FabFilter Pro-Q 4 Upgrade

Since 2009, FabFilter Pro-Q has set the EQ standard. Version 4 adds Spectral Dynamics, EQ Sketch, Instance List, vintage saturation, and more.

Mixing and mastering features

FabFilter Pro-Q 4 offers every tool a demanding engineer could wish for: top-quality linear phase operation, zero latency, and unique Natural Phase modes, along with a refined Dynamic EQ that now includes attack and release settings for precise control. Its per-band stereo, mid/side, and left/right processing makes it versatile for any mix, while full surround support up to Dolby Atmos 9.1.6 ensures immersive audio workflows. The updated spectrum analyzer features customizable settings and collision detection, complemented by an intelligent solo function and optional Auto Gain for smooth operation.

Effortlessly sculpt your sound

Pro-Q 4's workflow-enhancing features, such as Spectrum Grab, EQ Sketch, and Instance List, make achieving professional results faster than ever. The large interactive EQ display allows seamless band creation, dynamic EQ enablement for any band, and multi-band selection and editing. The Piano Display further enhances precision by letting users adjust band frequencies in musical note values.

FabFilter Pro-Q 4 is designed to help you achieve your sound in the quickest way possible. Via the large interactive EQ display, you can create bands where you need them, enable dynamic EQ for any band, and select and edit multiple bands at once.

FabFilter goodies

Pro-Q 4 retains all the beloved features of its predecessor, Pro-Q 3, while enhancing them with modern upgrades. With up to 24 EQ bands, Natural and Linear Phase processing, universal slope support for all EQ shapes, and dynamic EQ with external side-chain triggering, it delivers unparalleled flexibility. The interface remains as gorgeous and functional as ever, with GPU-powered acceleration, Full Screen mode, multiple display ranges, and intuitive parameter control. MIDI Learn, Pro Tools hardware support, undo/redo, A/B comparison, and an extensive help file round out the package, making Pro-Q 4 a comprehensive tool for every mixing and mastering need.

New in version 4

• Usability improvements and EQ Sketch. Wondered if you could ever just draw the curves you'd like? Now you can!
• The new Instance list lets you control all instances in your session via a single plug-in interface.
• Use Spectral dynamics to treat problem frequencies more precisely and efficiently.
• Setup your mixes with one of the Character modes to add that analog, vintage feel.
• The Dynamic EQ section has been improved, with Attack and Release settings, but also optional free side-chain filtering.
• Improved dynamic EQ processing for less distortion and cleaner sound.
• Improved precision in linear phase processing.
• New All Pass filter shape.
• You can now copy and paste EQ bands or presets, also between instances or via the new instance list.
• Improved analog matching in zero latency and natural phase mode.
• Change parameters directly via the value display in the EQ controller by dragging or with the mouse wheel.
• Overall new and fresh design.
• You can now choose to use fractional slope settings if you need to, e.g. a 3.5 dB/oct LP or HP filter.

EQ Sketch

Setting up initial EQ settings in your equalizer often involves adding a few bands to get started, like a low cut filter, a few bell filters and a high shelf, creating a general starting point. Wouldn't it be great if you could draw that curve in one gesture? Well... now you can!

Of course, EQ Sketch is not about adding many or very precise bands with specific settings; it's about sketching a global curve to start with, adding a few initial LP/HP filters, bells and shelves to start with in a fast and easy way. It might even take a bit of practice to get good at it, but once you do, it's a real time saver, especially in combination with the Instance list.

Dynamic EQ

One of Pro-Q 4's standout features is dynamic EQ. Any of Pro-Q's bands (with Bell or Shelf shapes) can be made dynamic, at any slope, with perfect analog matching and in Linear Phase mode.

The dynamic behavior of Pro-Q 4 has been carefully tuned and is highly program dependent: attack, release and knee all depend on the processed audio, the frequency range of the EQ band and the current dynamic range. This results in very natural and smooth sounding compression and expansion, useful for a wide range of dynamic EQing applications.

Spectral dynamics

Pro-Q 4 introduces a new variation on dynamic EQ: Spectral dynamics. With traditional dynamic EQ, the gain of an EQ band depends on the level of the input signal. In Spectral mode, Pro-Q 4 doesn't change the gain of the whole band, but triggers on specific frequencies within that band when it exceeds the threshold, leaving other frequencies untouched.

Spectral dynamic processing is a great way of treating varying problem frequencies in a much more subtle manner compared to using traditional dynamic EQing. Typically, you would need a separate, dedicated and often complex plugin for this type of processing, but Pro-Q 4 makes the process simple to use and easy to understand, as a logical extension of normal dynamic processing.

Instance List

With Pro-Q 4, you can now control any other Pro-Q 4 instance in your session from a single plug-in interface. This is a huge time-saver, making it much easier to setup initial EQing when starting a mix session.

Piano display

Using the Piano Display button at the bottom left of Pro-Q's interface, just above the bottom bar, you can toggle between the normal frequency scale and a piano keyboard display, via which band frequencies can be adjusted as well. The highlighted keys correspond to an 88-keys grand piano layout, ranging from A0 (27.5 Hz) to C8 (4186.01 Hz).

For every band in the display, there is a corresponding dot on the keyboard. You can interact with the dots in two ways:

• Click the dot once to quantize the associated band's frequency to the exact musical note.
• Click and drag the dot to change the frequency while keeping it quantized to musical notes.

While the piano display is active, parameter value displays that show a band's frequency will also show that frequency as a musical note (including cents offset). Note that at any time, also if the piano display is not showing, you can enter frequencies as musical notes. For example, you can double-click on the Frequency knob in the band selection controls and type "D#5 +13", or "A4"

Surround and Dolby Atmos

FabFilter Pro-Q 4 supports all important surround/immersive audio formats, up to 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos (depending on the DAW and plug-in format). When you add Pro-Q 4 to a surround channel, the interface automatically adapts itself to the used multi-channel format. The output level meter will show all channels, with appropriate labels to identify them.

In addition, the Stereo Placement button will now give access to a surround panel with more sophisticated options to choose which speakers are affected by the selected EQ bands.

EQ Match

Lets you choose or record a reference spectrum, compares it to the spectrum of the current input, and adds new EQ bands to make your audio sound like the reference signal. It gets you 'that' sound in less than a minute.

As the EQ Match process often involves comparing audio of different Pro-Q instances, it is available via the Instance list. Just hover above an instance item, click the menu button that appears at the center right, and choose EQ Match.

Band Controls

When you select EQ bands in the interactive EQ display, the floating band controls will automatically appear, right under the selected bands at the bottom of the display. The band controls show the current settings of the selected EQ bands and enable you to adjust them precisely.

Full Screen mode, resizing and scaling

With just the click of a button, the Pro-Q 4 interface will fill up the whole computer screen for ultra-precise adjustments and get the best view on the spectrum analyzer and filter display.