Free cheat sheet
Vocal EQ Cheat Sheet (Best EQ Frequencies for Vocals)
Vocals live in a handful of key zones - clear the low-mid mud, tame sibilance, then lift presence and air, and almost any vocal sits right. This cheat sheet maps every vocal frequency band, plus the go-to boost and cut spots for lead, rap, male, female and backing vocals.
The frequency spectrum
Nothing useful in a vocal - stand/floor noise, plosives. High-pass it out; leaving it in eats headroom and adds mud.
Chest and warmth on deeper voices. Too much = boomy, proximity buildup.
Fullness of most vocals. Excess sounds thick and muddy.
Where 'boxy' and closed-in lives. Cut gently if the vocal sounds honky or small.
Vowel intelligibility and midrange tone. Too much = nasal, honky.
Forwardness - pushes the vocal to the front. Overdo it and it turns shouty and fatiguing.
Definition - where the vocal cuts the mix. Harshness starts here.
S, T and SH sounds. De-ess here dynamically - don't just cut statically.
Open, expensive sheen on top. Boosting also lifts hiss and sibilance.
Key frequencies by instrument
Boost 3 - 5 kHz presence, 10 kHz air
Cut 200 - 400 Hz mud, 6 - 8 kHz sibilance
Boost 2 - 4 kHz bite, 8 - 12 kHz air
Cut 250 - 400 Hz mud, ease 3 - 5 kHz if shouty
Boost 3 - 5 kHz presence, 10 kHz air
Cut 120 - 250 Hz boom, 6 - 8 kHz sibilance
Boost 4 - 6 kHz clarity, 12 kHz air
Cut 300 - 500 Hz boxy, 7 - 9 kHz sibilance
Boost 10 - 14 kHz air
Cut 200 - 500 Hz + 2 - 4 kHz to sit behind lead
Key takeaway. Cut before you boost: clear 200 - 400 Hz mud and de-ess 6 - 8 kHz first, then add 3 - 5 kHz presence and 10 kHz air. Small boosts, wide cuts.
Frequently asked questions
What frequencies should I boost on vocals?
For clarity, add presence around 3 - 5 kHz so the vocal cuts through, and a little air at 10 kHz for sheen. Keep boosts small and wide - a couple of dB is usually plenty.
What frequencies should I cut on vocals?
Cut 200 - 400 Hz to clear mud, 300 - 500 Hz if it sounds boxy, and de-ess 6 - 8 kHz for harsh S sounds. High-pass everything below about 80 Hz on most vocals.
How do I EQ a rap vocal?
High-pass the rumble, clear 250 - 400 Hz mud, add 2 - 4 kHz for bite so it sits on top of the beat, and a touch of 8 - 12 kHz air. Ease 3 - 5 kHz if it gets shouty.
Why do my vocals sound muddy?
Vocal mud usually sits at 200 - 400 Hz. A gentle cut there, plus a high-pass below 80 Hz, clears it without thinning the voice.
Put it into practice
Upload a mix and Sauce masters it to streaming-ready loudness - free first master, no plugins.
Master your track freeMore free resources