How to fine-tune your audio with Adobe's Parametric Equalizer

Hi, I’m Ian. With stints at Adult Swim, Conan, and editing reality tv (blegh!), I currently produce Live and On-demand video at Vimeo. I love shining a spotlight on our amazing creators, writing bios, and learning guitar.
Ian Blau
Audiophiles meet crisp, clear audio files. Adobe's Parametric Equalizer, polishes your vocals in no time, and this article breaks down how to use it.

When our video team is in the throes of post-production, we often lean on Adobe Premiere Pro’s robust toolkit of features. Their professional-grade audio effects streamline our sound editing process, and we mean it when we say it will save you hours — even days — in the editing room, whether you’re making marketing videos or short films.

This article introduces Adobe’s Parametric Equalizer (aka EQ), which is an essential final step in amplifying your video’s sound design. Watch the tutorial above for some quick tips on adding that final polish to your audio, or read on for a simple breakdown of how to incorporate it into your next project.

1. Equalize your audio

So, you’ve cut out your stutters and removed the buzz from your speaker’s audio track. To add that final clarity and flow to your vocals, go to Effects > Audio Effects > Parametric Equalizer. From there, drag Parametric Equalizer onto your clip.

If you want to further customize, click on your clip and go to Effect Controls > Custom Setup > Edit.

Pro-tip: For more clarity, raise the higher notes in the track; if you’re craving a fuller, bassier sound, boost those the lower frequencies.

2. The Vocal Enhancer saves you even more time

If it makes you happy, you’re welcome to spend hours manually tweaking your vocal frequencies to attain crisp, clear vocal perfection. But we’re proponents of conserving our post-production time by relying on the Vocal Enhancer. If you want to test it out, select Vocal Enhancer in your Parametric Equalizer’s dropdown menu. From there, tweak your frequencies up and down (it’s most effective if you keep it around 5 dB) until everything sounds right.

3. It’s case-by-case

Countless variables will influence your overall audio recording — a buzzing lightbulb, a speaker’s distance from your microphone, the brand of microphone you’re using. In each of these scenarios, you’ll want slightly different settings to finesse your video’s audio. No matter what you’re working with, the Parametric Equalizer is an excellent starting framework for all your audio mixes.

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