Equalizing A Real Project: Separation, Clarity, and Focus in a Mix

In this episode with Jatari, we take a focused look at equalizing inside a real project. The goal is simple but critical: create separation, define instruments, and make sure every element has its own space in the mix.

The project already has drums, bass, guitar, and vocals, and it leans toward a country-style lick. Right from the start, a few issues are clearly audible:

“You can hear that the bassline is quite undefined… the low end of the guitar is quite muddy… and the kick drum is not really present.”

Instead of adding more processing, the approach here is to enhance clarity primarily by removing frequencies, not boosting them. This is where EQ becomes less about coloration and more about organization.

Starting Point: Listening Before Touching Anything

Before touching any EQ, the mix is played back to identify the real problems:

  • The bassline is hard to reach
  • The guitar low end is masking other instruments
  • The kick drum lacks definition and presence

This step is essential. EQ decisions are not made visually or technically first, but musically.

Grouping the Guitars for Cohesive EQ Control

Both guitar tracks are routed into a single group track. This allows EQ moves to affect the guitars as a unified element instead of treating them separately.

“Whenever I’m equalizing on this group, it’s going to affect both of the guitar channels.”

A visual EQ is used on the guitar group, which displays frequency content in real time. This immediately reveals a key issue.

Cleaning Up the Guitar Low End

The guitars contain a lot of energy below 100 Hz, which is unnecessary for their role in the mix.

Key Move:

  • Apply a high-pass filter
  • Adjust the curve to be musical, not aggressive
Check Out  Audio Compression 101: A Practical Introduction to Dynamic Processors.

Once the low end is removed:

“Can you hear how much just removing the low end of the guitar gives space to that bassline?”

Nothing has been added yet. No boosts. No enhancement. Just removal.

Why This Works

  • The bass suddenly becomes more noticeable
  • The mix feels clearer instantly
  • Energy is redistributed rather than increased

This same concept is demonstrated again using an SSL channel strip, reinforcing an important principle:

It’s not the EQ plugin—it’s the frequency decision.

Creating Space for Vocals with Strategic Dips

When vocals enter the picture, competition becomes unavoidable. Many instruments fight for the same frequency range, especially between 1 and 2 kHz.

Common Vocal Strategy:

  • Create small dips (2–3 dB) in competing instruments
  • Focus on guitars, synths, pianos, or strings

“When we just make these little dips on all the instruments, it gives a lot more freedom for the vocal in that region.”

This is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It depends on:

  • How many instruments are present
  • How dense the arrangement is
  • Which elements need to dominate

But the principle remains consistent: subtract to reveal.

Shaping the Bass: Cleaning, Not Hyping

The bass already has an SSL EQ channel inserted. Instead of boosting lows, the focus is on removing unnecessary energy.

Bass EQ Moves:

  • Cut everything below ~50 Hz
  • Clean up subsonic mud
  • Avoid over-enhancing high regions

To demonstrate where the bass character lives, the 2 kHz region is briefly boosted.

“You can hear that really the string and the pluck sound of the bassline are in this region.”

This region is especially useful in:

  • Rock mixes
  • Metal mixes
  • Funk mixes where attack matters

However, for this specific country-style mix, that boost is not needed.

“That’s all I need to do for this specific mix.”

Genre Matters: EQ Is Not Universal

A crucial reminder appears here:

“Your bass and your kick sound will be really different depending on the music style that you’re working on.”

EQ decisions must always serve the style of music, not a preset or habit.

Check Out  Crash Course on Equalizers: Analogue vs. Digital EQ

Reworking the Kick Drum for the Mix Style

The kick drum consists of:

  • An inside mic
  • An outside mic

Together, they create a warm, full, low-heavy sound—great for hip-hop, but not ideal here.

“This kick drum is really hip-hop… that bassy low end.”

The Goal:

Make the kick cut through, not dominate the low end.

EQ Approach:

  • Boost 2.5 kHz and 4.5 kHz for attack
  • Remove very low frequencies
  • Emphasize transient clarity

The result is a much thinner solo sound—but that’s intentional.

“It’s really that attack sound that I’m emphasizing now.”

When placed back in the mix, the kick:

  • Pokes through the bass
  • Gains definition
  • Feels more appropriate for the genre

Band-Passing as a Creative Choice

Additional filtering is applied:

  • High-pass to remove unnecessary lows
  • Low-pass to remove high-frequency spill

“I’m really band-pass filtering this and making sure I don’t let any frequencies through that I don’t want.”

This approach is common in highly polished productions, where instruments are tightly confined to specific frequency ranges.

However:

“That’s not something I tried to achieve with this type of mix.”

Energy should follow what the song asks for, not an arbitrary technical ideal.

Introducing Vocals into the Mix

A vocal recording is added directly into the session, spoken over the track.

The preparation has already helped:

  • Guitar dips around 1–2 kHz
  • Low-end cleanup across instruments

This immediately creates room for the vocal.

“It’s really subtle, but it’s already creating some space.”

Vocal EQ with the SSL Channel Strip

The vocal chain focuses on clarity, body, and control.

EQ Decisions:

  • Remove very low frequencies
  • Tame harshness around 4.5 kHz
  • Add a slight high shelf around 5 kHz
  • Boost body around 800 Hz

“Adding a little bit of the body part of my vocal.”

Care is taken not to overload the clarity region, especially since the microphone already emphasizes 1–2 kHz.

Check Out  Recognizing Basic Waveforms and Their Combination to Create Complex Sound

Compression for Focus, Not Loudness

Compression is added gently:

  • To control peaks
  • To maintain headroom
  • To help the vocal sit consistently

“There’s still some headroom… So I need to have a little bit of compression.”

Rather than pushing EQ harder, level balance is used to achieve presence.

“That’s why I’d rather increase that volume and keep this one down.”

Combining EQ and Dynamics for Clarity

The takeaway from the vocal process is not a single EQ move, but the interaction between:

  • Frequency subtraction
  • Strategic boosts
  • Gentle compression
  • Level control

“A little bit of a combination of dynamics and EQ… to get the focus through in a mix.”

This approach can be extended further:

  • Piano
  • Drums
  • Additional instruments

Always depending on how dense the arrangement becomes.

Looking Ahead: Mixing Beyond EQ

The episode closes by setting expectations for future tutorials:

  • Deep dives into mixing theory
  • Understanding mixing consoles
  • Learning signal flow
  • Applying techniques across genres:
    • Hip-hop
    • Funk
    • Rock

“What you want to do—you want to equalize it so it fits the music style.”

This episode lays the groundwork: separation through subtraction, clarity through intention, and EQ as a tool for focus, not excess.

This was a quick Jatari, and I hope to see y’all soon.