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QuickGuides: Music Production EQ Cheat Sheet
Understanding the frequency spectrum
- Sub-bass (20-60 Hz): Felt more than heard; adds power and depth.
- Bass (60-250 Hz): Rhythmic foundation; affects thickness and boomy sound.
- Low Mid-range (250-500 Hz): Houses the body of many instruments; adds warmth or thickness.
- Mid-range (500-2000 Hz): Core of the music; crucial for speech intelligibility and presence.
- High Mid-range (2000-4000 Hz): Contains harmonics; adds presence and definition.
- Presence (4000-6000 Hz): Impacts clarity and definition.
- Brilliance (6000-20,000 Hz): Controls clarity, brightness, and airiness.
General EQ tips
- Listen critically and trust your ears.
- Prioritize cutting problem frequencies before boosting others.
- Use a narrow Q (bandwidth) for cuts and a broader Q for boosts.
- Consider the context of the entire mix.
- Take breaks to avoid ear fatigue.
- Use reference tracks in a similar genre.
Instrument-specific EQ guidelines
| Instrument | Key Frequencies | EQ Actions and Tips |
|---|
| Kick Drum | Fundamental: 60-100Hz Body: 100-200Hz Mud/Hollow: 200-2000Hz Attack: 2-5kHz | Boost 60-100Hz for punch/fullness. High-pass below 40-70Hz to reduce rumble. Cut 200-500Hz for boxiness/mud. Boost 2-5kHz for beater attack. |
| Snare Drum | Body/Bottom: 200-400Hz Ring: 400-800Hz Attack: 2-3.5kHz Snap/Air: 8kHz+ | Boost 150-250Hz for body/thickness. Cut around 400-700Hz to reduce ring. Boost 2-3.5kHz for attack/snap. High-pass around 80-100Hz. |
| Bass Guitar | Body: 80-200Hz Mud: 250-500Hz Definition: 400-800Hz Attack: 1.2-1.6kHz | Boost 60-80Hz for bottom/fullness, or 100-180Hz for punch. Cut 250-500Hz for muddiness. Boost 400-800Hz for definition. Boost 1.2-1.5kHz for attack. |
| Electric Guitar | Body/Fullness: 150-500Hz Honk: 1-2kHz Presence/Attack: 1.5-2.5kHz Harshness: 2-5kHz | High-pass at 80-100Hz. Boost 240-500Hz for fullness. Reduce harshness in the 3-6kHz range. Boost 3-8kHz for brilliance/presence. |
| Acoustic Guitar | Fullness/Body: 80-400Hz Presence: 1.5-2.5kHz Sparkle: 7-10kHz | High-pass up to 70Hz. Boost 80Hz for fullness or 240Hz for body. Boost 2-5kHz for presence. Boost around 7kHz for air/sparkle. |
| Vocals (Male) | Rumble: Below 100Hz Boominess: 200-500Hz Presence: 2.5-5kHz Sibilance: 4-8kHz Air: 10-16kHz | High-pass 80-160Hz. Boost 120Hz for fullness or cut 200-240Hz for boominess. Boost 2.5-4.5kHz for presence. Manage sibilance (4-8kHz) with a de-esser. Add air by gently boosting 10-15kHz. |
| Vocals (Female) | Boominess: 240Hz Presence: 5kHz Sibilance: 4-7kHz Air: 10-15kHz | Similar to male vocals, focus on upper ranges (4-7kHz) for clarity while avoiding harshness. Boost 5kHz for presence or 10-15kHz for air. |
| Piano | Boom/Mud: 50-250Hz Body/Warmth: 220-880Hz Presence/Definition: 2.5-5kHz Attack: 5-6kHz | Cut 50-250Hz for boom/mud. Boost 220-880Hz for body/warmth. Boost 2.5-5kHz for presence/definition. |
| Hi-Hats/Cymbals | Clang: 200Hz Sizzle/Sparkle: 6-10kHz | Cut around 200Hz to reduce clang. Boost 6-10kHz for sparkle/sizzle. |