What are the best EQ settings in vocal mixing?

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semsem612

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How many EQ should i've to use in vocal mixing and what are their best settings?
Thanks a lot.
 
There is no 'Best' setting. You've got to experiment with EQ on YOUR track to get it to sound how you want. No one here can hear your track or be in your room to listen to it, so no one can give you advice on EQ settings.

If you really must have an answer, then it is "4". :D
 
I wish I had a dollar for every time this has been asked on this forum.
:eatpopcorn::drunk:
 
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
 
The best EQ setting is none at all. That would mean your vocal sounds great and doesn't need any! Otherwise, the best answer to the best EQ setting is the one that best serves to make your vocal sound best!

Cheers :)
 
Well now that that's settled..

Can anyone tell me what is the best route to get to Starbucks, but not the one near my house the other one, you know the one with that girl with the ponytail and the guy with the glasses

:facepalm: (I've always wanted to post a face palm)
 
Remember that EQ should not be necassarily used to "fix" or make a certain track sound better. You can EQ the hell out of some vocals, add some verb and compression, and finally get it sounding to what you think is awesome. However, if it does not fit the mix, it was all for not. You should approach EQing as what is best for the mix. Often times, less is more.

Also, every voice lies within differnet frequency ranges. So once again, like Chili said, there is no right answer, as the answer is ALWAYS different....

witzendoz said:
I wish I had a dollar for every time this has been asked on this forum.
:eatpopcorn::drunk:
Click to expand...

Then you could probably buy yourself, and everyone on the forum, one of those sweet homerecording.com shirts ;)
 
using a high pass filter can be a good place to start in a lot of cases, cleans up a lot of the lower mids and cuts out any proximity effect that you may (I almost have no doubt you did if your asking about EQ settings :P) recorded. I honestly don't think I've ever mixed a vocal with out putting one on, usually anywhere from 75-120hz depending on the individuals voice. I know for sure anything I've mixed that someone else recorded I use one, seems like no one knows basic vocal micing techniques to prevent that bass boost.



Mo Facta said:
The best EQ setting is none at all. That would mean your vocal sounds great and doesn't need any! Otherwise, the best answer to the best EQ setting is the one that best serves to make your vocal sound best!

Cheers :)
Click to expand...

Also this^^^
 
semsem612 said:
How many EQ should i've to use in vocal mixing and what are their best settings?
Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

Just for the record, Last week I mixed a CD for a band and the vocal tracks had no eq switched in for both the tracking and mixing only used the 100hz low shelf (HPF) during tracking, all that was added was some parallel compression and a touch of reverb to suit whichever song we were mixing. If you get the sound right at the source you don't need to do much at all. 2 different vocalists and both were happy with the sound.

Alan.
 
semsem612 said:
How many EQ should i've to use in vocal mixing and what are their best settings?
Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

Just for the record, Last week I mixed a CD for a band and the vocal tracks had no eq switched in for both the tracking and mixing only used the 100hz low shelf (HPF) during tracking, all that was added was some parallel compression and a touch of reverb to suit whichever song we were mixing. If you get the sound right at the source you don't need to do much at all. 2 different vocalists and both were happy with the sound.

Alan.
 
unfortunetly, there is no best setting. it all depends on various variables. this is why it is that difficult.
 
Yep agreeing with everything here so far. The only answer I can give is: "A ton, none, or somewhere in between. You tell me!"
 
as with almost all in audio - there is no such thing -all audio material dependent...
always same story - listen - and then decide what tool and how,
then use it, listen and correct;
also as with audio, it's better to listen it then discuss verbally about it:)
so drop a link with soundcloud or similar - and it will be much easier to advice you
 
This question comes out very often
And it s a bit like asking. "Hey guys, I just took a picture. Give me a preset to color correct it"...
Impossible right? because you haven't seen the picture.
Your mic took a picture of a vocal performance. It certainly needs some fixing but no presets in the world will work for this specific performance... sorry.

However there are some basic redundant problems.
you can high pass.... it doesn t hurt. You can watch for boominess/harsness.

Check the video of this guy tweaking an eq to mix the vocal. He has no presets whatsoever, He is just looking for it.
Gearfest 2011: Mixing 2/4 Vocal - PUREMIX
 
Chili said:
If you really must have an answer, then it is "4".
Click to expand...
No, it's "17" !

Bristol Posse said:
Can anyone tell me what is the best route to get to Starbucks, but not the one near my house the other one, you know the one with that girl with the ponytail and the guy with the glasses
Click to expand...
Yes, "anyone" can. But don't you have GPS ?

Capt Hair said:
using a high pass filter can be a good place to start.......I honestly don't think I've ever mixed a vocal with out putting one on, usually anywhere from 75-120hz depending on the individuals voice.
Click to expand...
Which is precisely why I wouldn't, as a default position.

Red Mastering said:
always same story - listen - and then decide
Click to expand...
A few weeks ago, some teachers at my kids' school asked me if I'd do some reading for the 4 and 5 year olds. There were four classes in all and each time, it was the same story.
But I approached it differently each time because the 4 classes and their response was very different. Some needed silly accents, some needed me jumping around and falling down, some needed sound effects and opportunities to shout and jump a bit themselves, some needed the space to comment as we went along, some needed a telling that was better than a film. Same old story, four utterly different sessions.
Mixing vocals is like that.

semsem612 said:
What are the best EQ settings in vocal mixing?
Click to expand...
In a way and please don't get me wrong here, this is one of the most pointless questions a human being can ask because you have the tools right in front of you. It's not like a power tool that can chop off your hand or a dangerous pet that can possibly kill you or eat your babies or some corrosive chemical that could melt your face if it splashes on you. You have a vocal and music. Twiddle, turn, experiment, see what you can do to come up with something you like.
I think a number of people here would be alot more forthcoming if newcomers stated something like "I've been experimenting with various EQ settings on vocals and I'd like to up my game to the next level. [At this point explain what kind of settings you've been using]. Can anyone give me some tips and tricks that they've found to be useful on say, a deep voice ?" or whatever.
 
My voice naturally has a parametric EQ with 7 factory presets.
 
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