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EQ GUIDELINES/THOUGHTS - THESE ARE NOT RULES - THERE ARE SOME CONFLICTING IDEAS IN HERE (YES TO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES)
THIS LIST WAS COMPILED FROM AS MANY ONLINE SOURCES OVER TIME, WITH FEEDBACK AND FURTHER NOTES FROM A DECENT HANDFUL OF VANCOUVER PRODUCERS AND SOUND TECHS.
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Frequency Chart
[ SUB BASS = 20 - 60 HZ ]
[ BASS = 60 - 250 HZ ]
[ LOW MIDS = 200 HZ - 2 K ]
[ HIGH MIDS = 1 - 6 K ]
[ HIGHS = 5 - 20 K ]
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[20 - 200]
20 = 20 Hz is the human threshold of hearing, few can hear below many can’t hear within 10Hz of 20Hz. only adds unnecessary energy to the total sound
20 - 40 = CHEST / THUD / RUMBLE
50 = Boost: to thicken up bass drums and sub-bass. Reduce: to decrease the "boom" of the bass and increase overtones and thus the recognition of bass line in the mix.
50 - 60 = ac/ground hum
50 - 60 = Thump in the KICK DRUM. Boom in the BASS. Essential in DUB and reggae. Too much and you’ll have flapping speakers. Too little, and the mix will never have enough weight or depth
60 = 60 and below is SUB BASS, this is where everyone really feels the sound.
60 - 80 = Bottom depth of KICK DRUM + SNARE
60 - 250 = Fundamentals of rhythm section. EQing can change musical balance making it fat or thin. can make music boomy
70 - 200 = low end - too much sounds muddy, not enough sounds weak, punch lives here
80 = Cut below 80Hz to remove RUMBLE (in KICKS)
80 - 100 = feel *AND* hear BASS
80 - 125 = Boost between 80 - 125 Hz for BASS
80 - 4K = range of the HUMAN VOICE
100 = Add fullness to SNARE. add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments. Reduce to remove boom on keyboards & increase clarity.
100 = Increase to add warmth to piano and horns.
100 - 120 = the "club sound system punch" resides here
100 - 125 = low THUMP of some KICKS
100 - 200 = This EQ band adds punch in a SNARE (and punch in general)
100 - 200 = Gives richness or “bloom” to almost anything. Too much makes things boomy or woolly. Too little sounds thin and cold
100 - 400 = frequencies generally responsible for WARMTH in a recording. Too much and the recording will sound muddy.
120 = some people roll off everything below 120 hz on stuff that isn't a bass or kick sound. Saves a lot of headroom and space in the mix.
120 - 240 = FATNESS
120 - 600 = these frequencies give depth to a recording, giving vocals and other instruments a strong sense of presence without being clinical.
125 = "THUMP / BOOM / WARMTH"
150 - 250 = WARMTH
150 - 400 = BOXINESS
160 = a lot of THUMP, critical for a lot of KICKS
[200 - 2k]
200 = 200 Hz and below is the BOTTOM
200 = Clank / clang / gong of CYMBALS
200 = boost on SNARES for hard low impact, and/or notch out from other sounds to bring out SNARES too.
200 - 400 = Boost: to add warmth to vocals or to thicken a keyboard.
Cut: to bring more clarity to vocals or to thin cymbals and higher frequency percussion.
200 - 450 = FULLNESS / MUD
200 - 500 = Crucial for warmth and weight. Too much makes things sound muddy or congested. Too little makes them thin and weak or hollow.
200 - 1.5 = PUNCH / IMPACT
240 = fatness of SNARE. fullness of strings / organs.
250 = notch filter here can add THUMP to a KICK DRUM (depending on what the bass is doing)
250 - 2 = Low order harmonics of most musical instruments
300 - 750 = WEIGHT
350 - 400 = dip on the foot drum (to remove the "cardboard" sound) and increase the same frequency on the bass (to add bass presence).
400 = Decreases ambiance for CYMBALS & increases bass clarity for DRUMS
500 - 1 = One of the trickiest areas. Gives body and tone to many instruments. Too much sounds hollow, nasal or honky. Too little sounds thin and harsh
500 - 1 = horn-like / telephone quality to music
600 - 3 = these frequencies also give presence but of a generally harder nature. High output in this region is fairly common in rock music as it gives it a hard edge that suites the genre.
700 - 1.5 = too much can mask the low end. club music typically needs less mids, coffee shop music typically needs more mids, melodic content lives here, vocal energy, horns
800 = Increase for clarity and "punch" of bass.
