What comes first in Mixing EQ or Compressor

[E Gusto]

Hello all! I am very novice at best and recorded a few projects with protools. I picked up a technique to do my plugins in this order 1.EQ, 2.Compressor, 3.Reverb, 4.Delay.

Lately, Im looking at the Protools 8 templates and I see Compressor first then EQ? which goes first? I know there is a major difference,and people say you have to have an ear for it. mind you I am novoice. Please Help. I have learned to put the reverb and delay on Sends, and Limiter is the very last step. I just need a standard process for all my sessions to start with. Thanks in Advance!

Compressor 1st, then EQ? or visa versa?

[Julia B]

Originally Posted by E Gusto

Hello all! I am very novice at best and recorded a few projects with protools. I picked up a technique to do my plugins in this order 1.EQ, 2.Compressor, 3.Reverb, 4.Delay.

Lately, Im looking at the Protools 8 templates and I see Compressor first then EQ? which goes first? I know there is a major difference,and people say you have to have an ear for it. mind you I am novoice. Please Help. I have learned to put the reverb and delay on Sends, and Limiter is the very last step. I just need a standard process for all my sessions to start with. Thanks in Advance!

Compressor 1st, then EQ? or visa versa?

Compressor 1st then EQ. That's what I use anyway. You can go the other way, too. There is no right or wrong. Just as long as the final result sounds good. Reverb after delay.

[albee1952]

I can tell you with great conviction, that the answer is........YES
As said, there is no right or wrong. It depends on which you feel sounds best. Personally, I tend to EQ first to tame any peaks so they don't cause compression(as opposed to having ALL the audio work the compressor instead of a few hot frequencies). But there are times where the other way works better, or even BOTH ways(EQ>compressor>EQ) my usual vocal chain these days is EQ III 7 band>BF76>SMACK!>Pultec EQ1A

[nst7]

The main reason to put the compressor first is a couple of reasons. One is that some compressors will affect the tone somewhat, so you don't want to tweak your eq perfectly and then find out the compressor changes it a little bit. The other is that a compressor can in some ways undo what you just did with the eq. You've boosted or lowered certain frequencies and now the compressor in some ways may drag them back down or up. So in most cases, you want the compressor first. However, there may be certain times when you try it the other way and it just seems to work better. I've found that to sometimes be the case on drum overheads.

The other situation is when using a high pass filter on something. If the low frequencies are already filtered out then the compressor reacts differently. Sometimes this may work, but I personally still usually do it after the compressor.

[E Gusto]

Ok I like these comments. So what if like Albee said... Would adding an EQ at default levels first just to level it out, then Compressor, then have a 2nd EQ as the 3rd plugin for the desired tweaked settings you want after the compressor as standard? Or is this a waste of processing power?

[mhelm01]

Originally Posted by E Gusto

Ok I like these comments. So what if like Albee said... Would adding an EQ at default levels first just to level it out, then Compressor, then have a 2nd EQ as the 3rd plugin for the desired tweaked settings you want after the compressor as standard? Or is this a waste of processing power?

Albee told me whatever sounds best once. He was right. I can tell you that even if I compress first I will use a high pass before it (or in the plug) so any low rumble that you can't hear doesn't trigger the compressor.

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by mhelm01

Albee told me whatever sounds best once. He was right. I can tell you that even if I compress first I will use a high pass before it (or in the plug) so any low rumble that you can't hear doesn't trigger the compressor.

Props to Joe Meek for that. +1 for using a HPF before the compressor too(that's part of my EQ settings before compression).

[tommyknocker]

I tried the compressor first last night, I usually do 1 band eq 1st,then 3-4 or 7 band "tweak" eq then compressor/limiter. It made a difference on my bass track but not so much on drums? So thanks......question, I don't use reverb/delay much directly...usually thru aux. sends as it seems it doesn't change it as much? Any better way and what delay or reverb, if any do you use on drums....snare,kick, etc. any new tips are much appreciated and again thanks!

[ericlees]

anyone can be first, you just need to choose which likes you more... i love compressors so i trick many engineers use.... i eq using a compressor or multiple compressors...you should know that dynamics processors such as compressors and gates can give you eq effect by adjusting the right amount of compression and the attack and realease time

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by ericlees

anyone can be first, you just need to choose which likes you more... i love compressors so i trick many engineers use.... i eq using a compressor or multiple compressors...you should know that dynamics processors such as compressors and gates can give you eq effect by adjusting the right amount of compression and the attack and realease time