Post by Akira on Jul 20, 2007 20:51:05 GMT -4
EQ'ing Instruments
What follows is a rough guide to EQ’ing various musical instruments. Previous knowledge of what EQ is and how it works is required. These should only be viewed as a rough guide; you should always listen carefully to sounds as they do not always need to be adjusted. A useful tip with regard to equalisation is to cut instead of boost. If you require more treble, try cutting the bass instead. Cutting frequencies from other instruments to make room for another instrument is also a useful tool. For example in a busy mix, cutting the bottom end from the guitars will allow more room for the bass.
Bass Guitar: Attack or pluck is increased at 700 or 1000Hz, bottom added at 60 or 80Hz, string noise at 2.5kHz.
Bass Drum: Slap at 2.5kHz, bottom at 60 to 80Hz, cutting at 200-300Hz reduces cardboard sound.
Snare: Fatness at 240Hz, crispness at 5kHz.
Hi-Hat and Cymbals: Shimmer at 7.5kHz to 10kHz. Clank or gong sound at 200Hz. Roll of bass below 100Hz.
Toms: Attack at 5kHz, fullness at 240Hz.
Floor Toms: Attack at 5kHz, fullness at 80 or 120Hz.
Electric Guitar: Full at 240Hz, bite at 2.5kHz.
Acoustic Guitar: Body at 240Hz, clarity at 2.5Khz, 3.75kHz and 5kHz with the sound thinning as the frequency rises. Bass strings at 80 or 120Hz.
Organ: Bass 80 to 120Hz, presence 2.5kHz, body 240Hz.
Piano: Bass 80 to 120Hz, presence 2.5kHz to 5kHz, thinning as frequency is raised. Honky-tonk sound at 2.5kHz as bandwidth is sharpened. Resonance below 50Hz.
Horns: Fullness at 120 to 240Hz, shrill at 5 or 7.5kHz, punchy at 800Hz
Voice: Presence at 5kHz, sibilance at 7.5kHz to 10kHz, boominess at 200 to 240Hz, fullness at 240Hz.
Strings: Scratchiness at 7.5 to 10kHz, fullness at 240Hz.
Hopefully this will help with giving you more direction with your mixes. Feel free to add thoughts.