Cheat Sheet of Basic EQ Settings

EQ It!
How to Fix Your Mix With EQ

Cheat sheets of basic EQ settings.
by
Pereira
Page 1
Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 1st module

INTRODUCTION
This booklet was written to help you with a common but confusing question:
How do I EQ this? Well, actually, it is easier than you might think. The tips in
this booklet are time proven. They work.
So what is EQ? Basically, its a tone control with incredible flexibility. Its used
to alter the tonal balance of an instrument or correct for errors in either the
recording itself or in playback gear.
This brings up an important point. To do EQ well, you must have good
speakers with low distortion and flat frequency response. Otherwise, youll
actually end up EQing to compensate for your speakers, which wont sound
good on anyone elses speakers.
Good acoustics are important too. If you dont have good speakers and at
least decent acoustics, dont EQ. You can never go wrong by NOT EQing! Keep
in mind that the ideal perfect recording would use no EQ at all.
Without exception, despite what all the magazines, books and catalogs say:
equalizers degrade sound quality significantly and should be used as a last
resort.
Always think of EQ as remedial. You need it when something isnt right.
TOO MUCH EQ will ruin an otherwise good recording. When in doubt, dont EQ.
Use as little EQ as possible and apply EQ in very small increments.
Over-processing your sound by excessive use of EQ and will render your
recording dull, lifeless, muddy and weak. When broadcast over AM or FM radio,
an over-processed recording will not sound as loud as other songs. Also, an
over-processed recording will sound amateurish and cheap.
If youve placed all of the microphones correctly, and have picked the correct
microphone for each instrument, then you wont need EQ, except as an effect
for some electric instruments. If youve done a good job of recording the tracks,
you will not need to use electronic equalization during mixdown.
One clue that you made mistakes in your recording is the need to add EQ
during mixdown. In many instances, you will have to subtly alter the tonal
balance of the instruments and vocals for various reasons.
The best method of altering tonal balance IS NOT EQ, but instead to choose a
microphone that has the needed tonal balance. Fine tune the result by altering
microphone placement. This is called eqing by mic and it will give you a quality
of sound you wont get from electronic equalizers.
Subtractively EQ whenever possible. First, SOLO the instrument. Second,
BOOST the EQ level with the narrowest Q possible. Third, SWEEP through all
the frequencies until you FIND the frequency that is the problem. Fourth, once
found, CUT IT but only a little! Dont cut too much! Typically, only 2 or 3 dB
Page 2
of cut is needed. If you find yourself cutting more than 6 dB then you have a
problem that EQ wont really fix. REDO the track using a different microphone or
microphone placement, different instrument or different playing technique.
Be careful when boosting high frequencies because it is too easy to make a
mix sound harsh. The higher the frequency you boost, the more air around the
sound. Boosting at only 3 to 4 kHz can bring out the bite in electric guitars and
similar sounds, but it also tends to make the top end sound harsh.
Dont duplicate EQ from instrument to instrument. Otherwise, you wont be
able to distinguish each instrument in the final mix.
ALWAYS make your final EQ decisions in the mix, not soloed. Something that
sounds right on its own may be totally wrong in the final mix.
Minimize any noise increase by boosting only a relatively narrow band of high
frequencies. Noisy recordings are no fun to listen to. After all, thats what its
all about great music recorded well that is fun to listen to!
The rest of this booklet gives EQ tips for various instruments and common
situations. Have fun and make great music!
BASS GUITAR, CELLO, UPRIGHT BASS

To reduce the boom of the bass, BOOST at 50 Hz.
To un-bury overtones, BOOST at 50 Hz.
To increase the bass line in a final mix, BOOST at 50 Hz.
To increase loud rock bass lines, BOOST at 50 Hz.
To add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments, BOOST at 100 Hz.
To add more power to lowest frequency instruments, BOOST at 100 Hz.
For increased clarity of bass guitar, cello, or upright bass; BOOST at 800 Hz
For increased clarity of bass guitar, cello, or upright bass; BOOST at 1.5 kHz.
For punchier bass guitar, cello, or upright bass; BOOST at 800 Hz or at 1.5 kHz.
For more pluck of bass, BOOST at 3 kHz.
For more finger sound on bass, BOOST at 5 kHz or at 7 kHz.
DRUMS
To add more fullness to kick, floor tom, and bass drum, BOOST at 50 Hz
To add fullness to snare, BOOST at 100 Hz.
To add fullness to snare for a harder sound, BOOST at 200 Hz.
To reduce gong sound of cymbals, CUT at 200 Hz.
To reduce cardboard sound of lowpitched drums and toms, CUT at 400 Hz.
To reduce ambiance on cymbals, CUT at 400 Hz.
For greater attack on low frequency drums, BOOST at 5 kHz.
For greater attack on floor or rack toms, BOOST at 5 kHz.
To add attack on low frequency drums a more metallic sound, BOOST at 7 kHz.
To give snares a more metallic sound, BOOST at 7 kHz.
To add attack to percussion instruments, BOOST at 7 kHz.
For added hardness on cymbals, BOOST at 10 kHz.
To brighten cymbals, BOOST at 15 kHz.
Page 3
ECHO AND REVERB

To prevent reverb or echo from muddying the mix, CUT at 100, 125, 150, 200 or even 300
Hz.
To create a cave sound, BOOST at 100 Hz.
To emphasize reverb or echo, BOOST at 3 kHz or 5 kHz
To get Elvis style echo, BOOST using a broad parametric EQ bell centered at 300 or
500 Hz.
GENERAL
To reduce muddiness of mid-range instruments, CUT at 200 Hz.
To add clarity to bass lines, especially when speakers are at low volume, BOOST at 400
Hz.
To bring a part forward, BOOST using a broad parametric EQ bell centered at 2 kHz.
To send a part backward, CUT using a broad parametric EQ bell centered at 2 kHz.
To make background parts more distant, CUT at 5 kHz.
GUITAR AND STRINGS

To add fullness to guitars, BOOST at 100 Hz.
To remove boom on guitars, CUT at 100 Hz.
To add clarity to guitars, CUT at 100 Hz.
To add fullness to guitar for a harder sound, BOOST at 200 Hz.
To make cheap sounding guitars sound less cheap, CUT at 800 Hz.
To remove dullness of guitars, BOOST at 1.5 kHz.
For more attack of electric or acoustic guitar, BOOST at 3 kHz.
To disguise out-of-tune guitars, CUT at 3 kHz.
To accentuate the attack of acoustic guitar, BOOST at 5 kHz.
To add brightness to guitars, especially rock guitars, BOOST at 5 kHz.
To soften thin guitar, CUT at 5 kHz.
To add sharpness to rock guitar or acoustic guitar, BOOST at 7 kHz.
To brighten string instruments, BOOST at 15 kHz.
To add light brightness in acoustic guitar, BOOST at 10 kHz.
HORNS AND WOODWINDS

To add warmth to horns, BOOST at 100 Hz.
To reduce shrillness of horns, CUT at 5 kHz or at 7 kHz.
To brighten flutes and woodwinds, BOOST at 15 kHz.
KEYBOARDS AND PIANO

To add warmth to piano, BOOST at 100 Hz.
For more attack on low piano parts, BOOST at 3 kHz.
To accentuate the attack of piano, BOOST at 5 kHz.
To add sharpness to synthesizers and piano, BOOST at 7 kHz.
To make sampled synthesizer sound more real, BOOST at 15 kHz.
To add light brightness for a piano, BOOST at 10 kHz.
Page 4
VOCALS
To add fullness to vocals, BOOST at 200 Hz.
To reduce muddiness of vocals, CUT at 200 Hz.
For more clarity or hardness on voice, BOOST at 3 kHz.
Reduce to breathiness, or to reduce soft sounds of background vocals, CUT at 3 kHz
To disguise out-of-tune vocals, CUT at 3 kHz.
For greater vocal presence, BOOST at 5 kHz.
To brighten a dull singer, BOOST at 7 kHz, or send them to college.
To brighten vocals, BOOST at 10 kHz.
To reduce sibilance, which is the s sound, on singers, CUT at 7 kHz or at 10 kHz.
To brighten vocals by emphasizing breath sound, BOOST at 15 kHz.
Page 5
TOMDRUMS
(a.k.a.TOMS)
SNAREDRUM
BASSGUITAR
KICKDRUM
INSTRUMENT
Page 6
+2db
+4db
2db
Clarity (esp. at Low Volume)

Clarity/Punch Area
Pluck/Clarity
More Pluck
More "Finger Sound"
Presence
More for Fullness, Less for

Boominess
For Bass/Kick Cohesion
(classic area)
Enhances Bass
Guitar Presence
More Snap/Attack
Standout
B 7Khz
D 300 800Hz
D 400Hz
B 5Khz
C 100Hz
C 150Hz & Below

B 200Hz
D 400Hz, 800Hz & 1.3Khz
B 1Khz
D 5Khz
B 7Khz
4db (up to)
Highpass filter mode
+4db
4db (up to)

+2db
Attack (more Metallic Sound)
Decrease Cardboard sound

More Attack
Mix Distiction
Fullness
Small Dips
Snap
More Distance
More Snap. Fullness.
Unveiling Harmonics & Killing
Low End
Feel free to dip any frequencies in between the boosts listed above to make all the other
instruments in your mix stick out. For example, if you dip the 300hz area suddenly the guitars
will stick out more. A roll off from 60hz will help a mix's overall high end come through. And
try not to to boost ALL of the frequencies listed above at once. Try one, then another and what
you don't need to boost, leave alone or DIP.
B 400Hz
B 800Hz
B 1.5Khz
B 3Khz
B 5Khz
B 200250Hz
B 100 150Hz
D/B 40 50Hz
B 5 7Khz
B 1 2Khz
6db (up to)
Enhances Bass
Guitar Presence
D 200 400 Hz
Punch & Oomph!
DESIRED
RESULTS
D 160Hz, 800Hz
& 1.3Khz
Use Highpass Filter
SUGGESTED
B / D / C VALUE
C 50Hz & Below

B 80Hz
FREQUENCY
Boost / Cut / Dip
PLUGINS
NEVERS&
DON'TS!!
TWANGTHANG
200250Hz(6db)
1Khz(+6db)
100Hz(+1to+2db)
MOTOWN/REGGAE
1Khz(5to6db)
200Hz(+3db)
HighEQ(6dborso)
AddmoreBottom
MOTOWN(Punchier)
5Khzinsteadofthe1Khz(6dbormore)
(restisasabove)
SILLYLOVETONE
100Hz(+23db)
500Hz(+6db)
300Hz(3db)
12Khz(6db)
ENTWISTLEBASS
12Khz(+6to+9db)
200Hz(6db)
100Hz(2to3dboptional)
BASSGROOVESpecificInfo:
BassRiderbyWaves
PSPVintageWarmer
I.K.MultimediaAmpegSVX
BEATLEBASS
100Hz(+23db)
3Khz(+36dbifnopick)
1218Khz(Dipforwarmth)
DistortionandTapeSaturationgoes
alongwaytomakingabassstick
out.TrythisbeforefloodingtheEQ
spectrumwithboosts.
JACOJAZZ(andFretless)
1Khz(+6db)
200Hz(9dbormore)
100Hz(+1to+2db)
12Khz(1to2db)
(trycutting800Hzratherthan200for
variation)
Nevermuddy/chokeyourlowend
withbassbooststhatusethesame
EQfrequenciesusedforyourkick!
BXBOOMbyBrainworxisagreat
choicetosupplyakickwithmore
Neveruseabigreverbonakick!
Ifasampledkick,addatinybitofa
'Oomph'butwatchthe
Maybeforaspecialeffecthereand
'room'usingareverbpluginifthe
overpoweringlowenditservesup. there,butitwillmushifyanymix
samplerdoesn'tallowforthat
Other'BassEnhancement'plugsare instantlyifaddedthroughouta
already
outtherejustdon'tgocrazywith
song.
them!
OTHERFX
SUGGESTIONS
Useslightlylessreverbonthetoms
Yes:Moreonrealmic'dtom
Don'tletthe'presampled'drum
thanyouwouldonthesnare.Toms
recordingsbutlessonsomepre
kitsdeterminethestereoseparation
'ring'whilesnaresdon't(asmuch). Sameasforsuggestedpluginsfor
compressed'samplesets'.
ofthetoms.YOUdeterminehow
SnareDrum.
Learnto'Gate'thetomsusing
(ATransientEnhancementPlugin
wideyouwantthemspreadout.
pluginsthatlessenthe'ringingtime'
maybeanotheroption.)
Lessissometimesbetter.
oftheskin.
Yes:Moreonrealmic'dsnare
Reverb,sometimestapesaturation
PSPAudiowareplugscangiveyou Toomuchtimemixingmusicwill
ordistortion.Mostdrumsample
whatyouneedforsnare'pop'. causeyourmindtothinkyoursnare
setshavemultiplemicpositions:
Voxengoisaclose2nd.Wavesstuff isn'tbrightenoughdon'tboostEQ
(ATransientEnhancementPlugin takeadvantageofthemtogetmore
verypricey!
highstocompensate!
'roomsound'orless,asdesired.
YES:Lotsofpresetscomewith
mostcompressionplugins.Try
themall,andtweaktoyourheart's
(andear's)content.Longer'attack
times'meanmoretransientscome
through.
Yes:Moreonrealmic'dkick
(ATransientEnhancementPlugin
COMPRESSION
Yes?/No?
REMEMBER:CUTorDIPbeforeBOOSTING!
EQ:INSTRUMENTANDVOCALGUIDELINES
Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 2nd module
ORGAN/SYNTHS
PIANO
GUITARS
(allofthem)
PERCUSSION
(ingeneral)
CRASHES&RIDES
(Cymbals)
HIHAT
(Cymbal)
INSTRUMENT
C 200hz
D 400Hz
C 200hz 400hz
B 3Khz
4db (up to)
B 5Khz
B 7Khz
B 15Khz
4db (up to)
B 5Khz
B 7Khz
B 10Khz
B 100Hz
+3db(upto)
B 3Khz
B 10Khz
B 6 to 7Khz
B/D 5Khz
B/D 3Khz
B 400Hz
B (300350Khz)
D 1.5Khz
B/ D 100Hz
D 800Hz
B 500Hz
D 80150Hz
4db(upto)
High Shelving
B 12.5Khz
B 7Khz
High Shelving
SUGGESTED
B / D / C VALUE
B 5Khz
400Hz 1Khz &

