Welcome to Sage Audio. Today let’s cover How to Use FabFilter Pro-Q3. But first,
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Reduce Masking with Collision
Instead of covering basic aspects of the EQ,
let’s look solely at this plugin's more advanced functions.
The Show Collisions function indicates areas of potential masking when you monitor a signal
and side-chain another. For example, if I place the EQ on my bass, and side-chain the kick or
drum loop, I’ll likely find aggressive overlap in the low-frequency range.
From there, I could determine which frequencies I want to attenuate.
Let’s listen to an overlapping signal and reduce the red areas indicated by collision detection.
Using the Match EQ Function
The match function lets you match a signal to that of a side-chained signal - first
I’d insert the plugin and side-chain the signal I want to match it to. Then I’ll set
the side-chain as my reference and play the track and pick the number of bands.
I can delete any extreme bands or ones that don’t affect the desired frequency range.
Let’s listen to a signal being made to match another and notice
how the Pro Q 3 does a good job at matching the 2.
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Trying Inverse EQ Matching
If I want a signal to sound opposite to another, or if I want more separation between 2 signals,
I could first match them like I did the last chapter. Then, I could highlight
all bands after I deleted any extreme ones, and use the gain dial to invert their gain.
Now everything that would’ve made them match is causing them to be separate from one another.
Let’s take a listen to how this helps separate signals.
Balance with Spectrum Grab
Spectrum grab is an interesting tool - when it’s enabled, we can hover over the spectrum until it
turns purple, at which point we can grab any section and affect it. I found this is useful
for balancing a spectrum quickly - for example, it makes finding vocal sibilance super simple.
Since the highest amplitude frequencies will be indicated,
its really easy to see what a signal might have too much of.
Let’s listen to this used on a vocal to balance out the sound.
Using it in Parallel
When you use this EQ as a parallel signal or on a auxiliary track, it might make sense to
use the linear-phase function to avoid phase cancellation. I’d recommend this whenever
using any high-pass filter, or another filter type with a slope greater than 18dB/octave.
Let’s listen to a signal sent to a parallel track with this EQ,
and notice how we can hear really audible phase cancellation if linear phase is not enabled.
Isolating Signal into Bands
Building off of the ideas of the last chapter, I like to use the Pro Q 3 to
separate a mix into 3 bands. I’ll create 3 instances of the track and insert the Pro
Q 3 on each using low latency linear phase - then I’ll isolate the frequency ranges.
If I set the crossover frequencies correctly, I’ll have my full original signal,
but now isolated into ranges that I can affect individually.
Let’s take a listen to each range.
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Affecting in-key Notes
One often overlooked aspect of the Pro Q 3 is the piano roll - this lets you snap
the frequency of each filter to a specific note. For example, say I know that note B is
in-key with the song I’m working on, I could find it with the piano roll and amplify it.
Or if I know a note is out of the song’s key, I can attenuate it.
Let’s take a listen to a mix’s in-key notes being amplified.
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Widening Stereo Image
The quickest way to widen the stereo image is to go to the output, click the L/R icon
which switches it to mid-side, and then pan the output toward the side. If you want this
imaging to be frequency specific, create filters and change their stereo placement.
For example, I could widen the highest frequencies with a high shelf filter on the side image.
Let’s take a listen to mid-side and left-right filters being used to widen the track.
Dynamic Phase Reduction
In chapter 1 we discussed the collision aspect, but let’s go into more detail on this - so let’s
say our kick and bass are overlapping too much. Again I’ll create a filter over the needed range,
but then I’ll make it dynamic and set the side-chain as the trigger.
This way whenever the kick hits, the offending frequency range will be attenuated on the bass.
Let’s take a listen to it.
Understanding FF Shortcuts
The Pro Q 3 has a lot of useful shortcuts and hot keys; for example,
when picking a frequency I can type out 1k and then press enter for 1000Hz,
or A4 to get 440Hz. This way I can quickly find any note or frequency I want to affect.
When altering the frequency gain or Q, if I hold shift it’ll slow down the rate of change,
making it easier to find a specific value.
To quickly mute a band I can hold option and click it, or if I want to change its Q value and
frequency simultaneously I could hold down Command or the Windows key, depending on which computer
you use, and change the Q by moving up and down or the frequency by moving left and right.
Lastly, if I select a band and hold option, I can use my mouse
wheel the make the band dynamic and select a positive or negative range.
Let’s listen to the track and use some of these shortcuts in real time.
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mastered sample of it with the link in the description. Thank you so much for watching.