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To EQ or Not to EQ
In general:
less is better. There are many situations in which you'll need to cut
certain frequency ranges, but use boost sparingly, and with caution. Proper
use of EQ can eliminate interference between instruments in a mix and give
the overall sound better definition. Bad EQ-and most commonly bad
boost-just sounds terrible.
Cut for a Cleaner Mix
For example:
cymbals have a lot of energy in the mid and low frequency
ranges that you don't really perceive as musical sound, but which can interfere
with the clarity of other instruments in these ranges. You can basically turn the
low EQ on cymbal channels all the way down without changing the way they
sound in the mix. You'll hear the difference, however, in the way the mix
sounds more spacious," and instruments in the lower ranges will have better
definition. Surprisingly enough, piano also has an incredibly powerful low end
that can benefit from a bit of low-frequency roll -off to let other instru-
ments-notably drums and bass-do their jobs more effectively. Naturally you
won't want to do this if the piano is playing solo. The reverse applies to kick
drums and bass guitars: you can often roll off the high end to create more
space in the mix without compromising the character of the instruments. You'll
have to use your ears, though, because each instrument is different and
sometimes you'll want the snap of a bass guitar, for example, to come through.
The fundamental and harmonic frequency ranges of some musical
instruments
Boost with Caution
If you're trying to create special or unusual effects, go ahead and boost away as
much as you like. But if you're just trying to achieve a good-sounding mix, boost
only in very small increments. A tiny boost in the midrange can give vocals more
presence, or a touch of high boost can give certain instruments more "air."
Listen, and if things don't sound clear and clean try using cut to remove
frequencies that are cluttering up the mix rather than trying to boost the mix
into clarity. One of the biggest problems with too much boost is that it adds
gain to the signal, increasing noise and potentially overloading the subsequent
circuitry.
Fundamental:
The frequency that determines the basic musical pitch.
Harmonics:
Multiples of the fundamentalfrequency that play a role
in determining the timbre of the instrument.
Some Frequency Facts
The lowest and highest frequencies than can be heard by the human ear
are generally considered to be around 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. respectively.
Average conversation occurs in the range from about 300Hz to about
3,000 Hz. The frequency of a standard pitchfork used to tune guitars and
other instruments is 440Hz (this corresponds to the "A3" key on a piano
tuned to concert pitch). Double this frequency to 880Hz and you have a
pitch one octave higher (i.e"A4" on the piano keyboard). In the same way
you can halve the frequency to 220Hz to produce "A2" an octave lower.
