EQ Cheat Sheet for Over 20+ Instruments

SUB BASS 0-60 Hz
Most sounds in this frequency range more felt than heard. Be careful while mixing here as too much sub bass can make your mix sound muddy. Cutting everything below 25-45 Hz is a standard practice to reduce the rumble and preserve headroom. Avoid boosts here.

BASS 60-250 Hz
The fundamentals of kick and bass are centered in this area. Boost 100-180 Hz range for more punch. Boost 140-225 Hz to add warmth and fullness. Don’t overdo as boosting too much will sound boomy.

LOW MID-RANGE 250 – 500 Hz
This range is usually called the bass presence range. Try a slight boost at around 300 Hz to add clarity to the bass and low frequency instruments. Too much in this range make things sound muddy and boomy, while too little make them sound thin.

MID-RANGE 500 – 2000 Hz
Boosts in this range can make an instrument prominent in the mix. Be careful while mixing here as too much of 500-1 kHz can make your instrument sound muddy, and too much of 1-2 kHz can create a tinny sound.

HIGH MID-RANGE 2-6 kHz
This is where you’ll find the attack tones of percussive and rhythm instruments. Instruments that struggle to cut through the mix may be adjusted here for more presence. Excess here can cause listener fatigue. 4-6 kHz range is responsible for clarity and definition.

HIGH FREQUENCIES 6-20 kHz
Boosting this range can add extra air and sparkle to your instrument or mix. Excess in this area can cause undesirable listener fatigue and create an extremely shrill tone. Too much boost around the 6-8 kHz range tend to sound sibilant.

RUMBLE / SUB BASS 0-60 Hz
Most sounds in this frequency range more felt than heard. Be careful while mixing here as too much sub bass can make your mix sound muddy. Cutting everything below 25-45 Hz is a standard practice to reduce the rumble and preserve headroom. Avoid boosts here.

BOTTOM 60-100 Hz
This is where the bottom or “chest punch” of the bass and kick drum lies. Boost 2-3 dB within 60-90 Hz range with a low Q setting if more energy is needed, but don’t overdo it.

BOOM / WARMTH / MUD 100-450 Hz
Boost 100-170 Hz range for more punch. Boost 130-220 Hz to add warmth and fullness.
Check 250-450 Hz range for mud, boost to bring fullness. Too much energy in the 100-450 Hz range make things sound muddy and boomy, while too little make them sound thin.

HONK 450 – 1000 Hz
You may eliminate many of the harsh, “honky” and boxy characteristics of the tone with a centered, wide cut in the 450-1 kHz range. By making cuts on some instruments you can bring more clarity to the bass within the overall mix.

TINNY 1 – 2 kHz
Too much in the 1-2 kHz range make things sound tinny or horn-like. You should be careful boosting here, especially on vocal tracks. Excess in this area can cause undesirable listener fatigue. Boost at 1.4-1.5 kHz can improve the intelligibility of bass and piano.

CRUNCH 2 – 4 kHz
This is where you’ll find the attack tones of percussive and rhythm instruments. Instruments that struggle to cut through the mix may be adjusted here for more presence. Excess in this area can cause undesirable listener fatigue.

PRESENCE 4 – 6 kHz
The 4-6 kHz range is responsible for clarity. Boosts here can add edge to electric guitars and drums. Make sure to check the 5-6 kHz range for sibilance. Boost in the 4-7 kHz range can also add air.

DEFINITION 6 – 10 kHz
Try boosting at around 6 kHz to add more definition to vocal and guitar tracks. Boosts in this range can add edge to synths, string instruments and drums. Too much boost around the 5-8 kHz range tend to sound sibilant.

AIR 10 – 20 kHz
Boosting this range can add extra air and sparkle to your instrument or overall mix. Excess in this area can cause undesirable listener fatigue and create an extremely shrill tone. Cut frequencies above 18 kHz to reduce hiss noise.

