by andyg » 26 Oct 2020 12:44
They sound the same to me too.
EQ is something that can be effectively used, but is often abused!
If you need to use substantial amounts of EQ, there's often something amiss. EQ can compensate for poor acoustics in a room, or poor amp/speaker combinations. If the latter, the ultimate solution is to get some amps and speakers that do the job better (obviously not easy if the speakers are built in!) If the former, then I would advise leaving EQ flat in the keyboard and adjusting it on the amp/speakers if possible. Trial and error here and what you need to do in one venue may be very different to another. If you're at home, then you should be able to find settings that work. I borrowed an Audio Spectrum Analyser to 'test' my room. It sends white noise to your amp and picks up the sound from your speakers via mikes. The screen shows the frequency response of the room. I then used a 10-band graphic equaliser to bring that response to a flat line. You should, in theory, re-do this every time you move some furniture or get a new chair or whatever. In practice, it doesn't really need to be re-done. Also be aware of standing waves that can make bass frequencies boom. I have that issue with the bass woofer in the organ firing straight down the hall. I have a resonance at G and A. With a 400lb organ I can't move it, so my only real option is to add a door into the hall!
If recording direct to a computer (not miking the speakers!), always try to leave things flat and then adjust EQ in post-production - the options available in a DAW or audio app are probably more capable than those in many keyboards.
Of course, some people do use Part EQ to emphasise or de-emphasise the tone of individual voices. Sometime because the voice isn't that good and sometimes because they simply like the sound better that way.
Bottom line is to use it sensitively - just enough - and if you find that you're using it to mask the shortcomings of the instrument or amplification, then those are the issues to address.