Equalizer
Overview
Ozone’s versatile Equalizer allows you to add warmth and character with analog-matched filters, or precisely boost and cut frequencies with digital linear-phase filters. In the main Ozone plug-in and Ozone application, you have access to two EQ modules: EQ & Post EQ. The EQ is also available as a component plug-in of Ozone 8 Advanced.
EQ Views
Ozone’s EQ module contains three different views for working with the EQ.
##Spectrum View
This view offers an expanded spectrum display area and minimized band parameter details. Band parameters can be adjusted by interacting with the EQ nodes of enabled bands. You can enable or disable bands by clicking the power buttons along the bottom of the spectrum display. As you adjust the nodes you will see different curves. The white curve is the composite of all EQ bands, while the selected band shows as a thin line in the band’s specific color.
Adjusting EQ Band Parameters in the Spectrum View
- FREQUENCY: Dragging an EQ node left or right adjusts the frequency.
- GAIN: Dragging an EQ node up or down adjusts the gain.
- Q (BANDWIDTH): Adjusting the “handles” that appear to the left and right of a selected node will adjust the Q value of the associated band. You can click and drag the Q handles to adjust the value, or use the mousewheel when hovering over the selected node in the spectrum area to adjust the Q value.
- FILTER SHAPE: Right-clicking on an EQ node will display a context menu with filter shape options. The currently selected filter shape will be highlighted when you first open the context menu. You can change the selected filter shape for the associated band by choosing the new filter shape from the context menu. The context menu will hide itself when the filter shape selection has been changed, or if you click elsewhere in the interface without modifying the filter shape selection.
All Bands View
This view provides an overview of basic parameter values for each band. You can adjust the Frequency, Gain or Q values for any band by:
- Clicking and dragging (up/down or left/right) on the value readout.
- Double-clicking on a value readout and manually entering a new value.
Detailed Band View
This view displays detailed parameter information for the selected band tab. This is the default EQ view selection.
Controls
There are many powerful controls available for adjustment in the EQ module. Depending on the selected view, some controls may be hidden from view. You can change views to gain access to controls or make adjustments to select band parameters using the EQ nodes in the spectrum area.
Global EQ Filter Mode
Sets the global EQ filter algorithm.
- ANALOG: Emulates classic analog EQ sounds with added coloring. This mode utilizes IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) filters.
- DIGITAL: More precise, clinical-sounding EQ models. This mode utilizes FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filters.
When Digital mode is enabled, two additional parameters become available:
- PHASE When using the Equalizer in Digital mode, you have access to a phase slider for each of the EQ bands. When the Phase slider is set to 0%, the currently selected band will have a Linear phase response. When the Phase slider is set to 100%, the currently selected band will have a Minimum phase response.
- SURGICAL MODE Enabling Surgical Mode changes the filter curves to less musical, but far more precise shapes.
Filter Shapes
In both Analog and Digital modes, Ozone provides the ability to set the type or shape of any of the eight EQ nodes. Any node can be set to any of the following types of EQ filter types:
- The Low-Pass and High-Pass filters are Butterworth filters; optimized for maximum flatness without ripple or resonance in the passband or stopband.
- The Brickwall Low-Pass/High-Pass filters are elliptic filters; optimized for steepness with minimal ripple in the passband and stopband.
- The Vintage-type filters exhibit a complimentary frequency dip, modeled after the renowned Pultec analog Equalizer, creating a complex slope with one node.
Frequency/Gain/Q (Bandwidth)
Individual parameter adjust mode also lets you adjust the frequency, gain, and bandwidth for the currently selected band. You can adjust them graphically, as with the Spectrum View, but in this view you can also adjust them by clicking and dragging on the numerical parameters (frequency/gain) and the numerical parameter (bandwidth, aka Q).
Matching EQ
The Matching EQ is a digital linear-phase EQ, with the ability to use over 8,000 bands of frequencies for very precise matching.
Workflow
To access the Matching EQ panel, navigate to the Detailed Band View of the EQ and click the Matching button (directly below the Analog/Digital buttons).
Capture A Source Curve
Press the Capture button under the Source curve header and playback the track you are working on to begin taking a snapshot. Press the Stop button to stop capturing and freeze the current shape of the curve.
After the Source curve is captured, the resulting curve will be displayed in yellow in the EQ spectrum area.
If you aren’t happy with the curve you captured, press the Clear button to clear the source curve and try again.
Capture/Select A Target Curve
If you have a track you’d like to match your curve to, choose the “Custom” option. Import the track and ensure the audio will pass through Ozone. In the application, you can import the target track to your session and capture the curve when that track tab is selected. All tracks share a common target curve in the Ozone application. Custom Target curves will appear in blue in the spectrum area.
You can also choose “Pink Noise” or “6dB Guide” preset target curves instead of capturing your own.
Pink Noise & 6dB Guide Target Curves
- These snapshots represent the high-frequency decay found in many commercial recordings. You can use this as a guide to compare to your own spectrum.
- In general, many recordings follow the 6 dB slope, while some newer recordings are tending towards a brighter Pink Noise spectrum.
- You cannot adjust the overall level or position of these guides, but instead use it as a representative slope for your spectrum. It is the slope of the spectrum (as opposed to the absolute level of the mix) that defines the tonal balance.
Matched Curve Settings
After setting the Source and Target curves, you can enable the Matched EQ Curve by pressing the power button to the left of the Matching button. A white curve will appear that represents the Matched curve shape. This curve will update to based on the Amount and Smoothing settings.
Matching eq notes
- A Matched Curve amount of 100% and a Smoothing amount of 0% might be technically the closest match to your “Reference” mix, but in reality it’s probably not the most effective combination of settings. Those settings will try to capture every peak, valley, and level, which can result in extreme, unnatural EQs.
- We suggest working with the Matched Curve amount under 50%. If your Matching EQ curve has narrow peaks and valleys, increase the Smoothing parameter to smooth them out. Your goal is to capture the overall tonal shape of the Reference as opposed to an exact match.
- Click on the Analog or Digital buttons to go back to the Main View. You’ll notice that you can still use the EQ nodes to further adjust the equalization. It may not be necessary, but feel free to further “season to taste” manually.
M/S & L/R Modes
The Equalizer module can offers Stereo, Mid/Side & Left/Right processing modes. See the Processing Mode section of the Common Module Controls chapter for more details.
Meter Scales
- EQ GAIN SCALE: Gain scale for the EQ curve is displayed on the right side of the spectrum window.
- SPECTRUM MAGNITUDE SCALE: Spectrum magnitude (dB) scale is displayed on the left side of the spectrum window.
- SPECTRUM FREQUENCY SCALE: Spectrum & EQ curve frequency scale is displayed along the top of the spectrum window.
note
- The scales for the EQ and spectrum are different, by design. If they were made to match, you wouldn’t see enough of the spectrum for it to be useful. The frequency scale in grey applies to both the EQ and the spectrum.
- You can set options for the spectrum by accessing the Spectrum Options tab or right-clicking the spectrum and selecting “Spectrum Options” from the context menu.
Alt-Solo
If you hold down the Alt key and click on the spectrum, you have an “audio magnifying glass” that lets you hear only the frequencies that are under the mouse cursor, without affecting your actual EQ settings. This is useful for pinpointing the location of a problem frequency in the mix without changing your actual EQ bands. Releasing the mouse button returns the sound to the actual EQ. You can set the default bandwidth of this filter in the EQ Options screen under “Alt-Solo Filter Q.”