Help with EQing: DI and Preamp/Mic'd cab

[JaketheB]

I've recently started producing with my drummer in his mini studio.
I'm using the widely done two track technique of DI'ing and micing my cab (or DIing preamp on my Trace Elliot Head)

When I EQ the tracks do I:

• EQ only the coloured signal and leave the clean DI (post recording, in the DAW)
• EQ them both equally
• Sort the EQ on the Amp and leave the clean DI (EQ prerecording)

Thanks in advance. Sorry if the above is nonsensical, I'm very tired.

 

[EastCoastThump]

If you know what sound you're after, this approach usually uses the DI for heft and clarity, while using the cab mic for color.

If that's what you're doing, the DI side is relatively straightforward: picked the DI box that suits the song or line(s) you're tracking. On the cab mic side of the signal, dial in your rig, mic choice, and placement to give the color you want for the track. If you don't know what that color is or you can't get it with the rig(s) you have available, then it's hardly worth recording a cab track.
In that case, (for quick-and-dirty work) track a clean DI and explore tones via plug-ins or re-amping.

Either way, adjust eq after tracking as needed/desired.

 

[seamonkey]

Well first the DI and Mic are out of phase

Here's a review of Waves Inphase plugin which can help with that.
Waves InPhase | Sound On Sound
Many other plugins exist that can do the similar alignments.
Or you can manually shift one of the tracks to align with the other.
Once they're in phase you'll have a "better" chance of mixing and EQ'ing them. Standard EQ, even in DAWs messes again with phase at different frequencies. (Unless you get a zero phase EQ plugin)

It's a lot of work and tweaking and you'll probably have the shortest path to a good sound by just using the DI track.

 

[JaketheB]

If you know what sound you're after, this approach usually uses the DI for heft and clarity, while using the cab mic for color.

If that's what you're doing, the DI side is relatively straightforward: picked the DI box that suits the song or line(s) you're tracking. On the cab mic side of the signal, dial in your rig, mic choice, and placement to give the color you want for the track. If you don't know what that color is or you can't get it with the rig(s) you have available, then it's hardly worth recording a cab track.
In that case, (for quick-and-dirty work) track a clean DI and explore tones via plug-ins or re-amping.

Either way, adjust eq after tracking as needed/desired.

Should I Eq the coloured track only or both equally?

 

[EastCoastThump]

Should I Eq the coloured track only or both equally?

EQ as needed/desired. A few scenarios:

1. The old-school ideal is that you dial in your tones and playing so that you don't need eq after tracking. Figure out what sounds fit with the band before tracking, and nail 'em while tracking.
2. If your basic tone is clean, you might use the DI track for most of your sound, high-pass (and probably low pass) the cab mic channel to give you some midrange color. You might also automate faders to bring that "color" track into the mix selectively. (For example, you probably don't need the bass adding midrange distortion during sections when the guitars are a fuzz-fest. But in more open moments of the mix, a little midrange overdrive from the bass cab mic can be just the ticket. BTW, the same principle can apply if your cab is carrying other FX: DI can give you clean heft, while the cab mic can carry color.)
3. OTOH, let's say your basic tone is grunty overdrive (e.g., a HBE Hematoma pushed pretty hard), and the band mix makes room for that tone. In that case, you might give the cab mic track more of the tone, and bring in the DI only as needed for clarity. You'd probably still high-pass and low-pass the the cab track, but less aggressively than in case #2. And you might selectively eq the DI track so it only reinforces the frequency range(s) you feel need support. Here, too, instead of setting up a static balance of DI + cab track, you might bring in the DI selectively at different parts of the song (via automating faders, or eq, or multi-band compression).