EQ Tips


GENERAL

  • Use a narrow Q (bandwidth) when cutting.

  • Use a wide Q (bandwidth) when boosting.

  • Roll off the lows to make something stick out.

  • Roll off the highs to make something blend in.


FREQUENCY RANGES

Name Frequency Range Description
Brilliance 6 – 20kHz Air (and brilliance)
Highs/Presenve 4 – 6kHz Clarity and definition
High Mids 2 – 4kHz Speech recognition (‘m’, ‘b’, and ‘v’)
Low Mids 250 – 2kHz Lower order harmonics of most instruments
Bass 60 – 250Hz Fundamentals of rhythm section
Sub Bass 20 – 60Hz Sense of power; felt more than heard

INSTRUMENTS AND IMPORTANT FREQUENCIES

KICK

50-100 Hz = Bottom
100-250 Hz = Roundness
250-800 Hz = Muddiness Area
2-3 kHz = slap attack
5-8 kHz = High-end presence
8-12 kHz = hiss

Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz.
Try a small boost around 5-7kHz to add some high end.

HI-HATS/CYMBALS

200 Hz = clank or gong sound
250-800 Hz = muddiness
1-6 kHz = presence
6-8 kHz = clarity
8-12 kHz = brightness/shimmer

Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz.
To add some brightness try a small boost around 3kHz.

BASS GUITAR

50-100 Hz = bottom
100-250 Hz = roundness
250-800 Hz = muddiness area
700-1000 Hz = attack/pluck
2.5 kHz = sting noise/pop
1-6 kHz = presence
6-8 kHz = high-end presence
8-12 kHz = hiss

Try boosting around 60Hz to add more body.
Any apparant muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz.
If more presence is needed, boost around 6KHz

PIANOS

50-120 Hz = bottom/fullness
120-250 Hz = roundness
250-1 kHz = muddiness area
1-6 kHz = presence
6-8 kHz = clarity
10 kHz = crisp attack
8-12 kHz = hiss

Any apparant muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz.
Apply a very small boost around 6kHz to add some clarity.

VOCALS

100-250 Hz = ‘Upfront-ness’
120 Hz = fullness
200-240 = boominess
250-800 Hz = muddiness area
1-6 kHz = presence
6-8 kHz = sibilance and clarity
8-12 kHz = brightness

Actual frequencies ranges can vary dramatically depending on many factors including the microphone used to record the vocals.
Apply either cut or boost around 300Hz.
Apply a very small boost around 6kHz to add some clarity.

STRINGS

50-100 Hz = bottom
100-250 Hz = body
240 Hz = fullness
250-800 Hz = muddiness area
1-6 kHz = digital/crunchy sound
6-8kHz = clarity
8-12 kHz = brightness

SNARE

100-250 Hz = fills out the sound
240 Hz = fatness/body
5 kHz = crispness
6-8kHz = presence

Try a small boost around 60-120hz if the sound is a little too wimpy.
Try boosting around 6kHz for that ‘snappy’ sound.

RACK TOMS

240-500 Hz = fullness
5-7 kHz = attack

FLOOR TOMS

80-120 Hz = fullness
5 kHz = attack

CONGA/BONGO

200-400 Hz = Resonance
5 kHz = presence/slap

ELECTRIC GUITAR

100-250 Hz = body
250-800 Hz = muddiness/roundness
1-6 kHz = cuts through the mix
2.5 kHz = bite
6-8 kHz = clarity
8-12 kHz = hiss

Apply either a cut or a boost around 300Hz.
Try boosting around 3kHz to add some edge to the sound or cut to add some transparency.
Try boosting around 6kHz to add presence.
Try boosting around 10kHz to add brightness.

ACOUSTIC GUITAR

80-120 Hz = bottom (fullness)

100-250 Hz = body
6-8 kHz = clarity
8-12 kHz = brightness
10 kHz = crisp attack

Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off between 100-300kHz.
Apply small amounts of cut around 1-3kHz to push the image higher.
Apply small amounts of boost around 5kHz to add some presence.

ELECTRIC ORGAN

80-120 Hz = bottom
240 Hz = body
2.5 kHz = presence

HORNS

100-250 Hz = body
250-800 Hz = muddiness area
800-1 kHz = roundness
2.5 kHz = presence
6-8 kHz = clarity
8-12 kHz = brightness

WIND

100-250 Hz = body
250-800 = muddiness area
800-1 kHz = roundness
6-8 kHz = clarity
8-12 kHz = brightness