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eq settings

EQ Settings; Music Production Equalizer Settings

When thinking of EQ settings, many students are unsure of where to start. I am often asked “how do I EQ this instrument?” or “what are the rules of Equalization for drums and bass?” If you are using an MPC, Triton, Motif, or any other hardware gear, these guidelines can apply but are best left to the final mix stage in your Software Sequencer (Cubase, Sonar, Logic, ProTools, etc).

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The most important aspect of music production equalizer settings & mixing is the low shelving or hi pass filter function. These functions are used for cutting frequencies and are included as standard features in the majority of Equalizers. When an element in the mix is left untouched, it may contain unheard frequencies that can interfere with the punch, clarity, loudness and energy of the mix.

The solution is cutting. The goal is to remove unneeded frequencies to create additional space for the elements in the mix. For example, the frequencies below 100Hz on a snare drum may interfere with a sub bass or kick drum.

As a guideline, I recommend cutting all instruments at 100Hz and cutting the bass instrument and kick drum at 30-40Hz. The human ear cannot hear anything below 30Hz-40Hz. This will remove bass frequencies from the entire mix that are not heard but take up energy in the mix. This ‘energy’ takes away from your overall headroom meaning it makes the overall track louder than it really is. By removing these frequencies on each individual instrument your overall mix becomes louder and punchier. In result, you’ll achieve a better mix and master.
blankApplying EQ less is always more. Boosting frequencies should be used as a last resort. For example, if a high hat doesn’t have enough high end, boost the appropriate frequency needed. However, if you have 2 instruments in that same frequency, you should boost one and cut the other to avoid interference. If you tend to boost frequencies often, you may need to choose higher quality sounds.

Another great use for EQ is to find the ‘sweet spot’ of a sound. Boost the EQ to the maximum decibel and sweep the entire frequency band from the lowest to highest until you find the ‘sweet spot’. This is a useful way of finding the frequency range your instrument is in. From there you can choose how much to cut while listening to the mix. For example, if you have a bassy string or synth part that interferes with the bottom end, you may want to cut it at 300hz or more. Cutting low frequencies off vocals is the biggest EQ tip of all. Try cutting vocals at 300hz for a low voice or 500hz for a high female voice. You’ll be amazed at how they fit in the mix.

blankCubase, Nuendo, Sonar all have eq on every channel. ProTools does not. This can be a problem for ProTools users as EQ is used as a plugin which takes valuable CPU usage. I have found mixing in ProTools can take additional time from that fact alone. However, you can create buss or group channels to lower the amount of CPU usage.

Overall, EQ is one of the most powerful tools when mixing. There is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Unlocking EQ consists of applying it to one instrument at a time and practicing. Soon you’ll develop your own technique and approach that will help nail the mix every time.

Now, apply these EQ settings in a music production you are currently working on to hear the instant results of this tutorial. This is just a small dose of instant results you’ll get when enrolling in the 7 Lesson Course: Becoming a Music Producer and Audio Engineer.

Tutorial: EQ Settings; Music Production Equalizer Settings
1) Start with a sub bass kick drum. Cut using a low shelf or hi pass setting at 30hz, then 50hz, then 80hz and finally 120hz. Use this as an ear training exercise until your ears can clearly hear the difference.
2) Now take a punchy bass line (not a sub bass) and follow the same guidelines as #1. Pay attention to how the sub bass kick drum and punchy bass line fit like a glove by only cutting frequencies. Remember, when learning eq NEVER boost – you’ll do more harm than good. If you feel the need to boost, you are better off finding a better sound that has the settings you’re looking for.
3) Experiment with vocals. Cut in the 300hz range for male vocals and 500hz range for female vocals. Again, use this as ear training and start to hear how each instrument fits ‘in the pocket’ by cutting vs. boosting.

If you need more info on EQ, recording and mixing, setup a free training consultation below.


no more student loan

No Financial Aid, No Student Loan and No Job?

Have you ever said, if only I worked at home, if only I made a living from music, if only my music could sound great THEN I would be able to… ???

Well I have thought the same things and I’ll tell you this:
“Now is what tomorrow feels like..”

Today, I haven’t worked a day job in many years and I still have doubt, stress and fear try to hold me back from the many dreams I am working to accomplish. I know you can relate.

Dreaming is never done. A dream is not about finishing. It’s about enjoying the journey.

I didn’t realize though that the same challenges, struggles and tough decisions about a day job were still there for my dream job too.

What does this have to do with no financial aid, no student loan info or no job? Everything.

Tomorrow doesn’t exist. All that exists is today. If you spend all your time thinking about tomorrow. You’ll never see a new today.

When you spend all your time thinking about tomorrow, you don’t do today what you need to do to get where you want to be…

When your tomorrow 20 years from now comes, will you say with confidence:
“I did all that I could do and never gave up”?

Since you’re reading this, I imagine you’re having trouble with financial aid, getting student loan information or a job. I also imagine you have an intense dream in life and will not be able to sit still until you’re living it..

If I’m just a tad bit close, I have a few questions for you:
What if you don’t qualify for financial aid?
What if you don’t qualify for a student loan?
What if you don’t have a job or make enough money?
What if you are in debt?
What if you don’t have a home?

There is only one answer that remains….

Time. Time is most valuable if you can’t get financial aid, a student loan or a job.

What are you doing with your time? Are you thinking of tomorrow instead of doing something today? Are you caught in worries and fear instead of hopes and action?

If you want a dream bad enough you will do whatever it takes to get there. With time, you can plan, creatively research, network and learn from others around you until you find your plan of action.

It doesn’t make sense to get student loan debt for 7-10 years,  spend 2 of your 4 years in college learning what you already spent 18 years learning in school AGAIN.

I know you want to cut straight to the chase and get into the meat of music.
So you want to know how to do it?

For me, I worked two jobs 9pm to 5am and 8am to 5pm for 6 months to get my first studio…
I almost gave up many times..

All it takes is one doubt to end years of hard work and momentum towards your dream.

Instead of doubting, I worked. I didn’t qualify for financial aid. Instead of getting discouraged, I worked harder.

So I want to ask you what distance will you travel to achieve your dreams?

I hope this inspires and encourages you to know that it doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing or what cards you have been dealt. It all comes down to: “What are you going to do with what you have been given?”

Are you spending money instead of saving?
Are you complaining and hating instead of working hard?
How bad do you really want your dream?

If you are ready to do whatever it takes, complete our info request form for a free consultation and let us know your goals and we’ll help you put together a plan to start living your dream today.

If there is anything we can help you with, setup a free training consultation below.