EQ Cheat Sheet for Better Mixes — Free MegaMix Trial
Start with broad musical moves
Most EQ problems are arrangement and balance problems first: if two synths play the same riff in the same octave, a 2 dB cut will not invent space, so mute one, then EQ. Cut obvious mud and boxiness before boosting highs; a wide cut around 200 to 400 Hz on a boxy acoustic guitar often does more than a 10 kHz “air” boost on the vocal.
Use wider bells, around 1.0 to 1.5 octaves, for tone shaping. Use narrow cuts, around 0.3 to 0.5 Q or a tight notch, for resonances that ring. That keeps mixes natural while still controlled. Sweep slowly; if you boost 12 dB to find a problem, remember the real cut is 2 to 4 dB, not 12.
High-pass rumble on unused lows, but do not high-pass a rap vocal at 200 Hz unless you want a phone-ad sound. Many chests live at 120 to 250 Hz.
Vocal and drum priorities
For vocals, clean low-mid buildup first, then add presence around 2 to 5 kHz if needed, then air above 10 kHz if the mic can take it. Presence without cleanup often turns brittle. If S’s jump, that is 5 to 8 kHz, not a reason to dull 12 kHz.
For drums, shape kick and snare so they are distinct in time and tone. A kick click around 3 to 5 kHz should not sit on the same spike as a snare crack. Small targeted moves beat a 6 dB “punch” shelf that makes every drum the same. Toms that boom at 200 Hz will mask the 808; cut the tom sustain, not the whole song’s bass.
Hats often need a small cut where the vocal sibilance lives. 1 dB on hats can save a de-esser from working too hard.
Bass and instrument separation
Give bass and kick separate jobs. If both dominate 50 to 80 Hz, low end collapses into mud. Typical split: kick punch at 60 to 100 Hz plus click up high; 808 or bass fundamental in a complementary pocket, with harmonics at 100 to 200 Hz so phones still hear the note.
Create space for lead parts by trimming competing instruments in overlapping zones. A pad at 800 Hz will mask a vocal fundamental. A distorted guitar at 1 to 3 kHz will mask lyrics. Cut the guitar 1 to 2 dB in that band during vocal sections rather than boosting the singer into harshness.
Pianos and acoustic guitars love 200 to 500 Hz until they do not. If the mix is woolly, try the guitar first, not the kick.
Check decisions at low volume
Low-volume checks reveal if your tonal balance holds without loudness excitement. If vocals vanish, revisit 1 to 4 kHz and masking, not another 10 kHz boost. If bass vanishes, you relied on sub that the speaker cannot play.
A/B against references at matched loudness to avoid mistaking volume for quality. An EQ move that only “wins” when you turn up is not a win.
Walk into another room. If the snare still reads through the wall, the midrange is probably honest.
Frequency starting points you can actually use
These are starting guesses, not laws. Your singer, kick sample, and room change everything. Use them to know where to look, then listen.
If a boost needs more than 3 dB to “work,” you are usually compensating for a competing track. Cut the competitor.
- Rumble: 20 to 40 Hz high-pass on non-bass sources if the mic or synth dumped unused sub.
- Mud/box: 200 to 400 Hz wide cuts on guitars, rooms, and pads.
- Vocal body: 120 to 300 Hz; cut competitors here before thinning the singer.
- Presence/lyric: 1 to 4 kHz; this is phone-speaker land.
- Harsh: 2 to 5 kHz narrow cuts on the painful source.
- Air: above 10 kHz, small and last, after de-essing.
EQ workflow that does not chase its tail
EQ in context, not in solo, except for hunting a ring. Solo lies about how much 3 kHz you need.
One instrument per problem. If you EQ six tracks to fix one mask, stop and mute instead.
- Balance faders with EQ bypassed.
- Mute the obvious clutter; EQ what remains.
- Subtract 200 to 400 Hz on the woolliest non-bass track.
- Give kick and bass different jobs below 120 Hz.
- Add vocal presence only if lyrics still hide at low volume.
- Low-volume and phone check; revert any “exciting” treble that hurts.
If every track needs a 6 dB boost at 3 kHz, your monitoring is loud or your arrangement is a midrange traffic jam.
EQ moves inside MegaMix AI
You do not have to draw every curve by hand. Upload stems or a rough mix at /app, then tell Josh the zone and the source: reduce pad energy around 400 to 800 Hz under the vocal, keep vocal body near 200 Hz, cut hat harshness at 4 kHz without darkening the air. Export WAV and low-volume check.
No DAW required for that pass. The 7-day free trial is a good time to learn your own problem bands instead of copying a generic chart. If the source is a two-track, say which role to favor: vocal versus beat, not “EQ the mix brighter.”
EQ will not invent a missing transition. If the chorus needs a lift into the downbeat, add a 2 to 6 second sweep from MegaSFX AI at /megasfx in the session bounce instead of boosting 8 kHz on everything. For demos, workflow, and more mix AI FAQs, see the Mix AI hub.
FAQ
Should I boost or cut more?
Cut first to remove conflicts, then boost only when the tone still needs shape. A 2 dB cut on a masking guitar often beats a 4 dB vocal boost that brings sibilance with it.
Why does my mix get harsh fast?
Stacked boosts in upper mids and highs without resonance control usually cause fatigue. Find the 2 to 5 kHz ring on hats, vocals, or guitars and cut that source rather than shelving the whole mix down.
Can I mix with EQ presets only?
Presets help you start quickly, but final decisions should follow your specific singer and beat. A “male vocal” preset does not know your closet recording or your 808 in F.
How much EQ is too much?
If every track needs extreme boosts, revisit recording quality and arrangement overlap. Healthy sources often need 1 to 3 dB moves, not 10 dB personality transplants.
Should I EQ in solo?
Solo to find a resonant ring, then cut in context. Mixing EQ entirely in solo is how you make a vocal that sounds huge alone and small in the beat.
Where should I high-pass a vocal?
Only as high as the rumble requires, often 70 to 100 Hz for a close mic, sometimes lower. High-passing at 200 Hz for “clarity” is a common way to make vocals thin on speakers. More on the Mix AI hub. See Start free trial or plans.