EQ3V

Creating music is a beautiful and engaging activity that can become a lifelong passion and, hopefully, a stable source of income. But apart from the composition and choosing the instruments that you like, you must also know how to make them sound well together, which is easier said than done. Any song you make will have to sound great on any pair of headphones or speakers, and if it’s going to make any money, then it should also be phonically aligned to the so-called “industry standards." All this is achieved through the process called mastering.

Now, don’t worry, because not too many musicians or producers know how to master their songs. But if you want to add that skill to your resume, then you should also know how to use the proper tools, and EQ3V is a piece of software that could help.

Like all plugins from Mellowmuse, EQ3V is nothing fancy but proves itself an efficient tool that can get the job done. The plugin is inspired by hardware analog units and doesn’t come with a visual spectrum analyzer. This means that you either have to use an external spectrometer plugin or just rely on your ears, which is never a bad idea if they’re properly trained.

EQ3V is certainly not a plugin for beginners, despite the fact that any sound engineer will find it extremely easy to use due to its simple interface. This is a 7-band EQ, so it allows you to adjust frequencies with a lot of precision. Moreover, it comes with its own analog-modeled saturation, which is a very welcome addition during the mastering process.

Even though an EQ is not the only plugin you need during mastering, EQ3V is a powerful tool that you can add to your arsenal for a reasonable price. And while it doesn’t come with any visual aid or presets, it does make a noticeable difference to your sound as soon as you start turning those knobs.