A New/Innovative Idea for EQ (I think)

[Sir Edward V]

I was just thinking (well I've thought about it before, but I was also thinking about it a minute ago too!) that Equalizers boost and cut specific frequencies that, of course we can customize to our will. The thing I was thinking about was how this set of boosted and cut frequencies stays intact while playing all over the fretboard. The result of this is, for example, say you boost the lows and leave everything else down or cut. Maybe then an open low E sounding low and boomy, but the highest notes not necessarily sounding so bassy, because they have almost no frequencies resonating in the range you have boosted. So I have been wondering why a system doesn't exist that reads what note you have played and adjusts the EQ accordingly. The idea I have to for a user interface would be similar to whatever EQ style you like, just instead of set frequencies there are frequencies that are relative to the note you play. In even more high-tech versions of this, you could set a different tone once you pass a certain pitch. so all your bassy notes have one tone, and the highest ones have a different tone.

So, talkbass effects forum public, has anyone heard of something like this? I know I haven't!

But also this might be highly unneccessary, I know I am usually happy with my EQ capabilities and the amount of work and $$$ it would take to design something like this might make it not worth it. (Thoughts on this?)

I'm thinking a system like this might just allow for complete scuplting of tone, like enabling any instruement to sound like any other instrument. I think its a possibility anyways, this is also accomplishable through midi, but thats still more fake than this would be methinks.

hmm another idea is for something like this that changed, say distortion or filter settings. The filter one would be great cause its always a problem to get a filter sounding the same on all notes played.

I'm kind of rambling on now, but I think a system that did this would at least be interesting, if not useful.

Comment time!

[Step]

I don't really get what you mean by read what notes you play and adjusts the EQ
do you mean that, if you have a low boomy E, and then play an E 3 octaves up it will also sound low and boomy?
to put it in other words: you want boom but you want equal boom across all strings, and an EQ that adjusts itself accordingly?

or did I totally misread

[Silent Fly]

Ok - so if I understand correctly, you were thinking to an EQ that that doesn't cut/boost at a fix frequency

Instead it cut/boost to a frequency that it is related to the note played. E.g. one octave lower or one octave higher.

In a way, it is similar to a Wah were the position is relative to the note played.

Interesting...

[Anscari]

He wants an EQ pedal that EQ's every fret in every string differently. That would be the final solution to all the feedbacks and vibrations in certain frequencies with small, poorly aconditioned rooms. I fins it to be SO great, but also SO difficult to put it on practice and come with a system which is fully usable... because "reading" notes is what a synth are supposed to do, and qe all now what's up with Synths and "reading notes"

[fishtx]

mo' money....and I can foresee tracking issues with a design like this.

Also are you allowing the device to do predict how the EQ should be set for each fret and string? Or, would you need to manually set the EQ for each freta and string the way you want?

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by Step

I don't really get what you mean by read what notes you play and adjusts the EQ
do you mean that, if you have a low boomy E, and then play an E 3 octaves up it will also sound low and boomy?
to put it in other words: you want boom but you want equal boom across all strings, and an EQ that adjusts itself accordingly?

or did I totally misread

yes and no, the high E will never be the same kind of boomy as the low one, but what I want is boomy for a high E

the idea you have is close

Originally Posted by Silent Fly

Ok - so if I understand correctly, you were thinking to an EQ that that doesn't cut/boost at a fix frequency

Instead it cut/boost to a frequency that it is related to the note played. E.g. one octave lower or one octave higher.

In a way, it is similar to a Wah were the position is relative to the note played.

Interesting...

exactly

Originally Posted by Anscari

He wants an EQ pedal that EQ's every fret in every string differently. That would be the final solution to all the feedbacks and vibrations in certain frequencies with small, poorly aconditioned rooms. I fins it to be SO great, but also SO difficult to put it on practice and come with a system which is fully usable... because "reading" notes is what a synth are supposed to do, and qe all now what's up with Synths and "reading notes"

based on strings would be harder to do with your average one pickup per string bass. but based on notes/pitch is the goal.

and that is a good point with the note reading, a first model of this would most likely be expensive if it were to be any good. I think with the right amount of money it could track well.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by fishtx

mo' money....and I can foresee tracking issues with a design like this.

Also are you allowing the device to do predict how the EQ should be set for each fret and string? Or, would you need to manually set the EQ for each freta and string the way you want?

my idea is a for it to predict. You give it the general settings, then it shifts it up or down based on the note you play

and again, my intentions do not involve doing anything with different strings, everything I am thinking of is basing its judgment off of pitch.

you could set the eq for each note, but that would be much harder for a user to set up. my idea for the interface would be no more complicated to the user than current EQs

[Scionreality]

+1 to tracking issues.

