The Off/On switch on the right can be used to activate the sidechain EQ. Once active (with the Sidechain
Monitor switch also active), the signal now being fed to the compressor input can be heard and the remaining
sidechain EQ controls can be used to adjust the band as desired.
Use the small menu called up by clicking the box on the right (containing Low-shelf or similar) to set the
type of EQ band to either low-/high- shelf or band-pass. With low- or high- shelf selected, the low or high
frequencies can be boosted or cut using the first dial to set the gain (from -20 to +20dB) and the second dial
to set the frequency. In band-pass mode, a small band of frequencies can be boost or cut, with a third dial
also appearing to allow the bandwidth to be set.
Once the desired EQ is set, deactivate the Sidechain Monitor switch (with the sidechain EQ On/Off switch still
active) to hear the resulting effect. The sidechain EQ On/Off switch can be toggled on and off at this point to
hear the result without the sidechain EQ controls disappearing. Remember that to remove a particular band
of frequency, you first have to boost it in the sidechain EQ band. So, to get rid of nasty sibilance on a vocal,
first set the EQ type to band-pass, then set the bandwidth/Q to the maximum setting (10/very narrow) and the
gain to the maximum setting, then select a frequency of between 5 and 10kHz. With the Sidechain Monitor
switch active, you should now hear the sibilance very obviously. Activating the sidechain EQ On/Off switch and
turning Sidechain Monitor off will then de-ess the vocal.
HARDWARE CONTROL
The Liquid Mix hardware can be used to control the sidechain EQ, rather than the plug-in window, if desired.
With the hardware, the sidechain controls can be viewed and edited without having to activate the Sidechain
Monitor switch in the plug-in window. This is done by using the DATA encoder to select ‘ScEq’ (Sidechain EQ)
along the bottom of the hardware LCD screen. Doing so makes the EQ controls active, as indicated by the
LEDs above each dial.
Press Band On to turn the sidechain EQ on
and off (with ScEq selected on the screen)
Press Sidechain Monitor to listen to the sidechain
EQ band being sent to the compressor input
Adjust the sidechain EQ with
the three EQ controls (Q is only
active in band-pass mode)
Press the SHAPE button to change the type of sidechain EQ band, by
then selecting low-/high- shelf or band-pass with the DATA encoder
from the list that appears on the LCD screen
Select ScEq on the screen to start editing the sidechain
EQ with the EQ controls below and to the right