600Hz 800Hz
C 200hz
FREQUENCY
Boost / Cut / Dip
COMPRESSION
Yes?/No?
OTHERFX
SUGGESTIONS
PLUGINS
NEVERS&
DON'TS!!
More Realism in Sample

Synths (Soundfonts)
Clarity/Brightness
Sharpness
Edge/Attack for Lower Parts

Esp.
Edge/Attack for Lower Parts
Esp.
Warmth careful with this
frequency though, especially in
connection with Bass guitar
being used in the song being
mixed
Clarity/Brightness
Sharpness
Brightness
Remove excess bottom & add

clarity on Acoustic Guitars
Reduce Cheap Sound
Boost for SOLO warmth
More for fullness, less for
clarity
Adds warmth
Give THIS range to Electrics.
Remove Dullness
Boost for Edge (Reduce to
mask Out of Tune Guitar)
ALSO: Boost electrics while
reducing Acoustics in this
range creates separation
Increased for
Attack/Brightness (esp. Rock
Guitars)
Sharpness
For light brightness (on
Acoustic Guitar)
More Presence/Attack
Rids the muddiness
Rids the muddiness

Decrease cymbal ambience
To REALLY crispin or brighten

them up
NEVERrecordwithanoutoftune
guitar.Doesn'tmatterthat
MelodyneDNAisouttheretofix
that(somewhat).Justhaveyour
SlowhandorVanHalenwannabe
tunethedanginstrument!
Sampledpianoshaveatendencyto
betoowide:DONOT:letthe
BBEproducts,PSPAudioware&
stereowidthofthesampledpiano
Voxengoallgood.Tone2AkustiX determineit'spositioninthestereo
field!YOUdeterminethatas
Enhancergreatforbrighteningall
befittingthesong.WavesS1
sortsofinstrumentsandithaslots
Shufflerandsomeknobsonthe
ofgreatpresets.Affordabletoo.
samplersthemselvescancontrol
stereospread.Use!
Sometoconsider:
N.I.GuitarRig,PeaveyRevalver,
OverloudTH2,I.K.Multimedia
Amplitube,WavesGuitar,Vox
Jamvox
Endlesstothepowerof11
ALWAYSRolloffanylowendyou
There'sagazillionsyths.Dont
don'tneed!
forgetyouroldsynthgatheringdust
NEVER:PlayV.H.'s'JUMP'ona
OCCASIONALLY:Mostsynthsbuild Giveharmonicenhancementand inthecorneroldstuffcansound
synth.Somethingverybadwill
theirpatcheswithallFXin,including distortion(tubewarming)awhirl new,dependingonthetrack.Best
happentoyoureaditonafortune
compression.
nowandthen.Addingextrastereo
organsoutthereincludeN.I.'s
cookie.
widthordelayscanbegreatfor
VintageOrgans(orB4II)andUSB's
enhnacingthestereofield.
'Charlie'
Yes:Usepluginpresetsandtoy
aroundfromthere.
ALWAYSRolloffanylowendyou
don'tneed!
YourprimaryFXtoaddarereverb,
stereoimageadjusters(tounwiden
theimage,mosttimes),andeven
delaycancreateadifferentkindof
stereoimagethat'squitedecent.
Othersmightincludetape
saturation,chorusandharmonics
enhancement(tobeusedinplaceof
highshelvingEQ)
Endless
Yes:Workwithyourpresetsand
fiddlewithyourattacktimes.You'll
findyou'llcompressdifferentlyeach
Usewhatevertoolsatyourdisposal
timeandit'sdependentonwhether
tocreatestereoseparationonlarge
yourguitaristisapicker,strummer,
mixes.Alotofthiscomesfrom
popper,plucker,slapper,tapperor
smartEQingtechniquesandnot
thrummer.
fromplugins/FX.
Ilovegettingsomestereo
Shakersarehardtogettheright
NEVEREVEREVEREVERsaytothe
enhancementonthebrightertypes
tone.UseparametricEQfilter
guyatthemixingconsole,"Weneed
Depends:Ifit'sawildcongaplayer,
ofpercussionYoucanusedelays
sweepstofindsweetspotsorweed
morecowbell!"Hewillnotthinkit's
yeahanevenkeeledshaker,nah.
forthisordedicatedstereo
outyucktones.Orusesampled
funnyandhemayslapyoubefore
enhancementplugsfromVoxengo,
stuffeasierattimes.
walkingawayforseveralhours.
PSPAudiowareorothers
YES:Unlessyourdrummerhasthe SimilaradvicetoHiHatrollofflows
AswiththeHiHat,don'tbe
BBESonicMaximizerorother
controlofJohnBonham,compress butexperimentwithhighshelving
temptedtomaketheselouder&
'HarmonicEnhancement'typeplugs.
thesebabies!
toonottoomuch.
brighteraftermixingforawhile.
Rids the muddiness

These are the midrange tones
of the HiHat play around up
NeverbelieveyourearswithHiHats
Again,ifyou'reworkingwitha
BBESonicMaximizerorother
and down until desired tones NO:HardlyanythatI'veeverfound sampledkit,theHiHatwillkindabe
afteranhourplusofmixingyour
'HarmonicEnhancement'plugins
are reached
useful.ButIworkwithsampledkits. justfineontheirown.Thatbeing
track.You'llstartboostingthehighs
usetheseasanalternativeto'high
Just a touch to start raise
ormakingtheHiHatlouderthanit
RealHiHatswouldrequiresome said,arollingoffofthemunwanted
shelving'justnotboth!Youwant
shelf as needed later, but not
shouldbeandthat'saproblem.
compressionforsure.
frequenciesinthe200hzandunder
sizzle,notbrittle!
too much
TiredearsLIE!
range?Goodideaanyhow.
DESIRED
RESULTS
BACKGROUND
VOCALS
(otherwiseknownas
B.G'sorbackingvox)
LEADVOCALS
(alltypes)
STRINGS
INSTRUMENT
Page 8
6db or more, as necessary

Shelving
B 89Khz
+ 4 (at the 10khz mark)
+3db (up to)
+ or
from 2 to 4db
6db or more, as necessary
SUGGESTED
B / D / C VALUE
D 5Khz
B 3Khz
D 14Khz
D 400Hz
B 15Khz
B/D 7Khz to 10Khz
B 5Khz range
B 4 10Khz
B 3.5Khz
D 2 5 Khz
B 1 3Khz
B/D 200Hz
B 100 250Hz
D 150 500Hz
D 500Hz 1Khz
D 900Hz
D 200 300Hz
D 100 125Hz
D 60hz
B 15Khz
B 5Khz
FREQUENCY
Boost / Cut / Dip
Yes:Usepluginpresetsandtoy
aroundfromthere.
COMPRESSION
Yes?/No?
ALWAYSRolloffanylowendand
dipoutanyotherfrequenciesyou
don'tneed!
OTHERFX
SUGGESTIONS
Again,agazillionsamplesetsout
there.Usestereowidenersand
harmonicenhancementplugs
insteadofEQonceinawhile.
PLUGINS
NEVERFORGET:Violasarepeople
too.
NEVERS&
DON'TS!!
Enhances High Harmonies

AGAIN:RolloffunwantedLow
Increases
End!
distinction/separates the Lead
Lovetocreatewidthandstereo There'sagreatproductfromIzotope
Vox from the B.G's (but don't
separationwithmulitpletakesof (anythingtheymakeisgreat,really)
overdip or you will sacrifice
thesameharmonylines.Throw called'NECTAR'.Thisisanallinone
Yes:Usepluginpresetsandfiddle
clarity!)
themleft,centerandrightuntlyou Effectpluginthatwill(thanksto
SamerulesforB.G.'ssingersasfor
Increases breathy, soft sound about.Younearlywanttosquash
haveasuperbstereospread.
manypresetstostartyouoff)set
theLeadVocalists.
theB.G.'sonPop&Rockmusic.
for B.G.'s
youontherightpathforvocalsin
Again, helps separate the Lead
Useadifferentsetofmicsforthe general.Youcouldalmost usejust
Vox from the B.G.'s
B.G.singerstoprovideneeded
thisoneeffectinyourFXbin.
Will create angelic effect
distinction/separationfromthelead
sometimes. Shevling is good
vocalist(s).
anyhow.
Roll off them lows to provide

clarity and demud the vocal
Avoid Muddy Sound (Male
Vox)
Avoid Muddy Sound
(Female Vox)
Reduce this frequency on
'piercing' Male Voices
This is the 'hardness'
Wavesrecentlyintroduceda
frequency range
NEVER:
productthatsavesyouhavingto
This is the 'boxy, hollow, or
1) Recordyourvocaltooquiet
draw'automation'linesthatassist
2) Recordyourvocaltooloud
witheveningthevolumeofyour
tubey' frequency range
3) Drinkmilk,alcoholorbeerwhile
vocaltrack'WavesVocalRider'.
Increases boominess
singingunlessyouwanttosuckbig
Reduce for clarity on low
AGAIN:RolloffunwantedLow
time
Therearesomeinexpensive
vocals but Increase for filling
End!
4) Recordwithreverbifyoucan
alternativesthataremadebyBlue
in higher vocals
CatAudiothatmaydothesame helpit(willassistyourmaintaining
Controls Metallic/Nasal
betterpitch!)
thingtoo.
Thehumanvoiceisthehardest
hardness (Reduce on 3Khz in Yes:Usepluginpresetsandfiddle
5) Say,"We'lljustautotunethat
instrumenttocontrol.FXPresets
particular for Female Singer aboutuntilitdoesn'tsoundlikethe workforsomevocaltypesbutsuck ALL/ANYFXcanbeaddedtoavoice. later,right?"Singitagain12tracks
voiceisgettingsquashed.
harshness)
Therearenorulesletyour
ifyouhaveto!BetterNOpitch
onothers.Don'tbesurprisedif
Controls Intelligibility, Wooly
imaginationrunrampant.
correctionwherepossible...far
yourFXchainhas48plugins
or lifeless tones
runningjusttogetthesoundyou
morenatural!
Creates 'Standout' (Don't
want.
THEMAINEFFECTyouwilluseisa 6) Forgettolearnyourlyricsinside
overdo: this will also reduce
DeESSer.Nothinghurtstheear
andout,sowhenyougotorecord,
naturalism, can harshen or
morethananastysibalanceona
youcanjustcloseyoureyesand
vocal!Useitsetitwalkaway. feel/expressyourlines.Readingoff
thinout the voice, making it
Comebackafteradayandadjust apageisfornarratorsandcartoon
irritating.
again.Younevergetitrightthefirst voiceartists.Singlikeyoumeanit!
Sibilance (Ess sounds) and
timethrough!
Grittiness occur with this
boost, however.
Some shelve upwards from
here, and it's a pleasant range
to enhance and brighten the
vocal
Increase on a dull singer but
decrease on an 'Essy' singer
Brightens breath sound
Brightness
Presence
DESIRED
RESULTS
Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 3rd module

These are not golden rules but they can help you to get things right. However all recordings will
need their own tweaks to get the desired sound.
EQ basics
20 Hz and below - impossible to detect, remove as it only adds unnecessary energy to the
total sound, thereby most probably holding down the overall volume of the track
60 Hz and below - sub bass (feel only)
80(-100) Hz - feel AND hear bass
100-120 Hz - the "club sound system punch" resides here
200 Hz and below bottom
250 Hz - notch filter here can add thump to a kick drum
150-400 Hz boxiness
200 Hz-1.5 KHz - punch, fatness, impact
800 Hz-4 KHz - edge, clarity, harshness, defines timbre
4500 Hz - extremely tiring to the ears, add a slight notch here
5-7 KHz - de-essing is done here
4-9 KHz - brightness, presence, definition, sibilance, high frequency distortion
6-15 KHz - air and presence
9-15 KHz - adding will give sparkle, shimmer, bring out details - cutting will smooth out
harshness and darken the mix
60Hz with a Q of 1.4 -- Add fullness to kicks.

