is there a plug-in to make frequency selection easier?
I'm interested in putting FX on certain frequencies. I know how to use the 3-band splitter and putting the fx afterward, routing the tracks method, but I'm wondering if there isn't an easier way?
For example insert "frequency selection" plug-in, select range by typing it in,(500hz-1khz) and then insert FX (like reverb, exciter) after that would affect only the selected range (500hz-1khz).
The vst recommended here are fine, but they don't isolate certain frequencies to be targeted for fx AFTER in the chain.
For example, I'm currently taking my source track, duplicating it twice (3 tracks in all) Putting a reaper EQ on each track and breaking it into three different bands. First band everything up to 120 hz, second from 121 to 10,000 and the third, from 10000 to 20000.
This gives me the flexibility to put any fx on any of the bands I choose to without affecting the others frequencies while listening to the track with all frequencies.
You can use "JS 5 band splitter" It will take ch 1 & 2, split it at 4 crossover frequencies, and send the lows to 1&2, low mid to 3&4, Mid to 5&6 etc. Then you can put your FX chains in place on those pins, and sum them together at the end.
edit: If you want a steeper crossover than The LOSER Splitter can give you then you can use JS Schwa FFT Splitter.
You can use "JS 5 band splitter" It will take ch 1 & 2, split it at 4 crossover frequencies, and send the lows to 1&2, low mid to 3&4, Mid to 5&6 etc. Then you can put your FX chains in place on those pins, and sum them together at the end.
edit: If you want a steeper crossover than The LOSER Splitter can give you then you can use JS Schwa FFT Splitter.
thanks. I found this fx, put it in, but when I play it back, it is extremely muffled, like it is only giving me the 20hz-200hz. I then tried the plug in pin connectors, and put it on 10 channels (2 for each frequency) kind of like it has in the manual, but nothing changed. What am I doing wrong?
You could just route track 1 to two empty tracks and slap some reaEq and whatever else on those - no need to duplicate. This seems less complicated to me than having three or four bands with different fx all on the same track, whether it's possible or not.
I was hoping there was a plugin that could do this without me having to duplicate the tracks.
But you don't have to duplicate the tracks. In the OP you said "I know how to use the 3-band splitter and ... routing the tracks method.". You're sure?
1. source track (master/parent send disabled) with 3-band splitter
2. 1/2 receive from source track 1/2
3. 1/2 receive from source track 3/4
4. 1/2 receive from source track 5/6
I'd put them all in a folder, and most of all, I would set the frequency selection of the splitter to "show in track controls". That way you can fine-tune the FX without opening the plugin itself.
You can also do it all in one track. I fyou send the splitter to ten channels, you have to get them back down to ch1/2 before it goes to the master, because by default 1/2 are the only ones going to the master. Set the FX inputs to the appropriate channels for the frequency band you want, then add another plugin (I think there is a "JS Summer" plugin) that has all 10 channels as inputs, but only outputs to 1/2.
You can also do it all in one track. I fyou send the splitter to ten channels, you have to get them back down to ch1/2 before it goes to the master, because by default 1/2 are the only ones going to the master. Set the FX inputs to the appropriate channels for the frequency band you want, then add another plugin (I think there is a "JS Summer" plugin) that has all 10 channels as inputs, but only outputs to 1/2.
thanks guys, I wanted to respond earlier, but couldn't because of work
I thought I knew what I was doing, but I guess I don't -_-.
Here's what I've been doing.
I did this which is straight from the manual:
"3. We now are going to create three tracks – let’s call them
Ghost Tracks – to mirror each of the three bands that we
are going to split our Gtr Body track into. Create these
three tracks and label them Low, Medium, and High.
See illustration on right.
4. Display the IO Window for the Gtr Body track. Set the
number of Channels (near the top) to 6, and create
sends to each of the three tracks that you have just
created.
5. Send Audio from Channels 1/2 to 1/2 on the Low
track, Channels 3/4 to 1/2 on the Medium track, and
Channels 5/6 to 1/2 on the High track (see illustration
right).
7. Now open the FX window for the Gtr Body track and
insert the JS LOSER/3BandSplitter."
