1 Big Tip for Much Better EQing

Is there a better way to EQ? Justin Colletti thinks so. This easy to implement approach beats aimlessly sweeping through your EQ any day of the week.
You can get better sounds with this simple 3-step trick immediately....and take a lifetime to master all the potential it has to offer.
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Don't have time for the full video? Here's the tip:
Don't sweep your EQs. Determine what, if anything, needs to change before you go sweeping. Type them in if you're in a plugin. Grab the knob if you're on hardware and make your best first guess.
Don't EQ aimlessly. Have a purpose. Define the area that needs to be changed and why before you touch a thing.
Don't know your frequency ranges? Here's how to learn them.
More details on the whys and hows in the episode here.
Want more like it? Try out full length courses:
Mastering Demystified
MasteringDemys...
Mixing Breakthroughs
MixingBreakthr...

[@Kampsy]

The thing about doing EQ sweeps is that if you’re looking for a problem frequency you’re gonna find one even if it’s not really one you need to attenuate. I think it’s funny when people just start raising a band like +10dB and start sweeping. Of course you’re gonna find a frequency that sounds really loud and obnoxious lol

[@eugenemartone7023]

But it’s a great way to find the specific frequency of a problem you need to cut

[@Kampsy]

@@eugenemartone7023 it is but just be careful of boosting frequencies that sound bad when they really aren’t bad

[@eugenemartone7023]

@@Kampsy yeah, never fix a problem that isn’t there. (best mixing advice ever)

[@andrewstevenson3807]

Leaving the EQ plug-in alone is the most important mix lesson I ever learned.

[@streetlogic]

i agree lol

[@thatchinaboi1]

Relying too much on EQ to make tonal changes will smear the sound by changing the phase correlation. All the eqs added up to the final mix and master track will result in less clarity, which can't be fixed. Phase correlation is the MOST underrated thing in audio.

[@teeaymusik9811]

Well interesting, just saves me time lmao.

[@proverbalizer]

Never that. I'd rather leave the pan pots alone

[@zexa865]

LDFC: Listen, Diagnose, Fix, Compare

[@rome8180]

I've never understood "boost and sweep." If you're going to do any kind of sweeping method, wouldn't "cut and sweep" work better? That way you're listening for when the sound clears up, rather than artificially creating offending frequencies. Usually, I just do what you recommend and decide on a target area (low mids, upper mids, etc). But if I do sweep, I find that cut and sweep makes more sense. Granted, I'm usually doing this to remove masking. So I use a wider Q and a shallower cut.

[@SonicScoop]

I think that can be a better approach for exactly the reasons you mention, yes. Still not my favorite method, but definitely an upgrade :-) Thanks for the comment, -Justin

[@dashphonemail]

Great advice. I think my mixes got better when i stared spending 90% of mix time just listening with my eyes closed, instead of frantically spinning VST knobs around

[@SonicScoop]

Yes! This is the way. -Justin

[@BennDown]

I wanted to start a production channel on KZbin. I had a very successful gaming channel years ago and now wanted to try something new. I don’t think I could top what you are doing though. Genuinely useful, insightful, tried and tested information. There are only two production gurus (the other being Dan Worral) who are great but I don’t trust the rest. Even Eric Valentine has slime. Good man.

[@fidrewe99]

I recently came up with a way to train my ear much more efficiently than by sweeping. I go through different rather narrow bands of the spectrum. Each one I pull up by a lot, so I can clearly hear it. Then I pull it down completely to hear what it sounds like without it. Finally I move back to 0 dB, keeping focussed on the frequency range I just boosted and cut. It might take another boost to pinpoint it, but once I'm able to track it in the context of the mix, I'm focussing on what a boost or cut would do to it and if either would be beneficial. I move the knob according to what it think and get the feedback to reevaluate my judgement. Maybe something like that can bridge the gap between a beginner's ear training and advanced and efficient mixing techniques.

