{"id":6493,"date":"2020-11-16T15:48:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-16T15:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sonarworks.com\/soundid-reference\/blog\/?p=6493"},"modified":"2020-11-16T15:50:40","modified_gmt":"2020-11-16T15:50:40","slug":"pro-mastering-tips-stereo-eq-techniques","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sonarworks.com\/blog\/learn\/pro-mastering-tips-stereo-eq-techniques","title":{"rendered":"Pro Mastering Tips: Stereo EQ Techniques"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

EQ <\/strong>is the most important part of the processing chain. It\u2019s the last chance for a song to have its frequency content inspected and, if needed, corrected or enhanced. Before we dive in, remind yourself of Mastering Rule #1: Do no harm<\/strong>. If, by some miracle, the mix you have to master is tonally and dynamically perfect, don\u2019t EQ or compress it. Bring to an appropriate loudness level and deliver it. That being said, this is a dream scenario that most mastering engineers rarely come across. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mastering is all about making small changes with great results. In the context of mastering a full mix, any EQ adjustment affects all the tracks that make up the mix, so incremental changes (even 0.25 to .5 dB) can make or break a master. Pay careful attention to how the EQ changes you make impact the overall sound\u2014particularly how one change affects everything else in the master. It\u2019s customary for some top mastering engineers to send a mix back to the mixer if they need to EQ something more than 2-3 dB. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut or Boost When EQing a Master?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This topic is fairly controversial. Some people claim there\u2019s no right or wrong, while others differ. While recording or mixing a live show, we must focus on proper gain structure, but in mastering we often manipulate our gain structure between plugins to optimize the tradeoff between color (saturation) and headroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, the clarity of mix comes down to the proper amount of low-frequency energy vs. high-frequency energy. Too much low-end eats up headroom and can overpower delicate high-frequencies. Conversely, a build-up of high-mid frequencies can create a harsh-sounding mix. Use Subtractive EQ <\/strong>to <\/strong>reduce a frequency build-up in one area and you will notice that other ranges of the mix become clearer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To our ears, dipping low-frequencies produces a similar effect as boosting the high-frequencies. Likewise, to increase both the low- and high-end of a track, simply reduce mid frequencies with a wide-bell filter. Then increase the track\u2019s overall level to make up for the loss in perceived volume.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subtractive EQ is generally done using a narrow Q <\/strong>to avoid affecting anything more than the frequency ranges you wish to fix. High-pass filters<\/strong> would be an exception, where gentle slopes with a very low corner frequency can produce a subtle but effective result without creating audible artifacts. Be careful! Steep high-pass filters, especially minimum-phase filters, can create audible artifacts as high as 2 or 3 octaves above your filter frequency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A 6dB\/octave low-cut filter reduces sub frequencies that can cloud a master and eat up headroom. Even this gentle 6dB\/octave, 18 Hz low-cut filter can be quite an effective form of subtractive EQ.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Additive EQ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After correcting the frequency balance problems a track might have, the next step is to evaluate what the master may be lacking. In contrast to subtractive EQ, additive EQ is done using wide, gentle boosts<\/strong> to \u201csweeten\u201d the track. High-gain, narrow Q boosts<\/strong> can create phase shift and group delay artifacts that sound unnatural or even painful to the human ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effective additive EQ often comes from a \u201ccharacter\u201d plugin or piece of outboard gear. These types of circuits impart some color (harmonics) to the frequency range you boost. Not only do passive EQs boost frequency content, but they may also add new harmonic content that adds density and energy<\/strong> to the signal. See our article about passive EQs<\/a> for more tips on these unique processors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The legendary Pultec EQP is revered for its colorful low and high frequency passive circuits.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

All in all, there\u2019s no right or wrong when choosing whether to boost or cut. It\u2019s all about the issue you\u2019re facing and which approach makes the most sense at that moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n