• 808 BASS DRUM

LOW-END 0-40 Hz
Highpass 20-40 Hz range with the steepest slope filter to preserve headroom and get rid of subsonic frequencies. 24-48 dB steep slopes work perfectly for the task with default Q setting engaged.

BOTTOM 50-60 Hz
Boost 2-3 dB within 50-60 Hz range with a low Q setting if more energy is needed, but don’t overdo it. Keep an eye on the meters as boosts in this range increase levels quickly. Use Output slider for gain compensation when needed.

BODY/SMACK 100-200 Hz
Try low Q-factor boosting within 100-200 Hz range to get some extra punch. Be careful of other bass sounds such as basslines that normally get most of their sonic content in the same frequency range. Careful octave-planning of your arrangement will help to minimize frequency conflicts.

MUD/BOXINESS 200-500 Hz
Sweep 250-500 Hz band with Q set high enough to get 6-8 dB of gain resulting in a resonant peak. Tweak the band knob while listening carefully – frequencies that sound most dissonant should be attenuated carefully.

KNOCK/CLICK/ATTACK 2-4 kHz
Check 2-4 kHz range if more click is needed. Stay within moderate 2-3 dB boosts with bell EQ curve. High shelf and tilt curves will also work for this purpose as well.

• 909 BASS DRUM

LOW-END 0-40 Hz
Highpass 20-40 Hz range with the steepest slope filter available to cut subsonic content and preserve headroom 24-36-48 dB slopes work perfectly for the task (keep Q factor set by default 0.71)

BOTTOM//WEIGHT 70-100 Hz
Boost 2-3 dB with wide Q within 70-100 Hz if more presence is needed, but don’t overdo it. Try narrower Q with more resonance for extra prominence. Keep an eye on the meters, boosts in this range increase levels quickly, so be ready to adjust levels.

MUD/BOXINESS 250-500 Hz
Sweep 250-500 Hz band with Q set high enough to get 6-8 dB of gain resulting in a resonant peak. Tweak the band knob while listening carefully – frequencies that sound most dissonant should be attenuated carefully.

KNOCK/ATTACK 2-4 kHz
Check 2-4 kHz range if more click needed. Stay with moderate 2-3 dB boosts with bell EQ curve. High shelf and tilt curves will also work for the purpose as well.

PRESENCE 5-8 kHz
Try boosting 5-8 kHz range with high shelf curve if more presence is needed. Keep watch on the 8-12 kHz band though, as boosting there may add hiss.

• DANCE BASS DRUM

LOW END 0-40 Hz
Highpass 20-40 Hz range with 48 dB filter slope. Getting rid of subsonic content here preserves headroom. 24-48 dB slopes work perfectly for such task (keep Q factor set by default 0.71).

ENERGY 40-100 Hz
This is where you’ll find the most energy and sub power. Check 40-50 Hz for excessive energy. Boost 40-100 Hz to add bottom. Manage this band of frequencies very carefully.

BODY/PUNCH 100-200 Hz
Try low Q-factor boosting within 100-200 Hz range to get some extra punch. Be careful of other bass sounds such as basslines that normally get most of their sonic content in the same frequency range. Careful octave-planning of your arrangement will help to minimize frequency conflicts.

MUD/BOXINESS 200-500 Hz
Sweep 250-500 Hz band with Q set high enough to get 6-8 dB of gain resulting in a resonant peak. Tweak the band knob while listening carefully – frequencies that sound most dissonant should be attenuated carefully. Boosts here can add presence.

PRESENCE/CLICK 5-15 kHz
Try boosting within 5-8 kHz range if more presence is needed, use moderate Q. You can find the click sound of the attack around the 4-15 kHz range, a peaking band works well here.

TONE 10-20 kHz
Boosts here can add sharpness. Lower this range to make kick drum sound darker. Reduce 14-15 kHz to soften excess sharpness and make the sound warmer.

• ACOUSTIC BASS DRUM

LOW END RUMBLE 0-40 Hz
Highpass 20-40 Hz range with 48 dB filter slope. Getting rid of subsonic content here preserves headroom. 24-48 dB slopes work perfectly for such task (keep Q factor set by default 0.71).

