what I like. Thank you for the help!
 
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