![Frequency Spectrum Frequency equalizer](https://api.sageaudio.com/storage/article/uploads/2012-07-MixingMagicFrequencies-300x211.jpg)
Before sending in music for audio mastering, it is crucial to get the clearest, best sounding mix possible. Focusing on the frequency spectrum will get better tones from each instrument and ultimately lead to a great sounding mix. The primary goals when equalizing are to make the instruments sound full, add clarity, and make the instruments fit in their own frequency range. There are 6 major frequency ranges that are known as the magic frequencies.
Sub-Bass- between 16Hz and 60Hz
This area is the low end that provides more of a bassy feeling as opposed to bass that is actually heard. These frequencies add a sense of power to the song. Be aware that too much emphasis will make the song sound muddy.
Bass- between 60Hz and 250Hz
This is the fundamental rhythmic section of the bass frequencies. Adding too much or too little of this area will affect the thinness or fatness of the low tones. These frequencies are where the boomy sound comes from.
Low Mids- between 250Hz and 2000 Hz
This is the range that the lower tones of musical instruments lie. Boosting this area can provide the telephone-like effect or tinny tone. Within this range lies the "devil frequency" of 300Hz. This area is notorious for adding muddiness to a mix.
High Mids- between 2kHz and 4kHz
A lot of the vocal qualities can be found in this part of the spectrum. If boosted too much, a lot of the speech elements are covered up and made indistinguishable. In a lot of music it is important for the vocals to be clear and stand out. A helpful trick is to dip this area in other instruments, and adding a few dB on the vocals. This will maintain the power and volume of the instruments while keeping a nice level for the vocals without sacrificing clarity.
Presence- between 4kHz and 6kHz
This is an important area for finding clarity and definition for instruments and vocals. These frequencies affect the distance of the sounds for the listener which are crucial for getting the in your face vocals that a lot of listeners are looking for.
Brilliance- between 6kHz and 16kHz
This area controls clarity and brilliance. A lot of the sibilance from vocals are found here as well as cymbals. This frequency can be harsh if boosted too much and cause listener fatigue.
Its important to listen to the mix at a moderate level while you are making adjustments. After 30 minutes or so, take a break to let your ears rest. If you mix for an extended period of time without breaks, your ears will become exhausted and you will not be able to properly hear the adjustments being made. You could be doing more harm than good to the mix with tired ears.
While EQing it is a good rule of thumb to attenuate, or cut, the frequency first instead of boosting. Boosting is simply adding more volume which may make it stand out more and sound better when really the tone is not ideal. Boosting also causes some slight phase shifting which makes it difficult to fit the instrument in its own space in the spectrum. On the other hand, these are merely guidelines and whatever sounds best is the method to go with. By understanding where instruments lie in the spectrum, it is possible to get the clearest mix possible before the final polishing step of cd mastering is underway.
So, Why A Membership?
Let’s face it — trying to create professional mixes without the correct knowledge, tools, services, and network is like playing a concert with a broken instrument to an audience of no one.
That’s where the Sage Audio membership comes in — the membership gives you everything you need to create professional mixes consistently.
The membership is the secret to your success — it’s the difference between the 1,929,999,999 of poor-sounding mixes and the .00000002% of mixes that make people say 'WOW!"
There are 7 unique value-points included in your Sage Audio membership.
Let’s go over each one so you can decide if the membership is right for you.
1. Sage Audio University
- SAU Flagship Mixing Course: 23-video in-depth mixing course that reveals the little-known secrets of mixing and matches the needs of the new music industry.
- SAU Flagship Mastering Course: 19-video in-depth modern mastering course that dives into every nuance of making professional-sounding masters.
- SAU Pre-Mastering Course: Concise pre-mastering course that details the latest industry standards for preparing your mixes for mastering.
- SAU is designed for every experience level, ranging from budding mixing engineers to advanced engineers. The techniques and concepts taught can be applied to any DAW to create industry-leading mixes without expensive software or plugins - and free plugin alternatives are suggested throughout each course.
- Each SAU course includes Start-to-Finish session walkthrough lessons for multiple genres so you can follow along with your preferred genre.
- SAU Certification Document, which can be downloaded and showcased on your website and social channels.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
2. Private 1-on-1 Mentorship
- The Sage Audio private 1-on-1 Mentorship gives you direct access to us for advanced mixing feedback, in-depth discussions, and customized guidance that's tailored to your specific needs.
- Unlimited private access to us for advanced mixing feedback, where we provide detailed suggestions for improvement.
- Unlimited private access to us for in-depth discussions to help you improve every aspect of your mixes and masters.
- Customized guidance that’s tailored specifically to your needs.
- Fast communication so you can improve your skills quickly.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
3. Unlimited Mixing Feedback
- Unlimited professional mixing feedback directly from us so you can consistently improve your skills and create professional mixes.
- Mixing feedback is invaluable, and the Sage Audio membership gives you continual direct access to us for real-world feedback so you can improve every aspect of each of your mixes while you're in the process of mixing.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
4. 50 Free Mastered Songs Per Year
- 50 free mastered songs per year with your own dedicated professional mastering engineer so you can get all your mixes sounding like professional songs.
- You get your own dedicated Sage Audio mastering engineer to create custom masters that are specific to you and sound exactly how you want.
- Unlimited revisions with your dedicated mastering engineer. As a standard of our service, we are not happy until you are happy with the sound of your masters.
- All masters are delivered as commercial, industry-standard high-resolution 24-bit HD WAV masters so they will sound clean and clear on every platform.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
5. Community
- The Sage Audio community is a tight-knit community of passionate audio engineers who can provide you with additional real-world mixing feedback, meaningful discussions, networking, collaborations, and more.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
6. 70+ GB of Curated Sage Audio Downloadable Content
- 36 multitrack sessions spanning multiple genres for mixing practice.
- 57 un-mastered mixes spanning multiple genres for mastering practice.
- 62 Recommended Free Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 39 Recommended Paid Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 71 Sage Audio custom plugin presets to improve your mixes and masters.
- Sage Audio Membership Badge to showcase on your website, social channels, and portfolio.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
7. 800+ Video Catalog
- Access 700+ in-depth Sage Audio mixing and mastering videos - curated and organized into categories so you can easily take a deep dive into all aspects of audio engineering with thousands of hours of concise, expertly crafted Sage Audio videos to continually improve your skills at your own pace.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >