Unmask Your Instruments with Neutron 3 Equalizer

When working with instrument combinations, it's not uncommon for certain frequencies to clash or mask each other, making it difficult to achieve clarity in your mix. The neutron 3 equalizer is a powerful tool that can help you unmask your instruments and bring out the best in your music.

One common scenario where masking occurs is when the main vocal competes with the backgrounds or sustained notes in the bassline. In this case, setting the threshold correctly on your Neutron instance can allow the important vocal frequencies to drop in the guitar track when the vocal gets loud enough. By routing audio from the return track to the Neutron instance on the guitar channel and using the vocal signal as a sidechain input, you can create a dynamic EQ that responds to the vocal levels.

To do this, first create a return track and send your vocal to it at 0 dB, so the signal leaving the return track is as loud as the actual vocal track. Then, place an EQ node on the guitar channel and activate both Dynamic and Sidechain modes (in the 'Ext' setting). Next, determine the frequencies where the most masking is occurring using the Masking Meter feature.

Once you've identified the problematic frequencies, you can use Neutron's dynamic EQ to attenuate them subtly, allowing the vocal to shine through during important lyrical moments. For example, if your guitar tracks are getting masked by a prominent vocal part during the hook line, you can carve out space for both instruments using static EQs, but this might not be effective because the masking only occurs during certain moments in the track.

In such cases, dynamic EQ with a sidechain input is the way to go. By using Neutron's dynamic EQ and sidechain input, you can unmask your instruments from each other and achieve a clearer mix. Masking issues are common between many instrument combinations, including vocals and backgrounds, vocals and guitars, and bass and mid-range synths.

By applying the principles outlined above, you can use Neutron 3 equalizer to tame masking issues in your tracks and create a more balanced and polished mix.