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15
Recommendations on using Equalizers
Basic Approaches and Working Techniques
While we would never assume that in creative and artistic work there should be absolute
rules, and this also applies to work with EQ: There is no such thing as “The Voice” or “The
Kick Drum” or “The Piano”. The following is thus offered strictly as a basic orientation or
starting point for such work, and should not be misconstrued as dogma or any other kind
of absolute.
Nonetheless, in order to achieve sometimes hard-to-define goals when applying EQ, it
really is important to be aware of and be able to use a few accepted basic musical and
technical guidelines.
EQ Yin & Yang
1) A small reduction in the lower middle range around 250 Hz can have a similar effect as
an increase in the presence region of 5 kHz.
2) Added energy in the very high region of 15-20 kHz can create the impression of having
made the bass and lower mids thinner.
3) Adding warmth to a voice will reduce its mix presence.
Working with EQ and this Yin and Yang principal means ideally to consider always such
implied repercussions of work in one frequency—for example, that in working to enhance
warmth, that one might want to avoid losing presence.
Harshness in the upper middle to lower high range can be countered with more than one
approach: A harsh trumpet section may be improved through a reduction around 6-8 kHz,
oder with an increase at around 250 Hz. Both of these measures result in a warmer sound,
but the decision of which to use should depend on which of the two also works best in the
entire mix.
Moreover, one should never forget how easy it is, while working intensely with isolated
elements of a mix, to fall into the trap of forgetting how such elements can influence, for
better or worse, the rest of the mix.
First cut, then boost
“The ear” is more used to energy reductions in a frequency range, thus boosts attract
more attention. That is, a 6 dB boost is perceived to be similar in amount to a 9 dB cut.
Therefore when wishing to emphasize one frequency, it is typically better first to consider
a reduction in others. The result will bring more transparency and clarity as well as reduce
possible unwanted coloration of the signal.