100Hz with a Q of 1.0 -- Add fullness to snare
200Hz - 250Hz with a Q of 1.4 -- Adds wood to snares
3Khz with a Q of 1.4 -- Adds attack to snare.
5Khz with a Q of 2.8 -- Adds attack to Kicks
7Khz with a Q of 2.8 -- Adds Sharpness to snares and percussion
10Khz with a Q of 1.0 -- Adds brightness to hats and cymbals
Kick drums I usually cut the bass below 90 to keep the phatness without conflicting with the bass
I usually notch somewhere around 250 which seems to clear up a bit of muddiness
cut all sounds below 20hz as they also muddy up the mix.
kick drums which I cut below 75Hz.
For your vinyl masters make a harsh cut at 12khz or preferably de-esser in that region.(this applies
to mastering tasks for vinyl only) for cd masters, that gives the desired air on top.
The 4500hz region is the main content of any human vocals. So if no one understands your voice
sample and you want it to be understood, boost it.
To find the sweet spot of a sound...
solo it.
make the q as small as it will go and boost the eq 6dB and sweep the frequency untill you
really hear the sound come out (usually on the attack).
then reduce the amount of q and gain.
Page 9
this also works if there is something you want to get rid of in a sound.. find that sound by using this
same method and reduce the gain.
if you want to add OMMPH to the kick or snare.

tune an oscillator to the same pitch as the kick or white noise to the snare.
and KEY it with the Kick or the Snare and it will add that ommf your looking for.
heard a lot in hip hop on the kicks and in the 80's on the snare.
another way of doing it if you don't know how to key an oscillator... is just get a sample and have it
play at the same time as the kick or the snare. the keying just does that for you. Hehe
Something that often gets over-looked is COMPARING to the original. Whenever you re-EQ
something you NEED to be able to cut everything you've just done and compare it to the original
sound. Theres no use doing it if you can't look back on how it was to see why you EQ'd it in the
first place.
Basically make sure whatever you use to EQ has some form of bypass so you can flip between
before-after. If you have something that will take 'snapshots' then thats even better as you can listen
to a few different versions of EQ setting to see which fits best.
probably one of the most important things to remember with eq if you ask any engineer; i haven't
seen anyone mention it, so i will.
when it comes to eq, try as hard as possible to use a cut rather than a boost. this will give you more
room to work with. one of the most common uses for eq is to resolve conflicting instruments. rather
than boosting the one that you want to stand out, try cutting the frequency in the instrument that
doesn't quite require it.
but i normally cut off kicks at 80-100 (with a not-too gentle roll off) and take a big piece out at
300ish. i also usually boost snares aroung 150-200 and 1000-1500. 150-200 is where the meat of
the snare is, and 1000-1500 is where the snap is.
Boost or Cut? Or both in combination?
I just recently read an article that recommended EQing sounds in the mix (not solo) and then
finding the most prominent frequency range (by sweeping a heavily boosted paramteric EQ) and
boost that just as much as needed to bring out the target sound in the mix, not more.
Then use a heavily cut parametric EQ and sweep below the frequency you just boosted, to see if
you can find a frequency range that is good to cut in order to bring the target sound out in the mix
even further.
I find I often use cutting frequencies to remove irritating ringings, rumble, noise etc but I don't think
I've thought about it in terms of actually listening if it brings out the sound more in the mix by
subtracting some of the frequencies of said sound.
on some sounds where it seems too sharp & hurts your ears, lower/notch it at around 3KHz
Page 10
i definitely think that its best to start by cutting frequencies rather than boosting as this gives you a
lot more room to play! you can allways boost things a bit more later if you need more OOMPH in
that freq range!
fatness at 120-240Hz
boing at 400Hz
crispness at 5kHz
snap at 10kHz
Voice: presence (5 kHz), sibilance (7.5 - 10 kHz), boominess (200 - 240 kHz), fullness (120 Hz)
Electric Guitar: fullness (240 Hz), bite (2.5 kHz), air / sizzle (8 kHz)
Bass Guitar: bottom (60 - 80 Hz), attack (700 - 1000 Hz), string noise (2.5 kHz)
Snare Drum: fatness (240 Hz), crispness (5 kHz)
Kick Drum: bottom (60 - 80 Hz), slap (4 kHz)
Hi Hat & Cymbals: sizzle (7.5 - 10 kHz), clank (200 Hz)
Toms: attack (5 kHz), fullness (120 - 240 Hz)
Acoustic Guitar: harshness / bite (2 kHz), boominess (120 - 200 Hz), cut (7 - 10 kHz)
Bassdrum:
EQ>Cut below 80Hz to remove rumble
Boost between 80 -125 Hz for bass
Boost between 3 - 5kHz to get the slap
PROCESSING> Compression 4:1/6:1 slow attack med release.
Reverb: Tight room reverb (0.1-0.2ms)
Snaredrum:
EQ> 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
PROCESSING> Compression 4:1 slow attack med release.
Reverb: Tight room reverb (0.1-0.2ms)
Hi-Hat:
EQ> Boost above 5kHz for sharp sparkle
Cut at 1kHz to remove jangling
PROCESSING> Compression use high ratio for high energy feel
Reverb: Looser than Bass n Snare allow the hats and especially the Rides to ring a little
Bass:
Compressed, EQ'd with a full bottom end and some mids
I find myself often having to boost the midrange in my drums lately, last night I did a track and had
to put a +3 dB EQ in the 800-3000 Hz range on the final mix (obviously not the most optimal
choice but I'll fix it in the sequencer later with specific channel EQing and so on).
Page 11
Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 4th module

EQ Reference: Frequencies
50Hz
Boost: To thicken up bass drums and sub-bass parts.
Cut: Below this frequency on all vocal tracks. This should reduce the effect of any microphone
'pops'.
70-100Hz
Boost: For bass lines and bass drums.
Cut: For vocals.
General: Be wary of boosting the bass of too many tracks. Low frequency sounds are particularly
vulnerable to phase cancellation between sounds of similar frequency. This can result in a net 'cut of
the bass frequencies.
200-400Hz
Boost: To add warmth to vocals or to thicken a guitar sound.
Cut: To bring more clarity to vocals or to thin cymbals and higher frequency percussion.
Boost or Cut: to control the 'woody' sound of a snare.
400-800Hz
Boost: To add warmth to toms.
Boost or Cut: To control bass clarity, or to thicken or thin guitar sounds.
General: In can be worthwhile applying cut to some of the instruments in the mix to bring more
clarity to the bass within the overall mix.
800Hz-1KHz
Boost: To thicken vocal tracks. At 1 KHz apply boost to add a knock to a bass drum.
1-3KHz
Boost: To make a piano more aggressive. Applying boost between 1KHz and 5KHz will also make
guitars and basslines more cutting.
Cut: Apply cut between 2 KHz and 3KHz to smooth a harsh sounding vocal part.
General: This frequency range is often used to make instruments stand out in a mix.
3-6KHz
Boost: For a more 'plucked' sounding bass part. Apply boost at around 6KHz to add some definition
to vocal parts and distorted guitars.
Cut: Apply cut at about 3KHz to remove the hard edge of piercing vocals. Apply cut between
5KHZ and 6KHz to dull down some parts in a mix.
6-10KHz
Boost: To sweeten vocals. The higher the frequency you boost the more 'airy/breathy' the result will
be. Also boost to add definition to the sound of acoustic guitars or to add edge to synth sounds or
strings or to enhance the sound of a variety of percussion sounds. For example boost this range to:
Bring out cymbals.
Add ring to a snare.
Add edge to a bass drum.
10-16KHz
Page 12
Boost: To make vocals more 'airy' or for crisp cymbals and percussion. Also boost this frequency to
add sparkle to pads, but only if the frequency is present in the original sound, otherwise you will
just be adding hiss to the recording.
Specific Instruments
Vocals
General:
Roll off below 60Hz using a High Pass Filter. This range is unlikely to contain anything useful, so
you may as well reduce the noise the track contributes to the mix.
Treat Harsh Vocals:
To soften 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.
Hi-Hats
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.
Bass Drum
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.
Page 13
Guitar
Treat Unclear Vocals:
Apply some cut to the guitar between 1KHz and 5KHz to bring the vocals to the front of the mix.
General:
Apply a little boost between 100Hz and 250Hz and again between 10KHz and 12KHz.
Acoustic Guitar
Add Sparkle:
Try some gentle boost at 10KHz using a Band Pass Filter with a medium bandwidth.
General:
Try applying some mid-range cut to the rhythm section to make vocals and other instruments more
clearly heard.
kick>> bottom depth at 60 - 80 Hz, slap attack at 2.5Hz
snare>> fatness at 240HZ, crispness at 5 KHz
hi hats/cymbals>> clank or gong sound at 200 Hz, shimmer at 7.5 kHz - 12 kHz
rack toms>> fullness at 240 Hz, attack at 5 kHz
floor toms>> fullness at 80 - 120 Hz, attack at 5 kHz
horns>> fullness at 120 - 240 Hz, shrill at 5 - 7.5 kHz
strings>> fullness at 240 Hz, scratchiness at 7.5 - 10 kHz
conga/bongo>> resonance at 200 - 240 Hz, slap at 5 kHz
vocals>> fullness at 120 Hz, boominess at 200 - 240 Hz, presence at 5 kHz, sibilance at 7.5 - 10
kHz
When mixing bassline and kick drum, give the kick some extra dBs at 90-something Hz (listen
to the sound and find where it has it's punch) and remove a few dB from the bassline sound at
this same frequency. Then go to around 400 Hz on the kick drum (where it's boxiness resides)
and remove a few dB, this will make it feel more punchy and thumpy, in a nice way (at least it
has worked well for me in the sound I am trying to achieve). Finally add a few dB to the
bassline at this same 400-something frequency, this will increase the presence and audibility
of the bassline when played at the same time as the kick.
Good point - those frequency tips are taken from many different sources and I think I've learned
more over the time now so I wouldn't say that particular tip is really something to rely on. I more
often cut at around 400 Hz, add at around 100 Hz, notch at 250 Hz and also I always cut my kicks at
70-80 Hz.
Though sometimes I also layer sub hits underneath
just to add to the bass-kick debate, for those using fm kicks ala; teebee, dom n roland. I found that
cutting 16-30hz and boost at 250hz worked a treat. But I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion
that there really is no one size fits all rule when it comes to kicks, apart from getting rid of the lower
end of the bass spectrum to make way for any basslines in your tunes.
Page 4

