Ableton Live: More clarity doesn’t have to mean more width

Fiore first explains the different operating modes of the EQ. In mid/side mode, the mid (the mono component) and the sides each get their own curves. This isn't about splitting low and high frequencies. His example: a stereo piano sample with built-in effects. When there's no separate effect track available, at least the mid and sides can be weighted differently.

In the demonstration, Fiore wants less brightness in the center and searches for a problematic frequency there. Then he switches to processing the sides and demonstrates the difference. At first, he describes more focus in the center and much more width. Then he corrects himself: width doesn't quite capture what he hears. This clarification is more valuable than the usual promise of a huge stereo image.

The interventions are anything but timid. Fiore himself admits to boosting some areas quite a bit, and defends this against the idea that an EQ should only cut. His reasoning is down-to-earth: sometimes certain existing frequencies need to stand out more, not the whole sound getting louder.

But he doesn't turn this into a new rule. At the end, he encourages bigger changes, but also pulling back if the result doesn't convince. Especially for synth users, this attitude fits: Fiore himself describes their frequency ranges as less clear-cut than those of other instruments. A number from a chart doesn't replace a musical decision.

Harvey Sutherland, in Noisegate's "How Harvey Sutherland and O'Flynn Build a Live Show," faces a different practical challenge. Much of his material is rendered audio, with the drums as a complete mix. Still, he doesn't want to be limited to controlling the whole block when performing. For this, he uses a crossover plug-in:

Here, the split isn't between mid and side, but between frequency bands. Each drum band gets its own effects. Sutherland combines this with his fondness for dub processes, controlling things like delay time and feedback with long fader throws. The split isn't just for tidying up: it turns a prepared drum mix back into material that can be worked with live.

Speedy J, in MusicRadar Tech's studio visit for his album "Walkman," draws the line differently. From a collection of break loops, he develops a generative environment in Ableton. He describes the result as a relentless breakbeat avalanche. But the technical construction alone isn't enough for him: he misses a contrast.

He finds it in a separately recorded, slowly evolving drone passage. He combines the two recordings into a track that transitions from overload to calm. Here, what's missing isn't the right EQ curve, but a counterpart in the arrangement. A good reminder for anyone tempted to reach for another correction curve at the densest part of their arrangement.