[@bayisbenevolent4899]

justin has to be one of the most genuine humans to ever live, this dude makes my day brighter and is a wealth of knowledge. such a good man, super entertaining . wish him all the best in life :)

[@DarkTrapStudio]

I think good pratice for beginners is to identify 100hz and below / 100-1khz / 1khz-10khz / 10khz and up. Im gonna concentrate on that also, so Im gonna split it each time I know them

[@SonicScoop]

Yes, we do something like this in the EQ Breakthroughs course, except we go deeper and deeper with it until you can differentiate between at least 7 EQ bands. (Get really good and you can potentially break it down to 9 or 11. But I think anyone can accomplish 7 bands faster than they may think with a bit of guided practice.) That is a great place to start though! -Justin

[@DarkTrapStudio]

@@SonicScoop Wonderful

[@songwritertill8726]

Really awesome tip(s). First KNOW if & what & where the problem is....great! Thx.

[@iramatx]

Agreed. Develop your ears and know what you're hearing. Takes practice and much time. It's just like playing an instrument and developing tone and technique. Helps to study the work of the greats. Once you learn from that, start experimenting and develop your own sound. It's like Clark Terry once said, it's a matter of "imitation, assimilation, and innovation."

[@jaybarls]

This is such a useful tip for EQing with confidence - and musically. I've seen so many people explain the 'bell boost / sweep and cut' method without going any further, and acting like it's all done and dusted. While I think it's fine for starting out and picking out offending resonances, it's really only a part of the EQ process - and I think it's far too focused on identifying problems (which may not be there) rather than real mixing decisions. Some cuts are useful, but a mix full of holes can feel flat and anaemic (in my experience).

[@roikorginal]

this is gold. thank you

[@hauntedbytheliving1175]

Al Schmitt uses NO EQ... because it didn’t exist when he started. You EQ’d by choosing the right instrument, the right mic, the right preamp and gear with specific color. He still works that way to this day. His recordings are always in perfect phase because he doesn’t EQ. He’ll use a touch only when he’s mixing something he didn’t record. Granted, that works for him and the style of music he works with... but it’s affected how I work. I commit to sounds in tracking, then balance them in mixing. EQ’ing is my last resort rather than first port of call and it’s made a HUGE improvement in my mixes.

[@tohellwithtradition]

It’s really good to have someone challenging the seemingly omnipresent taboo of applying big eq moves. As someone who is working predominantly with virtual instruments, I find myself boosting/cutting to a what would commonly be considered extreme extent (>6db), as with VIs it sometimes is not simply about subtlety emphasising the existing sound qualities but rather going into actual sound design, if the available samples are simply not quite meeting the sound characteristics I have in mind for a particular piece. Memorising this “if you find yourselves boosting or cutting more than 3-5 db, you are doing something wrong” could actually limit some really good options

[@Theactivepsychos]

The EQ tip that I’ve found most valuable isn’t directly related to EQ and it’s to decide before you start recording what you want each instrument to actual do in the song. Is it front or back, centre or panned, high tone or low? Is it gonna clash or compliment anything? Which other sound does it follow or diverge from? Will the kick or bass be lowest? Guitars or organ highest? It’s basically designing the sound stage in rough before you start. Then you can already plan your EQ as you’re setting up the amps and settings. Obviously there are always unique problems each time but generally you’ll know what you want to cut or boost with each instrument when you start mixing. The “repair” EQ is then minimal.

[@BladesMusic]

"What are you trying to do?" - this is the one thing. The one thing that will lead to whether to sweep, identify and boost/cut, etc. Yes - every frequency when boosted WILL sound annoying and if you just say to cut anything that sounds annoying, you might just cut everything and then just turn the mix up! :) For people who haven't done the listening over time, this is a really strange concept, but for those who have really paid attention along the way, knowing to use the sweep in a much smaller section of the frequency spectrum, logically and reasonably, or to use your eyes to validate "that thing" your ears thought they heard is where it's at. Thanks for the video!

[@carldubcats3385]

Awesome. I ain't sweeping anymore but I am going to get up early in the morning and I believe I will dust my broom. If them problem frequencies are not in Mississippi, they must be in East Monroe I know. I might boost the 8k or I might do a cut way down below. If I can't find a problem in the mids, I am just going to leave them so.

[@First__Last__]

did you happen to see The House of Kush's video about this from 2 months ago?