BODY/WEIGHT 90-145 Hz
This range is the body and meat of the kick sound. Boost 2-3 dB with wide Q within 90-145 Hz range if more presence is needed. Keep an eye on meters, boosts in this range increase levels quickly so you may want to compensate for it.

MUD/BOXINESS 250-600 Hz
Sweep 145-500 Hz band with Q set high enough to get 6-8 dB of gain resulting in a resonant peak. Tweak the band knob while listening carefully – frequencies that sound most dissonant should be attenuated carefully. Mud mostly resides within 250-350 Hz range.

KNOCK/ATTACK 2-4 kHz
Check 2-4 kHz range for the extra attack. Stay moderate with 2-3 dB bell curve boosts (high shelf and tilt EQs will work nicely as well). Working on this area provides a “bouncing basketball” type of ‘thwack’ tone.

AIR/CLICK 4-8 kHz
Try boosting 5-8 kHz range with high shelf curve if more presence is needed. Keep watch on the 8-12 kHz band though as boosting there may add hiss. You can find the click sound of the beater up around the 3-8 kHz range, a peaking band works well here.

• TOM

LOW END RUMBLE 0-100 Hz
Highpass carefully from 70 Hz upwards but don’t overdo, as you may thin out the sound too much.

THUMP/BODY 100-300 Hz
Boost 100-300 Hz range to add weight. Don’t overdo as boosting too much will sound boomy. While it depends on the actual tuning of the drum, you should be careful while mixing here as too much can make your toms sound muddy, while too little can create a thin tone.

ATTACK 3-5 kHz
This is where you’ll find the attack tones from the drumstick hitting the head of the drum itself. Boost 3-4 kHz for extra bite.

PRESENCE/AIR 5-12 kHz

Boost 3-4 dB within 6-9 kHz band to accentuate stick hits.
2-3 dB high shelf boost within 5-12 kHz range will bring extra air and presence.

• SNARE

LOW END RUMBLE 0-120 Hz
Highpass carefully from 100 Hz upwards. 12-24 dB steep highpass filters may be used. Use your ears and choose what sounds best.

BODY 200-400 Hz
This is the central area of sound in most snare drums. Most fundamental characteristics live somewhere inside of this range. Boost 2-3 dB with wide Q within this range to make the snare sound heavier.

RING 250-600 Hz
This range is responsible for the all-too-undesirable “ringing” or hollow tone of the snare. Search within 250-600 Hz range for it. Sweep the band with a resonant peak, attenuate unpleasant sounding frequencies with narrow Q cuts.

BANG/SMACK 2-4 kHz
Boost some decibels at 2 kHz for more, boost 2-4 kHz range slightly for extra bite and attack.

AIR/DEFINITION 6-10 kHz
Boosting 4-6 kHz range brings more air. If is still sounds off, boost 7-10 kHz range slightly as that should bring extra definition. The cracking sound made by the stick on the drum head is often around 8000 Hz.

• CYMBALS: HATS, RIDES, CRASHES

LOW END 0-200 Hz
Highpass 100-200 Hz to get rid of unnecessary low end.

GONG/CLANK/CHINK 200-400 Hz
Highpass up to 400 Hz to get rid of “gong” sounds. Boost 200-300 Hz range slightly for more “chink” but don’t overdo – as it may sound muddy.

AIR/BRIGHTNESS 6-15kHz
Sweep from 6 kHz upwards to find the “tsss” part of the sound and boost slightly when done for more air. Attenuating 10 kHz range will reduce harshness while boosting 14-15 kHz will bring more brightness, but be careful as too much can create an extremely shrill tone.

LIVE INSTRUMENTS

• ELECTRIC BASS / BASS GUITAR

LOW END RUMBLE 0-70 Hz
Highpass 30-70 Hz range to get rid of subsonic content and save headroom.