Magic Frequencies
Excerpted from The Mixing Engineer's Handboo
by Bobby Owsinski
Editors' Note: The following excerpt from "The Mixing Engineer's Handbook" by engineer Bobby
Owsinski discusses how EQ can affect different frequencies in an audio mix. A Tips and Tricks
section at the the end features various professional engineers offering their perspective on EQ
techniques.
Before we examine some methods of equalizing, its important to note the areas of the audio band
and what effect they have on what we hear. The audio band can effectively be broken down into six
distinct ranges, each one having enormous impact on the total sound.
Sub-Bass The very low bass between 16Hz and 60Hz that encompasses sounds that are
often felt more than heard, such as thunder in the distance. These frequencies give the music a
sense of power even if they occur infrequently. Too much emphasis on this range makes the
music sound muddy.
Bass The bass between 60Hz and 250Hz contains the fundamental notes of the rhythm
section, so EQing this range can change the musical balance, making it fat or thin. Too much
boost in this range can make the music sound boomy. Low Mids The midrange between
250Hz and 2000Hz contains the low order harmonics of most musical instruments and can
introduce a telephone-like quality to the music if boosted too much. Boosting the 500Hz to
1000Hz octave makes the instruments sound horn-like, while boosting the 1kHz to 2kHz octave
makes them sound tinny. Excess output in this range can cause listening fatigue.
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High Mids The upper midrange between 2kHz and 4kHz can mask the important speech
recognition sounds if boosted, introducing a lisping quality into a voice and making sounds
formed with the lips such as m, b and v indistinguishable. Too much boost in this range
especially at 3kHz can also cause listening fatigue. Dipping the 3kHz range on
instrument backgrounds and slightly peaking 3kHz on vocals can make the vocals audible
without having to decrease the instrumental level in mixes where the voice would otherwise
seem buried.
Presence The presence range between 4kHz and 6kHz is responsible for the clarity and
definition of voices and instruments. Boosting this range can make the music seem closer to the
listener. Reducing the 5kHz content of a mix makes the sound more distant and transparent.
Brilliance The 6kHz to 16kHz range controls the brilliance and clarity of sounds. Too much
emphasis in this range, however, can produce sibilance on the vocals.
Page 15
Tricks and Tips

Figure 5
General Tips
Use a narrow Q
(bandwidth) when
cutting; use wide Qs
when boosting
If you want something
to stick out, roll off the
bottom; if you want it to
blend in, roll off the top
For Snare
To find the point on
the snare, boost the
upper midrange starting
at about +5 or 6dB at
2kHz or so. Open up the
bandwidth (if that
parameter is available)
until you get the snare
to jump out, then tighten
the bandwidth until you
get only the part of the
snare sound that you
want most. Then finetune the frequency until
you need the least amount of boost in order to make it jump out of the mix.
For Drums
Dave Pensado: A lot of the music I do has samples in it and that gives the producer the luxury of
pretty much getting the sound he wanted from the start. In the old days you always pulled out a little
400 on the kick drum. You always added a little 3 and 6 to the toms. That just doesnt happen as
much any more because when I get the tape, even with live bands, the producers already triggered
the sound he wanted off the live performance and the drums are closer.
For Bass
The ratio between the low bass (80120Hz) and the mid-bass (130Hz200Hz) is important. Try
using two fairly narrow peaking bands, one at 100Hz and another at 140Hz and boost one and cut
the other. If the bass is too warm, sometimes reducing the upper band can make it more distinct
without removing the deeper fundamentals that live in the 100Hz band. Also, try boosting some of
the 1kHz area since this is where a lot of the sound of the Fender bass lives.
Page 16
For Fatter Guitars

Boost midrange a lot (9dB or so) and sweep the frequencies until you hear the range where the
guitar sounds thick but yet still bright enough to cut through. Now, back the boost down to about +4
or so until the guitar cuts through the mix without being too bright.
Don Smith: I use EQ different from some people. I dont just use it to brighten or fatten something
up; I use it to make an instrument feel better. Like on a guitar, making sure that all the strings on a
guitar can be heard. Instead of just brightening up the high strings and adding mud to the low
strings, I may look for a certain chord to hear more of the A string. If the D string is missing in a
chord, I like to EQ and boost it way up to +8 or +10 and then just dial through the different
frequencies until I hear what theyre doing to the guitar. So Im trying to make things more
balanced in the way they lay with other instruments.
For Vocals
Boost a little at 125Hz to 250Hz to accentuate the voice fundamental and make it more chestysounding. The 2kHz to 4kHz range accentuates the consonants and makes the vocal seem closer to
the listener.
Ed Seay: On a vocal sometimes I think, Does this vocal need a diet plan? Does he need to lose
some flab down there? Or sometimes, We need some weight on this guy so lets add some 300
cycles and make him sound a little more important.
David Sussman: If Im recording vocals, I like to roll off quite a bit on the bottom end so the
compressor doesnt start kicking in and bringing up any low end rumble or noise. If Im EQing a
piano or something thats already been recorded, I sometimes roll off a lot of the bottom so I leave a
lot of room for the bass and the kick drum to occupy. A lot of times I dont need anything under
probably 100Hz. Ill do some rolling off with the filters and then I may take a bell curve and zone in
on a couple of other woofy areas on certain instruments.
Dave Pensado: I think of EQ as an effect much the same way you would add chorus or reverb to a
particular instrument or vocal. Like, I might have a vocal where I think its really EQed nicely and
then Ill add a little more 3k just to get it to bite a little more. Then it just makes me feel like the
singer was trying harder and it brings out a little bit of passion in his or her voice. So I tend to be
most effective when I do the standard equalizing, then take it to the next level, thinking of it as an
effect.
Page 17

The Ultimate EQ Guide
Please Note - The values below are merely guides, each mix is unique and individual so
experimentation is advised.
Low Bass: anything less than 50Hz
This range is often known as the sub bass and is most commonly taken up by the lowest part of the
kick drum and bass guitar, although at these frequencies it's almost impossible to determine any
pitch. Sub bass is one of the reasons why 12" vinyl became available: low frequencies require wider
grooves than high frequencies - without rolling off everything below 50Hz you couldn't fit a full
track onto a 7" vinyl record. However we do NOT recommend applying any form of boost around
this area without the use of very high quality studio monitors (not home monitors - there is a vast
difference between home nearfield and studio farfield monitors costing anywhere between 5,000
and 20,000). Boosting blindly in this area without a valid reference point can and will permanently
damage most speakers, even PA systems. You have been warned!
Bass: 50-250Hz
This is the range you're adjusting when applying the bass boost on most home stereos, although
most bass signals in modern music tracks lie around the 90-200Hz area with a small boost in the
upper ranges to add some presence or clarity.
Muddiness/irritational area: 200-800Hz
The main culprit area for muddy sounding mixes, hence the term 'irritational area'. Most frequencies
around here can cause psycho-acoustic problems: if too many sounds in a mix are dominating this
area, a track can quickly become annoying, resulting in a rush to finish mixing it as you get bored or
irritated by the sound of it.
Mid-range: 800-6kHz
Human hearing is extremely sensitive at these frequencies, and even a minute boost around here
will result in a huge change in the sound - almost the same as if you boosted around 10db at any
other range. This is because our voices are centred in this area, so it's the frequency range we hear
more than any other. Most telephones work at 3kHz, because at this frequency speech is most
intelligible. This frequency also covers TV stations, radio, and electric power tools. If you have to
apply any boosting in this area, be very cautious, especially on vocals. We're particularly sensitive
to how the human voice sounds and its frequency coverage.
High Range: 6-8kHz
This is the range you adjust when applying the treble boost on your home stereo. This area is
slightly boosted to make sounds artificially brighter (although this artificial boost is what we now
call 'lifelike') when mastering a track before burning it to CD.
Hi-High Range: 8-20kHz
This area is taken up by the higher frequencies of cymbals and hi-hats, but boosting around this
range, particularly around 12kHz can make a recording sound more high quality than it actually is,
and it's a technique commonly used by the recording industry to fool people into thinking that
certain CDs are more hi-fidelity than they'd otherwise sound. However, boosting in this area also
requires a lot of care - it can easily pronounce any background hiss, and using too much will result
in a mix becoming irritating.
Page 18
Kick Drum
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz. Try a small boost around 5-7kHz to add
some high end.
50-100Hz ~ Adds bottom to the sound
100-250Hz ~ Adds roundness
250-800Hz ~ Muddiness Area
5-8kHz ~ Adds high end prescence
8-12kHz ~ Adds Hiss
Snare
Try a small boost around 60-120Hz if the sound is a little too wimpy. Try boosting around 6kHz for
that 'snappy' sound.
100-250Hz ~ Fills out the sound
6-8kHz ~ Adds presence
Hi hats or cymbals
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz. To add some brightness try a small boost
around 3kHz.
250-800Hz ~ Muddiness area
6-8kHz ~ Adds clarity
8-12kHz ~ Adds brightness
Bass
Try boosting around 60Hz to add more body. Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around
300Hz.If more presence is needed, boost around 6kHz.
50-100Hz ~ Adds bottom end
250-800Hz ~ Muddiness Area
800-1kHz ~ Adds beef to small speakers
6-8kHz ~ Adds high-end presence
8-12kHz ~ Adds hiss
Vocals
This is a difficult one, as it depends on the mic used to record the vocal. However...Apply either cut
or boost around 300hz, depending on the mic and song.Apply a very small boost around 6kHz to
add some clarity.
100-250Hz ~ Adds 'up-frontness'
6-8kHz ~ Adds sibilance and clarity
Piano
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz. Apply a very small boost around 6kHz to
add some clarity.
50-100Hz ~ Adds bottom
250-1kHz ~ Muddiness area
Page 19

6-8Khz ~ Adds clarity
8-12kHz ~ Adds hiss
Electric guitars
Again this depends on the mix and the recording. Apply either cut or boost around 300hz,
depending on the song and sound. 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.
100-250Hz ~ Adds body
1-6Khz ~ Cuts through the mix
8=12kHz ~ Adds hiss
Acoustic guitar
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off between 100-300Hz. Apply small amounts of cut around
1-3kHz to push the image higher. Apply small amounts of boost around 5kHz to add some
presence.
Strings
These depend entirely on the mix and the sound used
50-100Hz ~ Adds bottom end
1-6hHz ~ Sounds crunchy
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------50Hz
1. Increase to add more fullness to lowest frequency instruments like foot, toms, and the bass.
2. Reduce to decrease the "boom" of the bass and will increase overtones and the recognition
of bass line in the mix. This is most often used on bass lines in Rap and R&B.
100Hz
1. Increase to add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments.
2. Increase to add fullness to guitars, snare.
3. Increase to add warmth to piano and horns.
4. Reduce to remove boom on guitars & increase clarity.
200Hz
1. Increase to add fullness to vocals.
2. Increase to add fullness to snare and guitar (harder sound).
3. Reduce to decrease muddiness of vocals or mid-range instruments.
4. Reduce to decrease gong sound of cymbals.
Page 20
400Hz
1. Increase to add clarity to bass lines especially when speakers are at low volume.
2. Reduce to decrease "cardboard" sound of lower drums (foot and toms).
3. Reduce to decrease ambiance on cymbals.
800Hz
1. Increase for clarity and "punch" of bass.
2. Reduce to remove "cheap" sound of guitars
1.5KHz
1. Increase for "clarity" and "pluck" of bass.
2. Reduce to remove dullness of guitars.
3KHz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Increase for more "pluck" of bass.

Increase for more attack of electric / acoustic guitar.
Increase for more attack on low piano parts.
Increase for more clarity / hardness on voice.
Reduce to increase breathy, soft sound on background vocals.
Reduce to disguise out-of-tune vocals / guitars
5KHz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Increase for vocal presence.

Increase low frequency drum attack (foot/toms).
Increase for more "finger sound" on bass.
Increase attack of piano, acoustic guitar and brightness on guitars.
Reduce to make background parts more distant.
Reduce to soften "thin" guitar.
7KHz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Increase to add attack on low frequency drums (more metallic sound).