[@arnithorlakur1172]

Exactly what I though

[@Anders01]

The tip Justin mentioned about first checking if any EQ is needed I might try and start the mix with no EQing at all. I even heard one of the top mixers answering a question about how he got his rock mixes to sound so huge and one part of the answer was that he just added all the instruments together basically without EQing.

[@RBPAudio]

Archiving & remastering my debut single (as a solo artist) originally released in1982 was a demanding post-production challenge especially in contouring the overall tone. Considering that the original classic sixties style production was cut to vinyl, we actually got a hold of the original vinyl lacquer master disc, which was the purest source available to maintain the original mix (besides the half inch master which wasn't available,) That set the pace for the remasting process as a fully authentic analog hardware project. After auditioning several (state of the art) stereo filters in my collection, I narrowed it down to the Manley Massive Passive which satisfied my taste for enhancing & cutting those gritty low-end overtones, while smoothing the low/mid frequencies to suit that vintage sonic quality style. Give it a listen: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp3Hf6OLl9hrsNE

[@MKD371]

While mixing solely with headphones is not ideal, a good pair of headphones is better then a poorly balanced room so the sweeping technique should be fine to use.

[@tortugulaproductions]

scott from kush after hours said the same thing. fantastic advice, absolutely helped me be much faster in my eqing, not suck the soul out of everything with unnecessary cuts, and become much more intimate with the how the frequency spectrum feels in each of these areas. priceless advice really. sweeping is good for rudimentary ear training but only gets you so far. eqing like this is how you truly become familiar with your tools and frequencies. and u hit the nail on the head, it takes time! can’t expect to be proficient or an expert after only 6 months or even years. but we can expect to improve with every mix. great video justin

[@americanantagon1st]

This is very true! Equalizing something by boosting isn't such a great idea, as we all once thought. Reason being, those frequencies that POP out of that instrument can be an important and fundamental, assisting our ears in identifying that particular instrument in a dense mix. A good rule of thumb would be to cut those frequencies from another instrument in that range, which in turn would create more separation in the mix.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Again logical sensible advice! I I will definitely try this

[@allpdmusic]

I never understood the sweeping thing. Thank you for this video Justin.

[@alexbochelmusic]

I thought this said “1 big tip for much better eating” and I still clicked on it

[@russell_szabados]

Another best practice for the contemporary mixing & mastering canon. You’re killin it with this podcast man. I’m always looking for better ways to teach core concepts, and my takeaway from this video is a crucial best practice that needs to be presented to newbies as early as possible: learn to LISTEN, and trust in first instincts when analyzing solutions. Over time, that two-step process will hone a producer’s objective ear as well as their confidence, and set them up with an effective recording & mixing skill set.

[@snakeface5652]

Ay, I've already been doing this.

[@MegaMixking]

Yeah this video is just stealing from Kush = get a job dude.

[@lordberly]

its weird that I love when you says "ssss" (hiss)

[@WillyJunior]

100% agreed on the EQ sweeping thing. I've never understood it.

[@russell_szabados]

@Billy Buttlord I first saw it in one of Dave Pensado’s Into the Lair segments and assumed it was a core concept. It occasionally has its place, but he didn’t say that, I had to figure it out. That’s too bad, I respect him a lot, but not putting it in context probably set me back a bit in the beginning.

[@WinterhouseRecords]

It’s cleared up a lot of my current mixes significantly. It’s more about finding harsh freqs on different instruments that (especially after layers of processing) start to mask/stack in a way that actually irritates your ears - or simply sounds “better”. But in the end it’s all about what music you’re working with. Some music calls for more of the “irritating” or “annoying”. For example I just learned that vocals really need a lot of the otherwise “harsh” freqs that I usually try to subdue in other instruments. By attenuating those freqs in other instruments - it can open up the vocals more without having to do additional cuts/boosts and it simultaneously cleans up the other instruments in a way that sounds more pleasing. Hope this makes sense!

