EQ Concepts thread

[selig]

Let's talk EQ!
To get us started, I found this simple but clear post about EQ and frequency ranges, which illustrates what I consider to be an essential EQ concept: the idea that every frequency range has both positive and negative characteristics depending on how you are using it (and what you are needing to do).

This is also a concept that is mentioned in Bob Katz's book "Mastering Audio".

Here is the essential part:

Some crucial EQ bands and what they sound like

50-60 Hz

Thump in a kick drum
Boom in a bassline
Essential in dub, dubstep and reggae !
Too much and you’ll have flapping speakers and a flabby mix
Too little, and the mix will never have enough weight or depth

100-200 Hz

This EQ band adds punch in a snare
Gives richness or “bloom” to almost anything
Too much makes things boomy or woolly
Too little sounds thin and cold

200-500 Hz

Crucial for warmth and weight in guitars, piano and vocals
Too much makes things sound muddy or congested
Too little makes them thin and weak

500-1000 Hz

One of the trickiest areas
Gives body and tone to many instruments
Too much sounds hollow, nasal or honky
Too little sounds thin and harsh

2 kHz

Gives edge and bite to guitars and vocals
Adds aggression and clarity
Too much is painful!
Too little will sound soft or muted

5-10 kHz

Adds clarity, open-ness and life
Important for the top end of drums, especially snare
Too much sounds gritty or scratchy
Too little will lack presence and energy

16 kHz

Can add air, space or sparkle
Almost too high to hear
Too much will sound artificial, hyped or fizzy
Too little will sound dull and stifled

Read more here:
http://productionadvice.co.uk/using-eq/

[raymondh]

Excellent Giles - thanks!

[jonheal]

I also saw a chart somewhere that showed the various frequency ranges of various instruments. I will try to find it.

[selig]

I also saw a chart somewhere that showed the various frequency ranges of various instruments. I will try to find it.

There are some useful and some "not so much" charts out there. But we should probably post them all and discuss. There was a recent chart posted in another thread that had some less than useful "rules". I prefer more objective approaches, which is why I posted the link to this article which talks about "balance" and the "equal but opposite" effect.

Keep adding to this thread and we shall "discuss"!

[jonheal]

Here is a chart that includes a lot of acoustic instruments (fundamentals and harmonics) and also some subjective descriptions "sounds" and the location of those sounds on the spectrum:

http://www.independentrecording.net/irn ... isplay.htm