
Using the Equalizer
- If it sounds muddy, cut some at 250Hz.
- If it sounds honky, cut some at 500Hz.
- Cut if you’re trying to make things sound better.
- Boost if you want to try to make things sound different.
- You can’t boost something that’s not there in the first place.
Magic Frequencies
Range | Description | Effect |
---|---|---|
16-60Hz Sub-Bass | Sense of power; felt more than heard | Too much makes the music sound muddy |
60 – 250Hz Bass | Contains fundamental notes of rhythm section; makes music fat or thin | Too much makes the music boomy |
250-2kHz Low Mids | Contains the low order harmonics of most instruments | Boosting 500 – 1kHz sounds hornlike; 1 – 2kHz sounds tinny |
2kHz – 4kHz High Mids | Contains speech recognition sounds like “m,” “b” and “v” | Too much causes listener fatigue |
4kHz – 6kHz Presence | Responsible for clarity and definition of voices and instruments | Boosting makes music seem closer |
6kHz- 16kHz Brilliance | Controls brilliance and clarity | Too much causes vocal sibilance |
Instrument Magic Frequencies
Instrument | Magic Frequencies |
---|---|
Bass Guitar | Bottom at 50 – 80Hz; attack at 700Hz: snap at 2.5kHz |
Kick Drum | Bottom at 80 – 100HZ: hollowness at 400Hz; point at 3 – 5kHz |
Snare | Fatness at 120 – 240Hz: boing at 900Hz: crispness at 5kHz; snap at 10kHz |
Toms | Fullness at 240 – 500Hz: attack at 5 – 7kHz |
Floor Tom | Fullness at 80 – 120Hz; attack at 5kHz |
Conga | Ring at 200Hz: slap at 5kHz |
Hi Hat & Cymbals | Clang at 200Hz: sparkle at 8 – 10kHz |
Electric Guitar | Fullness at 240 – 500Hz: presence at 1.5 – 2kHz: reduce 1kHz for 4 X 12 cabinet sound |
Acoustic Guitar | Fullness at 80Hz: body at 240Hz; presence at 2 – 5kHz |
Organ | Fullness at 80Hz: body at 240Hz: presence at 2 – 5kHz |
Piano | Fullness at 80 Hz: presence at 2.5 – 5kHz: honky-tonk at 2.5kHz |
Horns | Fullness at 120 – 240Hz: piercing at 5kHz |
Voice | Fullness at 120Hz: boommess at 240Hz; presence at 5kHz; sibilance at 5 kHz: air at 10 – 15kHz |
Strings | Fullness at 240Hz; scratchiness at 7 – 10kHz |
Additional related content:
Visit the MECA bonus tracks list
Purchase the Tantric Tuning CD