Apply effects to specific frequencies

[djd711]

Is there a way to add a delay/echo and reverb only to the highs and mids of a track? Adding these effects to the whole spectrum gives a muddy distortion in the lows.

Also what is the easiest way to match the delay/echo to the tempo of a track?

Thanks!

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

You haven't said in which mode (waveform or multitrack) you want to do this, but the basic procedure is the same in both - you set up an effects chain where the first item is something like the parametric EQ, and filter out the low frequencies according to taste. Then put the reverb as the second item in the chain. It's input is from the EQ, so it will only affect what you've selected in it.

The other approach, which is more direct, is to use Studio Reverb, where you can apply low frequency cut directly. The only snag with this is that it doesn't give you precise control over the level, and that's where the chain scores points - it will let you 'shape' the feed to the reverb, and that's why it's a more flexible approach.

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

As for the tempo/delay thing, I've only ever done this by ear. If you have clear beats though, you could measure the time between one and the next, and the time you'd need to set for the repeats would be an easy fraction of this (2, 3 or 4 usually), depending upon what you're trying to achieve.

[djd711]

This works however I want to actually keep the low frequencies in the track. After I have EQ'd then applied my delay how do I restore the dry low end?

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

Thought you might be back!

The normal way to do this is to carry out the whole procedure in Multitrack. What you do is keep the original on one track, and on another track put a second copy, and apply the effects rack to it. It's important that you have the rack set to 100% wet. Now, using the multi-track mixer you can determine how much of the wet track you hear in the result, whilst keeping all of the original from the first track. The other neat thing about this is that if you use the automation, you can vary any of the effects parameters throughout the track if you need to.

[Charles VW]

Some people use the ​Edit > Frequency Band Splitter​ command to split up the file in different frequencies, then process those bands in parallel.