I did all of this and it worked, but I had the same problem as this guy:
taking Schwa's advice, I tried to eliminate one of the tracks and use the source track as one of the output band tracks, but I couldn't figure out how to send it to itself.
Then I tried to put them in a folder and turn of the master/parent of the source track, but I'm not sure if I put them all into a folder, or I created the source track as a folder and the other 3 tracks were inside of it? In any event, when I turned off the master/parent I got silence.
If someone could work me through step by step, I'd really appreciate it.
I've been following this thread and got curious how ReaEQ filters might accomplish splitting the freqs up. So I set up a project using a Pink Noise generater and split it up with 3 ReaEQ HP, LP filters.
To do this I set up a pink noise SubBus with 8 channels and 3 ReaEQ filters. The link below show the routing for the sub-bus.
When I first set it up I only used 1 band for each HP, LP filter but wasn't happy with the results so I ended up using 2 bands for each HP, LP position. The link below shows ReaEQ filters.
When I first observed the Span spectrum analyser graphs of the individual filters (in the link below) I wasn't too impressed and didn't think they would combine well at all.
But after I combined (summed) them I was rather amazed at how flat they turned out. Below is a screenshot of the straight pink nose before filetering along with the summed ReaEQ filters.
Based on this test I don't think I'd be afraid at all to use ReaEQ to split frequencies. I should mention though that I raised the 300hrz to 1K-hrz 3db, it was just a little low.
For anyone wanting to check it out I've attached the Reaper Project file for you to download. It uses Voxengo Span for the spectrum analysis so if you don't have that you won't see the graphs but at least you can check out the routing.
I made this image after modifying a graphic I did for another post. In the above example you start by giving the track 6 channels, either in the I/O screen in the MCP/TCP or by hitting the + sign on the Pin diagram for the the 3 Band Splitter. So the insert effects appear on the FX screen and MCP in this order with their pin configs in (): JS: LOSER/3BandSplitter(1-6/1-6), ReaComp(1/2-1/2), ReaEQ(3/4-3/4), ReaDelay(3/4-3/4), JS: LOSER/stereoEnhancer(5/6-5/6), JS: IX/Mixer 8xS-1xS(1/6-1/6).
The splitter has to be first, Mixer last and the EQ has to come before the Delay to match the graphic, but the order of the other plugs are not vital as the pin configuration handles the separation of bands. I tested it and it sounds like its working properly.
Edit: I've attached a track template for the above. Should work for any Reaper user.
If you are instead sending the splits to separate tracks, you wanna make sure that you're sending the correct subchannels to the new channels. In other words the send dialog for say the middle band should be "Audio 3/4 => 1/2" and the high band would be "Audio 5/6 => 1/2".
It's pretty easy to do this right now in Reaper without any fancy plugins. Create a new track, drop Reafir on to it and carve out the frequency range you want.
Insert any effects you want on that frequency range after Reafir.
Finally send whatever tracks you want over to the effect track.
For the effect I used the DVS Trancegate, one of a really nice set of free plugins (PocketPlugins suite) from http://www.dreamvortex.co.uk/
You can have even more fun by using LFO's to bounce around the frequency group you're effecting as well
@ zappa, won't that frequency range, 500-1k, be doubled up both with the original unaltered and then an effected version laid on top? Might not be the desired effect, although I'm not the OP.
@ zappa, won't that frequency range, 500-1k, be doubled up both with the original unaltered and then an effected version laid on top? Might not be the desired effect, although I'm not the OP.
Sure Chris, but to be honest that's kinda how I read the OP. I'm not sure how desirable replacing the frequency group in question with the effected version would be, but of course in Reaperland, anything's possible
So let's see... copy over ReaFIR from track 2 above to the original track (1) and switch it from "EQ" to "Subtract". Change send mode to pre-fx. Done!
thanks guys, I only have about 30 min a day to work on this and each of your examples will probably take me a few hours each to get through. (^_^)
@tod
I was able to open your project file but it said that vox span is not available when I definitely have it on my computer...??? I wonder why.
@chriscomfort
how did you get the reaQ fx to go to channels 3/4? Even after opening up the file, I couldn't figure it out.
