Graphical Control of a Parametric Equalizer

Graphic equalizers allow the user to define a filter’s magnitude response virtually free of restrictions. Parametric equalizers are much more limited. However, they offer some vital advantages over graphic equalizers, such as consuming less computational power and operating minimally invasively with naturally soft magnitude and phase responses. This work aims at combining the best of both worlds: It presents a range of methods to control a digital parametric equalizer graphically through a curve or a collection of anchor points. While the user is editing the graphical input, an optimization process runs in the background and adjusts the equalizer’s parameters to reflect the input. In addition, the number of bands and their type (shelving/peak) can be adjusted automatically to produce a simple solution.