The purpose of equalizing recorded vocals is to transform the “raw” vocal sound into a “release-level” feel. Vocal equalization involves editing multiple tracks to enhance the quality and tone of the recorded vocals. The goal is to make the sound cleaner and more natural within the overall mix. Generally, only minor adjustments can lead to significant differences.
For high-quality vocal performances, excessive equalization should be avoided. Simple actions like filtering out low frequencies, boosting high frequencies, and attenuating harsh frequencies are usually sufficient to change the sound of the track. As you become more skilled in vocal equalization, you will quickly notice improvements in the overall mix quality.
Top Vocal Equalization Techniques
Below, we will explain some top vocal equalization techniques step by step for various music styles.
1. Use High-Pass Filtering
The first step in equalizing vocals is usually high-pass filtering. This operation helps remove any unwanted background frequencies, keeping the vocals clean and clear.
First, set the cutoff frequency of the high-pass filter around 100Hz. Choose a gentle slope for the curve to avoid harshly cutting off anything below 100Hz, which can make the sound unnatural and lose fullness. As previously mentioned, even such small adjustments can make a huge difference.
It is common for recording engineers to use microphones with high-pass filters during vocal recordings, typically with cutoff frequencies between 60Hz and 80Hz. If you want the vocals to have more depth and richness, you can move the cutoff frequency above 80Hz.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: when adjusting the high-pass filter, set the cutoff frequency low enough so that it does not affect the fullness of the sound; this is usually the best practice.
3. Overall Equalization on Vocal Bus
For experienced mix engineers, using their preferred vocal effect chain on the bus is a common practice, making it very convenient when routing vocals to the bus. These effect chains typically include compressors, de-essers, and equalizers; of course, this practice also applies to buses for other elements.
By setting up an equalization chain on the bus to process all vocals routed to it at once, you can create a consistent and cohesive vocal effect. At this point, pay special attention to the treatment of high and low frequencies.
If you have already applied high-pass filtering around 100Hz, you can also attenuate between 250Hz and 300Hz. This helps eliminate muddiness that often exists in vocal recordings between 100Hz and 300Hz. However, be careful not to attenuate too much, as this can thin out the vocals and rob them of vitality. If you want them to sound brighter, you can slightly boost the 10kHz to 12kHz range on the bus equalization to give the sound a more vibrant quality.
When it comes to vocal equalization techniques, nothing is more important than experience and experimentation. Every artist and engineer is different, and their preferences and recording methods vary.
Mastering the use of equalization to enhance the overall quality of a song, knowing the feel of each frequency band, can save you a lot of time and greatly improve your work efficiency.
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