| Bad_Mister
Total Posts: 36620
Joined 07-30-2002
status: Legend
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Re: Is there a Global EQ setting available?
Yes, there is more EQ in the Motif engine than you will find on most synthesizers because they can make huge difference in the sound. Getting used to all of them can be a bit daunting if you are new to it… but when you don’t have an EQ and you need one that is the inconvenient time. Each mode has access to a 5-band parametric EQ - which is global to the Motif. You will find that in some modes you are applying “Offsets” to this master EQ and that is what gets stored locally.
Here I have gathered some information on EQ in the Motif from many previous posts on the subject.... hope it helps:
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Here is the scoop on the Master EQ (MEQ) and Master EQ Offset (MEQ OFS)...
VOICE mode
There is one MEQ for Voice mode (global setting): found in UTILITY mode...from VOICE mode
Press [UTILITY]
Press [F3] VOICE
Press [SF1] MEQ
This is a 5-band parametric EQ; range is +/-12dB. The Equalizer will effect all VOICES simultaneously. If you boost the bass here - the entire VOICE mode bass will be boosted - so this is global for all VOICES.
As mentioned you can offset each individual Voice, as necessary, and store the results on a per VOICE basis (it is the right thing do). That is, within each individual VOICE in VOICE mode you can find the MEQ OFS, or Master EQ Offset - which allows you to tweak the global setting further within each individual VOICE.
PERFORMANCE mode
There is a dedicated MEQ per Performance:
Press [EDIT]
Press [COMMON]
Press [F2] OUT/MEF
Press [SF2] MEQ
This is a 5-band parametric EQ; range is +/-12dB. Each Performance has its own MEQ.
Additionally, you can also apply an offset to the main Master EQ (MEQ OFS) per Performance
Press [F1] GENERAL
Press [SF3] MEQ OFS
MIXING mode
There is a MEQ per MIX: From SONG/PATTERN MIXING mode
Press [EDIT]
Press [COMMON]
Press [F2] MEQ/MEF
Press [SF1] MEQ
This is a 5-band parametric EQ; range is +/-12dB. Each Mix has its own MEQ.
Additionally, you can also apply an offset to the main Master EQ (MEQ OFS) per SONG/PATTERN MIXING setup
Press [F1] GENERAL
Press [SF1] MEQ OFS
In Voice mode (on the Motif) if you press the select the MEQ row in the Knob Control Function area, you will see that you have access via offsets to 4 of the 5 bands of the Master EQ.
Low--Low MID--Hi MID--High (you do not have offset control over the MID frequency band (not a big deal). The range of the offset is not a scientific value but simply: -64 ~ 0 ~ +63 - This is adjusting the MEQ OFST parameter within the current VOICE. Which is very useful for real time tweaks during a stage performance (when you don’t have time to spend analyzing the situation).
http://files.keyfax.com/forums/user-files/423478-KnobControlFunction.JPG
In Performance, which can have up to 4 Parts, similarly you have the MEQ (range +/-12dB) which is a COMMON edit parameter. So you can have a 5-band fully parametric EQ on the whole Performance.
Again if you select the MEQ row in the KNOB CONTROL FUNCTION area you are tweaking the MEQ OFST for the current Performance only.
(There is also an EQ per ELEMENT but that is another story...)
SUMMARY
The MASTER EQ (MEQ) is called that because all PARTS of your mix go through the Master EQ - in fact it is the last device the signal flows through before the main L&R outputs.
Low, Low-mid, Mid, High-mid and High are frequency bands. In general, an EQ, or equalizer (or equaliser, if you are in the UK) lets you make certain frequencies louder or softer, in an attempt to make the music sound pleasing to the ear. When engineering a final product (like a CD) you have to remember to include all frequencies in your final mix so the user has an option to tailor the sound to their own systems.
On your home stereo system you may have just Bass and Treble. Bass is your low frequencies, and Treble is your high frequencies. This is a typical 2-band Equalizer. If you have a fancier home stereo system you may have a mid-range control between the bass and treble control. This would be a typical 3-band Equalizer.
On the Motif you have a 5-band Equalizer.
Low = bass
Low-mid = bass between the low and mid
Mid = mid-range
High-mid = higher frequencies between the mid and the treble
High = treble
The EQ on the Motif is of a type we call “parametric”. What this means is… as opposed to the type on home stereos, where the manufacturer decides for the customer what frequency is bass and what frequency is treble.... a parametric lets YOU choose the frequencies. Most home stereo have the bass frequency set at 100 cycles per second (100Hz, Hertz) and the treble is set at 10,000 cycles per second (10kHz). Each is set to effect a wide range of frequencies - and are usually fixed at a position called “SHELVING” - it means it effects all frequency below (bass) or above (treble) a particular point. The eq pattern looks like a shelf - level below or above the setting.
Shelving and peaking are explained in the manual. (page 168 in the Motif manual)
The Master EQ on the Motif, being parametric, it allows you to select the frequency between 32Hz and 16kHz; select how wide a range you will be effecting (called the “Q"), and it allows you to boost or cut.
Bass can be shelving or peaking 32Hz ~ 2.0kHz
Low-mid is peaking 100Hz ~ 10kHz
Mid is peaking 100Hz ~ 10kHz
High-mid is peaking 100Hz ~ 10kHz
High is shelving or peaking 500Hz ~ 16kHz
(the frequencies overlap so you have flexibility)
the “Q” is how wide an umbrella of frequencies you are effecting… the lower the number the wider the umbrealla. So a “Q” setting of 0.1 is very wide and will effect a lot of frequencies left and right of the center selected frequency. If the “Q” setting is 12.0 it will effect a very narrow range of frequencies above and below the center frequency.
If you play piano it is easy to think about frequency in terms of notes on the piano:
The lowest note on the piano is “A” 27.5Hz
The “A” above that is double 55Hz
The “A” above that is 110Hz
The “A” above that is 220 Hz
Middle “C” on the piano is 261 and change
The “A” above middle “C” is 440Hz
next “A” = 880
next “A” = 1760
the highest “A” is 3520Hz
the highest “C” is 4186.01Hz
Above this note are the harmonics (overtones).
So when EQ’ing a sound you have to think about it in terms of what makes it sound good. You also have to recognize that your ear is not “flat”. It has a favorite range of frequencies - so your hearing like your sight is frequency dependent and that frequency response changes with the environment you are in:
_You hear best in the mid-range (so you very rarely need to boost in the middle range. Your hearing also is dependent on how far away you are, how loud you are listening and even the temperature in the room.
In general, the lower the volume the less well you hear extreme high frequencies and extreme low frequencies. The closer you are the better you hear the bass (but its pitch is subject to change), the colder you are the less likely you are to pay attention to music :-) (kiddin’)… but temperature effects your hearing, as well.
Bottomline: mess with EQ until you like what you hear. There is no right or wrong. What sounds good to your may not please everyone but since you have to make the decision - make it sound good to you.
Hope that helps
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