Passeq Analog Code
®
Plug-in
19
Using Equalizers
Boosting fundamental levels
Inexperienced audio engineers will often first try to make correc-
tions by boosting fundamentals, something which in fact should
be the last thing one considers. Boosting fundamentals typically
lowers clarity and produces a muddy sound. If two instruments are
playing the same part and thereby produce the same fundamental,
raising these levels will lead to a decrease in the sonic difference
between them, (i.e., will make the two instruments sound more
alike and lower their intelligibility in the mix). This is also true
when two instruments play similar parts in the same key.
Exception: When an instrument sounds thin or small, boosting
the fundamental can help. Or perhaps a microphone was poorly
placed or the harmonics had been raised excessively through EQ.
Finally, increasing fundamental levels can also play a constructive
role when instruments play alone or as soloists with others in the
background.
Cutting fundamental levels
Cutting fundamental frequencies provides for a perceived increase
in harmonics and is therefore an effective alternative to boosting
harmonic levels. This is a common practice in Rock/Pop produc-
tions that can be effective in all musical recording genre. Three
examples:
Bass, Reduction at 40 Hz: limits boominess, increases presence.
Guitar, Reduction at 100 Hz: limits boominess, increases clarity.
Voice, Reduction at 200 Hz: limits muddiness.
Emphasis of an instrument‘s main frequencies
For this purpose a bandwidth of 1 and 1/3 octaves is generally a
very good starting point—in other words, this range best encom-
passes that of most instruments‘ frequency spectrum. This can
be somewhat narrower with percussion instruments, while it is
recommendable to consider a wider bandwidth for melody instru-
ments such as voice or bowed strings. The boost value should
remain between 3 and 6 dB.
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