My random EQ question

Krispy

Krispy

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Nov 26, 2009
Location
Alberta, Canada
Things seem pretty quiet around here lately so i'm gonna throw out my random EQing question. This is probably a fairly straightforward practice done by everyone but just want to confirm i'm doing this properly.

Say, for example, I have a bassline that is sitting between 60Hz and 200Hz. In order to properly EQ this would I set a bandpass EQ on it with the low end cutting off at 60hZ and the high end at 200hZ? Or should I use separately a low pass EQ cutting off at 200hZ and then separately a high pass EQ cutting off at 60hZ? By using the two EQ's separately I wouldn't have to mess around with the Q values on my EQ in order to maintain decent volume.

Also, I would be side chaining the bassline with my kicks because they would be occupying the same frequency range.
 
It's like cooking and salt. If it's not salty, add salt. If it's good, don't add salt.
Stray rogue low frequencies, high pass.
Nasty mids/highs, low pass.
I doubt there's a one size fits all solution/formula here.
 
Well I have a subbass on that seems to be occupying the lower range...
I have some vocals and other wierd sounds that seem to be occupying the middle range, just seems appropriate to have an EQ on it so that they aren't overlapping eachother.

I understand what you guys are saying though and just play it by ear and do what makes the most sense/sounds the best.
 
If none of the instruments are overlapping it might sound weird too, but if they are clipping and cutting each-other then do the necessary processing.
 
It's hard to imagine a vocal and a sub overlapping. A sub bass essentially doesnt have any mid frequencies so you're kind of doing something without a need for it. It's really amazing this myth about having to eq everything into it's own place, and quite frankly it just isn't true. If you have a mid bass that has a low rumble that is unnecessary you could EQ that out from the way of your sub.

I've said it a lot lately, but I'll say it again: Equalizing isn't something that is needed on everything, it's a tool that you can use to shape the characteristics of a certain sound. Slapping an EQ on every channel and removing anything 'unwanted' from every single sound will result in a cold and clinical mix. There will be no life in it. If you have things overlapping (like a synth and a vocal for example, is more likely than a sub and a vocal), you first tool should be to rearrange things, change around the melody, change octave, rearrange the hits, than to force the sounds apart with an eq. If you forcibly EQ, both (synth & vocal) will come out thin and out of place in the mix.
 
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