Submit your EQ Curves

Special Interest Groups Audio Processing
101

The main one is to use standard file separators - “/” or “” according to whichever is used by the operating system. (only possible in recent versions of 1.3.13)
This not only makes it easier for users, but simplifies the instructions for use.

On the current beta version of Audacity, running this plug-in with default settings fails (with an error message) because (get-env) is not supported in 1.3.12. If this plug-in is released now, I think the default write location should be removed, forcing the user to manually enter a fully qualified file name - it is not currently possible to have default location that will work on all machines, not even on all Windows computers.

I also think that it is preferable to fall-back to the home folder if the user defined folder cannot be written to. This is also only possible with recent versions of 1.3.13.

As this is a “version 3” plug-in it will not work on Audacity 1.2.x.
As a “version 3” plug-in I think that it is reasonable to expect the user to have an up-to-date beta version of Audacity (and throw an error message if Audacity needs updating). I don’t think there is any need to support obsolete beta versions, and I would consider all old beta versions to be obsolete - IMHO that’s the nature of beta software.
So when Audacity 1.3.13 beta is released, the ugly workarounds can be (and IMO should be) removed.

As with my “Sample Data Export” plug-in, I think there’s a case for not releasing this plug-in until 1.3.13 is released, but for this plug-in, as there is currently a demand for EQ Curves there is also a strong case for releasing a version for Audacity 1.3.12 now.

BTW, it’s easy to test for Audacity 1.3.13 within the plug-in:

(if (fboundp 'get-env)(print "1.3.13 or later")(print "1.3.12 or earlier"))
102

I think it would be cleaner to wait until 1.3.13 is released, and then release a version of the plug-in with the workarounds removed, unless there is a significant demand for a version which will work with 1.3.12.

If there is, I can create a version to suit, but I would prefer to leave it as it is, and, if it is released now, tell users that it will only work with later versions of 1.3.13.

POL

103

I think too that we should wait for 1.3.13 Beta before “releasing” this to Wiki. Generally, I think the Wiki Download Nyquist Plug-ins page should not contain plug-ins that are dependent on -alpha code.

However I would suggest there would be no harm in linking on the Wiki page to the “New Plug-ins” forum with an appropriate warning/disclaimer.



Gale

104

Well, it’s been a while, but here is version 2.7 of the EQ Curve Generator, which should be ready to go to wiki.

I’ve stripped out the workarounds for the pre-1.3.13 versions of Audacity, and changed the behaviour so that it now:

  • quits with an error if used with a version of Audacity that doesn’t support get-env (i.e. 1.3.12 or earlier),
  • uses forward or back slashes consistent with the OS,
  • writes the xml file to the home directory if the user-defined destination is blank or if it can’t be written to, and inserts a message to that effect in the output screen,
  • quits with an error if the curve file name is blank,
  • checks and corrects the sign of the input parameters, and sets to zero any that are left blank.

I’ve also changed the Help screens as appropriate.

I’ve done some testing of it on Windows, and it looks OK, but it needs to be tested on Mac and Linux.

POL
78EQCurveGenV2-7_20120104.ny (17.3 KB)

105

Congratulations Irish, quite a mammoth job.
I’ve only looked at it briefly but looks good (testing on Debian Linux).
I’ll hopefully have time to give it a thorough workout over the weekend.

106

Dear members,

I propose the following approach to determine the “right” EQ curves:

  • Plot Spectrum and export for a well recorded song (e.g., from CD) after Normalize
  • Plot Spectrum and export for a poorly recorded song (e.g., from an old tape) after Normalize
  • Calculate gap (in db) for each frequency
  • Re-inject gap with opposite sign into EQ curves
  • Apply Equalization on poorly recorded song

I implemented that approach (in Excel and an text editor) and it does work quite well for my old tapes which all sound very muffled (low frequencies too pronounced). The spectra do not look exactly the same after the transformation - I suspect that is due to the fact that equalization does not work with exactly the determined gap in db.

Comments?
Best regards
---- Peter

107

After a hard drive crash I find I can no longer get to the EQ list on 1.13.13, probably because of 2.0.0 presence. I’ve looked for the appropriate folders and etc. but still can’t find a way to get the old list. It contains the AES curve which I had been using to convert European record EQ to American EQ, an issue I have not seen written of specifically elsewhere. I got the EQ program listed elsewhere here, but it has a problem with JAVA and won’t start, so I guess I’m stuck.

