{"id":84007,"date":"2021-02-22T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/?p=84007"},"modified":"2021-11-29T14:42:48","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T14:42:48","slug":"5-top-tips-for-using-eq-in-music-production-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/5-top-tips-for-using-eq-in-music-production-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"5 top tips for using EQ in music production (2021)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2><span style=\"color:#3366FF\"> Check out these quick tips for using EQ properly when mixing your tracks.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Equalization (EQ) is the most useful tool a <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/what-does-it-take-to-become-a-music-producer-as-a-career\/\">music producer<\/a> has for mixing. It changes the frequency response of each sound in the track, however you want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use equalizers to adjust the various frequencies of your instruments, shaping each sound. The main goal when EQing during <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/the-best-audio-gear-for-mixing-music\/\">mixing<\/a> is usually to get the instruments in your track to blend together smoothly, so there\u2019s enough room for each of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are five tips to bear in mind as you start playing around with <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/music-production-terms-a-glossary\/\">EQ<\/a> for a successfully mixed track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3>Mix with your ears, not your eyes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>EQ <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/the-5-best-free-vst-mixing-and-mastering-plugins\/\">plugins<\/a> on most <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/the-top-10-best-daws-available-in-2021\/\">DAWs<\/a> show you the frequency response of your track, an analyzer feature so that you can see the changes you\u2019re making to your track as you go. But try not to let what you see affect the way you hear the music \u2013 ultimately, its the sound that&#8217;s vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3>Certain frequencies have special sound characteristics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The human ear can detect frequencies from around 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (20 kHz) \u2013 the frequency spectrum. Certain frequencies within the spectrum generally have specific <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/music-production-seperation\/\">sound<\/a> characteristics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"700\" height=\"296\" src=\"http:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-700x296.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-84019 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-700x296.png 700w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-577x244.png 577w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-768x325.png 768w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-1536x650.png 1536w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-1280x542.png 1280w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-1000x423.png 1000w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18-800x339.png 800w, https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-22-at-15.23.18.png 1880w\" sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3>Be radical<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn&#8217;t really matter what anyone says \u2013 do whatever it takes to make your mix sound good, even if that means cuts or boosts as great as 12dB. You want to make sure that all the tracks blend together as well as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And on the opposite end, push boosts, cuts and filters further to use as sound design tools, to sculpt your sounds in exciting colourful ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"EQ Tutorial: The Basics of How to EQ Properly\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2oH4YcpyWSs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3>Try using EQ in two stages when mixing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Split the process up \u2013 shaping EQ first, with boosts and cuts, then corrective EQ, which is usually reductions to clear space for other sounds. By putting these moves into two separate EQs, you won\u2019t lose any shape created before corrective EQing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take for example if you had EQed a <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/nord-unveil-their-new-keyboard-at-namm\/\">keyboard<\/a> to sound brighter, only to find that your vocal and keyboard now have a similar sound in the mix. Open up a new EQ to make a pocket for the vocal by clearing some space in the <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/roli-return-with-lumi-a-rainbow-keyboard-that-makes-learning-bright-and-fun\/\">keyboard,<\/a> and you won&#8217;t lose the shape of the keyboard that you perfected in your first EQ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3>Don\u2019t get wrapped up in EQing when recording<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/top-10-tools-for-music-producers-the-ultimate-bedroom-set-up\/\">recording<\/a> live <a href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/whats-the-easiest-musical-instrument-to-learn-how-to-play\/\">instruments<\/a> to your track, don\u2019t worry too much about perfecting the EQ. Use EQ at this initial stage to get rid of any obvious unwanted frequencies picked up by a mic \u2013 but generally as long as there\u2019s a good, clean sound, save EQing for your mixing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.routenote.com\/\"><strong>RouteNote can get your perfectly EQed track out onto the major streaming services, so you can start earning money from your music&#8230; and it won&#8217;t cost you a thing. Create a free account here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Check out these quick tips for using EQ properly when mixing your tracks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24798],"tags":[845],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v18.4.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>5 top tips for using EQ in music production (2021) - RouteNote Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/5-top-tips-for-using-eq-in-music-production-2021\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 top tips for using EQ in music production (2021) - 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