Increase to add attack to percussion instruments.
Increase on dull singer.
Increase for more "finger sound" on acoustic bass.
Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers.
Increase to add sharpness to synthesizers, rock guitars, acoustic guitar and piano.
10KHz
1. Increase to brighten vocals.
2. Increase for "light brightness" in acoustic guitar and piano.
3. Increase for hardness on cymbals.
4. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers.
15KHz
1. Increase to brighten vocals (breath sound).
2. Increase to brighten cymbals, string instruments and flutes.
3. . Increase to make sampled synthesizer sound more real.
Page 21
80hz - rumble of the bass

100hz - thump of the kick
200hz - bottom of the guitar
250hz - warmth of the vocal
350hz - bang of the snare
400hz - body of the bass
500hz - clang of the high hat
600hz - clang of the cymbals
800hz - ping of ride cymbal
1000hz - meat of the guitar
1200hz - body of the snare
1400hz - meat of the vocal
1600hz - snap of the kick/plectrum on guitar (attack)
2500hz - wires and snap of snare
3000hz - presence of the vocal
4000hz - ring of ride cymbal/top end of bass guitar
6000hz - sizzle of the high hat
7000hz - sizzle of the cymbals
8000hz - top end of the kick
9000hz - brightness on snare and cymbals
10000hz - brightness on vocal
12000hz - air on vocal
14000hz - air on cymbals
Page 22
How To Use EQ Sweeping

23/07/2011 by Petri Suhonen 8 Comments
Equalizer is one of the most powerful tools in your virtual mixing desk. With it, you can make a
huge difference how your mixes will sound.
Theres various equalizing techniques as well and one such is a method called EQ sweeping.
In this tutorial I will show you how to use EQ sweeping to find & fix problematic areas in the
frequency range and also how to use it to find those sweet spots to make an instrument or sound to
really stand out.
Using EQ Sweeping For Fixing Problematic Frequencies
First, you need to identify WHAT exactly doesnt sound right in your mix. Generally speaking, EQ
isnt something you HAVE to use in every single sound: listen to your mix first if it sounds good,
dont do anything to it. No need to use EQ then.
However, if theres something that sounds bad, unbalanced or just not right, try to identify the
problem as accurately as possible: WHY it sounds so bad? Whats actually wrong with it? For
example, lets say a lead synthline youre using in your mix is sounding nasal in a bad way you
feel it just doesnt seem to fit in the mix. Try to keep that in mind: your target is to fix the excessive
nasality out of the lead synthline.
Now, the problem is, you cant tell what the exact frequency area is that is causing the nasality in
this sound. This is where the EQ sweeping comes in.
Pick a Fruity Parametric EQ 2 (for EQ sweeping youll need a fully parametric EQ and in FL
Studio, PEQ2 is PERFECT for such use) and drop it to the lead synthline mixer track. Leave only
one peaking filter band there and disable all the other six bands. Set the band frequency to around
30Hz (this is just the starting point for the sweeping it can be anything actually), gain to 10-12dB
and bandwidth to something narrow like 10-15%. Try not to set the bandwidth too thin, because
Page 23
thatll cause more resonance around the center frequency and more artifacts to the sound and that
will make it harder to identify the actual problematic frequencies.
Ok.
Play back your mix, and slowly increase the peaking filter frequency sweep it across the
frequencies (it may help you to focus if you close your eyes while sweeping) until you start to
hear that problem getting WAY worse and STOP right there: you have identified the problematic
frequency area and its time to fix the problem.
Drop the peaking filter gain to 0.0dB and before you start cutting, let your ears rest a few seconds.
Ive found this is useful because listening excessively boosted frequencies even for a short period
of time kind of makes ears out of balance for a second.
Allright. Now to the cutting. Start by lowering the gain maybe 1-2dB for starters and keep
decreasing until youre satisfied. Experiment with the bandwidth settings as well to find a range
where the annoying frequency gets fixed without affecting too much to the surrounding frequencies.
Remember that the more wider you will set the bandwidth, the more naughboring frequencies it
will affect.
Page 24
And thats it.

So in a nutshell: excessively boost a narrow section of frequencies to find the problem and then
eliminate it by cutting.
Using EQ Sweeping For Finding Sweet Spots
EQ sweeping can also be used for finding a sweet spot. Sweet spot is a specific range of
frequencies which makes the most important part of the instrument sound good defined and
clear. Its different on every instrument and you just need to learn to use your ears to find it. I cant
give you whole lot of recommendations as I havent yet completely mastered this skill myself
either, but heres how to apply this technique anyways:
While listening your mix, lets say youre not satisfied with your kickdrum. You decide that it could
have a little more punch and high end click to shine through the mix (of course, lot of depends
how you have mixed other instruments in relation to kickdrum are there any overlapping
frequencies, hows the volume levels etc. But lets just assume that all the other sounds in the mix
are somewhat in balance).
Drop a Fruity Parametric EQ2 to the kickdrum track, leave two peaking filter bands (one for the
punch and the other for the click) and disable all the other bands.
First target is to increase the punchiness of the kickdrum. Set the band frequency to 20Hz, gain to
12dB and bandwidth to something narrow (15-20%) basically the same settings as with finding
the problematic areas.
Play back your mix and slowly start to increase the band frequency. Sweep around the 100-200Hz
range. Usually the punch is in that area (depending on the kick of course).
Page 25
When you find a spot that makes the punchiness of the kickdrum to really stand out (exaggarated of
course due to the excessive boost), drop the gain to 0.0dB, take a few seconds pause to let your ears
recover and then increase the gain to a point where the punch of the kickdrum sounds sweet in the
mix.
Experiment with the bandwidth controller: tweak it between wide & narrow and try to find a setting
that gives the most natural transition to the boost.
Wider bandwidth gives more natural sound, but it also boosts the surrounding frequencies thus
making it harder to focus on a specific frequency. Narrower bandwidth yields more targeted
result, but might sound a bit unnatural if there IS a such thing as unnatural in electronic music.
Ok. The punchiness is there. Now for finding the area that makes the kick click.
Its the same method as above, but use the second peaking filter band instead and start sweeping
around 6-8kHz area. Thats where youll find the click most likely.
Thats it. Hopefully you found this guide useful.
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4 Kick and Bass EQ tips for tighter mixes...
The 4 kick and bass EQ tips you'll find below will help
you to get the low-end just right when you mix down.
Low-end is one of the hardest things to get right in a mix, for

a multitude of reasons, but the most common is that many
studios have poor low-end response which prevents you
from really knowing what is going on in the bass and subbass regions of the spectrum.
It's very important to still consider what is happening in the lower frequency range even when you
cannot necessarily hear it. You can avoid many possible frequency conflicts when you follow a
simple rule...
Allow only one melodic instrument to go down to the very low frequencies at any one time.
This instrument is usually the bass guitar in a conventional band setup, but of course there are
exceptions. With many heavy-metal songs you may want that filthy distorted rhythm guitar to carry
the sub energy and not the bass guitar.
The kick, or bass drum, is the only other instrument that wants to mingle in the bass/sub region and
here's were it starts to gets tricky...
Bass and kick relationship is a common area where even otherwise great mixes can and do fall short
and this often makes for the biggest challenges when mastering a record.
Now, as you probably know by now, music comes in many styles and genres and there isnt an
absolute right or wrong way to treat kick and bass EQ. Still, lets consider a few things that should
apply in most cases...
1. A good technique is to use high-pass filters on all your mix channels fairly high, at say 80100Hz or even slightly higher, except on the bass instrument and the kick. This ensures you
have no unwanted low-end artifacts from other instrument channels interfering with your
kick and bass relationship.
Take care to however not thin your other instruments out too much as this may result in
tinny mixes. You want to listen carefully when you cut so you keep enough of the body of
the non-bass instruments in your mix.
Page 27
2. Decide which of the two instruments, bass or kick, you want to carry the really low sub
energy, and apply a high pass filter fairly low, at +- 50Hz, to the other. You want in most
cases for the bass instrument to carry the really low sub energy but there are instances where
it's the other way around and the kick is used for the subs.
There may be some cases where you want them both your kick and bass to carry sub energy,
but remember that doing that can be very tricky, especially if youve tracked live
instruments. Using both will mainly work if the bass and kick are playing on different beats
like in a lot of break-beat, hip-hop and reggae music.
3. Use an EQ to determine where the main energy or the sweet-spot of the kick lays. You'll
find this differs greatly from kick to kick. A good place to start your hunt is usually at
around around 80-100Hz, which is where you'll find the sweet spot for most common 22inch bass drums.
This specific kick frequency is vital information, as any clutter from other instruments at
this frequency will interact with the kick, so beware. You may also choose to boost slightly
at this frequency, but is by no means essential.
4. Knowledge of the kicks sweet spot frequency allows you to apply an EQ to the bass, to
make sure that the kick has the space it needs to assert itself in the mix. So, apply a cut, with
a very narrow Q, at the said frequency. The depth of the cut will vary from case to case and
can be adjusted to affect the balance between kick and bass, but the key is to make the Q or
bandwidth as tight as possible.
You are sure to quickly get to grips with understanding Kick and Bass EQ when you practice the
above techniques. Remember that when you EQ one instrument you should always listen to how
your adjustments affect the other instruments. The same goes for setting levels in the mix.
For example, if you feel you want the kick to be louder, try first to turn down the bass whilst
listening to the kick's relative level in the mix. This is why we refer to it as a relationship because it
literally is. Anything you do to one affects your perception of the other in the mix.
You should never underestimate the importance of kick and bass EQ when it comes to mixing your
own music. It's definitely worth your careful attention because this can make the difference between
a mediocre and excellent mix.
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Tune your EQ's frequency response so it sits better in a mix
by Craig Anderton
Equalization is crucial to creating a balanced bass sound that plays back faithfully over a variety of
listening systems. But unfortunately, there are no canned, universally applicable EQ settings.
Different basses and amps have different response anomalies that cause a build-up (or lack) of sonic
energy at certain frequencies, and each instrument has its own sonic fingerprint. Room acoustics
and miking also contribute to creating an unbalanced sound with respect to frequency response.
Equalizing bass generally requires addressing two broad problems: frequency ranges where the
sonic energy is weak and needs boosting, and ranges where the sound is too strong and needs
cutting. Recording through an amp will add more of these anomalies than recording direct, but even
when recording direct, you may want to boost or cut certain frequency ranges for aesthetic (rather
than problem-solving) reasons.
If youve recorded bass for years, after a while you can recognize where any problems lie, and
instinctively know which frequencies need massaging to create the desired sound. But what if you
dont have years of experience? Fortunately, there are ways to analyze a sounds character so you
can identify the sweet spots and equalize them accordingly.
WHAT ABOUT COMPRESSION?
Because frequency response anomalies alter level at certain frequencies, and compression reduces
the differences between amplitude peaks and valleys, compression may seem like a good way to
even out the overall response. However, compression can color the sound in possibly undesirable
ways. For example, only the peaks in a specific frequency range might be loud enough to trigger
compression. This would yield a squeezed sound at those frequencies, while other frequency
ranges sound more natural.
Its preferable to get the best possible sound with EQ first, then add compression for further
smoothing. One exception is if youre using compression not to affect frequency response, but to
smooth out variations in dynamics. In that case, it usually makes sense to compress first, then add
EQ to change the tone.
FINDING THE SWEET SPOTS
To find the basss sweet spots for EQ, youll need a parametric equalizer with three controls:
frequency, boost/cut, and bandwidth. A quasi-parametric EQ, which typically has a fixed
bandwidth, might workalthough in accordance with Murphys Law (Anything that can go
wrong, will), the bandwidth will invariably be too narrow or too broad for the task at hand.
If possible, loop a busy portion of the bass track (e.g., notes that cover a wide range of pitches
instead of just a single, sustained note). Looping is usually easy with hard disk recording systems;
solo just the bass track (or mute all the other tracks).
Page 29
Start by finding where the bass is most aggressive. Turn down the monitors, as well temporarily
be using significant EQ boosts to help find peaks. Then follow these steps:
1. Turn the parametrics boost/cut control to lots of boost (e.g., 10 to 12dB).
2. Set the bandwidth to about an octave.
3. Slowly sweep the parametric frequency from high to low. Observe any meter thats
monitoring the channel, and listen carefully for any major sonic boosts.
4. Note the frequency range that drives the meter highest, or sounds the most distorted. There
may be several such ranges; look for the most prominent one.
5. Try cutting the signal slightly in that range. This may create a more balanced sound. On the
other hand, this frequency may be essential to the instruments timbre. Either way, youve at
least identified the frequency or frequencies where the basss response peaks.
6. Adjust the bandwidth control for the best sound. If the frequency range is sharp, narrow the
EQs bandwidth. If the range is broad, widen the bandwidth.
7. Go back and forth between steps 5 and 6 until the signal is balanced to whatever extent
sounds right. As a reality check, occasionally use the bypass switch to compare the
equalized and non-equalized sounds (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1: The top spectrum (from Sonar X3s ProChannel EQ) shows the bass before EQ. This
bass didnt sit will in a mix because it was too muddy in the lows from a bass bump around
100Hz, had an annoying midrange peak in the 500Hz range, and lacked highs that were needed
to emphasize higher overtones and pick noises. The lower spectrum shows how the EQ was
adjusted to compensate for these issues.
Page 30
Now lets find the frequencies that are most important in determining an instruments intelligibility
and signature. Follow the same general procedure as above, but in step 1, set the boost/cut control
to cut instead of boost. Now as you sweep the frequency control, note what happens to the signal
when you hit certain frequency ranges. Taking out frequencies around 60-100 Hz will affect the
bottom. Frequencies around 700 Hz -1 kHz determine much of the basss intelligibility; a lot of
the bass snap hits at 2-3 kHz, and air kicks in at around 5 kHz and above. Reducing these
frequencies will reduce important components of the sound.
This data, coupled with what you learned earlier while boosting, is invaluable when doing a mix.
For example, if cutting at 1.2 kHz reduced intelligibility, then you know that if the bass doesnt
speak well in the mix, try boosting at that frequency. On the other hand, if you found there was a
major resonance at 130 Hz that caused the bass to sound muddy, cut the response a bit at that
frequency.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
Generally, if cutting or boosting will accomplish the same result, I prefer to cut. For example,
suppose that the high and low ends seem deficient. Rather than boost them, try cutting the midrange
and raising the overall level somewhat. Its a judgement call, but to my ears, sometimes this results
in a more natural sound.
Im not a big fan of EQ presets, because so often, choosing EQ settings depends so much on
musical context. However, I still think its worth taking the time to store some of your favorite EQ
curves. You probably wont use the same curves each time, but what they will do is provide a point
of departure that may shorten your tweaking time compared to starting from scratch.
Finally, remember that response anomalies can also be part of an instruments character, so dont
too extreme. Be especially careful about adding large amounts of boost or cuteven 1 dB can make
a significant difference, and you want to avoid a situation where solving one problem introduces
another. For example, you turn up the treble a bit, which then makes the bass less prominent . . . so
you turn up the lows, and the combination of increased bass and treble makes the midrange
comparatively weak, so you increase that, then the treble seems low and you start all over again . . .
you get the idea. As with so many other audio processes, think scalpel rather than machete when
doing sonic surgery.
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Frequency Spectrum
Non-Musical Range
0 Hz - 40 Hz
Generally unusable in the mix.
Cut to:
0 Hz 40 Hz
Low Bass Range

