> Step by step

1. Getting started

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To get your own personal copy of Carve EQ you need to register and log in at www.filesilo.co.uk/computermusic. Unlock the content for this issue (295), download and open the file, ‘Free Kilohearts Plugin instructions’. Click on the link and provide your email address. A code will then be sent to you.

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First, look at Carve’s features. Start by loading up the plugin. You’ll find it loads with a flat curve, and if at any stage you want to clear the decks and return to this state, simply select the New preset icon on the menu bar.

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Below the tools you’ll find the stereo settings. You can select between Stereo (L/R) and Mid/Sides (M/S) modes and once selected, choose whether to edit both channels collectively or independently using the icons. There’s no specific mono plugin layout, and for mono just the left or mid channel is used. 2

The next step is to redeem the code on the Kilohearts website. Visit www. kilohearts.com/redeem and enter your email address and redeem code. You will then receive an email with your personal installers. Select either Mac or PC and your installer will start downloading.

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Looking at the menu bar, here you’ll find access to the browser, preset save, undo/redo and options for A/B compare. There’s no big library of plugin presets, although you can save your own presets in the User folder. However, as you’ll see later in the tutorial there are over 50 reference curves.

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Carve EQ has an onboard frequency analyser that’s visible in the background. This has four resolution settings – Exact, Semitone, ⅓ Octave and Octave – and four speeds (Slow, Medium, Fast and off). The curves are also colourcoded to match the two stereo modes. 3

Run the installer. Click the cog to open the settings and select the formats you want (AU, VST, VST3 or AAX). Select the Install option at the top and Carve EQ from the list below. Click the green Install button to complete installation and quit the installer once finished.

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Carve EQ has various tools which affect the type of onscreen editing and these are found on the left-hand side. Grab them and see how they influence things. You’ll notice that some of the tools invoke further additional parameters in the menu bar. Here we’ve selected the Sculpt tool with its additional Size parameter.