Some EQing and Mastering Tips

Useful compressor settings

SOURCE ATTACK RELEASE RATIO HARD/SOFT GAIN RED

Vocal Fast 0.5s/Auto 2:1 - 8:1 Soft 3 - 8dB

Rock vocal Fast 0.3s 4:1 - 10:1 Hard 5 - 15dB

Acc guitar 5 - 10ms 0.5s/Auto 5 - 10:1 Soft/Hard 5 - 12dB

Elec guitar 2 - 5ms 0.5s/Auto 8:1 Hard 5 - 15dB

Kick and snare 1 - 5ms 0.2s/Auto 5 - 10:1 Hard 5 - 15 dB

B 2 - 10ms 0.5s/Auto 4 - 12:1 Hard 5 - 15dB

Br 1 - 5ms 0.3s/Auto 6 - 15:1 Hard 8 - 15dB

Mixes Fast 0.4s/Auto 2 - 6:1 Soft 2 - 10dB (Stereo Link On)

General Fast 0.5s/Auto 5:1 Soft 10dB


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Equalizing Guidelines

Kick Drum
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz. Try a small boost around 5-7kHz to add some high end.

Freq Effect
50-100Hz Adds bottom to the sound
100-250Hz Adds roundness
250-800Hz Muddiness Area
5-8kHz Adds high end prescence
8-12kHz Adds Hiss


Snare
Try a small boost around 60-120Hz if the sound is a little too wimpy. Try boosting around 6kHz for that 'snappy' sound.

Freq Effect
100-250Hz Fills out the sound
6-8kHz Adds prescence


Hi hats or cymbals
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz. To add some brightness try a small boost around 3kHz.

Freq Effect
250-800HzMuddiness area
1-6kHz Adds presence
6-8kHz Adds clarity
8-12kHz Adds brightness

B
Try boosting around 60Hz to add more body. Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz.If more presence is needed, boost around 6kHz.

Freq Effect
50-100Hz Adds bottom end
100-250HzAdds roundness
250-800HzMuddiness Area
800-1kHz Adds beef to small speakers
1-6kHz Adds presence
6-8kHz Adds high-end presence
8-12kHz Adds hiss


Vocals
This is a difficult one, as it depends on the mic used to record the vocal. However... Apply either cut or boost around 300hz, depending on the mic and song. Apply a very small boost around 6kHz to add some clarity.

Freq Effect
100-250HzAdds 'up-frontness'
250-800HzMuddiness area
1-6kHz Adds presence
6-8kHz Adds sibilance and clarity
8-12kHz Adds brightness


Piano
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off around 300Hz. Apply a very small boost around 6kHz to add some clarity.

Freq Effect
50-100Hz Adds bottom
100-250Hz Adds roundness
250-1kHz Muddiness area
1-6kHz Adds presence
6-8Khz Adds clarity
8-12kHz Adds hiss


Electric guitars Again this depends on the mix and the recording. Apply either cut or boost around 300hz, depending on the song and sound. Try boosting around 3kHz to add some edge to the sound, or cut to add some transparency. Try boosting around 6kHz to add presence. Try boosting around 10kHz to add brightness.

Freq Effect
100-250Hz Adds body
250-800Hz Muddiness area
1-6Khz Cuts through the mix
6-8kHz Adds clarity
8-12kHz Adds hiss


Acoustic guitar
Any apparent muddiness can be rolled off between 100-300Hz. Apply small amounts of cut around 1-3kHz to push the image higher. Apply small amounts of boost around 5kHz to add some presence.

Freq Effect
100-250Hz Adds body
6-8kHz Adds clarity
8-12kHz Adds brightness


Strings
These depend entirely on the mix and the sound used.

Freq Effect
50-100Hz Adds bottom end
100-250Hz Adds body
250-800Hz Muddiness area
1-6hHz Sounds crunchy
6-8kHz Adds clarity
8-12kHz Adds brightness and that is the simple jist of it. equalizing is a very common way of taking out unneccessary sounds and noises in a sample. say if there is a hiss in a b sample. you would take out all the high ends and mids.

thanks for the info. i'm sure ppl here would find this useful.

i agree! fantastic info! are those settings you've worked out yourself, or are they from a manual/tutorial type thing?

Thanks man,
I've put it into one of my references txt files already.
Maybe you should post it in FP as well though..

mucho thx

Finally, one thread with actual purpose!!!! Thank you!!!!

The source is: http://www.computermusic.co.uk/tutorial/eq/2.asp

Check out the tutorial section - lots of useful stuff !