EQ, Tone, & Frequency

Great Church Sound

LEARNING ABOUT The more you can learn about the frequency
range of the sounds you are listening to, the more
FREQUENCIES you will be able to effectively isolate and control
those frequencies with your EQ. Besides actively
practicing with the various EQ settings on your
console or other hardware, it can be very helpful
to have a fundamental knowledge and reference
point for what sounds and instruments are in the
various frequency ranges.

For example, I may want to separate the sound of

the bass guitar from the acoustic guitar. Or
maybe I want the male vocalist to cut through the
mix a little better.

Knowing the fundamental frequency ranges that these audio sources operate in will
help you know where to start adjusting the EQ to better fit them into your mix.
Learning some of the tonal characteristics of various music instruments will also help
clarify the overall sound and give each instrument its own space in the mix.

© 2016, James Wasem. All rights reserved. GreatChurchSound.com

TONE & FREQUENCY
CHARACTERISTICS

Frequency Range Characteristics

20 – 40 Hz (1st Octave)
40 – 80 Hz (2nd Octave)
80 – 160 Hz (3rd Octave)
160 – 320 Hz (4th Octave)
320 – 640 Hz (5th Octave)
640 – 1280 Hz (6th Octave)
1280 – 2560 Hz (7th Octave)
2560 – 5120 Hz (8th Octave)
5120 – 10240 Hz (9th Octave)
10240 – 20480 Hz (10th Octave)
Frequencies are more felt than heard
Can add warmth or boom to music
Thump, punchy attack
Upper bass, can cause muddy or thin sound
Midrange power, adds depth and body
Tinny & hornlike sounds, nasal tones
Can cause listener fatigue, telephony sound
Presence, perceived loudness & projection
Bright & brilliant sound quality, sharpness
Sizzle, air or openness, hiss

I’ve also included a master frequency chart here has been extremely beneficial for me
when assessing the various instruments and vocal sources I’m mixing. And it has
helped me learn how to handle the tone profile of each source. I still refer back to this
as often as needed to refresh my memory and keep training my ears.

© 2016, James Wasem. All rights reserved. GreatChurchSound.com

 Octave 0 Octave1 Octave2 Octave3 Octave4 Octave5 Octave6 Octave7 8 Octave
Note A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C Note
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Frequency Frequency

27
31
33
37
41
44
49
55
62
65
73
82
87
98
110
123
131
147
165
175
196
220
247
262
294
330
349
392
440
494
523
587
659
698
784
880
988
1046
1175
1319
1397
1568
1760
1976
2093
2349
2647
2794
3136
3520
3951
4186

(Hertz) (Hertz)
Flute
Clarinet
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
Violin
Cello
Guitar
BassGuitar
Cymbals
Congas
Snare
Toms

(fundamentalrange)
(fundamentalrange)

Kick

© 2016, James Wasem. All rights reserved. GreatChurchSound.com

FemaleVocal
MaleVocal
Soprano
Alto
Tenor

CommonInstrument&VocalFrequencyRanges
CommonInstrument&VocalFrequencyRanges

Bass
Frequency Frequency

27
31
33
37
41
44
49
55
62
65
73
82
87
98
110
123
131
147
165
175
196
220
247
262
294
330
349
392
440
494
523
587
659
698
784
880
988
1046
1175
1319
1397
1568
1760
1976
2093
2349
2647
2794
3136
3520
3951
4186

(Hertz) (Hertz)
Along with other books and tutorials, there are some new options out there to help
you learn more about EQ and train your ears.

You may wish to check out a couple apps that are designed to help sound engineers,
musicians, and other audio connoisseurs train their ears. They are especially useful
for teaching you what to listen for and the effect that various EQ adjustments have on
what you are hearing.

One app is HearEQ and is available for Apple iPhones and iPads. Check it out at
www.hearEQ.com

Quiztones makes another app for iOS and Android devices, as well as a software
option for Mac. You can find out more at www.quiztones.com

Another great website for helping train your ears is www.EasyEarTraining.com.

Though primarily geared towards musicians, this website has some great interactive
training modules, including free and paid courses and guides.

And of course, when you’re ready to start practicing your EQ and mixing skills, check
out the Great Church Sound app. It’s the perfect companion to the book and it
includes a multi-track digital practice mixer, frequency analyzer, and lots of tips to help
you get great sound.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE GREAT CHURCH SOUND

APP TODAY FOR ANDROID AND APPLE IOS

© 2016, James Wasem. All rights reserved. GreatChurchSound.com