Introduction

One of the fundamental aspects of music production is called equalization (EQ).

Simply put: EQs adjust the volumes of different frequencies.

You can completely sculpt a sound by only using EQ. It's a primary tool for every producer/engineer and it's important to have a solid understanding of the basics so you can get the most out of your music! 

In this blog, we will give an overview of different elements in a mix and how to approach EQing them.

A few notes before moving on:

• While every sound is different and should be treated as such, there are good starting points and processes that you can use to start getting better EQ results now!
• EQing in the context of a mix rather than in solo will yield the best results because you can often lean into over-correcting when staying in solo. When EQing in the context of a mix, you hear how your moves actually affect the rest of the tracks and this is much more important than how it sounds on its own.

So, with those things in mind, treat this guide as a hub for the most common moves that the pros make when using EQ.

🎙️ Let's start with vocals.

When EQing vocals, here's what to listen for in the 4 main areas of the spectrum.

1. Low End: Add a high-pass filter around 80-120hz to remove any unwanted rumbles that may have been picked up by the microphone. This conflicts with the instruments and clouds up the mix.
2. Low Mids: Use a bell to remove 200-400hz as this is the where the muddiness and boxiness of the vocal typically lies. This will change depending on the vocalist so be sure to move the bell around and listen to where it starts to clean up the sound. Note: Removing too much takes away the fullness of the sound.
3. High Mids: Find and eliminate the whistles that are typically between 2-5K. These frequencies sound harsh and will clash with the other elements in the mix. Use a narrow Q to be more precise with the cuts.
4. High End: We recommend using a shelf to either darken or brighten the vocal, depending on what it needs. Make it brighter to cut through more, or darken it if the microphone used was too bright for the vibe of the song. Start the shelf around 6K and adjust to what sounds best!

Starting with these basics will get your vocal cleaned up and sounding best in the mix. 

For a more detailed explanation of these moves and to hear them in context, check out our Free Vocal EQ Tutorial up on our YouTube Channel now! 👇

🎸 Now Let's Dive Into Guitars

Guitars are particularly tricky because when you add distortion, they take up the entire frequency spectrum. However, there are some things you can do that will clean up pretty much any high-gain tone. 

1. Low End: Add a high-pass filter around 80-120hz to remove the sub information. This information is where the bass needs to be the main focus.
2. Low Mids: Like the vocals, use a bell to remove 200-400hz as this is the where the muddiness and boxiness of the guitars (and most instruments) will be. Removing too much of this will make your tone sound scooped, so keep that in mind.
3. High Mids: Find and eliminate the harsh whistles that are typically between 2K-5K. Use a narrow Q and fish for the sounds that are most offensive. Doing too much takes away the bite from the tone, but removing a couple of them will smoothen it out and make it more clear.
4. High End: Guitar high end isn't typically pleasing so many producers will just remove everything after about 10K. This will leave room for the vocals, overheads, and other instruments to shine.

Fun Trick: One common move, popularized by Chris Lord-Alge, that people use on high gain guitars is to take an SSL style EQ and crank the 8K knob. This will give your guitars extra bite and make them stand out in the mix!

🎥 To better understand these moves and hear them in the context of a metal mix, check out this video from our YouTube Channel! 👇

🔊 Bass Guitar EQ Fundamentals

The bass guitar is what supports the entire mix and provides a foundation for the rest of the melodic instruments. The biggest indicator of an amateur mix is how the low end sounds. Therefore, it's very important to get the bass sounding right and EQ is the best way to start. Here's what we recommend you listen for! 

1. Low End: Filter out information below about 20-30hz as no one can hear those frequencies and too much build up causes muddy subs. 
2. Low Mids: Find the muddiness in the tone from around 120-300hz and remove just a couple db. It's important not to scoop too much out as this will take out all the body and fullness of the tone. Using a dynamic EQ is especially good for this move as it will only remove that information when there's too much building up.
3. Mids: Get rid of the boxiness around 500hz, without scooping too much. We recommend a narrower Q so you don't take away too much high end while removing the mids.
4. High End: The bass guitar can sound good in many ways so this depends on your song. If you need the bass to be dark and warm, without cutting through too much, we recommend taking a shelf and removing the high end starting around 6K. However, if you need the bass to cut through and sound more crisp, you should boost the high end and get it blending with the guitars. 

🎥 We show these tips and offer sound examples in this free tutorial below! 👇

🥁 Snare EQ Basics

In modern rock/metal music, one of the most important things to get right is the snare sound! When you get a great snare tone, this will separate you from the pack and make your mixes sound more punchy and exciting.

1. Low End: Filter out some low end rumble around 60-80hz. Be careful not to take out too much as this will make your snare sound thinner.
2. Low Mids: The fundamental tone of the snare is typically between 180-240hz and this is what you want to boost. (Unlike the previous examples.) Take a bell band and sweep around that area to find where the snare pops out and then boost that little bit. Too much boosting will make it sound muddy.
3. Mids: Get rid of the boxiness around 350-600hz, and like the bass, without scooping too much.
4. High End: It's more common to boost the high end than it is to cut it but like everything else, it depends on your song. We recommend starting with boosting it using a shelf around 3-5K and listen to how it makes the snare stand out in the mix.

Pro Tip: Adding an overall lift to the snare will also help balance out the low end cuts you make.

🎥 Hear these tips in action in this FREE tutorial video! 👇