

Using a low-pass filter can do the same to make room for cymbals and airy vocals in the higher frequency range.įollowing your filters, EQ cuts should be applied to get rid of the things you don’t want heard in your mix.

By starting with a hi-pass filter, you can get rid of any low-end build up occurring around your kick drum and bass in other instruments. If you haven’t here are a few highlights.įiltering is an important part of your EQ process to clean up both the lows and highs of your mix. subtractive EQ, you should already know why these three types of moves all hold a special significance in the mix. Sometimes spot treatment can be done without going through these steps, but following them upfront can go a long way to avoiding the need for a second EQ further down the chain. If you find yourself in a situation where an EQ is required on a track, you should be following the basic order of operations for EQ. While some of these EQs offer additional features such as side-chaining or analog modeling, even the most unique ones follow the same general principle: break incoming audio out into distinct frequency bands that can be raised or lowered independently of one another. With so many different uses, it’s no wonder there are literally hundreds of EQs out there that generally do the same thing. Recording engineers and mix engineers use them in the studio for both clean up and coloration. Live sounds engineers use them to clean up problem frequencies and match their system to the space they’re in. Musicians use them on their pedalboards to change their sound.

EQs are a must-have in almost every audio situation.
