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EQ tips Cheat Sheet by fredv

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Tips for equalization. By frequency, by instrument with a glossary.

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EQ Frequency breakdown (1/2)

EQ Frequency breakdown (2/2)

EQ Helpful suggestions

<= 30Hz

3-7kHz

40-60Hz

60-200Hz

Virtually undetectable, you

This is the area where vocal

Embrace the idea of notching, when in

can safely cut these freque

sibilance resides. Boost slightly

doubt, cut instead of boosting.

ncies

to add sense of "volume" It also

Allow instruments to have their own space

Sub bass Frequencies. "Feel"

adds a harshness that is partic

in the frequency spectrum; dont make them

only

ularly fatiguing. Add warmth

fight for it.

without loss of clarity by attenu

Add for tom "boom". Cut to

ating this region a bit

decrease bass "boom"

80Hz

Boost vocal here for presence

ingly.

4-9kHz

Brightness, presence, definition,

EQing WILL NOT save your mix; you can't EQ

Notch most other instruments

sibilance, high frequency

out bad sound.

here. Rolling off the electric

distortion

guitar here is advisable

120-125Hz

a slight notch here

5kHz

add little to the mix except mud

Listen to 15 minutes of well mixed audio
before any mixing session

guitars, vocals and horns

some attack to the toms. Cut on

Scooping/notching instru

background parts to make them

ments here will provide room

sink in to the back a bit

Don't forget the noise gate

Add for the sense of quality and

The old RIAA AES mechanical rule for vinyl

Add for warmth. Too much

accuracy for cymbals. Too much

was to cut at 47Hz and 12k, and some great

will sound muddy

output will come off as lacking

recordings were made this way. Human

definition. Cut vocals to decrease

perception at extreme highs and lows is not

sibilance

all that accurate or sensitive, and a little

>=7kHz

Top of the range for most

of music such as kick drums

8-12kHz

Cut or Boost to adjust brightness

9-15kHz

Adding will give sparkle,

of acoustic guitar and piano.

Limit Stereo Width to 30% except special

effects

goes a long way

for cymbals and acoustic guitar

and bass guitar. Bottom end

EQ Glossary

Add for warmth

shimmer, bring out details.

Attenu

Boost for strong vocal

Cutting will smooth out

ation

harshness and darken the mix

Band

range of frequencies

Boost to add "air" and clarity to

Boost

selected frequency levels are

presence. Causes problems

with vocal resonance and

10kHz

fatiguing
200Hz

Add a crisp, sharp "crack" to the

Cut frequencies below 90Hz for vocals, they

snare. Also a good place to add

subwoofers. Also the low end

120-600Hz

Extremely tiring to the ears, add

warmth and fullness to

in the mix
<=120Hz

4.5kHz

Boost bass instruments for

presence. Boost will add

100Hz-4kHz

type can and will sound different, EQ accord

4kHz

Boost for the kick drum lower

end to cut through the mix.

80200Hz

Understand that instruments of the same

Slight boost for depth. Cut to

acoustic instruments
http://www.soundgadget.net

amplified
Cut

reduce muddiness. This is a

good area to get the "gong"
out of cymbals.
240Hz

350-400Hz

Boost to fatten the snare.

EQ Instrument breakdown
Vocals

10 kHz), boom (200 240

to add fullness. Scoop vocal

kHz), fullness (120 Hz)

increasing causes the sounds of

seem more "present"

describes the shape of the EQ

curve (higher Q = narrower

here if muddy. Notch filter

Electric

fullness (240 Hz), bite (2.5

here can add thump to a kick

Guitar

kHz), air / sizzle (8 kHz)

range, lower Q = wider range)

Sibilance

drum

Bass

bottom (60 80 Hz), attack

Cut to remove the "cardbo

Guitar

(700 1000 Hz), string noise

refers to the hissing "s","sh","z",

or "zh", sound of the human
voice

(2.5 kHz)
Warmth

sound where the bass and low

the bass guitar a little bit to

Snare

fatness (240 Hz), crispness (5

reduce presence

Drum

kHz)

Provides presence, but are

Kick Drum

bottom (60 80 Hz), slap (4

smooth sounding opposed to

kHz)

aggressive or fatiguing

mid frequencies have depth and

where the high frequencies are

Boost the bass guitar for

Hi Hat &

sizzle (7.5 10 kHz), clank (200

punch. Cut the electric guitar

Thanks to Tikmerd

Cymbals

Hz)

http://www.homerecording.be/forum/t1166

Toms

attack (5 kHz), fullness (120

4.htm

240 Hz)

As well as dB Masters @

In this area you can

emphasize the "smack" of the
kick's beater

2.5kHz

presence (5 kHz), sibilance (7.5

Boost acoustic guitars slightly

to remove the "cheap" sound

2-4kHz

Presence

voices and such instruments

hard in nature. Good for rock.

800Hz

selected frequency are

attenuated

ard" sound of drums - Notch

0.6-3kHz

the reduction of a signal level

Acoustic

harshness / bite (2 kHz), boom

Guitar

(120 200 Hz), cut (7 10 kHz)

http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/
news.php

Good for adding to a dirty

?action=view_story&id=390

guitar for some real sizzle.

and

Boost this area for bass

http://www.soundgadget.com

guitar if using the pop/slap

style
2.5-5kHz

Boost for clarity with an

acoustic guitar and piano

05-Feb-16 4:41 PM