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Vocal EQ cheat sheet: the frequencies that matter

Every voice is different, so these are starting points, not presets. Use them to know where to look, then trust what you hear.

· 3 min read

EQ is the tool most people overuse. The trick is to know which part of the spectrum causes which problem, make small moves, and cut more than you boost. Here is the map.

The chart

Below 80 Hz: rumble
Traffic, air conditioning, mic stand bumps, the low thump of plosives. Almost no voice has useful content down here, and it fights the kick and 808. High-pass it. Use 80 to 100 Hz for most voices and around 60 to 70 Hz for very deep ones.
100 to 250 Hz: body and warmth
Where a voice gets its weight. Too much and it sounds boomy, especially if you recorded close to the mic (the proximity effect). Too little and it sounds thin. Usually leave it alone, or cut 1 to 2 dB if the vocal feels heavy.
200 to 500 Hz: mud and boxiness
The most common problem in home recordings, because small untreated rooms build up here. If the vocal sounds like it was recorded in a cupboard, this is why. Cut 2 to 4 dB, and sweep to find the exact spot.
800 Hz to 1.5 kHz: nasal, honky
A boost here makes vocals sound like they’re through a phone. If the voice sounds nasal, try a narrow 1 to 3 dB cut.
2 to 5 kHz: presence and clarity
Where the consonants and intelligibility live, and also where the ear is most sensitive. A small boost (1 to 3 dB) brings the words forward. Too much and it gets harsh and tiring. If the beat has a lot going on here, carve a little room in the beat instead.
5 to 9 kHz: sibilance
S, T, SH and CH sounds. Don’t fix sibilance with a static EQ cut; it dulls the whole vocal. Use a de-esser, which only turns these sounds down when they happen.
10 to 16 kHz: air
Breath, sparkle, the expensive-mic sound. A high shelf boost of 2 to 4 dB makes a vocal sound modern and open. Add it after compression and de-essing, or the S sounds will jump out.

How to find a problem by ear

The classic method is the boost and sweep:

  1. Make a narrow band and boost it a lot, say 8 to 10 dB.
  2. Slowly sweep it across the range you suspect. The problem will jump out and sound obviously ugly at one spot.
  3. Turn that boost into a cut of 2 to 4 dB and widen it a little.

Then bypass the EQ and compare at the same loudness. If you can’t say what changed, you probably didn’t need the cut.

Rules that save mixes

  • Cut narrow, boost wide. Narrow boosts sound unnatural; wide, gentle boosts sound musical.
  • EQ in context. A vocal that sounds thin on its own often sounds perfect with the beat playing. Don’t solo while you EQ for long.
  • Fix the beat too. If the vocal and the beat both have lots of 2 to 4 kHz, a small dip in the beat gives the vocal room without making it harsh.
  • Small moves add up. Three 2 dB moves usually sound better than one 6 dB move.
  • Different voices, different answers. A deep male rap vocal and a bright female R&B vocal need different treatment. Use these ranges to know where to look, not as fixed settings.

EQ before or after compression?

Both, often. Put the cleanup cuts (high-pass, mud) before the compressor so it doesn’t react to rumble and boom. Put the tone boosts (presence, air) after it, so the compressor doesn’t fight them. The full vocal chain shows where each step goes.