EQ'ing afterwards?

[Zoofie]

Hey all
I use a mixer which does NOT support multitrack , so everything from the mixer comes out in 2 stereo channels on my laptop. I am wondering if it is normal to get alot better EQ'ing if i do it in software afterwards rather than physically on the mixer itself? I know i can't EQ each mic individually this way , but still it seems to sound good , is this normal :)?
Thanks alot!

[Wile E. Coyote]

Hey all
I use a mixer which does NOT support multitrack , so everything from the mixer comes out in 2 stereo channels on my laptop. I am wondering if it is normal to get alot better EQ'ing if i do it in software afterwards rather than physically on the mixer itself? I know i can't EQ each mic individually this way , but still it seems to sound good , is this normal :)?
Thanks alot!
If something sounds bad when you transfer it to the computer it won't be possible to correct it without compromising the other instruments. Maybe you have to lower some freq that you want to keep in some other part. But if you're happy, carry on!
The problem is that maybe you don't want the same reverb on the hi-hat and on the snare and things like that...
But if you have a good instrument in a nice hall that sounds good acoustically, you shouldn't need anything else that a pair of good condenser mics. Classical recordings are very often done this way, just respecting the natural acoustics. Unusual in modern music though...

[PQleyR]

Depends on the sound you're after, but if it sounds good then it can't be wrong!

[jer]

I like to go by the "garbage in, garbage out" train of thought. Although there is a lot you can do to make a recording sound better after the fact, one should still strive for the best possible sound when tracking.

In your example, I suggest a lot of testing and tweaking before commiting to your sound. I've done recordings in the exact same way you've described and been happy with the results.

[The Parasprinter]

Get your sound as close as you can coming out of the mixer (I'm assuming you can EQ individual drums or at least individual mics from your mixer); minor tweaks afterward are normal, but you don't want to get your sound this way.

[larryace]

Record dry, no effects, (and if possible) make a copy of it, and eq and add whatever you want afterwards. If you really mess it up you have a dry backup copy, so it's fail safe. Just make sure to make another copy before using the back up copy