Layering

[Gorō Masamune]

I have a rather challenging riddle that has to do with frequency splitting for various layers.

For example,

Let's say I'm layering a heavy bass synth, like a reese for example, and I start doing various high passes and low passes to particular layers and then I bus each layer to a single channel, then apply an EQ to the bus channel. My question is, do the various EQ's I've applied to each layer interfere with the bus EQ? Won't the frequencies overlap at some point? Would frequency automation be needed?

I hope I've explained this accurate enough for someone to understand, I have been really beating my brain over the process of effective equalizing of layers and have encountered somewhat of a stump here.

Any advice anyone?

[bodom418]

I've tried this exact thing, and, yeah there's definitely an audible "interference", but in my experience it's all for the better; adds more movement and all that good stuff.. worth a shot, right?

[efence]

you want overlap. the sharper the slope of the cuts the more unnatural and thin it will sound. i'll try to have it over lap at frequency's that aren't as important, that waY if theres any gap or phasing at those frequency's it wont hurt the fundamentals or important texture

[Gorō Masamune]

you want overlap. the sharper the slope of the cuts the more unnatural and thin it will sound. i'll try to have it over lap at frequency's that aren't as important, that waY if theres any gap or phasing at those frequency's it wont hurt the fundamentals or important texture

Think I've heard of this as masking... I'm experimenting with that at the moment

[Rascal94]

Effects take affect in order. So, your bus EQ won't "interfere" with the channels you placed on it. Instead, it will just EQ over the mixed signal. It's kind of like EQing a master channel of a song. However, I would suggest using a visual equalizer when you layer. Also, make sure you don't leave gaps in the signal, unless of course, that's what you're meaning to do

[bassbum]

Im not sure if I get what your asking.

Are there frequencys overlapping in the diffrent layers?
If you have the same frequencys playing at the same time and its coming out of different instances of VSTis then you will get phasing because they will be out of time. If you trigger the same note on 2 of the same VSTi they will always out of time and phase because well..... some things just dont work properly.
If its audio(they will be in time and phase) then you will get a +3db increase in amplitude of the frequencys that are overlapping. 2 of the same sound playing at the same time is +3db.

And with your buss EQ............
If you are using a lot if res on your HPF and LPF then you might get peaking when the filters gets to the frequency your additive EQing, if you are additive EQing. To stop this you can automate the EQ down a few DB when it gets to that frequency or you can be lazy and just wack a limiter on it. You could also turn the res down on your filterers but that might make your sweeps sound a bit thin.

I hope you can understand that.