How To EQ Bass Guitar (Get Punch & Clarity)

The lowest note on a bass guitar is E, which has a frequency of 41.2 Hz.

However, after recording bass, frequencies below 40 Hz are often present. This is typically rumble, which is unnecessary.

Retaining these frequencies can result in a muddy low-end, and because they are not musical, they can clash with the kick drum.

Eliminating rumble usually creates more headroom, allowing for a louder mix during mastering.

If your mixes are not as loud as your favorite songs, excessive low-end headroom could be a contributing factor.

Therefore, it is essential to maintain a clean low-end when necessary.

To remove unwanted rumble, apply a high-pass filter between 31 Hz and 40 Hz.

This should sufficiently attenuate rumble without compromising the bass’s fullness.

In situations where the bass player may be overly enthusiastic or if recording is done with a pick, certain sections of the recording may exhibit excessively loud resonances.

These resonances will need to be addressed to ensure a consistent level throughout the entire song.

Since resonance does not occur continuously, it may be necessary to address it using a dynamic EQ.

The reason for choosing a dynamic EQ over a static one is to avoid dulling the bass in sections where resonances do not occur.

A frequency analyzer can be used to locate these loud resonances and cut them dynamically.



Here’s the bass after the resonant frequency has been fixed:



It is crucial to ensure that the dynamic cut only compresses the problematic frequencies without affecting the quieter sections.

The primary frequencies of a bass guitar range from 60 Hz to 1 kHz, with overtones extending to approximately 5 kHz.

The human ear typically focuses on the midrange, which spans from around 1.5 kHz to 5 kHz.

Frequencies above this range are generally occupied by other instruments in the mix.

As there is minimal harmonic content above 5 kHz for a bass guitar, attenuating some of the higher frequencies allows the bass to occupy its own sonic space.

This also creates room for other sounds, such as vocals, trumpets, hi-hats, and cymbals, without unnecessary noise from the bass guitar.

Removing some of the high-frequency noise is particularly important when mixing dense arrangements to prevent clutter and frequency overlap in the high frequencies.

Usually, on a sparse mix, a low-pass filter can be used to attenuate all frequencies above 6 kHz to 7 kHz.

This typically removes unwanted noise without compromising the attack, clarity, or essential harmonic information.

When asked about using cuts on a bass sound, top mixing engineers, such as Chris Lord-Alge, will advise against it.

This approach is strongly recommended; boosting all the good parts of the bass guitar until the muddy elements are reduced in loudness is also advisable.

However, in some cases, a recording or sound design may be subpar, necessitating the application of a cut or two.

Using a multiband compressor or dynamic EQ to control the muddy area dynamically instead of applying a static EQ cut is what’s mostly recommended.

A dynamic EQ often maintains the natural and musical sound of the bass guitar.

A static cut could cause the bass to sound thin in other parts of the song.

The muddy and boxy frequencies of bass can be found and reduced from approximately 200 Hz to 500 Hz.

When mixing a bass that lacks body and fullness, one needs to be careful, as most beginner engineers will boost the low-end and cause muddiness.

It is necessary to determine if the bass lacks body, attack, punch, or clarity.

Boosting the wrong frequencies can cause clutter in a mix.

If the bass sounds thin, try increasing the lower frequencies between 80 Hz and 200 Hz with a wide boost.

This normally adds more body and can make the bass guitar sound fuller.

When boosting these frequencies and the kick, snare, congas, or keys begin to suffer, either the boost was too strong or the wrong frequencies were increased.

Usually, this means that the bass is not thin-sounding but lacks punch and intelligibility.

To achieve a bass guitar sound that cuts through the mix, it is necessary to amplify the higher midrange frequencies.

Boosting this frequency spectrum will accentuate the attack and produce a clearer bass sound that is not overwhelmed by other instrumentation.

Enhancing attack and clarity will often elevate the string noise, which can make it easier to hear the individual notes throughout the whole piece.

This technique is typically employed when the bass guitar sounds muffled and dark during louder sections of the song.

Attack and clarity are typically found between 1 kHz and 5 kHz.

It is recommended to sweep around that frequency range to identify the optimal area and then create a small boost with a wide Q-factor.

A clean EQ should be used to achieve a transparent boost.

However, in certain situations, a multiband saturation plugin might be necessary to create a colored boost.

Saturation will enrich the bass tone and add character, which will make the bass more audible on smaller speakers and headphones.