The two main tools for balancing a mix are volume and EQ. These are always present in any console or mixing session, in the form of faders, potentiometers, or plugins, and are essential for defining the depth of a mix. But what if I tell you they are two sides of the same coin, and best of all, that you can define which element in the mix is in the spotlight at any time, combining them? Let’s find out how!
Volume and EQ
Although they might seem different, volume and EQ are more similar than they seem. The fader, or volume, increases the overall signal level, allowing elements in the mix to be brought back or forward by reducing or increasing their volume, respectively.
On the other hand, in an EQ, each band adjusts the level of a specific frequency in the original signal. This way, we can make the sound brighter or darker, remove mud and boxiness, but also place each element in the mix in its right place in the frequency spectrum, even if they share the same volume.
Creating space
Balancing a mix is a game of volumes. Louder things will be more present and upfront than things with lower volumes. But sometimes we want elements in the same plane of the mix, and moving faders might not be enough to achieve the balance of the mix. That’s when spreading instruments across the frequency spectrum and creating little “pockets” with EQ comes in handy.
If we take two elements in a production, like the vocals and the guitars, and bring them to the same volume, they will likely compete for the listener’s attention and even mask each other at times. Considering the vocals as the most important element in a song, this scenario will force us to bring down the guitar in volume, but that will also change where the guitar is positioned in the sonic image we are trying to create. That’s where using EQ can help us.
If we want to keep the guitar present in the front of the mix without masking the vocals, we should carve out the frequencies where the vocal’s intelligibility and body are located. This will help them live together without fighting for space.
Player: Sonimus_BalancingVocalnGuitar_NoEQ
Player: Sonimus_BalancingVocalnGuitar_AEQ
It’s just like Tetris. Spread the elements in the frequency spectrum and make space for each following piece to fall into.
Every instrument is different, but you can try bringing down the guitar by 3dB around 2kHz and 200Hz to create space for the vocal to sit nicely.
How to place elements on top
Now that we have placed everything across the frequency spectrum and created planes through volume, we can play with either the fader or EQ automation to make things pop at certain points of the song.
Emphasizing the main frequencies of an instrument can subtly bring them up front in the mix. On the other hand, making volume changes will be more noticeable. Both are necessary to create movement and contrast across the mix. Think about it like actors on stage. Making subtle EQ automation would be like lighting the actor on stage to grab our attention, while bringing the fader up will move the actor closer to the audience and create a sense of importance.
Widening effect
Finally, making this kind of EQ moves not only helps to create sonic pockets and change the attention of the audience, but they can also make sounds feel wider.
If you have double tracks in your session, panning them left and right, and applying opposite equalizations for each side, will make your mix feel wider. We talked about this technique in our article about Widening Guitars, but it can be applied to any other instrument that we double-track and make your stereo image wider.
Did you know this about EQ and volume? Do you use these techniques in your mixes? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest blogs and news from Sonimus products.
Example Tracks from song Negative by Empty Signifier (www.cambridge-mt.com)
Written by Carlos Bricio
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