BODY/GIRTH 80-200 Hz
Allows the listener to feel the power of the bassline as most of the energy that sustains from the bass strings resides here. To accentuate, boost moderately with wide Q starting from 80-100 Hz. Basses that sound boomy may be cleaned up around 180-200 Hz.

MUD 250-500 Hz
Mud mostly resides within 250-500 Hz range. Try attenuating 3 dB at 200-220 Hz as a starting point but be careful not to affect the low-mid girth negatively.

DEFINITION 400-800 Hz
This range helps the listener to pick out the melody of the bassline. Boosting 400 Hz will make it more readable at low listening levels while boosting 700-900 Hz range will bring more energy and power.

ATTACK 1.2-1.5 kHz
Boosting 1.2-1.5 kHz range will bring out more attack while adding 2-3 dB at 3 kHz brings out more finger and fret noises. Try going further up to 5 kHz to check for anything worth boosting. Don’t overdo unless you want the bassline to dominate the mix.

STRING NOISE 2-5 kHz
Where the gliding sound of fingers across strings is found. This high frequency can be attenuated to remove some of the shrill “shwoop” noises caused by playing.

• ELECTRIC GUITAR

LOW END RUMBLE 0-120 Hz
Although every case is different, you can usually (safely) eliminate this band with a high pass filter, as there typically aren’t any useful frequencies down here besides ones that introduce flabby, boomy noise.

BODY/THICKNESS 150-300 Hz
Most of the electric guitar’s beefy sound and characteristic live here. Boost 150 to 300 Hz range moderately to expose more body of the guitar riffs. Be careful to not overrun that part of the spectrum with other instruments. 1-2 dB wide boost should do.

CHARACTER 300-1000 Hz
Much of the guitar’s “life” lives in these frequencies. Many of the familiar tones that make an electric sound like an electric are within here, but play with them carefully, as the snare lives in this band as well.

HONK 1-2 kHz
You may eliminate many of the harsh or “honky” characteristics of the tone with a centered, wide cut within this range.

PRESENCE/ATTACK/BRIGHTNESS 3-10 kHz
Boost around 3 kHz for extra attack on solo guitars but attenuate on riff guitar parts. Attenuate 3-8 kHz band if the vocal is present. Boost 10-13 kHz range with high shelf for extra brightness.

• ACOUSTIC GUITAR

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 70 Hz
When mic’ing an acoustic, you’ll often find many of the boomy, explosive low-end tones within this range. Although a bit of it can add warmth and fullness, it will often cloud up a mix with a full band and can typically be removed with high-pass filter.

WOOD 200-400 Hz
This is where the majority of the acoustic’s body lives. Be careful when working in this range, as it’s easy to flatten the tone and lose its life with too many cuts.

BODY 80-400 Hz
Reduce at 200 Hz to remove muddiness. Boost 200-400 Hz range carefully to add more weight. Boosts here can add fullness to solo instruments but may create conflicts in a dense mix, so attenuate here if that’s the case.

WARMTH / FULLNESS 500 – 1000 Hz
Boost 500-700Hz to add more warmth and 1kHz to bring more fullness.

DEFINITION 1.5 – 2.5 kHz
The 1.5-2.5 kHz range is responsible for tiny intricacies in chords and string-picking, but boosting it too far can make guitar sound aggressive and harsh.

ATTACK/AIR 7-10 kHz
A slight shelf boost in this range will help an acoustic sound brighter and airier. Boost around 5 kHz if more attack is needed and around 7 kHz for some additional sparkle. If it still sounds off, try boosting around 10 kHz and 12kHz spots to achieve desired result.

• PIANO

LOW END 0-50 Hz
Highpass 40-50 Hz range to get rid of subsonic content and save headroom.
This is an important setting if you mix bass heavy music.

BOOM/MUD/WARMTH 50-250 Hz
Mud usually comes from this range. Boost 150-250 Hz slightly if you want to warm the instrument up. Boost around 80 – 120 Hz for fullness.

