General EQ Guide

[Guitar] | [Bass] | [Synth] | [Drums]

Guitar EQ Guide

Electric Guitar

  For bottom Boost 100 Hz
  For warmth Boost 250 Hz
  For body Boost 500 Hz
  For pick or percussion Boost 1-2 K
  For "Cut" (solos, lines, etc.) Boost 3-4 K
  For "presence" Boost 5 K
  For "buzz" (distortion, etc.) Boost 7 K
  For clarity and string decay Boost 10 K and up
  To remove muddiness Cut 200 Hz
  To remove harshness Cut 1-3 K

Acoustic Guitar

  For warmth Boost 250 Hz
  For body Boost 500-700 Hz
  For pick Boost 1 K
  For lines Boost 3 K
  For brilliance Boost 5 K
  For sparkle Boost 10 K and up
  To remove rumble Cut 100 Hz and down
  To remove finger noise Cut 7 K

Bass EQ Guide

  For lows Boost 80-100 Hz
  For tonality Boost 800 Hz
  For rhythmic attack Boost 1 K
  For string sound Boost 3 K
  For clarity Boost 6 K
  To reduce muddiness Cut 200 Hz

Synth EQ Guide

  Bass sound Power 100 Hz
  Muddiness Cut 200 Hz
  Warmth Bottom for pads, strings 250 Hz
  Tone Horns, reeds, organ 500 Hz
  Transient Percussive or plucked sounds 1 K
  Upper midrange Leads 2-3 K
  Sibilance Distortion, buzz, string bow, esses 5-7 K
  Top end Phasing, flanging; cut for noise 10 K

Drum EQ Guide

Kick Drum

  For bottom Boost 80-100 Hz
  For transient Boost 3 K
  For top Boost 6 K

Snare Drum

  For boom (tone) Boost 125-250 Hz
  For bang (transient) Boost 1-2 K
  For buzz (snares) Boost 5 K

Tom-toms

  For tone Boost 250-500 Hz
  For attack Boost 7 K

Cymbals

  For top Boost 10 K
  If muddy Cut 200 Hz

High-hat

  For heavy rock Boost 500 Hz
  Light Boost 5 K
  For top Boost 10 K