Instrument Frequency Output
It is useful to have an understanding of each instruments overall frequency range output to help gain an awareness of which frequencies to work with during equalization.
Golden Rules
- It is the harmonics that give each individual instrument its character, or timbre, and sets it apart from all the rest
- Boosting a sound around its fundamental frequencies will promote warmth, depth, and place it in front of the mix. In contrast, decreasing the fundamentals will promote a cold, thin sound which will be pushed back in the mix
- Boosting a sound around its harmonics gives the impression of more presence, brightness, and air. In contrast, decreasing the harmonics generally gives a dull, less dazzling impression
- The human ear is more sensitive at the midrange frequencies, where speech and voice communication occur. As a result, very small energy changes in the midrange frequencies cause much more noticeable effects than do larger changes in the very low and/or very high-frequency ranges.