Interactive EQ frequency chart (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
Move your pointer (or tap) across the spectrum. Click to pin a frequency. Select an instrument below to highlight its zones on this chart.
Instrument mode — EQ zones & recommended moves
EQ frequency chart by instrument
Jump straight to an instrument's EQ frequency chart view — its fundamental range, sweet spots and cut zones light up on the interactive chart above, with starter EQ moves underneath:
All 16 instruments are covered: toms, hi-hat, violin, cello, trumpet, saxophone, flute and synth bass EQ frequency charts are one click away in Instrument mode above.
Frequency ↔ note converter
Frequency → note
Note → frequency
A frequency to note finder and note to frequency reference in one. Formula: f = 440 × 2((n−69)/12), where n is the MIDI note number (A4 = MIDI 69 = 440 Hz). Middle C = C4. Cents deviation shows how far a frequency sits from the nearest equal-tempered note.
Mix problem solver
Pick a symptom — get the frequency to reach for first. These are the consensus fixes from standard mixing references; always verify with your ears.
EQ frequency ranges — reference table
EQ frequencies explained, zone by zone — from sub-bass you feel to air you barely hear:
| Zone | Range | What lives there |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-bass | 20–60 Hz | Felt more than heard: kick sub-thump, synth sub, organ pedals |
| Bass | 60–250 Hz | Fundamental weight: kick, bass guitar, low piano, cello |
| Low mids | 250–500 Hz | Body — and the 200–400 Hz “mud zone” of almost every instrument |
| Midrange | 500 Hz–2 kHz | Core tone; honk and boxiness of many instruments; top of vocal fundamentals |
| Upper mids | 2–4 kHz | Presence, attack and harshness; vocal clarity starts here |
| Presence | 4–6 kHz | Definition, vocal sibilance edge, guitar bite, snare snap |
| Brilliance / Air | 6–20 kHz | Shimmer, cymbal sheen, vocal air — boost sparingly |
Printable EQ cheat sheet
Every instrument's key bands and starter EQ moves in one compact table. — the print layout hides everything except this sheet.
Methodology & sources
Frequency–note math uses the equal-temperament standard: f = 440 × 2((n−69)/12) with A4 = 440 Hz. Zone boundaries (sub-bass through air) follow the standard 7-band division used across mixing references. Instrument ranges, sweet spots and cut zones are a curated consensus from standard mixing cheat sheets (e.g. the widely circulated EQ cheat-sheet charts, Sweetwater EQ guides and common professional practice) — not copied from any single source. These are starting points, not laws. EQ recommendations are educational; always A/B with your ears in context.
Frequently asked questions
What is an EQ frequency chart?
A frequency chart for EQ maps the audible spectrum (20 Hz to 20 kHz) to instruments and mix problems. It shows where each instrument's fundamentals live, which ranges sound pleasant (sweet spots) and which cause mud, harshness or sibilance. This interactive EQ frequency guide turns that static chart into a tool: hover or tap the spectrum to identify any frequency, note and EQ zone.
What are the standard EQ frequency ranges?
The spectrum is divided into seven zones: sub-bass (20-60 Hz), bass (60-250 Hz), low mids (250-500 Hz), midrange (500 Hz-2 kHz), upper mids (2-4 kHz), presence (4-6 kHz) and brilliance or air (6-20 kHz). The most useful one to memorize is 200-400 Hz — the 'mud zone' where almost every instrument can sound cloudy.
How do I read an EQ frequency chart?
Find your instrument's fundamental range first (for example, a kick drum's weight sits at 50-100 Hz). Then look at the marked sweet spots to boost gently for character and the cut zones to remove problems like mud (200-400 Hz), harshness (2.5-4 kHz) or sibilance (5-9 kHz). Use the chart as a starting point, then trust your ears — every recording is different.
What frequency range is the human voice?
Male vocal fundamentals sit at 85-180 Hz and female vocals at 165-255 Hz. The body of the voice is 100-300 Hz, presence and clarity live at 3-5 kHz, and sibilance (harsh S sounds) sits at 5-8 kHz for male voices and 6-9 kHz for female voices. The interactive chart above highlights all of these zones when you select a vocal.
What frequency should I cut to fix a muddy vocal?
Cut 200-400 Hz, typically -2 to -4 dB with a wide Q (around 1.5). This is the most common vocal EQ fix in mixing and the #1 answer in the problem solver above. Also high-pass around 80 Hz to remove rumble and plosives that don't belong to the voice.
What frequencies should I EQ on a kick drum?
Boost 60-80 Hz (+2 to +4 dB) for weight, cut 300-500 Hz (-2 to -4 dB) to remove boxiness, and add +2 to +3 dB at 3-4 kHz for the beater click that makes the kick audible on small speakers. High-pass around 30 Hz to remove subsonic rumble. The full kick drum band map is shown when you select it above.
What frequencies should I EQ on a snare drum?
Add body at 150-200 Hz (+2 dB), cut the ring at 400-800 Hz with a narrow Q (-3 dB), and add snap at 5 kHz (+3 dB) for the wire sizzle. The crack of the snare lives at 2-4 kHz. High-pass around 80 Hz to keep kick bleed out of the snare mic.
What is the EQ frequency range of a bass guitar?
Bass guitar fundamentals run from about 40 to 200 Hz (a 4-string's low E is 41 Hz; a 5-string's low B is 31 Hz). Warmth sits at 80-120 Hz, mud at 200-300 Hz, note definition at 700 Hz-1 kHz, and finger or pick growl at 1.5-2.5 kHz. Cutting 200-300 Hz is the standard fix for a muddy bass.
What frequencies should I EQ on an acoustic guitar?
High-pass at 80 Hz first. Cut 200-400 Hz (-2 to -4 dB) to control boom from the soundhole, keep the body at 100-200 Hz, and add sparkle at 3-5 kHz (+2 dB). A gentle high shelf at 10 kHz adds air. Acoustic fundamentals run from 82 to 300 Hz (low E to the high D area).
What frequencies should I EQ on an electric guitar?
High-pass at 80-100 Hz, cut 300-500 Hz (-2 dB) to clear mud that fights the vocal, shape crunch at 1-3 kHz, and tame high-gain fizz with a cut around 3 kHz. Presence at 3-5 kHz helps the guitar cut through the mix. Electric guitar fundamentals span 82 Hz to about 1.2 kHz.
What is the frequency range of a piano for EQ purposes?
A piano's 88 keys span 27.5 Hz (A0) to 4.2 kHz (C8) in fundamentals, with harmonics extending much higher. Body sits at 100-300 Hz, mud at 200-400 Hz, and hammer-attack presence at 2-5 kHz. In a dense arrangement, a gentle cut at 200-400 Hz opens space without thinning the piano.
What is the difference between a parametric and a graphic EQ?
A parametric EQ lets you choose the exact frequency, the amount of boost or cut, and the Q (width) of each band — it is the precision tool recommended in every EQ move in this guide. A graphic EQ has fixed frequency bands with fixed widths, adjusted by sliders. For fixing problems like mud or ring, parametric is almost always the right choice.
How do I convert a musical note to a frequency?
Use the formula f = 440 x 2^((n-69)/12), where n is the MIDI note number and 69 is A4 (440 Hz). For example, C4 is MIDI note 60, giving 261.63 Hz. The converter above does this instantly in both directions: type a frequency to get the nearest note with its cents deviation, or type a note like F#3 to get its frequency.
Can I print this EQ frequency chart?
Yes. The cheat sheet section lists every instrument's key bands and EQ moves in a compact table, and the page has print styles so only the cheat sheet prints cleanly — the interactive chart and tool cards are hidden. It is the printable replacement for the PDF cheat sheets circulating online.
What does HPF mean in EQ?
HPF stands for high-pass filter. It removes everything below a chosen frequency — for example, an HPF at 80 Hz removes rumble below 80 Hz while letting the vocal or guitar pass through. Nearly every instrument in this guide has a recommended HPF because low-end buildup from multiple tracks is a top cause of muddy mixes.
Can EQ fix a bad recording?
EQ can fix balance problems like mud, harshness and rumble, but it cannot fix a bad performance, a noisy room or heavy clipping — boosting a bad recording usually just makes its flaws louder. Treat the EQ moves in this guide as starting points for a decent recording, and always compare before and after with your ears, not just the chart.