An EQ Guide for Commonly Used Instruments

One of the most important aspects of mixing is mastering your EQ skills. Mixing for different instruments can be tricky, but now you can master them with this ultimate guide! For each instrument, we will go over the frequencies they use and show some great tips on how to make them sound their best. Mixing is about more than just making things louder or quieter - it 's all about using EQ to shape sounds into what you want them to be!

For vocals, you 'll want to focus on the lower and mid-range frequencies. The human voice generally sits in the range of 80-300 Hz, so make sure to boost or cut these as needed. You may also want to add a bit of high end (around 12 kHz) to give your vocals some brightness.

Bass guitars are typically played in the lower range of the frequency spectrum, so you 'll want to focus on boosting or cutting those frequencies. A good place to start is around 50 Hz - this will help make your bass guitar sound fuller and more defined. You may also want to add a touch of high end (around 12 kHz) to give it some brightness.

For guitars, it 's important to find the right balance between the low and high frequencies. The lower end of the spectrum (around 100 Hz) is where you 'll want to focus your attention, as this will help make the guitar sound fuller and warmer. On the other hand, you 'll want to avoid boosting or cutting too many high frequencies. The human voice generally sits in the range of 80-300 Hz, so you can use this to find a good starting point for cutting or boosting your guitar 's high end.

Drums are typically made up of low and mid-range frequencies (around 200 Hz). You 'll want to focus on adding some high end (around 12 kHz) to give your drums a little bit of brightness. You may also want to cut the low end (around 100 Hz).

Strings and piano require you to use some slightly different EQ techniques than what you might be used to using on other instruments. While it 's okay if they sound muddy, strings are typically played in the lower frequency range, so it 's best to focus on the lower and mid-range frequencies.

Piano is typically played in the upper frequency ranges (around 500 Hz), but you 'll want to avoid applying too much of an effect here or else your piano may sound harsh.

EQ can be a tricky beast - especially when different instruments use different frequencies. But with a little bit of practice, you 'll be able to EQ your mixes like a pro! Mixing is all about shaping sounds into what you want them to be, and using EQ is one of the best ways to do that. So get out there and start mixing!