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''The general audio principles behind '''equalization''' or '''filtering''' are discussed on the [[EQ or Filters]] page. Using EQ before an amp or distortion box to dial in the desired distortion tone is discussed on the [[Dialing in Distortion Tone]] page.'' This page is reserved for using traditional EQ (post-EQ) on a guitar tone, as well as formats and options of EQ units in the guitar realm.
Traditionally, EQ is used post-distortion to emphasize certain frequencies vs. others. Since guitar is a highly harmonic instrument and distortion adds even more [[Overtones|overtones]], EQ changes are likely to be heard regardless of where on the fretboard you are playing. It will affect both low and high notes.
Most amps feature some form of EQ, with it more than likely acting on the signal after any pre-amp distortion. (The big exception is the Mesa/Boogie Mark series, which feature pre-distortion EQ knobs and a post-distortion 5-band graphic EQ.) Modern amps commonly come equipped with Bass, MidsMidrange, Treble, and Presence controls, while older amps typically have a subset of those. Some amps simply have a Tone control, used to change the frequency emphasis from dark to bright. And some have a Mids control that actually sweeps the midrange center frequency, drastically altering how the other controls behave. Some amps' circuitry causes the EQ controls to "interact" with each other, meaning their behavior slightly changes depending on the settings of the other controls. It's always best to do a little research on the particular amp you are tweaking to understand these types of things before you end up tweaking in circles.
* '''Bass ''' - 60 - 350 HZHz* '''Mids ''' - 350 - 1,800 HZHz* '''Treb ''' - 1,800 - 5,000 HZHz* '''Pres ''' - 3,000 - 10,000 HZHz
The popular Mesa/Boogie Mark EQ uses the frequencies: 80, 240, 750, 2200, 5500.
Of course if money and time are no obstacle, get an expensive programmable EQ, a MIDI floorboard, and program all your gear to work off of MIDI switching (may require a MIDI switchable patch bay as well).
== Frequency Range Breakdown ==
| 850 - 1,400 || Cold Djent
|-
| 1,400 - 2,600 || Hot Djent/Presence|rowspan="3"|Treble/Presence
|-
| 2,600 - 5,000 || Fizz
If you have any "broken glass" in your tone, you should dial it out. It will be harsh and annoying. If it's just a little; however, you might not even be able to hear it in a mix. Still, it will interfere with the tone of the cymbals and will taint a recording or live performance.
=== Midrange ===
Midrange is the most important frequency range for guitar. Very few guitar tones you hear on records are truly "scooped" with the Midrange control on the amp turned all the way down. More likely, a narrow band within the range of midrange frequencies is simply de-emphasized. Novice players, particularly those who enjoy high-gain distortion, often fall into the trap of scooping the hell out of their tone. It sounds great playing in your bedroom by yourself at lower volumes. But when you try to play in a band context at gig-level volume, it either sounds thin and "buried" in the mix, or extremely harsh and clashes with the cymbals. I speak from experience.
I think this immediacy towards scooping comes from trying to make one's guitar tone sound like a full mix. In a mix, the bass and kick drum fill in the low end, while snare and cymbals fill in the high end. Vocals tend to occupy the upper midrange area. That big gaping whole between the bass and vocals and/or cymbals needs to get filled in by guitar.
With these things in mind, you can still scoop some mids and get a killer tone that still works in a mix. You just have to be a bit conservative on how much mids you cut. Its best to get crafty and use a parametric EQ to cut exactly at the frequency you want to dial back, making the cut as narrow and shallow as possible. You only want to reduce the emphasis of those frequencies, not kill them completely.
Also, if you find you have to really scoop the mids to get some unwanted "honk" out of the tone, you may be able to offset this by boosting the midrange on each side of this cut. For instance, if you are cutting 750 Hz, you can boost at 375 Hz and 1,500 Hz to keep the midrange as a whole in balance with the bass and treble.
== Common EQ Techniques ==
* '''Scooped Mids''' - some metal players like to cut mids around 600-900 HZ Hz to remove the vintage-sounding "honk" from the tone. This can make the tone sound meaner and more modern, but it is also regarded as a trap that bedroom players commonly make. The core of the guitar tone is midrange while the other frequencies tend to clash with other instruments in a mix. Also, at high volumes, the human ear is more sensitive to low and high frequencies, making a "mean" tone at bedroom volume sound harsh and droning at gig-level volumes. You can still scoop some mids to get a modern tone that sounds good in a band situation, but you can't overdo it.* '''Low Pass''' - A low-pass filter is commonly used to filter most frequencies past 8 or 9 kHZkHz, which for a guitar tone are rather noisy and harsh.* '''High Pass''' - A high-pass filter is commonly used to filter most frequencies below 60-150 HZHz, which for a guitar tone are generally loose and droning and interfere with the bass player.* '''Presence Boost''' - a boost around 1,500 or 2,000 HZ Hz can help a guitar tone cut through the mix, particularly for solos. {{top}}{{Gear Crumbs|4}}{{Effects Crumbs|6}}
[[Category:Gear]]
[[Category:Setup]]
[[Category:EQ]]