[@bjornlakenstrazen2186]

This is good advice that ive been trying to start doing. Any live engineers reading this, do you all sweep or guess? It's tough considering mixing environments change all the time with each venue

[@SonicScoop]

I’ll admit that one of the issues I mention with sweeping matters a little less when you’re doing live sound. In that context, the room anomalies that pop out when you’re sweeping are more likely to be ones that everyone will hear, because everyone is in the same room with the same anomalies. (Though sometimes the frequency response can shift pretty radically in different parts of certain venues so still watch out for that!) Even live though, I think the tip I mention is still the more useful approach most of the time, especially when you get good, and especially once the show has started! Audiences don’t take kindly to big sweep boosts while the band is playing 🤷🏻‍♂️ And it helps you fight feedback without having to make it worse first! Hope that helps, Justin

[@bjornlakenstrazen2186]

Those were my exact thoughts haha. Makes sense. And yes, man i hate room resonances especially where the low end just doesn't come through clearly or has like a 10db dip in one are of a venue. I just stay back near the mixinv desk and pretend that area doesn't exist

[@nebstaism]

Can someone please tell me the mic he’s using?

[@Archaic1Eye]

The Jedi eq technique ... love it.

[@mikespink2037]

Brilliant ! Don’t sweep and boost frequencies from low to high using narrow band ‘sweep & destroy’ methids ! Simply assess which broadband area is the problem like subs mentioned here 0 to 80hz for example and then try boosting different frequencies - like 40hz 50hz 60hz lol until you stumble across something pleasant that needs boosting or unpleasant that needs attenuating 😂 Basically do exactly what I told you not to do (sweep) but in a different more sectional way ! This advice is as ridiculous as it is vague ! Let me simplify massively the concept here ! Train your ears to a point where you can ‘securely Eq’ - ‘Know what you want!’ ... ‘Know how to get it’ .... ‘Know when you’ve got it’ .... the methodologies of how you do this are entirely subjective and ultimately not important!

[@TheOnlineBusker]

Best audio engineering channel on YT.

[@davelordy]

Not your best video, not really a 'tip', basically 'see if you can hear what's wrong and then try to fix it with EQ'.

[@SonicScoop]

Interestingly enough, it’s our most liked and most watched video in a while according to KZbin stats so I guess some people are getting more out of it than that! Hope you like some of the best ones even more. -Justin

[@rocket3704]

Disagree. It's solid advice on how to build the skills to mix faster and better so it's an excellent tip.

[@deadislander]

I tried EQing into the limiter today and that got really complicated really quickly while I was dealing with the low end. Before I knew it I went from -14 to -9, started sounding really odd and then I had to back off on the limiter and suddenly because I backed off on limiting, the EQ was out of wack again

[@davejohnsonmusic]

Sweeping bands is definitely a double-edged sword. Tread carefully. It really is a great feeling though, when you hear a problem and pretty much know right away where exactly the problem is. Not just to inflate your ego a bit, but being a total timesaver.

[@Ramt33n]

Once you get to a place where you no longer think and instead do the eq moves intuitively, What an interesting place to be!

[@Skimatik_DnB]

Awesome vid 🎯 this was clarification I’m on the right road with my eq style 🙌 I’m @ Guywithafork ( just booked a privet call with you ) looking forward to some deeper learning . Thanks again for all your great content ✌️💚☯️

[@Rolanoid]

Such good advice. Does this need EQ and if so what range? Rather than ok time to EQ so let's sweep and find something to EQ.

[@creampuffwar2000]

Thanks for all the tip vids. If I might add a tip, listen for the problem frequency’s actual height in the speakers. It will give you a relative starting point.

[@thatchinaboi1]

My biggest tip to using eq is to use them only if you need to and know when to not use them. There are other ways of altering tone that doesn't involve eq. EQ changes the phase correlation. Linear phase eqs have their draw backs of pre ringing. Both create time artifacts. The former decreases the sonic clarity while the latter adds an unpleasant grit to the transients.

[@liquidsolids9415]

Agree that’s it all about the thought process, and being intentional about any changes in the mix. Thanks for the video!

[@eraldlesi]

I press like before I watch the video.

[@Skimatik_DnB]

It’s a good investment haha 🎯 I do the same here ✌️💚☯️

[@sanacha9455]

Same here

[@arseniy]

Would be good to mention too bright, too dark, too midrangie, is better consider by comparing with references. Because without references people can often do too bright, too loud, too punchy, etc.

