Resolution V21.7 November-December 2021

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Q with high and low shelving filters that have overlapping 10Hz to 20kHz ranges and up to 96dB/octave slopes. These two filters are fixed as shelves, but you can split them into transient and tonal streams and individually adjust the frequency point of their knees.

Six bands

Eventide SplitEQ BARRY RUDOLPH assesses Eventide’s new approach to equalisation

T

he Eventide SplitEQ (Mac and PC in VST, AAX and AU) is based on its patented Structural Split technology, originally developed for the modification and reconfiguration of dynamics in an earlier Eventide plugin called Physion. Both Physion and now SplitEQ divide the incoming audio into two components or parallel streams: the ‘transient’ and ‘tonal’ signals and recombines them at the output. For an equalizer/filter, this is a novel approach for applying corrective equalization and/or creative tone shaping for enhancing, repairing, or even widening the stereo image of audio sources including finished mixes. The implications are many: now you can boost/cut (using extreme values) and focus on very specific and tight areas without the typical 'collateral damage' associated with drastic audio surgery using conventional equalizers.

signals together or split them into separate views and either pre or post processing using controls in the Structural Spilt section at the bottom of the GUI (more below). The two curves (blue and green) are very close to the same color (visually, for me) and a good update would be to make these colours selectable preferences. SplitEQ uses a beautiful-looking parametric

Next are six overlapping bands of precise filters with an extensive collection of controls available for each colour-coded band in the Band Editor. The Band Editor has six filter types available for each of these six bands and, unlike the two shelving filters, each band's center frequency is the same for both transient and tonal streams; when you drag a node sideways in frequency, they move together. Filter types are: low shelf, peak, notch, high shelf, tilt shelf and bandpass. All EQ/filters in the six bands are available for individual adjustment for the transient and/or the tonal streams or you may adjust them locked together just like a conventional parametric EQ. You can bypass individual EQ sections, link/ unlink and solo tonal or transient EQ'd streams, apply different Qs from a broad .025 to an extremely narrow Q of 40, and set individual band gain(s) of either stream.

Stereo audio

On stereo (only) audio tracks, clicking on the Pan button in the Split section changes the Band Editor into a Pan Editor so you may shuffle and spread the effect(s) of the transient and tonal EQs across the stereo field. Each band has a choice between regular L/R panning (intensity) or Mid/Side panning where the stereo width of the transient relative to the tonal is adjustable and you then preserve any offset between them; i.e. they move together when you make any subsequent changes. This is an amazing and evocative feature for me as a music mixer!

Split and display

The SplitEQ GUI has two faders/meters labeled Transient and Tonal for rebalancing these two components in any ratio. But the real power lies in the ability to do this microscopically in the frequency domain by individually cutting/ boosting gain in the transient and/or the tonal streams and in up to eight overlapping frequency bands. The resizable SplitEQ GUI displays the energies existing in both the transient and tonal components as two curves superimposed over an excellent real-time spectrum analyzer. You can view the summed tonal and transient 26 / November/December 2021

/ The SplitEQ GUI clearly shows the changes to Transient and Tonal signals


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