From the course: Audio Foundations: EQ and Filters

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Understanding frequency and gain EQ controls

Understanding frequency and gain EQ controls

From the course: Audio Foundations: EQ and Filters

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Understanding frequency and gain EQ controls

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The two most important controls in any equalizer are frequency and gain. Just like the two dimensions of sound waves--frequency and amplitude--the frequency and gain controls are the heart of the EQ and allow us to apply amplitude changes to specific ranges of frequencies. An EQ's frequency control tells the EQ where to increase or decrease a signal's amplitude, while the gain control tells the EQ how much. Listen to this audio example as I increase the gain control and sweep through the range of frequencies from low to high. (music playing) An increase in gain is often referred to as a boost. Now listen again to an audio example as I decrease the gain control and sweep through the range of frequencies. (music playing) A decrease in gain is often referred to as a cut. An EQ's frequency and gain controls allow us to reshape a signal's amplitude across the frequency spectrum. By boosting or cutting a signal's amplitude over various frequency bands, we can work towards a more idealized…

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