Mix & Master
EQ Frequency Cheat Sheet
Where each element lives in the spectrum, and where they collide. A starting map for carving space so every part is heard without turning anything up.
| Element | Fundamental | Body | Presence / attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kick drum | 50–100 Hz | 60–100 Hz | 2.5–5 kHz |
| Snare | 150–250 Hz | 200–250 Hz | 3–6 kHz |
| Bass / 808 | 40–100 Hz | 80–200 Hz | 700 Hz–2 kHz |
| Hi-hats / cymbals | 300 Hz+ | — | 8–12 kHz |
| Lead synth | 500 Hz–2 kHz | 250–500 Hz | 2–5 kHz |
| Pad / chords | 200 Hz–1 kHz | 250–500 Hz | — |
| Vocal | 100–300 Hz | 200–500 Hz | 3–8 kHz |
| Sub bass | 20–60 Hz | — | — |
From production experience general frequency ranges every engineer works with, annotated with starting points from production experience. Every sound is different, so sweep to find the exact spot. · Methodology
Sub weight lives at 50–60 Hz; the beater click that cuts through a mix sits up at 3–5 kHz. Carve 300–500 Hz to remove boxiness.
Crack and snap at 3–6 kHz; add air above 8 kHz. The 500–800 Hz range is where a snare gets papery: cut if thin, boost if you want more weight.
Fundamental is often lower than you think. Add 700 Hz–2 kHz grit so it translates on phone speakers that can't reproduce the sub at all.
High-pass hard at 300–500 Hz to clear space for everything below. Sizzle and air live 8–12 kHz. Harshness usually hides around 5–7 kHz.
Presence at 2–5 kHz makes it cut. If it's fighting the vocal or snare, carve a small notch where they overlap rather than boosting louder.
High-pass at 200–300 Hz so pads don't clutter the low-mids. Their job is to fill space, not demand attention, so carve holes where leads and vocals sit.
Warmth 200–500 Hz, presence 3–5 kHz, air 10 kHz+. Boxiness and mud collect at 400–600 Hz. High-pass at 80–100 Hz unless it's a deep male voice.
Pure weight, felt more than heard. Keep it mono. If your sub and kick both live here, sidechain or carve so they don't cancel.
How to read this
Fundamental is the lowest, defining pitch of the sound, where its weight and note live. Body is the region that gives it fullness or, if overdone, mud. Presence / attack is the higher band that gives an element its edge, click, or intelligibility, the part that lets it cut through a busy mix.
In practice
The goal of EQ in a mix isn't to make each sound good in isolation; it's to make room. Two elements fighting for the same band (a kick and bass both at 60 Hz, a vocal and lead synth both at 3 kHz) will mask each other no matter how loud you push them. The fix is usually to cut one where the other needs to sit, not boost the one you want louder.
None of these numbers are gospel. A specific kick sample might have its weight at 55 Hz or 80 Hz. Use the chart to know roughly where to look, then sweep a narrow boost to find the exact spot in your actual sound before you cut or lift it. High-passing everything that doesn't need low end (hats, most synths, pads) is the single highest-impact move for a clean low end.