40 Hz - 80 Hz
Clean up the mud and enhance clarity.

Add clarity to harmonic content
The first usable octave for recording. Gives a sense of

power to the mix.
Boost to:
40 Hz 80 Hz
Gives music a sense of power.
Cut to:
Gives music a sense of power.
Bass Range
80 Hz - 250 Hz

Add clarity to harmonic content.
Determines the fullness and fatness of the mix.
Boost to:
80 Hz 125 Hz
Add sense of power to bass instruments and
vocals. Also can contribute to boominess.
Add power to bass instruments and vocals.
Cut to:
Reduce boominess.
Boost to:
160 Hz 250 Hz
Bass and bass instruments fundamental
frequency range.
Add warmth.
Cut to:
Increase power and clarity of mid range instruments.
Page 32
Lower Mid / Bass Presence Range

250 Hz 500 Hz
Defines the clarity of bass instruments. Low-end range of

string and percussion instruments.
Boost to:
300 Hz 500 Hz
Cut to:
Mid Range
500 Hz 2 KHz
Increase clarity of bass instruments.
Reduce boxiness in higher range instruments.
Equalization commonly centers around 800 Hz and 1.5

KHz
Boost to:
500 Hz 1 KHz
Strings, keyboards and percussion fundamental
frequency range. One of the most important
ranges when shaping natural sound.
Accentuate the voice of the instrument.
Cut to:
Reduce the horn-like quality of the instrument.
Boost to:
800 Hz 1 KHz
Cut to:
Upper Mid Range

2 KHz 4 KHz
Accentuate and warms up instruments.
Reduce the horn-like quality of the instrument.
Equalization commonly centers around 3 KHz
Boost to:
2 KHz 4 KHz
Make brighter.
Cut to:
Reduce tinny quality.

Reduce listening fatigue.
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Presence Range
4 KHz 6 KHz
Makes vocals and instruments sound closer or more

distant. Equalization commonly centers around 5 KHz.
Boost to:
4 KHz 6 KHz
Cut to:
Treble Range
6 KHz 20 KHz
4 KHz 10 KHz
Good range affecting percussion. Also
contributes to adding transparency and distance
to the sound.
Make vocals and instruments sound closer.
Make vocals and instruments more distant.
Adds air to the mix. Equalization commonly centers

around 7 KHz, 10 KHz and 15KHz.
Boost to:
Accentuate percussion, cymbals and snares.
Boost to:
8 KHz 20 KHz
This range often defines the quality of the
mix. This range can help define depth and add
air.
Add more air.
Cut to:
Reduce shrill and brittleness from mix.
Vocals
Critical Ranges Affecting Vocals
Boost to:
80 Hz 125 Hz
Gives vocals a sense of power.
Cut to:
Boost to:
160 Hz 250 Hz
Enhance vocal fundamentals.
Page 34
Boost to:
315 Hz 500 Hz
Enhance vocal quality.
Boost to:
630 Hz 1 KHz
Accentuate the voices natural sound.
Cut to:
Reduce the honky or telephone-like quality.
Boost to:
1.25 KHz 8 KHz
Increase intelligibility of the vocals.
Cut to:
2 KHz 4 KHz
Increase intelligibility of the certain vowels.
To highlight vocals in the mix, boost the vocals at this range and
simultaneously cut instruments at this range.
3 KHz
Cut to:
7 KHz
Reduce sibilance (S sounds) of voice.
A narrow boost centered between this range, will add air to

vocals with minimal effect to sibilance or other vocal
characteristics.
12 KHz - 16 KHz
Guitar
Guitar Spectrum
82.4
87.3
92.5
98.0
103.8
110.0
116.5
E - open 6th string

F
F#
G
G#
A - open 5th string
A#
Page 35
123.5
130.8
138.6
146.8
155.6
164.8
174.6
185.0
196.0
207.6
220.0
233.1
246.9
261.6
277.2
293.6
311.1
329.6
349.2
370.0
392.0
415.3
440.0
466.1
493.8
523.2
554.3
587.3
622.2
659.2
B
C
C#
D - open 4th string
D#
E
F
F#
G - open 3rd string
G#
A
A#
B - open 2nd string
C - "middle C"
C#
D
D#
E - open 1st string
F
F#
G
G#
A - 5th fret on 1st string
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E - 12th fret on 1st string
Critical Ranges Affecting Guitar
75Hz 100 Hz
High pass at this range.
Cut to:
Boost to:
200Hz 300 Hz
400Hz 1 KHz
Mid Range. Likely the most critical shaping
range.
Enhance the low end.
Boost to:
Enhance the natural sound of the instrument.
1 KHz 4 KHz
Boost to:
Upper Mid Range

Page 36
Brighten up the guitar.
Cut to:
Reduce harsh brightness (ice-pick).
Boost to:
4 KHz 6KHz
Bring guitar forward in the mix (sound closer).
Cut to:
Presence range
Push guitar back in the mix (sound more distant).
Bass Guitar
Critical Ranges Affecting Bass Guitar
Cut to:
35Hz 60 Hz
High pass at this range.
Filter out detrimental rumble and inaudible frequencies

that add bass energy without contributing to the quality of
the mix.
Boost to:
60Hz 120 Hz
Fundamental bass frequencies. This range
defines how fat or thin the tone will be. Too
much will add boominess to the mix.
Adds fullness.
Cut to:
Make the tone thinner.

Reduce boominess.
Boost to:
120 Hz 250 Hz
Fundamental bass frequencies. Too much will
add mud to the mix.
Adds fullness and warmth.
Cut to:
Reduce mud.
Allow the bass mid range to be more pronounced.
Page 37
400 Hz 800 KHz

This range can affect finger-picked playing.
Boost to:
Possibly adds clarity and quality to finger-picked bass.
Boost to:
800 Hz 2 KHz
Mid Range. Brightens up the bass and allows it
to better cut through the mix.
Allow the bass to cut through the mix.
Cut to:
Reduce brightness and harness.

Allow the bass low end to be more pronounced.
Page 38
Equalizer Terms and Tips

FIG. 1: In a fully parametric EQ, one can change the
bands center frequency (a), gain (b), and bandwidth
(c) or Q, depending on the EQs design.
An equalizer, or EQ, is a filter that allows you to
adjust the volume level of a frequency, or range of
frequencies, within an audio signal. In its simplest
form, an EQ will let you turn the treble and bass up
or down, allowing you to adjust the coloration of,
lets say, your car stereo or an iPod. In recording,
equalization is a highly sophisticated art. Good
equalization is critical to a good mix.
When used correctly, an equalizer can provide the
impression of nearness or distance, fatten or
thin a sound, and help blend or provide separation
between similar sounds in a mix, allowing both to be
heard as intended. It can also be used to adjust a
sound system to account for the acoustical response
of a room or an outdoor venue.
Parametric EQ
The parametric EQ and semi-parametric EQ are
mainstays of recording and live sound because they
offer continuous control over their parameters.
These types of EQ offer continuous control over the
audio signals frequency content, which is divided
into several bands of frequencies (most commonly
three to seven bands).
Both parametric and semi-parametric EQs typically provide control of the gain (boost/cut) for each
frequency band, the center frequency of the midrange bands, and the cutoff frequency for the low
and high bands (see Fig. 1). The difference between fully parametric and semi-parametric EQs
typically is that the fully parametric EQ offers continuous control of the bandwidth, which
determines the range of frequencies affected, or control over the Q, which is the ratio of the center
frequency to the bandwidth (see sidebar Who or What is Q?). For most purposes, a Q control
accomplishes the same thing as a bandwidth control but they are not identical.
The EQ in the Eureka is a good example of a fully parametric hardware EQ, offering control of
gain, center frequency, and Q for all of its three frequency bands. With more than three bands, you
can get even more precise, as with the ProEQ plug-in for Studio One (see Fig. 2).
In a true semi-parametric EQ, the gain and frequency are adjustable but the Q and bandwidth are
fixed at a preset value. A variation on the semi-parametric is the quasi-parametric EQ, which
typically provides full frequency and gain adjustment but only two or three Q settings.
Page 39
A good example of the difference can be seen by comparing the fully parametric EQ in the Fat
Channel section of the StudioLive 24.4.2 digital mixer, which provides continuous Q control,
with the quasi-parametric Fat Channel EQ in the StudioLive 16.4.2 or StudioLive 16.0.2 digital
mixer, which offers a simple choice of high or low Q settings. We usually call the StudioLive
16.4.2/16.0.2 equalizer a semi-parametric EQ because thats a much more common term and is
accurate in a broad sense, but strictly speaking, its quasi-parametric.
Read more: Who or What is Q?
Shelving EQ
FIG. 2: PreSonus ProEQ plug-in for Studio One provides five fully parametric bands plus a highcut filter and a low-cut filter. The low- and highfrequency bands are shelving filters.
A shelving EQ attenuates or boosts frequencies
above or below a specified cutoff point. Shelving
equalizers come in two different varieties: high-pass
and low-pass. Low-pass shelving filters pass all
frequencies below a specified cutoff frequency,
while attenuating all the frequencies above the
cutoff. A high-pass filter does the opposite, passing
all frequencies above the specified cutoff frequency
while attenuating everything below. Usually, the
frequencies beyond the cutoff are rolled off,
following a predetermined curve, not cut off
sharply, as with a brickwall filter.
Some multiband parametric EQs offer low and high bands that can be switched to shelving filters.
In others, such as the EQ in the Studio Channel, the low and high bands are shelving filters, while
the mid band is fully parametric.
Graphic EQ
A graphic EQ typically consists of a bank of slider controls used to boost or cut fixed frequency
bands (see Fig. 3). A well-designed graphic EQ creates an output frequency response that
corresponds as closely as possible to the curve displayed graphically by the sliders. Designers of
analog EQs must carefully choose the bandwidth of the filter and decide how the bandwidth should
vary with gain and how the filters are summed or cascaded. In general, narrower bandwidth
signifies a more precise EQ.
In general, most graphic EQs have between 7 and 31 bands. Professional sound-reinforcement
graphic EQs generally have 31 bands, and the center frequency of each band is spaced 1/3 of an
octave away from the center frequency of the adjacent bands, so that three bands (three sliders on
the front panel) cover a combined bandwidth of one octave. Graphic EQs with half as many bands
per octave are generally used when less precision is needed. You will often find this 2/3-octave
design on monaural, 15-band (or fewer) graphic EQs in guitar amps, bass amps, and some
stompboxes. In traditional graphic EQ designs, the center frequency of each band is fixed.
Page 40
FIG. 3: This simple 31-band graphic EQ is

an Audio Units plug-in from Apple,
inserted in the main bus of PreSonus Studio
One. Here, its set flatthat is, no
frequencies are being boosted or cut.
Some high-end digital graphic EQs offer
greater precision. This is the approach
PreSonus took with the StudioLive mixer:
The graphic EQ is a pool of shelving filters
from which coefficients like cutoff
frequency, bandwidth, and gain are extracted through a process of curve-fitting. The curve entered
by the user is first oversampled. The system then works with an internal curve made up of 128
bands to find coefficients for the first shelving filter that, when subtracted from the users curve,
will produce the flattest possible response: 0 dB. The resulting response is then used to find
coefficients for the second shelving filter, using the same optimization process. Coefficients for all
available shelving filters are found through a recursive process.
Unlike conventional designs, the frequency and bandwidth of the bands depends on the curve
entered by the user. This allows for much tighter matching of that curve. Because of this innovative
design, the curve fitting-process is capable of very steep transitions, and unlike conventional, analog
graphic EQs, what you see is what you get. With a carefully drawn, smooth curve, the StudioLive
EQ will have almost no frequency ripple.
Graphic EQs are generally used to fine-tune the overall mix for a particular room. For instance, if
you are mixing in a dead room, you may want to boost high frequencies and roll off some of the
lows. If you are mixing in a live room, you might need to lower the high-midrange and highest
frequencies. In general, you should not make drastic amplitude adjustments to any particular
frequency bands. Instead, make smaller, incremental adjustments over a wider spectrum to round
out your final mix. To assist you with these adjustments, here is an overview of which frequencies
affect different sound characteristics:
Sub-Bass (16 Hz to 60 Hz). These very low bass frequencies are felt, rather than heard, as with
freeway rumbling or an earthquake. These frequencies give your mix a sense of power, even when
they only occur occasionally. However, overemphasizing frequencies in this range will result in a
muddy mix.
Bass (60 Hz to 250 Hz). Because this range contains the fundamental notes of the rhythm section,
any EQ changes will affect the balance of your mix, making it fat or thin. Too much emphasis will
make for a boomy mix.
Low Mids (250 Hz to 2 kHz). In general, you will want to emphasize the lower portion of this
range and deemphasize the upper portion. Boosting the range from 250 Hz to 500 Hz will accent
ambience in the studio and will add clarity to bass and lower frequency instruments. The range
between 500 Hz and 2 kHz can make midrange instruments (guitar, snare, saxophone, etc.)
honky, and too much boost between 1 kHz and 2 kHz can make your mix sound thin or tinny.
High Mids (2 kHz to 4 kHz). The attack portion of percussive and rhythm instruments occurs in
this range. High mids are also responsible for the projection of midrange instruments.
Page 41
Presence (4 kHz to 6 kHz). This frequency range is partly responsible for the clarity of a mix and
provides a measure of control over the perception of distance. If you boost this frequency range, the
mix will be perceived as closer to the listener. Attenuating around 5 kHz will make the mix sound
further away but also more transparent.
Brilliance (6 kHz to 16 kHz). While this range controls the brilliance and clarity of your mix,
boosting it too much can cause some clipping, so keep an eye on your main meter.
How to Find the Best and Leave the Rest

In the Making the Cut section are some general frequency principles to guide you through the
wonderful world of equalization but these are far from set in stone. So how do you find the best and
worst each instrument has to offer and adjust them accordingly?
Here is a great starting place:
First, solo just the instrument with which you are working. Most engineers start building their mix
with the drums and work from the bottom up (kick, snare, toms, high hat, overheads). Each
instrument resonates the most in a specific frequency bandwidth, so if you are working on your kick
drum mic, start with the lowest band of the EQ. Tune in the best-sounding low end and move on to
the attack. It is not uncommon to hear an annoying ringing or a twang somewhere mixed in with
your amazing-sounding low end and perfect attack, so your next task will be to find that offending
frequency and notch it out. Once you are satisfied with your kick drum, mute it, and move on to the
next instrument.
Taking your time with equalization is well worth the effort. Your mix will have better separation
and more clarity when each instruments EQ is set so that it shines through the mix.
A few general words of wisdom:
You can only do so much. Not every instrument can or should have a full, rich low end and
a sharp attack. If every instrument is EQd to have the same effect, it will lose its identity in
the mix. Your goal is not individual perfection, it is collective perfection in the mix.
Step away from the mix. Your ears get fatigued just like the rest of you. If you are working
particularly hard on one instrument, your ears will be quite literally numbed to that
frequency range.
Your memory is not what you think it is. Comparing a flat EQ and the curve that youve
created allows you to see exactly what youve done. So be honest with yourself. Sometimes
that EQ setting youve been working on for 15 minutes is not the right choice, so move on.
Never be afraid to take a risk. The best EQ tricks were found by mad scientists of sound.
Playing applies to engineers as well as musicians.
Making the Cut

You can add clarity and fullness to any instrument in a mix by attenuating (cutting) or boosting
certain frequencies. And of course, adjusting the wrong frequencies can make an instrument shrill,
muddy, or just downright annoying. The following table offers suggestions for frequency ranges
that should be boosted or cut when shaping the sound of commonly used instruments. Remember,
these are just suggestions; these frequencies may need to be adjusted up or down depending on the
Page 42
instrument, room, and microphone. For more information about the effects of boosting and cutting
various frequencies, see Fig. 4.
Instrument
What to Cut
Why to Cut
What to Boost
Why to Boost
Human Voice
7 kHz
2 kHz
1 kHz
90 Hz and below
1-2 kHz
300 Hz
1-2 kHz
90 Hz and below
2-3 kHz
200 Hz
1 kHz
125 Hz
600 Hz
200 Hz
1 kHz
Sibilance
Shrill
Nasal
Popping Ps
Tinny
Boomy
Shrill
Muddy
Tinny
Boomy
Thin
Boomy
Hollow
Boomy
Annoying
Toms
400 Hz
90 Hz and below
300 Hz
Muddy
Boomy
Boomy
Cymbals
1 kHz
Annoying
Horns
1 kHz
120 Hz and below
3 kHz
120 Hz and below
Honky
Muddy
Shrill
Muddy
8 kHz
3 kHz and above
200-400 Hz
5 kHz
100 Hz
3 kHz
125 Hz
5 kHz and above
125 kHz
600 Hz
90 Hz and below
2-5 kHz
125 Hz and below
2 kHz
150-200 Hz
90 Hz
2-5 kHz
60-125 Hz
2-5 kHz
90-200 Hz
7-8 kHz
8-12 kHz
15 kHz
8-12 kHz
2 kHz
2 kHz
400-600 Hz
Big sound
Clarity
Body
More presence
Bottom end
Clarity
Bottom end
Sparkle
Full
Growl
Bottom end
Sharp attack
Bottom end
Crisp
Full
Deep
Sharp attack
Bottom end
Sharp attack
Bottom end
Sizzle
Brilliance
Air
Big sound
Clarity
Clarity
Lush and full
Piano
Electric Guitar
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Bass
String Bass
Snare Drum
Kick Drum
String section
Page 43
FIG. 4: Here we see the general effects of boosting or cutting at various frequencies when equalizing
several commonly used instruments.
Page 44
Suggested EQ Settings
Here are suggested EQ settings for several different instruments to help you get started. These
settings are for the four-band semi-parametric equalizers found in the PreSonus Studio Channel,
Eureka, and StudioLive 16.4.2, but you can adapt them to other multiband semi-parametric EQs.
If you are using a fully parametric EQ, such as the PreSonus Pro EQ plug-in, we suggest that you
play with the Q setting when a high or a low Q is suggested, in order to find the right width for the
instrument or mix. This will also give you a better understanding of how the Q affects the sound.
Of course, the right EQ setting for any given instrument will depend upon the overall mix and the
tonality of the instrument.
Pop Female Vocals

LOW
LOW
ON/OFF PEAK/SHELF
ON
PEAK
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW LOW MID LOW MID

GAIN ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
130
-2
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
FREQ (kHz) GAIN ON/OFF
2.4
+2
LOW
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
490
LOW MID
GAIN
-2
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
PEAK
6.0
+8
ON
Rock Female Vocals

LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
ON
SHELF
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
155
+4
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
1.4
+6
ON
LOW
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
490
+6
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
PEAK
4.2
+2
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
960
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
PEAK
7.2
+4
Pop Male Vocals

LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
ON
PEAK
225
-2
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
2.0
+2
ON
HI
Rock Male Vocals

LOW
LOW
ON/OFF PEAK/SHELF
ON
PEAK
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
HI
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW LOW MID LOW MID

155
+2
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
2.4
-2
HI
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
290
LOW MID
GAIN
-6
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
SHELF
7.2
+4
ON
Snare Drum
LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
ON
PEAK
130
-4
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
1.6
+4
ON
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
690
+4
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
SHELF
4.2
+4
LOW
Page 45
Left/Right (Stereo) Drum Overheads

LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
108
-2
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
ON
SHELF
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
ON
LO
2.9
+2
LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
LOW MID
ON/OFF
ON
PEAK
108
+4
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW MID
GAIN
385
-2
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
SHELF
LOW MID
HI/LOW Q
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
ON
HI
290
-4
HI
ON/OFF
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
ON
SHELF
6.0
+4
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
36
-8
HI MID
HI MID
HI
ON
LOW
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
Kick Drum
HI MID
HI MID
FREQ (kHz) GAIN
1.6
Electric Bass Guitar

LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
ON
SHELF
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
2.0
+4
ON
130
+4
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
SHELF
4.2
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
690
+2
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
SHELF
6.0
+4
Acoustic Guitar
LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
ON
PEAK
155
+4
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
2.0
ON
LOW
Distorted Electric Guitar

LOW
LOW
ON/OFF PEAK/SHELF
ON
PEAK
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
HI
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW LOW MID LOW MID

320
+6
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
3.5
+4
LOW
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
960
LOW MID
GAIN
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
SHELF
12
ON
Piano
LOW
ON/OFF
LOW
PEAK/SHELF
ON
SHELF
HI MID
ON/OFF
HI MID
LO/HI
ON
LO
LOW
FREQ (Hz)
LOW
GAIN
108
-2
LOW MID LOW MID

ON/OFF HI/LOW Q
ON
HI MID
HI MID
HI
2.9
+2
ON
LO
LOW MID
FREQ (Hz)
LOW MID
GAIN
690
+2
HI
PEAK/SHELF
HI
FREQ (kHz)
HI
GAIN
PEAK
7.2
+4
Page 46
BASS DRUM
The punch component of most bass drums lies between about 80 and
100Hz, and meaty kicks such as those in AC/DC's 'Back In Black' and
Britney Spears' 'Baby One More Time', tend to have a lot of energy in
this range. Below this area, you'll mostly feel, rather than hear, any
boost, and it's easy to overdo. Warmer kick sounds, such as those in
James Brown's 'I Got You (I Feel Good)' and Stevie Wonder's 'Sir
Duke', major on the 200-300Hz region. Where the kick needs to cut
through on smaller speakers, then you might also consider a boost in
the region of 2.5-6kHz, which will tend to emphasise the click of the
beater. As an illustration of the sort of effect this has, compare the lack
of any bass-drum click in the James brown example with the aggressive
kick sound in the Madness single 'My Girl'.
SNARE DRUM
The fatness of the snare tends to reside between 120 and 400Hz, and the aforementioned AC/DC and
Britney Spears examples are both powerful in this area. A boxy sound, such as that on the Guns & Roses
song 'Sweet Child Of Mine' is indicative of comparatively high energy in the 800Hz-1.2kHz range, whereas
the resonances of the drum's ringing reside above this, between about 2-4kHz -- a frequency region
showcased in the snares of Bob Marley's 'Get Up Stand Up' amongst many other reggae tracks. The
crispness of the drum's attack tends to reside more in the 4-8kHz region, and the Sister Sledge track 'We
Are Family' heavily emphasises this frequency on its otherwise fat snare sound.
TOM-TOMS
Floor toms can be made fuller around 100Hz, while rack toms respond in a similar way up to about 300Hz -the 'Sir Duke' toms are characteristic of boost in this range. The ringing or rattling of the skins occurs at
about 1-3kHz, as is evidenced on Iggy Pop's 'Lust For Life' and the drum solo in the Beatles 'The End'. The
Iggy pop example also emphasises the attack of the toms, which is higher up the frequency range between
about 4 and 8kHz.
CYMBALS
Although Cymbals are associated with high frequencies, a boost between 100 and 300Hz can help to
emphasise the clunk of the stick on a ride cymbal or hi-hat, something particularly noticeable in Donovan's
'Mellow Yellow', for example. The ringing overtones of crash and ride cymbals can be brought up within the
1-6kHz area, an area characteristic of the sound in Led Zeppelin's 'Rock & Roll', while the sizzle of any of
the cymbals can be emphasised in the 8-12kHz range -- check out Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' or Michael
Jackson's 'Billie Jean' for examples of this.
Page 47
Guitars & Basses

ACOUSTIC GUITARS
Boosting at around 80-120Hz gives a low-end weight, such as in The Beatles' 'Yesterday', whereas the
sound gets more of a boom to it a little higher at 200-300Hz, as in Nirvana's' 'Polly'. This latter song is also
a good example of boost in the 2-5kHz range, which is good for clarity in rhythm guitars as it brings out
the strumming. The 1-1.5kHz area, prominent in The Jam's 'That's Entertainment', can tend to sound a
little nasal, while the 5-10kHz range emphasises the jangle or sparkle of steel-strung guitars in particular,
Natalie Imbruglia's 'Torn' being a notable example.
ELECTRIC GUITARS
Electric guitars are rather a law unto themselves, as their tonal balance varies so drastically from style to
style. However, there are a few general principles to bear in mind. The first is that there will be little other
than hum and noise below the guitar's fundamental frequency, so it's often worth filtering below about
80Hz. However, most guitar sounds can be warmed up with a boost at around 125-250Hz, as you can
hear from the guitars in Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'.
The other main thing to take into account is that the frequency response of most guitar speaker cabinets
rolls off pretty steeply above 4kHz, and so your best choice for emphasising the crispness and attack of
guitar sounds is a boost at 3-5kHz -- frequencies to the fore in Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and
Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B Goode', for example. Any boost well above this is likely to increase only noise
levels, so if you want an even more cutting lead sound, such as that in Guns & Roses 'Sweet Child Of
Mine', you might consider using a psychoacoustic enhancer as well.
BASSES
Basses get most of their weight from the 80-100Hz region, and pop ballads such as Shania Twain's 'Still
The One' will usually pack a punch in this range. For a more overtly warm sound, the 100-300Hz region
can be boosted. Extreme examples of this quality include the electric bass parts in The Beatles 'Come
Together' and Bob Marley's 'I Shot The Sheriff', as well a the upright bass in Ben E King's 'Stand By Me'.
Greater attack, though not without a little boxiness, is available at around 500-1500Hz. The Temptations
'Papa Was A Rolling Stone' and The Strangler's 'Peaches' exemplify boost in this region for fretted bass,
while Paul Simon's 'Graceland' and The Cure's 'Lovecats' show it off on fretless and upright basses
respectively. A more jangly sound with emphasis on string and fret noise, such as in Nirvana's 'Lounge
Act' or the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Give It Away', can be found by boosting between about 2 and 5kHz. A
high shelving boost above about 2kHz might be more suitable if you're after string noise and an airy tone
with upright bass parts, though, as in Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wild Side'.
Vocals
Vocals tend to boom when boosted around their fundamental frequencies, with 'Exit Music (For A Film)' by
Radiohead and 'Peach' by Prince exemplifying the effects of such processing. Plosives and handling
noise can be reduced by cutting below about 100Hz, though this improvement needs to be balanced
against the side effects for the rest of the vocal sound.
Nasality can be addressed at around 1-3kHz, while the 4-5kHz range can be boosted for more presence.
If the extremes of the frequency spectrum are removed to leave only these tonal areas, then you can get
the 'telephone' special effect which will be familiar from tracks such as White Town's 'Your Woman' and
Space's 'The Female Of The Species'.
The 7-12kHz region will emphasise sibilance and breath noise, a characteristic trait of Sheryl Crow's voice
in 'If It Makes You Happy' and Seal's backing vocals in 'Kiss From A Rose'. The 16-18kHz region, on the
other hand gives a crispness to vocals that helps pull out details in the recording. The Radiohead vocal,
while boomy, also has a lot of energy in this region as well. Shania Twain's voice on 'Still The One' is
another example of a vocal with lots of extreme high-frequency energy, though this is more likely to be
due to psychoacoustic enhancement; a common processing choice for pop vocals.
Page 48
Sidechain Techniques in PreSonus Studio One

Gary Hiebner on Dec 12, 2013
Sidechaining can be
used for corrective and
creative results in your
music
productions.
Using PreSonus Studio
One, Gary Hiebner
shows how to pump &
duck different elements
to help them pop in the
mix.
When you start getting deeper into production, you may wish to introduce dynamics into the mix. A
great way to do this is to incorporate sidechain techniques to provide some pumping and ducking
effects. This can really open up your mix so that you can hear all the elements. Lets take a look at
how this is done in PreSonus Studio One.
Step 1 Add the Compressor

Sidechaining is often used to get a sound to duck down so that it doesnt compete with another
sound in the mix. This is often the case with a kick and bass. Both can occupy a similar frequency
range, and making space for them with dynamic effects can really improve your mix. When the kick
hits, you want the bass level to drop down slightly so that this kick really punches through, and this
can be achieved quite easily with compression sidechaining.
Insert the Compressor on your bass track and set the Ratio to about 5:1. Keep a close eye on the
Gain Reduction meter as you bring down the Threshold. As you start bringing down the Threshold,
notice how the Gain Reduction meter starts kicking in.
Set the Ratio to about 5:1 on the compressor.

Page 49
Step 2 Enabling the Sidechain

Now to enable the
sidechain. On the
Compressor click on
the
Sidechain
button, and on the
bottom right under
the
Sidechain
section it should
now read External
Sidechain as the
source.
Click on the Sidechain
button.
Jump over to your kick track. You

have to tell the kick that its going to
be the external source for the
Compressor now. On the Sends
section on the kick you can add a
Sidechain source. Click on this to
show you the sidechain options.
Scroll through this and select the
bass track Compressor. I have used
the Mojito synth for the bass, so it
should be something like this:
Sidechain Mojito Inserts
Compressor.
Selecting the Sidechain source
Now when you playback the audio

you see on the Compressor how the
Gain Reduction meter is responding
to the kick now, not the bass track.
The more you bring down the
Threshold the more the bass gets
ducked through the sidechain
compression.
Increased
the
Sidechain knob next to the Gain to
increase the kick sidechain level to the Compressor. This will also impact how much its ducking
the bass.
Page 50
Setting the Sidechain Level.
Sidechain is a great technique to create some space in your mix for specific elements if they are
competing for the same space.
Step 3 Sidechain with a Silent Source

What if you want to use a sound as the sidechain source, but you dont actually want to hear this
sound? For example, lets say you have a pad sound with some long sustained notes and you want
to create some ducking effects with it with something like a dummy kick track, but you dont want
this kick track heard. This is easy to do.
On your pad sound insert the Compressor. Lets use quite a heavy compression setting. Use a ratio
of about 11:1, and a long attack of 56.5 ms and short release of 10.5 ms. Now for the sidechain
effect. Make sure Sidechain is enabled on the Compressor, so that it reads the External Sidechain.
A heavy compression
setting on the pad
sound.
Now use a kick

track as the source.
This will be the
dummy kick so in
the end it wont be
heard in the mix.
For this instead of
using the Sends, lets change the output. Click on the Main Output, a list will come up, and scroll
down to Sidechain. From the drop-down menu choose the Pad Compressor. Im using an instance
of Presence as my pad sound. So this will be: Sidechain Presence Inserts Compressor. Now
the Kick wont be heard but its signal will be sent to the Pad track.
Page 51
You'll need to change the output

to "Sidechain".
Increase the Sidechain level to

12.42 dB. Now playback the
track and start pulling down
the Threshold and hear how
the dummy kick track changes
the pad sound.
Adjust the Compressor for the
desired sidechain effect. Use a
long attack for a more subtle
ducking effect, or a shorter
attack for it to hit in sooner.
Also try different release times
to hear how they sound. This
works really nice in a
breakdown section in a song.
You can drop out all the other
tracks in your song so only the
pad sound is playing, but the
pumping effect introduced
with
the
sidechain
compression can add a
rhythmic element to this
sound.
Step 4 Gated Sidechain Effects

You can also get similar sidechain effects with the Gate, but a gate will cut off the sound giving a
more drastic sonic effect. Lets try this out on a sound with long sustained notes again like a pad.
Insert the Gate onto the track. Enable the Sidechain button so it now reads an External Sidechain.
The gated sidechain effect is also very popular.
Lets use the kick track again as the external source. On the kick sends choose the gate as the
source.
Page 52
Remember to set the source for the sidechain.
Depending on the sound, you may have to use different settings. But lets start off with a Range set
to -50dB. Set an Attack of 60 ms, a long Release of 238.9 ms and the Hold of 213.8 ms. Play back
the song, and start tweaking the Open and Close Threshold. You should see in the Gain Reduction
meter and how the Gate is working on the sound. Adjust the parameters as needed, but youll hear
how much more dramatic this ducking effect is on the pad sound. For example, try out different
Attack, Release and Hold times and hear how it alters the gated effect.
Conclusion
Thats how to make use of sidechaining techniques to create some dynamic changes in your
productions. You can use it to create space for competing sounds in the mix, or use it for creative
effects in your songs like shown with the pad and the dummy kick clip as a unheard source.
To learn more check out these video courses on PreSonus Studio One:
Page 53

Cheat Sheet of Basic EQ Settings

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Cheat Sheet of Basic EQ Settings

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EQ It!

How to Fix Your Mix With EQ

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 1st module

BASS GUITAR, CELLO, UPRIGHT BASS

ECHO AND REVERB

GUITAR AND STRINGS

HORNS AND WOODWINDS

KEYBOARDS AND PIANO

Clarity (esp. at Low Volume)

More for Fullness, Less for

C 150Hz & Below

4db (up to)

Highpass filter mode

4db (up to)

Highpass filter mode

Attack (more Metallic Sound)

Decrease Cardboard sound

6db (up to)

Punch & Oomph!

Use Highpass Filter

C 50Hz & Below

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 2nd module

Highpass filter mode

Highpass filter mode

Highpass filter mode

4db (up to)

4db (up to)

Highpass filter mode

Highpass filter mode

400Hz 1Khz &

More Realism in Sample

Edge/Attack for Lower Parts

Remove excess bottom & add

Rids the muddiness

Rids the muddiness

To REALLY crispin or brighten

Rids the muddiness

6db or more, as necessary

Highpass filter mode

+ 4 (at the 10khz mark)

+3db (up to)

6db or more, as necessary

Highpass filter mode

B/D 7Khz to 10Khz

Enhances High Harmonies

Roll off them lows to provide

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 3rd module

60Hz with a Q of 1.4 -- Add fullness to kicks.

if you want to add OMMPH to the kick or snare.

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 4th module

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 5th module

Tricks and Tips

For Fatter Guitars

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 6th module

1-6kHz ~ Adds presence

Increase for more "pluck" of bass.

Increase for vocal presence.

Increase to add attack on low frequency drums (more metallic sound).

80hz - rumble of the bass

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 7th module

How To Use EQ Sweeping

And thats it.

Thats it. Hopefully you found this guide useful.

Cheat sheet of basic EQ settings. - 8th module