Equalization (EQ)

Equalization (EQ) is the process of adjusting the volume of specific frequencies within an audio signal. It is the audio equivalent of color correction. If a voice sounds muddy, nasal, or tinny, you fix it with EQ.

The Built-in 6-Band Parametric EQ

Oraphim features a professional 6-band EQ built into every single channel strip. You do not need to add a plugin to use it; simply double-click the EQ graph on any track in the Mixer.

The EQ graph displays frequency (pitch) from left to right:

• 20 Hz - 200 Hz: Lows (Bass rumble, wind noise, deep male voices).
• 200 Hz - 2 kHz: Midtones (The core of human speech, nasality, boxiness).
• 2 kHz - 20 kHz: Highs (Sibilance/hissing "S" sounds, cymbals, air/breathiness).

The 6 Bands

You have 6 distinct "nodes" or "bands" you can activate to alter the curve:

• Band 1 (High-Pass Filter): Usually set to cut all frequencies below a certain point (e.g., 80Hz). This is mandatory for almost all dialogue to remove invisible sub-bass rumble caused by air conditioners or truck traffic outside.
• Bands 2, 3, 4, 5 (Bell Filters): These allow you to target a specific frequency, set the width of the target (the Q-factor), and boost or cut the volume.
• Band 6 (Low-Pass Filter or High Shelf): Used to cut extreme high-frequency hiss, or boost the "air" to make a voice sound more crisp and intimate.

Subtractive vs. Additive EQ

Professional audio engineers generally prefer Subtractive EQ over Additive EQ.

• Bad Approach: The voice sounds muddy, so you boost the high frequencies by +6dB to make it clearer.
• Good Approach: The voice sounds muddy, so you find the specific muddy frequency in the low-mids (usually around 300Hz-500Hz) and cut it by -3dB.

By cutting the bad frequencies rather than boosting the good ones, you preserve the natural tone of the recording and avoid artificially inflating the overall volume of the track.

The Sweep Technique

If you hear a weird ringing or honking sound in a recording but aren't sure what frequency it is:

1. Activate Band 3.
2. Narrow the Q-factor so it forms a sharp, thin spike.
3. Boost the gain significantly (+10dB).
4. Slowly drag the frequency left and right across the spectrum while the audio plays.
5. When the ugly sound suddenly becomes unbearably loud, you have found the culprit frequency.
6. Now, simply drag the gain down to -4dB to surgically remove that specific flaw.