800 - 2 = mid weight and body
800 - 4 = edge, clarity, harshness, defines timbre
1 - 2 = TINNY / LISTENING FATIGUE
1 - 5 = Crispness of SNARE
1.5 - 6 = UPPER MID. too much hurts your ears, not enough sounds dull, bland and distant, 'salt' of the music, this is the home of presence and bite, snares, hi hats, vocals, bringing up the upper mid of any sound adjusts the presence.
1.5 - 3 = Increase for "clarity" and "pluck" of bass.
[2k - 20k]
2 = edge and bite. Adds aggression and clarity. Too much is painful! Too little will sound soft or muted
2 - 4 = CRUNCH / Stick hitting metal of CYMBALS / Speech Recognition
2.5 = Slap attack of KICK DRUM / "honky tonk" sound for PIANO
3 = listening fatigue
3 = Reduce to increase breathy, soft sound on background vocals. Reduce to disguise out-of-tune vocals / guitars.
3 = Adds attack to SNARE
3 - 5 = strong output in the region of 3-5kHz can make recordings sound fatiguing and clinical. is a very common peaking area in rock music because human hearing is pretty sensitive here and extra output here makes it sound louder (but don't over do it). you can add warmth without loss of clarity by attenuating this region a bit.
3 - 5 = Boost to get the SLAP
3 - 7 = lower SIBILANCE / EDGE
4 - 6 = Clarity and definition of voices and instruments / makes music seem closer to listener
4 - 9 = brightness, presence, definition, sibilance, high frequency distortion
4.5 = exteremly tiring to the ears
5 = CRISPNESS
5 = This frequency range is often used to make instruments stand out in a mix. will make melodies and basslines more cutting.
5 = Increase for more low frequency drum (kick, toms) attack. Reduce to soften or thin melodies. Reduce to make background parts more distant. Increases clarity & brightness of keyboards.
5 - 10 = de-essing of HUMAN VOICE is done here (lessening the "s" sound). to enhance S's - turn up til it's too much, then down a notch.
5 - 10 = Adds clarity, open-ness and life. Important for the top end of drums, especially snare. Too much sounds gritty or scratchy. Too little will lack presence and energy
6 - 10 = DEFINITION
6 - 10 = Sibilance of CYMBALS. Bring out cymbals. Add ring to a snare. Can add edge to a KICK.
6 - 12 = high end - controls darkness and brightness of the sound, use like a spotlight to focus on particular sounds
6 - 16 = air and presence. Brilliance and clarity of sounds / higher sibilance. harshness
7 = Adds Sharpness to SNARES and PERCUSSION
7 = Cymbals etc, and all the other components that add the sense of quality and accuracy.
7 = Increase to add attack to percussion instruments (more metallic sound). Increase to add sharpness to synthesizers, rock guitars, acoustic guitar and piano. Increase on dull singer.
7.5 - 10 = Shimmer / sizzle of CYMBALS
8 - 12.5 = PIERCE
9 - 15 = adding will give sparkle, brightness, shimmer, bring out details. cutting will smooth out harshness and darken the mix
10 = Above 10kHz - too much output may make your recordings sound like they are lacking some definition.
12 - 15 = "air" or "breath" of VOICE
12 - 16 = shimmer
12 - 20 = ..the reverb energy in the production, gives life.
16 = Can add air, space or sparkle. Almost too high to hear. Too much will sound artificial, hyped or fizzy. Too little will sound dull and stifled
16 - 20 = AIR
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Common Instrument frequency notes.
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[ PERCUSSION ]
SNARE:
60 - 80 = Bottom depth
100 = Adds fullness to SNARE
100 - 200 = adds punch in a SNARE
120 - 240 = Fatness
200 - boost to add low end to snares
200 - 250 = Adds wood to SNARES
400 = boing
1 - 5 = Crispness
3 = Adds atack to SNARE
7 = Adds Sharpness to SNARES and PERCUSSION
5 - 10 = Adds clarity, open-ness and life.
10 = snap
Boost above 2kHz for that crisp edge
Cut at 1kHz to get rid of the sharp peak
Boost at 125Hz for a full snare sound
Cut at 80Hz to remove rumble
Compression 4:1 slow attack med release
Reverb: Tight room reverb (0.1-0.2ms)
KICK DRUM:
50 - 60 = Thump in a kick drum
60 = Add fullness to KICKS
60 - 80 = Bottom depth
80 = Cut below 80Hz to remove rumble
Boost between 80 -125 Hz for bass
160 = critical for THUMP in a lot of KICKS
250 = notch filter can add THUMP to a KICK DRUM
1= apply boost to add a knock to a bass drum.
