What is the Ableton EQ Three Audio Effect?

The DJ-style EQ Three is concerned only with three frequency bands: lows, mids, and highs. EQ Three has three main dials: GanLow, GainMid, and GainHi. The frequency range of these dials is determined by the FreqLow and FreqHi knobs at the bottom of the effect. The GainMid knob will boost or cut all the frequencies between FreqLow and FreqHi. The GainLow will adjust all the frequencies between FreqLow, and the GainHi knob will handle everything about FreqHi.

Because this device is modeled after a DJ mixer, you'll find that when turning the Gain knobs down, they eventually reach infinity, meaning the frequencies are completely cut. If you want, you can use the kill switches (labeled L, M, and H) located below each Gain knob to toggle that frequency range on and off with ease.

The 24 and 48 buttons determine the slope, either -24dB/octave or -48dB/octave, at the edges of the frequency bands. This setting will be most apparent when using the kill feature of the EQ three on a full song. For example, drag a whole song (an MP3 with a lot of bass) into a clip slot and place an EQ Three on the track. Click the 48 button, place the FreqLow control at 200Hz, and kill the low band - you'll hear the bass disappear from the song. Now try clicking the 24 button. You may notice that you can hear a little more bass. 

The EQ Three is a handy performance tool, but doesn't have the same sound quality as EQ Eight. And because it's modeled on mixer circuitry, it even affects the sound with all the controls at their default. If you need the particular functionality this device provides, but want the sound quality of EQ Eight, look in the Performance & DJ folder under Audio Effect Rack in the Browser. You'll find a Rack called EQ Three Rack, which provides similar functionality, but is built using EQ Eight.