Waves Audio has introduced Curves AQ, an autonomous EQ plugin powered by AI. Designed to accelerate the mixing workflow, Curves AQ uses generative AI to analyze your audio and generate five unique EQ curves tailored specifically to its natural characteristics — whether it’s vocals, instruments or full mixes.
Just click “learn” and the plugin’s neural network creates original spectral curves — not presets — based on your audio’s ideal sound profile. The white curve on the plugin interface represents the sound destination, known as the “spectral target.” Adjusting it works like a traditional EQ, but the processing dynamically adapts to reach the target.
AQ offers reimagined and powerful EQ controls to tweak your sound to your taste, including:
- Boosts & Cuts: Refines your audio with adjustable boost & cut processing globally or per band.
- Static / Dynamic Slider: Offers the flexibility to use static or dynamic EQ, or a mix of both.
- Smart Tilt: Rebalances the overall tone by reshaping the spectral target, while “Offset” shifts the target curve along the X-axis, repositioning the fundamental frequency and harmonics for creative effects.
- MixSense: Resolves frequency clashes between tracks by sidechaining and targeting any conflicting frequencies.
- Adaptive Mode: Works without “Learn” by using a flat spectral target for dynamic balancing
- 4 Frequency Anchors: The AI generates anchors for low end, fundamental, harmonics, and air frequencies.
- Traditional EQ: Includes manual node adjustments, Q shaping, and HP/LP filtering for users who prefer classic EQ workflows.
Waves also offers Curves AQ LIVE, a zero-latency version designed for live performances with the same feature set.