Plus, could you just get, say, a Boss guit*r EQ in addition to your bass EQ?

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by Scionreality

Plus, could you just get, say, a Boss guit*r EQ in addition to your bass EQ?

Thats not the right idea though...

[tomhanzo]

well would a limiter/enhancer be combined with a eq to make that happen????????? if some one builds pedals that may be the way to accomplish this

[Scionreality]

Originally Posted by Sir Edward V

Thats not the right idea though...

Right. I was suggesting that it may be a cheaper and easier (and existing) way to accomplish that same goal. Unless I understand the goal wrong.

The Guitar EQ would provide the frequency ranges all the way up through the entire range of a bass, and you'd be set.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by tomhanzo

well would a limiter/enhancer be combined with a eq to make that happen????????? if some one builds pedals that may be the way to accomplish this

Don't limiter/enhancers change what they do based on volume (not pitch, which is what would be needed for this)?

Originally Posted by Scionreality

Right. I was suggesting that it may be a cheaper and easier (and existing) way to accomplish that same goal. Unless I understand the goal wrong.

The Guitar EQ would provide the frequency ranges all the way up through the entire range of a bass, and you'd be set.

That would solve the goal of the example I gave, but that was just an example, not a problem I am actually having. The goal is to acheive the same EQ tone on every single note you play which isn't achieved by anything I know of.

[Nick Kay]

Wouldn't ever fly. Most people like the natural characteristics of the instrument they play, like the higher registers not having a big, boomy fundamental. The open string vs. fretted notes is a case for brass nuts and zero frets, not excessive dynamic EQ. Stop worrying about every note having the same characteristics - you have a bunch of them for a reason. If the high E doesn't carry enough heft for what you're doing, play it an octave down. If the low E doesn't cut through enough for what you're doing, play it an octave up. It's really just that simple.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

Wouldn't ever fly. Most people like the natural characteristics of the instrument they play, like the higher registers not having a big, boomy fundamental. The open string vs. fretted notes is a case for brass nuts and zero frets, not excessive dynamic EQ. Stop worrying about every note having the same characteristics - you have a bunch of them for a reason. If the high E doesn't carry enough heft for what you're doing, play it an octave down. If the low E doesn't cut through enough for what you're doing, play it an octave up. It's really just that simple.

I hear ya, but I still think this would be interesting to see what is possible. I think my idea with this is getting more and more similar to the options you have with midi/synthesizers.

I'm not saying its needed, but it might be cool. At least it could be a nice toy, lol.

hmm this system could actually be triggered by midi pickups, then applied to your analog signal... muahahaha! ...but then you need midi pickups

[Silent Fly]

Originally Posted by Sir Edward V

Don't limiter/enhancers change what they do based on volume (not pitch, which is what would be needed for this)?
(...)

Not necessarily only on volume. Bi-band compressors like the EBS multi-comp can compress the signal based on frequency and volume.

Some advanced sound processors, can compress the signal based on multiple frequencies. An example is the Behringer Ultracurve Pro DEQ2496. In the user manual, the DEQ function explains how it works.

[ga_edwards]

I'm wondering if a feedback destroyer type circuit could acheive the desired result. Being an automatic tuning multiband notch filter, it could be set to find the 'boom' over multiple frequencies and notch the offending ones out, therefore giving pleasing, flat tone.

Although, much of the boom isn't necessarily from the bass or the amp, more likely the speaker cab and the room it's in, even the position in the room. Therefore a wide band mic would be required to feed the 'boom-destroyer' when it senses such ugliness.

[Corporate Boy]

Doesn't the Alembic Super Filter do this type of thing?

[ehque]

Um. It's already been done. Its called "Pickup brand and placement".



Effects wise though, perhaps you are looking for a pitch controlled filter. Don't think it'd be all that hard to build, digitally. Just analyse the input to find the loudest frequency in the same way feedback killers work, then move the entire EQ shape to center on that frequency instantaneously. Probably need not even be digital, if you had enough analog frequency bands analysing the signal...

in fact, this is really really like a feedback killer, with the minor modification of the notch EQ shape being replaced by a user defined EQ shape.

[Sir Edward V]

never heard of a feedback killer/destroyer before, what's the dilly yo?

(thats right, I went there)

[mdiddium]

What about a more advanced multi-band compressor? Each part of the compressor could be tuned via EQ to match the others? Am I getting warmer?