BODY/MUD 250-3kHz
Check 250-500 Hz range for muddiness. Try narrow cuts at 2 kHz or 3 kHz to keep a piano from conflicting with the vocal and guitar tracks.

PRESENCE 3-5 kHz
Boosting here will brighten the instrument up and add presence. Beware of the string damper noises that occupy this range unless it’s needed for a creative reasons.

ATTACK 5-6 kHz
Boost 5-6 kHz if more attack is needed. Use wide Q values.

CLARITY 7-9 kHz
Boost 7-9 kHz to add clarity and breath. Use wide Q values.

SHARP 10-15 kHz
Boost the 10-11 kHz frequency range to add sharpness, cut to make it sound darker. Reduce 14-15 kHz to soften excess sharpness and make the sound warmer. Check 10-13 kHz for piano’s hammer noise and cut with a narrow Q factor.

• E-PIANO (RHODES)

LOW END 0-50 Hz
Highpass 40-50 Hz to get rid of unnecessary low end.

BOOM/MUD 50-250 Hz
This range should be taken care of as a priority. Just like the acoustic piano, many of the muddy, boomy sounds stem from 100-250 Hz range. A Rhodes/E-Piano has a dense and rich low end which can become muddy very quickly if not properly cut.

BARK 0.8-1 kHz
Bark and damper noises could create issues, so search for resonance frequencies and attenuate 800-1 kHz range if this is the case.

PRESENCE 1500-2500 Hz
Boost 1.5-2 kHz a bit to add more presence and definition. Use wide Q factor.

ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS

• STRINGS SECTION

LOW END/RUMBLE  0-50 Hz
Highpass 40-50 Hz to get rid of unnecessary low end.

WEIGHT/WARMTH/MUD 80-300 Hz
Boosting 80-100Hz will deliver more weight while 100-300 Hz more warmth. Check 200-500 Hz with resonating peak for muddiness.

ATTACK 500-1 kHz
Boost 500-1 kHz to add more attack, attenuate the same range to soften it.

STRING NOISES/AIR 2-5 kHz
Tweak 2-5 kHz range for bringing string noises more to the front if that’s the desired effect.

CREAK/SPARKLE 7-12 kHz
High shelf boosting of the 7-10 kHz band brings more creak of the bows while 8-12 kHz more sparkle and extra air.

• CELLO

LOW END RUMBLE 0-80 Hz
Highpass 60-80 Hz to taste.

MUD 200-300 Hz
Check 200-300 Hz for muddiness, cut it with narrow Q.

FULNESS 400-600 Hz
Try boosting 400-600 Hz to add more roundness and fullness.

PRESENCE 6-8 kHz
Boost 6-8 kHz a bit to add more presence and definition.

HARSH 14-20 kHz
Lowpass around 14-15 kHz for more distant timber and to reduce harshness if needed.

• VIOLA

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 100 Hz
Highpass to taste from 100 Hz upwards.

MUD/FULNESS 150-250 Hz
Search for mud within 150-250 Hz. Boost 180-240 Hz band to add more fullness, use wide Q values.

STRING and BOW NOISES/ATTACK 1-4 kHz
Boost 2.4 kHz for string noise and 4 kHz for bow noise. To enhance the attack, boost 500-1 kHz. To soften, attenuate within the same range.

• VIOLIN

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 100 Hz
Highpass to taste from 100 Hz upwards to get rid of unnecessary low end and rumble.

MUD / FULLNESS 100 – 250 Hz
Check for muddiness within 150-250 Hz. Boost the 200-350 Hz range for fullness, use wide Q values.

STRING NOISES / BOW NOISES 2 – 10 kHz
Boost around 2.4 kHz for string noise and 7-10 kHz if more scratchiness needed.

WOODWINDS

• BASSOON

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 60 Hz
Highpass from 50-60Hz upwards to get rid of unnecessary low end.

MUD 60-250 Hz
Carefully cut mud within the 60-250 Hz range with a moderate Q.

• CLARINET

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 140 Hz
Highpass 120-140 Hz range to clean up the low end.

MUD 140-300 Hz
Check 200-300 Hz range for muddiness. Cut with narrow Q factor.

• FLUTE

LOW END RUMBLE 0-250 Hz
Highpass up to 200-250 Hz.

MUD 250-400 Hz
Check 250-400 Hz range for mud.

SOFTNESS 2-4 kHz
Attenuate 2-4 kHz for softness.

BRIGHTNESS 10-12kHz
Try boosting 10-12 kHz range with high shelf curve for brightness and presence.

• FLUTE PICCOLO

LOW END RUMBLE/MUD 0-300 Hz
Highpass up to 350-400 Hz.

FULNESS 500-1000 Hz
Slightly boost around 500-1 kHz to add more weight.

SOFTNESS 2-4 kHz
Attenuate 2-4 kHz for softness.

BREATH 5-6 kHz
The 5-6 kHz frequency range can be attenuated to remove some of the airy and breathy sounds.

BRIGHTNESS 10-12 kHz
Boost 10-12 kHz for brightness if needed. Be careful to avoid making the sound shrill.

• BRASS SECTION

LOW END 0-125 Hz
Highpass up to 125 Hz to get rid of unnecessary low end and mud. But don’t overdo, as you may thin out the sound.

FULNESS/MUD 200-500 Hz
Check 200-500 Hz range for mud, boost 300-400 Hz with a moderate Q to bring fullness.

ROUNDNESS 1-5 kHz
Boosting around the 800-1 kHz spot will add roundness. You can also try boosting at 5 Hz to add a brighter tone.

BRIGHTNESS / DEFINITION 5-10 kHz
Manage this band of frequencies carefully. Dark sounding horns can be brightened up and made lively in this range, but too much can also destroy a mix with shrill and harsh high-end. High shelf boost around 5-8 kHz will add definition.

• TUBA

LOW END 0-80 Hz
A tuba has a deep low sound so be careful with low end and cut only when needed.

FULLNESS 65-95 Hz
Try a slight boost at around 80 Hz to give the brass track a fuller, or “warmer” sound.

MUD 150 – 250 Hz
Check 150-250 Hz range for mud, cut with narrow Q factor.

RESONANCES 450-550 Hz
Check 500 Hz range for resonances, cut with narrow Q factor.

• TROMBONE

LOW END RUMBLE / FULLNESS / MUD 0-250 Hz
Highpass up to 100 Hz. Boost the 100-200 Hz frequency range to add fullness. Attenuate at 100-200 Hz if band overlaps with more important low-mid range instruments. Bass trombone should be processed carefully as you may thin out the sound too much.

BRIGHTNESS / OVERBLOW 4-10 kHz
Boost 4-8 kHz to add brightness. Tweak 8-10 kHz to accentuate overblow.

• TRUMPETS

LOW END RUMBLE 0-200 Hz
Highpass up to 200 Hz depending on the mix.

FULLNESS / MUD 200-500 Hz
Check 240-500 Hz for muddiness. Boost 180-240 Hz for fullness.

BRIGHTNESS 4-5 kHz
Check 4-5 kHz for excessive brightness and piercing overtones.

• SAXOPHONE

LOW END RUMBLE 0-100 Hz
Highpass up to 100 Hz.

HONK/MUD 120-400 Hz
Depending on the player’s sax, whether it be soprano or baritone, the low mid frequencies may be found here. The deeper the instrument, the lower the range point becomes. Check 240-400 Hz for mud. Boost 120-240 Hz range for fullness.

SQUAWK 1-2 kHz
Depending on the type of sax used, this range can be responsible for the harsh tones of the instrument – cutting removes some of the shrillness and painful attack tones.

REED NOISE 5-7 kHz
The thin piece of vibrating wood, known as the reed, can sometimes make a specific vibration tone. You can usually find this undesirable sound somewhere near this range. Check 6 kHz for reed noise and cut with a narrow Q factor.

OVERBLOW 11-14 kHz
Slightly boost 12-13 kHz range to accent breathing tones / overblow.

ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTS

• BASS SYNTHS

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 80 Hz
Highpass up to 60-80 Hz to get rid of the subsonic content if genre requires it or if you have a separate sub bass track.

BODY/PRESSURE 60-250 Hz
Boost around 80 – 150 Hz for for more body and weight. Boost around 160 Hz for extra pressure.

MUD / WARMTH 250 – 500 Hz
Carefully cut mud within the 250-500 Hz range. Boost 250 Hz to add more warmth. Listen solo’d and in the mix.

PRESENCE 2-3 kHz
Boost the 2-3 kHz range to add more presence.

• PAD SYNTHS

LOW END 0 – 160 Hz
Highpass up to 160 Hz according to your sound design concept. Low pass up to 500 Hz to make space for the bass in dense mixes.

MUD 250 – 450 Hz
Check 250-450 Hz range for muddiness. Try 2-3db cut depending on the mix.

THICK 400-600 Hz
THICKNESS. Boosting 400-600 Hz range will add thickness. Be careful when layering as this band may get cluttered easily.

• LEAD SYNTHS

LOW END RUMBLE 0-160 Hz
Highpass 80-160 Hz to taste and use good sound design judgement.

MUD 160-450 Hz
Many synths become muddy in this range and can directly affect the quality of the tone and sound – especially if multiple synthesizers are layered. Check muddiness within the 250-450 Hz range.

CHARACTER 1-2 kHz
Most attributes of synths can be found here, so cutting or lifting certain frequencies within this range can help it to either stick out or hide away. Mix as appropriate to the individual synth / patch.

PRESENCE 2-3 kHz
Boost 1-2 kHz range to add more grit and to help the instrument cut through the mix.

CLARITY 3-4 kHz
Just like the guitars and vocals, you can find the exciting, airy tonal characteristics here. Boost 3-4 kHz range to add excitement and clarity. Just like the other instruments as well, too much can be shrill and unpleasant.

SHARPNESS 7-9 kHz
Boost the 7-9 kHz frequency range to add more sharpness and clarity, use wide Q factor.

VOCALS

LOW END RUMBLE 0 – 100 Hz
Most sounds in this range are garbage, whether it be noise from handling the mic, vibrations from the floor or air conditioning units. Highpass up to 100-120 Hz to clean things up (note that “P” plosives reside around 90-120Hz as a general rule).

MUD 200 – 500Hz
Try 3-4 dB cuts within the 325-350 Hz range on male vocals. Boost at 200 Hz can sometimes add fullness. Female vocals may run a bit higher in the spectrum, but this is a good starting point to search for boomy tones that need to be attenuated.

HONKINESS/NASALITY 800 – 1500 Hz
Boosting these frequencies can help make some singer’s lyrics more intelligible. Cuts in 800-1,5 kHz range can reduce honkiness or boxiness. Use narrow Q factor.

PRESENCE 2.5 – 4.5 kHz
You can add energy, buzz and definition to a vocal track right around 3 kHz. It’s important to be careful here as too much of this band can make vocals actually painful to listen to. Use with care. Try a narrow cut in the 2.5 kHz to 4 kHz range to soften vocals.

CLARITY 5-10 kHz
Gentle boost in 5-10 kHz range may add extra presence to a dull vocal. Check this range for sibilance, most de-essers handle this range.

AIR 10-16 kHz
To add more air do high shelf boost around 10 kHz but don’t overdo. Let your ears rest and listen to it the next day to make sure you really need it. Cuts in this range reduce the “s” sound.

WHITE NOISE

LOW END 0 – 500 Hz
Highpass up to 500 Hz according to your sound design concept and mix.

PRESENCE 1500-2500 Hz
Boost 2-3 dB with wide or moderate Q within this range to add more presence and character.

BRIGHTNESS 10-20 kHz
Boost at 14.5 kHz can add more brightness, use narrow Q. Lowpass around 17-18 kHz to reduce harshness if needed.

All these charts are also available in our plugin EQ Wise+.

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