108

What problem is that?

What has a problem with JAVA? What does this have to do with EQ Curves?

Are you trying to get to the default EQ curves or some custom EQ curves that you made?
What operating system are you using?

109

1.3.13 onwards (so including 2.0.0) don’t include the old 78 RPM curves from previous Audacity versions, though if you had not lost the previous EQCurves.xml file where the curves are stored, 2.0.0 would still have retained your old 78 RPM curves.

You can download the old curves and import them back into the Audacity EQ effect. See Missing features - Audacity Support .


Gale

110

Thanks, Paraic. I added it to Missing features - Audacity Support (still noted as “experimental” until it also goes to Missing features - Audacity Support ).

I had a few slight issues and one (I assume) bug. Tested on Windows 7 x64.

1. “HELP - This Plug-in, Part 1”

I suggest the first paragraph says the xml file “can be” (not “is”) imported into EQ.

This plug-in generates an EQ curve from the Bass
Turnover frequency and 10 kHz Gain Rolloff values,
writing it to an xml file from which it can be
imported into Audacity’s Equalization effect.

Note you have “Equalisation” throughout whereas for US and app consistency and it should be “Equalization”.

2. Further down “HELP - This Plug-in, Part 1” you have C:/Users/JSmith/My Documents/My XML which of course is an invalid path on Windows.

3. “HELP - Cancelling RIAA EQ”

The current link for the “frozen” manual is:

Detailed instructions are in the Audacity Manual;
http://manual.audacityteam.org/help/manual/man/
recording_78rpm_records.html

Using the “frozen” link keeps users out of the alpha development Manual which could confuse them if it has changed a lot.

4. Not sure if I asked before, but can we by default write to Audacity’s folder for application data as this is known, rather than to user’s HOME folder ?
Windows 98/ME: WindowsApplication DataAudacity
Windows 2000/XP: Documents and SettingsApplication DataAudacity
Windows Vista/7: UsersAppDataRoamingAudacity
OS X: ~/Library/Application Support/audacity/
Linux: ~/.audacity-data/

This has the benefit that “Import…” in EQ will open there automatically.

5. Bug? If I write to:

C:UsersgaleAppDataRoamingAudacity78EQ.xml

then write to:

C:UsersgaleAppDataRoamingAudacity78EQ.xml

(note the removed slash), it writes to C:Usersgale78EQ.xml as planned (the user-defined folder was not found) but it also overwrites C:UsersgaleAppDataRoamingAudacity78EQ.xml with a zero bytes file.

6. So, is a file overwrite check possible - it would also help people wrongly thinking that a file with a lower case name on Windows was really a different file. I vaguely remember we said “not possible”?


Thanks


Gale

111

I can confirm that Windows 7 treats a file name as “case insensitive”: PGA.txt = pga.txt = PgA.txt = pGa.txt, and so on.

112

Thanks, yes Windows is always case-insensitive at user level. What I was asking if it were possible was a file overwrite check.


Gale

113

Yes I think that should be possible.
The code could try to read data from the file before writing. If any data can be read then the file exists and is not empty.

I seem to remember Edgar-rft posting a function for appending data to an existing file. (there may also be something similar in one of my “sample printer” plug-ins).

114

Further reading here shows your interest in 78s; mine is in Euro LPs. They have a different EQ curve, since at least the early 60s; inverting RIAA in modern US pre-amps and applying the AES curve improves the over-all sound. AES boosts 4 - 5 db more at 20 Hz and 2 db less at 20kHz; what the break points are I don’t know. (Why that curve? Memories - admittedly vague - of the old Marantz and its multi-stop phono knob. Attempts to find anything more specific are frustrating. Try googling AES and see how many pages you get.) Anyway, I had no idea that the new Audacity would go with a bunch of what I can only refer to as “novelty” curves and delete the one I needed. I tried working out a fix-up curve on RX2, but it is not likely very accurate; I lack numbers. Audacity allows any number of break points for EQ; a list of 1/3d octave numbers could be put in.

Oh. And: The problem with Equalizer program is: “Uncaught exception in main method: java.lang.NullPointerException” is given as the reason for not launching the java application. Platform is Intel Core Duo with OS X 10.6.8. JAVA updated just recently; didn’t help. Hope that helps.

115

I doubt that anyone here will be able to help with that problem as it is nothing to do with Audacity. If you want to use that program you will probably need to contact the developer or help forum for that program.

