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Free Tool
Module EQ Frequency Chart
Output Spectrum Map
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// Free Tool — EQ

EQ Frequency Chart

See where 21 instruments live on the frequency spectrum, spot where they mask each other, and diagnose mix problems — with genre presets and practical EQ moves.

The EQ Frequency Chart

Find problem frequencies. Fix your mix.

Frequency Spectrum
Select Instruments

Pick multiple to see where they overlap and compete for space. That's where masking happens.

Quick Load - Common Setups
Vocals
Drums & Percussion
Bass
Guitars & Keys
Synths, Orchestral & Horns

Select an instrument above to see its frequency breakdown and diagnostic tips.

Pro tip: Select two or more instruments to see where they compete for space - that's where your EQ decisions really matter.

The EQ Moves That Fix Most Mix Problems

Practical techniques from 20 years of mixing

Control the Low End

This is a two-part move. First, high-pass everything that doesn't need weight and sub energy - vocals, guitars, synths, keys. Every microphone and virtual instrument generates low-frequency content that just stacks up, eats headroom, and muddies your mix. Start around 60Hz and push higher until things thin out, then back off slightly. Second, once the sub-rumble is clean, find the fundamental of the instruments that do need low end - kick, bass, 808s - and give them a bell curve boost right where their weight lives. You're not just cutting lows, you're reshaping them. Remove what you don't need, reinforce what you do. That's how a mix sounds fat and controlled at the same time.

Cut the Mud (200-500Hz)

This is where home studio mixes fall apart. Bass, kick, guitars, piano, vocals, and synths all pile their energy in the low mids. You don't need to cut this range on everything - but you do need to decide which instruments keep their body here and which ones give it up. Load a genre preset in the frequency chart above and look at how many instruments stack up between 200-500Hz. That visual is why your mix sounds woolly and undefined.

Add Presence, Sparkle and Air (5-10kHz)

Most properly recorded raw tracks sound fairly dull - that's normal. Once you've controlled the low end and cleaned up the mud, the next move is adding definition back in. A wide Q boost in the 5-10kHz range brings presence, sparkle, and air to almost everything. On vocals, it's what separates a demo from a polished mix - the breath, the consonants, the sense that the singer is right there. On guitars and keys, it adds string definition and shimmer. On the full mix, it's the difference between sounding flat and sounding finished. Keep it gentle - 2-3dB is usually enough.

Carve Space for Vocals

The vocal needs to cut through without being louder than everything else. The key is subtractive EQ on the instruments competing with it, not boosting the vocal itself. The vocal presence range sits at roughly 2.5-5kHz. Try cutting 2-4kHz on your guitars, piano, or synths by 2-3dB with a wide Q. The vocal steps forward without you touching its fader. This is what making space means in practice - reducing frequency masking so each instrument has room to breathe.

EQ and the Bigger Picture

Corrective EQ before compression, tonal EQ after. Sweep and cut problem frequencies before the signal hits the compressor - the compressor reacts to whatever you feed it. Remove the problem first, compress a clean signal, then shape tone after. The Compression Visualiser can help you see how compression interacts with your signal.

Panning reduces the need for EQ. Two guitars panned hard left and right have far less frequency masking than two guitars sitting in the centre. Before reaching for EQ to solve a masking problem, check if panning solves it first. Panning is free and doesn't change the tone. EQ costs you something every time you use it.

Want to keep exploring? Ask Dan anything about EQ, compression, or mixing - it's an AI tutor trained on 20 years of mixing experience. For more hands-on tools, check out the Learning Hub including the Compressor Calculator and Loudness Lookup.

// FAQ

FAQ

What is an EQ frequency chart?
An EQ frequency chart is a visual reference that maps the audible spectrum from 20Hz to 20kHz, broken into bands - sub-bass, bass, low-mids, mids, upper-mids, presence, and air. It shows where each instrument sits in the frequency spectrum and where common problems occur. Mixers use it to identify frequency clashes, find problem areas like muddiness or harshness, and make more targeted EQ decisions instead of guessing.
What frequency causes muddiness in a mix?
Muddiness lives in the 200-500Hz range, with 200-350Hz being the worst offender. This is where the low-end energy of bass, kick drum, guitars, and vocals all pile up on top of each other. Cutting here - even just 2-3dB - is the single most common fix in mixing. It's the first thing to check when a mix sounds thick, unclear, or congested.
Should I cut or boost EQ when mixing?
Cut first, boost only if you still need to. Subtractive EQ removes problems without adding noise or phase issues, and a good rule of thumb is roughly 3 cuts for every 1 boost. Cutting one instrument in a crowded frequency range often makes another instrument sound better without you even touching it. That's how you know you're EQ-ing properly.
What does a high-pass filter do and when should I use one?
A high-pass filter removes all frequencies below a set point. Use one on almost everything except kick drum, bass guitar, and toms. Start at 80-100Hz for most instruments and push it higher in dense mixes. It cleans up low-end rumble, room noise, and mud that you can't even hear but still eats up headroom and makes the mix sound cloudy.
What frequency range are vocals?
Male vocals sit roughly 80Hz-12kHz including fundamentals and harmonics, female vocals around 160Hz-14kHz. The common problem zone is 200-500Hz where boxiness and mud build up. Presence lives at 2-5kHz - boost here to help vocals cut through a mix. Air and breathiness sit at 8-14kHz. The 2-5kHz range can also get harsh, so use your ears and don't boost blindly.
How do I EQ a kick drum and bass guitar together?
Give each instrument its own frequency territory. The kick drum typically owns the sub range around 50-80Hz, while the bass guitar owns the body and note definition at 80-150Hz. Cut 200-350Hz on both to reduce mud. Avoid using a low shelf boost on bass - it lifts everything below the frequency, including the sub range where the kick lives. Sidechain compression helps too.
What is the difference between a bell curve and a shelf EQ?
A bell curve targets a specific frequency range and tapers off on either side - it's precise and surgical. A shelf boosts or cuts everything above or below a set point - it's broader and better for tonal shaping. Use bell curves for cutting problem frequencies and shelf EQ for overall tonal balance like adding air with a high shelf. Be careful with low shelves on bass - they lift the entire low end.
What does Q mean in EQ?
Q controls the bandwidth - how wide or narrow the EQ curve is. A high Q value gives you a narrow, surgical curve for cutting specific problem frequencies. A low Q gives a wide, gentle curve better suited for tonal shaping and broad boosts. The general rule: use narrow Q to cut, wide Q to boost. Most EQ plugins show the Q shape visually on the frequency display.
How do I stop instruments from clashing in a mix?
Instrument clashing is called frequency masking - when two or more instruments occupy the same frequency range, neither sounds clear. Use complementary EQ: cut one instrument where you boost the other. Put high-pass filters on everything that doesn't need low end. Use panning for stereo separation, and use a frequency chart to visually identify where instruments overlap. The goal is to give every instrument its own space.
What is dynamic EQ and when should I use it?
Dynamic EQ is an EQ that only activates when a frequency exceeds a threshold you set - like a compressor that targets one specific frequency band. Use it for problems that come and go, like vocal boxiness on certain words or bass booming on particular notes. It leaves the signal completely untouched the rest of the time, which sounds much more natural than a static EQ cut that's always on.
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