The rule is: There are no rules. You're absolutely correct, it's a very subjective thing. When you say the snare sounds natural with a 6db boost at 3.5k, are you listening to just the snare? The trick (IMHO) to getting things to sit well in a mix is not to dial in a sound on any given track by itself, but to throw up a bunch of tracks flat, and start EQing from there. I used to mix by picking through the tracks and getting what I thought was a good sound on each one, but I typically had the same problems you're facing. Since I started using the "clean slate" technique, my mixes have improved a bunch.Think about how different snares can sound, ie: Bill Bruford's highly tuned ringing sound to the almost kick drum sounding snare on Tom Petty's "Refugee". I'm a bassplayer, and it's not unusual that the EQ I put on bass tracks makes them sound somewhat thin by themselves, but in a mix they're punchy, and combine with other stuff in the low end so they sound full in the mix. As to Q, in general I find myself using a wider Q in the upper mids, tighter in the mids (400-500Hz) on down, tightest at the bottom. Hope any or all of this helps somehow.

Thanks jonyoung.....anyone else?

It's soooo helpful to get a bunch of different views on things. I think the fact that there are no rules is what keeps me going; seems like there's always a new tip or technique to try.

the topic title made me think of our friend jahme.... :shock:

I agree with jonyoung. There are no rules.

When I start EQing I start with a wide Q on the mids and shelving on the highs and lows. I always wanted 4 band PEQ. Now I have that on my 01v96, I seldom use narrow Qs.

Narrow Qs can be helpful if there's a disturbing thingy somewhere, so they are usually to correct something. Overall I find that wider Qs sound more natural indeed.

the closest thing I've heard of for a 'rule of thumb' is to use narrower Q when cutting, and broader Q when boosting. These are, of course generalities, but a good basic idea.

iznogood wrote: the topic title made me think of our friend jahme.... :shock:

I agree, bad tilte that gave me that impression too. hmm

I found this site on google, [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.computer…"]Click Here![/]="http://www.computer…"]Click Here![/] and enjoy! I am about to read it myself and it may help you decide what do to when EQing things.

Me personally I dont have a specific thing that I do with each sound and I attack each project differently. One song might sound better when the snare is EQ'd as another song's snare might not need EQ at all. I use the EQ as a carving tool to sort of "cut out" spaces for each sound to sit in.

The only rule I have in mixing is this...If it sounds good solo'd then it probably sucks with the rest of the mix....

Capice? :wink:

It seems like someone is trying to adjust things that they haven't learned to listen to yet...

One of many thing I have picked up is never EQ while solo'd, unless you are trying to kill a freq or noise, otherwise it makes no sense...not sure if this helps but it sure helped me when I learned it. :)

Typically the most natural sounding q setting is 1.
This applies to most real instruments,
However, this is again subjective.
(1 is also known as the magical q) Hocus Pocus

Massive Mastering wrote: It seems like someone is trying to adjust things that they haven't learned to listen to yet...

Could you maybe elaborate and offer some advice?

One thing i've realized in the few years i've been mixing:

Many thin make a fat.
Many fat make a mud.

quick tip that can make you shake things up:

do your "thing" with the mid boost EQ.

Now, visualize that "curve" that you've created.

Now, visualize how you'd achieve that SAME curve, if you were using subtractive (cut) EQ instead of boost.

Then, when you've done that, come back in with a VERY slight boost and a VERY narrow Q, just to put the "cherry-on-top" of the snare's "snap".

While you contemplate the fact that all instruments use all the frequencies, and there just is no way to duck them away from each other by frequency carving, let the notion of how different compressor attack/release times affect a track's "poise" in the mix.

dwoz

dwoz wrote: do your "thing" with the mid boost EQ.

Now, visualize that "curve" that you've created.

Now, visualize how you'd achieve that SAME curve, if you were using subtractive (cut) EQ instead of boost.

Then, when you've done that, come back in with a VERY slight boost and a VERY narrow Q, just to put the "cherry-on-top" of the snare's "snap".

i can second this technique, it works brilliantly. i usually do the cutting digitally, to save using all my analog bands up