Regarding the Audacity Equalizer;
Are you trying to get to the default EQ curves or some custom EQ curves that you made?
What operating system are you using?

116

I already gave you instructions how to get the old 1.2 curves back including AES.

Download the attachment “AES.xml”.

1 Save the file to any location on your computer. The best location to save to is inside Audacity’s folder for application data as follows:

  •  Windows 98/ME: WindowsApplication DataAudacity

  •  Windows 2000/XP: Documents and Settings<user name>Application DataAudacity

  •  Windows Vista/7: Users<user name>AppDataRoamingAudacity

  •  OS X: ~/Library/Application Support/audacity/

  •  Linux: ~/.audacity-data/ .

2 Select some audio and choose Effect > Equalization.
3 Choose “Save/Manage Curves…”.
4 Choose “Import…”, select AES.xml, then “Open” (if you did not save the file to the above location, you’ll need to navigate to the correct location first).
5 Click “OK”.

In order to see Audacity’s folder for application data on Windows, Linux or OS X 10.7 and later, you need to show hidden files and folders. See instructions for Windows at http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial151.html and OS X 10.7 at Access User ~/Library Folder in OS X Mountain Lion & OS X Lion .



Gale
AES.xml (833 Bytes)

117

I just registered, so I hope you’ll all pardon me if I’m missing what may be self-evident to people who have contributed to this thread.

I was hoping to find additional EQ settings similar to the old 78 EQ settings that were in the old Audacity, and which I’ve now downloaded for Audacity 2. I found this thread and downloaded the file 78EQCurveGen.ny.zip.

My problem is three-fold:

  1. I don’t know what to do with this program once I’ve opened it as raw data in Audacity and gone to the page with the list of roll offs. A help pdf was mentioned in an earlier post, but I don’t see it in the zip file for the program.

  2. I’m not finding any other EQ xml files. Is there a page that I’m not finding? I suppose I expected to find tens of EQ settings, given the broad appeal of Audacity, and all I’ve found is the first file mentioned at the beginning of this thread, named 78rpm_EQCurves.xml. (Are there other EQ files?)

  3. And this file will not load. When I try to import it by using the Manage Curves dialog box, I see an error message reading “Error: junk after document element at line 134.” Was this file ever revised?

118

Do you mean the “78-Eq-Generator” thing?
If you just want to download and install some additional Eq curves you don’t need that. That is a plug-in effect for generating Eq curves for old vinyl RIAA type equalization.


Yes I agree that it is a little surprising that this feature has not really taken off. The feature was much requested but now that it exists it seems that few people actually use it. :confused:
There are a few curves available here: Missing features - Audacity Support
More importantly that page says how to load EQ curves.

119

You need to extract 78EQCurveGen.ny from the zip file, place the extracted 78EQCurveGen.ny in the “Plug-ins” folder inside the Audacity installation folder, then launch or restart Audacity,

Then click Generate > 78 RPM EQ Curve. You can find help in the plug-in by choosing one of the Help options in “Select Function or Help”.

Usage is quite simple.

  • 1 Choose the curve you want from the list on the Wiki page Missing features - Audacity Support .
    2 From the table on that page, enter the values for “Bass Turnover Frequency (Hz)” , “10 kHz Gain Rolloff (dB)” and “LF Shelving Frequency (Hz)” (if a value is given) in the equivalent boxes in the plug-in dialogue.
    3 Click “OK” in the plug-in then follow the instructions on Missing features - Audacity Support to import the curve into the Equalization effect.

Gale

120

The default Audacity only comes with like 8 and are “Bass cut” and “treble cut”…
This thread is 12 pages deep, yet there is no link where I can simply download some various EQ curve XML files?
I am missing something big. All I see is a generic link to a wiki that has 1 link to some 78rpm EQ curve.
The ZIP file that was posted with 2 dozen .feq files like “Grunge Rock” and “Soft Classical” is EXACTLY what I want…
Except FEQ doesn’t even work in Audacity. Why was it posted here?

I just want to run my live hard rock audio thru a preset EQ to see if any greatly improves the sound.
I must have missed something here, b/c this clearly exists, just not in all this talk about file extensions.

I just need actual XML EQ files… Can anyone help?
Can someone point me to a page that just has a whole mess of Audacity XML curves like “Rock Show” or “Heavy Metal” ?