[@SonicScoop]

Agreed! Got a video on that too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2jbYnx7ft2rqs0

[@borisgrigull7772]

When I was younger with exceptional hearing, As soon as I heard what the Eq knobs did, I had no problem using eq, thats how it works, no problem..., Then I lost my hearing for some years, I started playing and recording because life was just worse if I didnt! It has taken me years to understand and learn how to use compression, now I have to relearn EQ as well, From my perspective now , even though its a perfectly logical , mathematical ascension of tones, weather we consider it as notes or frequencies, It seems that every part has its own beautiful personality.. I use these tools quite lightly, Eq's and compressors really help it all get into focus, and when it does, there is a substantial amount more Energy coming out of the mix. Thank you Sonic Scoop, Your tips are really cool!

[@yiurock4084]

*whether

[@EVILJAMARR]

This was a terrific video! Really helped define some of those ranges for me.

[@rodrigonogueira173]

Really good tip! Plz keep them coming!

[@Ben59910]

Again, I thought it was Jimmy Fallon.

[@ergophonic]

Solid advice as always. Thank you sir.

[@Dangenoir]

Right finger but wrong hand

[@SonicScoop]

That’s definitely the right hand. The other one is the left 🙃 -Justin

[@Dangenoir]

@@SonicScoop Ha ! Ha! Ha! (😆

[@cocogaz3553]

you're like a slow motion martin scorsese

[@gstyle11]

So Useful !!! thank you so much

[@nk1000]

@kush afterhours

[@SonicScoop]

Someone else also told us he did a similar video recently. I didn’t know that when I recorded this. But if he did, then he’s also right! To prove we’re not ripping him off, here’s the same exact same tip and reasoning from our channel 2 years ago as part of a longer video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHS7mIx6qcqrY5o It’s also included (in much greater depth) in one of our courses before that. It’s been on my list to revisit this in a shorter one off video for many months, and I finally got around to it when I recorded this one. I like Gregory, and used to interact with him on forums years ago, where I always liked his input. But I can’t say I’ve watched any of his recent videos. My own KZbin feed is almost exclusively Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tutorials-in part specifically so I’m not influenced by what other channels in our space are doing. Guess that backfired 😆 I have noticed the same thing happen with our channel, where we’ll do a topic and some other channel will do it not long after us, and sometimes one of our viewers will even tell me about it. I figure most of the time it’s probably a coincidence 🤷🏻‍♂️ There’s a lot of people talking about the same stuff week after week so I guess it’s bound to happen. Hope that helps, Justin

[@wiggesobk]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@mthomas1091]

Always cut the ponytail 👏

[@histakes12]

2mn in an still more foreplay

[@habananu]

great video thx

[@DThompson55]

Meh

[@davelordy]

I normally like his videos, but I've got to agree, this one is . . . meh . . . the 'tip' is basically ‘listen to see if you can hear anything that might need EQ and then try and fix it'.

[@DThompson55]

@@davelordy correct... like so many top level guys his one big trick / best advice is to use your ears, which is no advice at all. What "problems" am I supposed to be listening for? THAT would be a one big tip for better mixing. But very few are able to explain that to beginners in a way that's understandable.

[@Tookastudios]

Maybe a bit of a 6k cut sonic scoop? Haha sorry easy target

[@barrywilliams8289]

thanks much

[@pranavismetal.7642]

House of Kush had same tip/vid lol

[@SonicScoop]

He must have stole it from us then. We shared this same tip as part of a longer video 2 years ago :-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHS7mIx6qcqrY5o Or, more likely, great minds thing alike. I don’t really watch other audio channels much these days, but I used to interact with Gregory on some of the forums more than a decade ago, and always found him to be smart, positive, articulate, and a bit of a kindred spirit. I’m sure he has good things to say too. We’re not the only people to say this either. Additionally, I’ve noticed occasionally that other channels will do the same topic as is not long after we’ve done it. But most of the time it’s probably just a coincidence. That’s bound to happen when you’re putting out new stuff every week. -Justin

[@pranavismetal.7642]

@@SonicScoop Word up man haha much love to you both! Cheers for everything.

[@plus41pseudonymus]

Hate your spamming add