Parametric EQ and other things...

Hi

I wasn't sure where to throw this message.. it could easily have gone in 3 different forums.. but I am really looking at improving my tone rather than trying to get technical aspects of gear (Gear Discussion).. and even though I am doing this in a sequencer using VSTs so I can record (Recording) it's just the tone I am really caring about.. so may be I am completely off-base in thinking it is the EQ that I should be looking at.. and may be someone could suggest something else..

Ok.. So I am working on my GT Solo Assignment and I have almost achieved the tone I wanted.. but I am still missing out on my bass notes and a lot of false and pinch harmonics.. The bass notes just aren't bassey enough and the harmonics are not clear enough.

So.. I've got this VST plugin called a Parametric EQ and I don't really understand it.. See the attached picture for what it looks like.. Ok.. the basics I understand here are there are 4 main things happening:

1. Bass Modification
2. Middle Modification
3. Treble Modification
4. Master Output Modification

However.. in the first three there are 3 unfamiliar dials for each section.. at least unfamiliar to me.. GAIN, FREQ, and Q. Now.. gain I understand as it relates to general volume levels which are processed prior to being placed through the Master Volume control.. FREQ I sortof understand but not properly in THIS context.. and Q.. well I had never even seen Q before today.. then I was reading a review about the Ibanez Tone-Lok WD7 "Weeping Demon" in the November 2007 Guitar World magazine today and read a reference to Q there. It said, "The three knobs above the range switch let you control the pedal's output level, resonant frequency ("Q") and low-frequency cutoff."

So.. resonant frequency.. right right.. *nod*.. still don't understand how this relates to the EQ settings. My question is this:

How can I maintain the beautiful tone I have in my low-mid, mid, and upper-mid and include a boomier bass and clearer harmonics, using the EQ? I'm almost certain it's the EQ I need to adjust because it makes logical sense.. I just can't work out how to do it without ruining the tone or losing sustain..

EDIT: Also.. the settings on the EQ in the picture are not representative of my current tone.. if you want me to take a picture of my current settings for the tone I am trying to get, let me know.

The Q is the width of frequency that will be adjusted. For instance a low Q will only adjust the frequency you have set where a larger Q will alter a wider range of frequency center around the frequency you have set. The Q curve is usually a bell shape centered at the frequency you have set. Hope this clears things up.