Helpful chart for musical EQ-ing

previewlounge · 2014-01-26T03:56:54.000Z

hi all, here’s a cool chart … i used it today to adjust the peak of a filter that was on a drum loop.

the drum beat was working pretty well with everything,

the snare was sounding fairly in tune with the composition, but i wanted to accentuate the key of the song, in C. as the filter in question was a low-pass filter, i would need a fairly high note to target as being the peak.

so after reading on this chart that a high C is 2093 hz, i clicked on the area where it is possibly to type in numbers under the filter (this was the basic filter that comes with ableton). typed 2093, showed up as 2.09kHz, yep seems legit…

listened to the result, and it really seemed to make the drum loop fit the track, in particular, the snare was sounding really tite.

anyway there’s my amateur approach to musical EQ-ing.

… but this chart is made by professionals…

notes.GIF487×673 15.7 KB

previewlounge · 2014-01-31T20:23:31.000Z

also another potentially helpful chart to see where all the frequencies inhabit, and the descriptive words for those areas of the audio spectrum.

Hertz_Chart.png1178×872 111 KB

subq · 2014-02-01T03:33:10.000Z

Need printable pdf format

previewlounge · 2014-02-01T07:36:46.000Z

yes, and better layout of the diagram. i’m thinking a series of spheres with frequency and note indications with colours and associated imagery even … something artistic, passionate, rather than a graph.

Daisuk · 2014-02-01T11:43:46.000Z

Interesting. And I’m quite fascinated by people who seem to delve deep into these things. I guess this is one of the areas where I can see some of my musical “ambition” or whatever lacking. I can spend a lot of time reading manuals, but when it comes to the nitty gritty technical stuff like this - I’m out. I know I should be “tuning” my kick drum or whatever, but I just cannot be arsed.

guga · 2014-02-01T14:40:49.000Z

""subq"":

Need printable pdf format

i’ll printing a copy and stick it in front of me
thanks for this previewlounge

previewlounge · 2014-02-01T17:57:47.000Z

cheers …i like the idea of being able to bring forth a note or two from a sound, a mix, and thereby imply a chord, maybe? not sure how this works … either through creative (additive) EQ notch accentuation, or ableton’s Auto Filter effect.

essentially, im keen to use the resonant peak of a filter like a ‘note’, an invisible note that sings silently in the entire mix, or just one track. any frequencies around this note get accentuated … that seems to be how the resonant peak of ableton’s “Auto Filter” works.

so, yes, pretty trippy concept.

Ryan · 2017-11-09T03:35:36.443Z

Just saw this- what I like is the EQ spectrum translated into musical notes and thus making the range make a little. It more sense. Like there’s scaffolding around the concept

mishakho · 2017-11-09T03:54:05.286Z

I’m having a hard time understanding this chart in the context of EQing.

Would someone care to elaborate how this chart is helpful as reference in mixing/mastering?

sicijk · 2017-11-10T07:21:53.561Z

Well…the most important reference in a mix and then mastering context should be your ears tied to a known acoustic transducers system (speakers and the room they live within).

Coming to previewlounge chart (I’ll be quite obvious in what i’ll write)… you can see (left to right) the audio spectrum and going down to up you can see some typical foundation instruments and where that audio spectrum characterizes their typical “qualities”.
So it’ll be useful in a mix situation in cases you lack some of those qualities and want to get back while balancing in respect of other instruments sharing same spectrum’s area.
In mastering context I think this chart would be “less useful” for surgical EQ duties.

Another nice (interactive) chart is at the following link:
http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm

It’s reported also the so called Fletcher-Munson chart about Ear Sensitivity