2 = punch
2.5 = Slap attack
3 - 5kHz = Boost to get the slap
5 = Adds attack to KICKS
General: Apply a little cut at 300Hz and some boost between 40Hz and 80Hz.
Control The Attack: Apply boost or cut around 4KHz to 6KHz.
Treat Muddiness: Apply cut somewhere in the 100Hz to 500Hz range.
Compression 4:1/6:1 slow attack med release
Reverb: Tight room reverb (0.1-0.2ms)
HI HATS & CYMBALS:
200 = Clank / clang / gong
1k on cymbals can be ugly
2 - 4 = Stick hitting metal
6 - 10 = Sibilance, Shimmer / sizzle / quality
7.5 kHz - 12 kHz = shimmer
10 = Adds brightness and shine to HATS and CYMBALS [with a Q of 1.0]
Boost above 5kHz for sharp sparkle
Cut at 1kHz to remove jangling
Get Definition: Roll off everything below 600Hz using a High Pass Filter.
Get Sizzle: Apply boost at 10KHz using a Band Pass Filter. Adjust the bandwidth to get the sound right.
Treat Clangy Hats: Apply some cut between 1KHz and 4KHz.
Compression: use high ratio for high energy feel
TOMS:
80 or 240Hz - Fullness
2-5 kHz - Attack
8 kHz - Overtones
CONGA:
200 to 260Hz - Resonant ring
2-5KHz - Presence and slap
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[ INSTRUMENTS ]
BASS:
a good way to divide bass: sub bass (30Hz-60Hz), multiple mid basses (80Hz-250Hz), and an upper-mid bass (250Hz-600Hz).
Sub bass is fatiguing on the ears, and constant sub tones can be nauseating on a large sound system. By allowing space between the notes, the mix will have better movement and the listener will focus on the lead elements of your song.
400 - Increase to add clarity to bass lines especially when speakers are at low volume.
VOICE:
shelve out 80 and below for low pops and rumble in VOICE
Fulness at 120Hz
Boominess or Mud at 200 to 280Hz
Sibilance at 2.5 to 10 kHz
Presence at 5KHz
Air at 12 to 15 KHz
Most of the energy is 125 Hz to about 6 kHz.
To soften harsh vocals apply cut in a narrow bandwidth somewhere in the 2.5KHz to 4KHz range.
Get An Open Sound: Apply a gentle boost above 6KHz using a shelving filter.
Get Brightness, Not Harshness: Apply a gentle boost using a wide-band Bandpass Filter above 6KHz. Use the Sweep control to sweep the frequencies to get it right.
Get Smoothness: Apply some cut in a narrow band in the 1KHz to 2KHz range.
Bring Out The Bass: Apply some boost in a reasonably narrow band somewhere in the 200Hz to 600Hz range.
Radio Vocal Effect: Apply some cut at the High Frequencies, lots of boost about 1.5KHz and lots of cut below 700Hz.
Telephone Effect: Apply lots of compression pre EQ, and a little analogue distortion by turning up the input gain. Apply some cut at the High Frequencies, lots of boost about 1.5KHz and lots of cut below 700Hz.
PIANO:
Bass at 80 or 120Hz
Presence / Clarity at 2.5 to 5 KHz
Crispness at 10KHz
"honky tonk" sound (narrow "Q") at 2.5KHz
Resonance at 40 to 60Hz
ELECTRIC ORGAN:
80-120 Hz - Bottom
240 Hz - Body
2.5 kHz - Clarity
STRINGS:
Fullness at 240 Hz
Scratchiness at 7-10 kHz
HORNS:
Fullness at 120 or 240Hz
Shrill at 2.5 or 5KHz
Shrill at 5-8 kHz
ACOUSTIC GUITAR:
harshness / bite (2 kHz)
boominess (120 - 200 Hz)
cut (7 - 10 kHz)
Body at 240Hz
Clarity at 2.5-5 KHz
Bottom at 80 or 120Hz
Nylon string guitars have almost bell-like overtones above 6 kHz
ELECTRIC GUITAR:
fullness / body (240 Hz)
bite / clarity (2.5 kHz)
air / sizzle (8 kHz)
BASS GUITAR:
bottom (60 - 80 Hz)
attack / pluck (700 - 1000 Hz)
string noise / pop (2.5 kHz)
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Frequency Of Notes
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