@zappa
that's kind of what I'm already doing or I did at first. Chriscomfort it right though, I don't want any additional frequencies doubled up both with the original unaltered and then an effected version laid on top. I'll have to try that eq subtract if this doesn't work out.
But I'm excited about Chris' way. That's what I want, one track and I can manipulate the frequencies as I wish.
I was able to open your project file but it said that vox span is not available when I definitely have it on my computer...??? I wonder why.
Probably because they are different versions. All you have to do is add your own Span to replace the ones I have. Primarily add them to the last 4 tracks (tracks 1, 2, 3, and 4) in the mixer control panel (MCP). That way you can see what each band is doing (tracks 3,4,5) as well as see how they are summed (track 6).
Quote:
But I'm excited about Chris' way. That's what I want, one track and I can manipulate the frequencies as I wish.
You can use this method with ReaEQ on one channel too if you wish. I only used the 6 tracks to make it easier to see whats going on. Actually if you're going to use different FX on the split freqs, I would recommend at least 3 extra bus tracks for the 3 different freq, it makes it a lot easier, but that's your call.
Something to consider is that although the JS:3bandsplitter works very well, the ReaEQ has a much steeper cutoff slope. The JS-Splitter has about a 6db per octave slope while each band of ReaEQ has about 9db per octave slope. Two bands of ReaEQ will give you about 18db per octave slope and still sums very well.
You can actually add another band to ReaEQ but then it starts to put a dip at the cutoff frequencies.
Hi uglijimus, again out of curiosity I've been experimenting with this today. I've attached a Reaper project file that includes both the ReaEQ and JS:3BandSplitter.
I've got the mutes on the ReaEQ and JS:Splitter tracks grouped so you can compare. I also added a later version of Span that hopefully you have.
Download the Project file and let me know if it comes up properly with the Span.
This is just for you to compare but can probably be manipulated for what you need.
Hi uglijimus, again out of curiosity I've been experimenting with this today. I've attached a Reaper project file that includes both the ReaEQ and JS:3BandSplitter.
I've got the mutes on the ReaEQ and JS:Splitter tracks grouped so you can compare. I also added a later version of Span that hopefully you have.
Download the Project file and let me know if it comes up properly with the Span.
This is just for you to compare but can probably be manipulated for what you need.
Tod, I appreciate how much work you've put into my post, but I'm embarrassed to admit, I really can't understand your posts, they're too advanced for me. What is the purpose of the vox span?
Is it to see if the frequencies are being accurately split?
Tod, I appreciate how much work you've put into my post, but I'm embarrassed to admit, I really can't understand your posts, they're too advanced for me. What is the purpose of the vox span?
Is it to see if the frequencies are being accurately split?
Yes, using pink noise and the spectrum analyzer it can tell you exactly how the bands are being sliced up. You can see their slopes as well their levels and especially how they are reacting at their crossover points.
For example, using the JS:3BandSplitter you can easily see that any FX you put on the mid frequencies will also affect a great deal of the low and high frequencies as well. The ReaEQ will also affect them but not near as much.
How much this matters in real life applications depends on the FX and the amounts being applied to the separate bands.
As far as the work I've put into this, that's okay, I wanted to see for myself what the differences might be.
Did my later version of Span work for you? If not you can easily put your own version of Span in. The important thing is to set the slope in Span at 3db so you have a flat response curve to work with, it's easier to see how everything is working.
If you have any questions let me know and I'll try walk you through them.
It's strange. When I load your project, the vox spans pop up. there's already 3 of them I think. But it still gives me a message that they are not properly 1oaded into the project (??). In any event, I do believe you are correct about their (referring to the JS: 3b splitter)lack of accuracy. I remember when I first started to set up my project just like it was in the manual. I put my mid band between 120hz- 190hz. I was targeting the low end of the guitars in my project. When I did it through the JS: 3b splitter, it displayed that range, but you are right, there was some lows (lower than 120) and some highs (definitely higher than 190) in there too, because a melody was discernible when it shouldn't have been.
I think I'm going to stick to reaEQ or the fir version because that's what I'm used to and seems to give the most accurate results. thanks again!
p.s. how did you get the master all the way over to the right side?
is there a plug-in to make frequency selection easier?
Linear Mode
