Graphic EQ (10-band)

Ten sliders spread across the frequency range, like the equalizer on a classic stereo. Pull a slider up to boost that band, down to cut it, and the shape of the sliders becomes the shape of the sound — a more visual, hands-on way to sculpt tone than dialling in center frequencies by hand.

Reach for it when:

• you want to draw a tonal curve by eye rather than think in terms of individual bands and frequencies;
• you need finer control across the spectrum than the 3-band EQ gives you, without the full flexibility (and complexity) of the channel's parametric Equalizer;
• you're matching or correcting against a reference curve someone gave you as ten band values.

Adding it

On a channel's FX tab, click + Node ▾ → EQ/Filters → Graphic EQ (10-band). It drops into the chain just after the selected node. To edit it, pin one of the dock's two panels to it with ⇅, or set a panel to ⟳ Follow FX tab selection and click the node.

In Simple mode, add it from the Effects block's ⚙ instead — see Simple mode.

Where it sits in the chain matters: like the 3-band EQ, place it wherever you want its tonal shaping to apply — right after the specific stage you're correcting, not necessarily at the very start or end of the chain.

Reading the panel

The graph on top shows the combined curve across all ten bands, updating live as you move any fader. The ten vertical faders below it are the direct controls — each one is a band, and its position on the fader is its boost or cut.

Click SPEC in the panel header (on by default) to lay a live spectrum analyzer behind the curve, so you can see exactly where your source's energy sits before reaching for a fader.

Controls

Each band is a moderately wide bell centred on its labelled frequency, so neighbouring bands overlap a little — the same way a real graphic EQ's sliders blend into each other rather than acting as ten completely independent, razor-thin notches.

Need more room? ⛶ in the header maximizes the panel to full dock height — useful with ten faders to work with at once.

A good starting point

1. Add it where you want the shaping to apply, and leave every band flat first.
2. With SPEC on, watch where the live spectrum sits relative to the band markers — that tells you which faders are actually worth touching.
3. Pull down any band that's clearly too hot (harshness, boom, mud) before you reach for boosting anything — cutting a problem is usually cleaner than boosting around it.
4. Make small moves. A graphic EQ's bands overlap, so a big push on one slider nudges its neighbors too.

Presets, bypass and reset

• PRESET ▾ in the panel header applies a saved setup, or saves the current one under a name. Once one is applied the header shows Preset: name — see Knowing what preset is applied. Ready-made curves can be found in the Workshop — Workshop ▸ Browse, filter chip Graphic EQ.
• ON / OFF bypasses just this node — the quickest way to hear whether it's helping.
• RESET returns every band to its default.

Related

• 3-band EQ — the same idea with just three broad controls, for a quick tonal push rather than a detailed curve.
• Equalizer — the channel's full parametric EQ, with freely placed and adjustable-width bands, for precise corrective work rather than a fixed set of ten.
• Effects Rack — adding, ordering and rewiring nodes.