SAMPLED

Mixing and mastering · updated 2026-08-16

EQ (EQUALISATION)

Turning specific frequency ranges up or down. Subtractive cuts clear space; boosts add character.

A Solid State Logic Matrix mixing console with channel strips, faders and pan pots — the desk layout behind the gain, EQ and balance terms in this section.
Mixing and mastering — A Solid State Logic Matrix mixing console with channel strips, faders and pan pots — the desk layout behind the gain, EQ and balance terms in this section.

Photo: Solid State Logic (SSL) Matrix Mixing Console at Audio Mix House, Studio C (opens in a new tab) by Audio Mix House (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

Key takeaways

  • Turning specific frequency ranges up or down.
  • Subtractive cuts clear space; boosts add character.
  • Subtractive moves clear space for other elements, additive moves add character, and shelves shape broad regions while bells target narrow problems.
  • Cut 3 dB around 250 Hz on a guitar bus and the bass and kick often stop fighting it without touching either.
  • Watch out: boosting in solo.

Quick checklist

  • Can you define eq (equalisation) in one sentence without looking?
  • Can you point at eq (equalisation) in a real session, mix or contract?
  • Have you tried the practical move above at least once?
  • Would you catch the common mistake before it costs you a take?
  • Have you opened one of the primary sources below rather than a forum thread?

EQ (EQUALISATION) IN DEPTH

EQ changes the balance of frequencies in a signal. Subtractive moves clear space for other elements, additive moves add character, and shelves shape broad regions while bells target narrow problems. Most mix problems that read as 'muddy' or 'harsh' are overlap between two sources in the same band rather than a fault in either one.

How it works in practice

Cut 3 dB around 250 Hz on a guitar bus and the bass and kick often stop fighting it without touching either.

The mistake people make

Boosting in solo. A boost that sounds right alone almost always stacks with other parts and turns into a build-up in the full mix.

WHERE EQ (EQUALISATION) SITS

EQ (equalisation) belongs to mixing and mastering in the Sampled music glossary. The processing vocabulary, plus the loudness standards streaming services actually measure you against.

TEST YOURSELF

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3 quick questions on eq (equalisation). Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

  1. 1. Which statement best describes eq (equalisation)?

  2. 2. What is the mistake people most often make with eq (equalisation)?

  3. 3. In practice, which of these applies to eq (equalisation)?

Ready for the full thing? Take the 25-question terminology test and get a certificate with your name and score.

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for eq (equalisation) — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

  • Xiph.org — digital show and tell (opens in a new tab)

    Open-source standards group · Xiph.Org Foundation

    “Turning specific frequency ranges up or down.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: Xiph's write-ups are free, technically rigorous and famously careful about the myths around digital audio.

  • AES technical library (opens in a new tab)

    Professional standards body · Audio Engineering Society

    “Subtractive cuts clear space; boosts add character.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: AES writes and reviews the engineering standards and peer-reviewed papers this terminology comes from.

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