By Thir13een Team | Last updated: October 25, 2026
Quick answer: Start every vocal EQ with a high-pass filter at 80 to 120 Hz. Cut mud between 200 and 400 Hz if the voice sounds boxy. Add presence around 3 kHz and air above 10 kHz with small boosts of 1 to 3 dB. Cut narrow, boost wide, and compare against the bypassed signal every few moves. The chart below shows what each range does.
If a term here is new to you, check the vocal mixing glossary, which defines 40 mixing terms in plain language.
Use this page as a reference while you mix. Every number is a starting point. Voices, microphones and rooms differ, so trust your ears and move the frequency until the problem changes.
The vocal frequency chart
| Range | What lives here | Typical move |
|---|---|---|
| Below 80 Hz | Rumble, desk thumps, mic handling, plosive energy | High-pass filter. Nothing useful for a vocal sits here. |
| 80 to 150 Hz | Chest and body, mainly in male voices | Leave alone, or shelve down 1 to 2 dB if the mix is crowded |
| 150 to 250 Hz | Warmth and fullness | Boost 1 to 2 dB for thin voices |
| 200 to 400 Hz | Mud and boxiness, especially from small rooms | Cut 2 to 4 dB with a medium-width band |
| 400 to 800 Hz | Honk and a cardboard sound | Cut a narrow band if the tone sounds hollow |
| 800 Hz to 1.5 kHz | Nasal tone | Cut 1 to 3 dB only if the voice sounds pinched |
| 2 to 5 kHz | Presence and word clarity | Boost 1 to 3 dB around 3 kHz so the lyric cuts through |
| 5 to 8 kHz | Sibilance, the S and T sounds | Use a de-esser first. Cut with EQ only as a last step. |
| 8 to 12 kHz | Brightness and breath | Gentle high shelf, 1 to 2 dB |
| Above 12 kHz | Air | Small shelf boost. Skip it on noisy recordings, since it lifts the noise too. |
High-pass filter settings by voice
| Voice | Start at | Slope |
|---|---|---|
| Deep male | 70 to 90 Hz | 12 dB per octave |
| Typical male | 80 to 100 Hz | 12 to 18 dB per octave |
| Female or high male | 100 to 130 Hz | 12 to 18 dB per octave |
| Backing vocals | 150 to 200 Hz | 18 dB per octave |
Raise the cutoff until the voice starts to sound thin, then back it off a little. Backing vocals can lose more low end, which leaves room for the lead.
Fix a problem by symptom
- Muddy or boxy: cut 2 to 4 dB between 200 and 400 Hz. Sweep the band slowly to find where the box is strongest.
- Thin or weak: check that the high-pass is not too high, then add 1 to 2 dB near 150 to 250 Hz.
- Hidden behind the beat: add 1 to 3 dB around 3 kHz. Cut a little at the same spot on the instruments that fight the vocal.
- Harsh or fatiguing: look at 2 to 4 kHz for an overboost, then check 5 to 8 kHz for sibilance.
- Sharp S sounds: de-ess before you EQ. A band of 5 to 8 kHz cut across the whole vocal also dulls the voice.
- Dull or closed in: add a high shelf above 8 kHz, or check for an earlier cut that went too deep.
- Nasal: a narrow cut between 800 Hz and 1.5 kHz usually helps.
Where EQ goes in the chain
Most vocal chains use two EQ stages. The first one cleans: high-pass filter and mud cuts, placed before the compressor. The second one shapes: presence and air boosts, placed after the compressor. Cutting before compression stops the compressor from reacting to frequencies you plan to remove. Boosting after compression stops the boost from changing how hard the compressor works.
For a full walkthrough with plug-in order, read Logic Pro vocal chain, step by step.
EQ moves by style
- Rap: a firm high-pass, a tighter 200 to 400 Hz cut, and a presence boost so words stay clear over heavy 808s.
- R&B and pop: more warmth near 200 Hz, a smooth presence boost and extra air above 10 kHz.
- Acoustic and folk: light EQ. Keep the natural low mids and avoid big boosts.
- Autotuned vocals: tame the 3 to 6 kHz zone. Pitch correction often exaggerates harshness there.
Five EQ habits that save mixes
- Cut with a narrow band, boost with a wide one.
- Match the loudness of the EQ'd and bypassed versions before you compare. Louder always sounds better.
- Do your EQ with the full mix playing, not with the vocal soloed.
- Stop at 3 dB. Larger moves usually mean the recording or the compression needs attention instead.
- Take a break, then check the mix on headphones, speakers and a phone.
Skip the setup
If you would rather load a tuned chain than build the EQ from scratch, our free Toronto Warmth preset for Logic Pro X includes a tone-shaping EQ stage you can study. For more, see the Logic Pro Starter Pack ($19) or the GarageBand Starter Pack ($19). Browse all Logic Pro vocal presets and GarageBand vocal presets.
Frequently asked questions
What frequency should I cut to clean up a vocal?
Cut between 200 and 400 Hz for mud, and below 80 to 120 Hz with a high-pass filter. Sweep a narrow band to find the exact spot, then widen it and reduce the cut until the voice sounds natural.
What frequency makes a vocal clearer?
The presence range between 2 and 5 kHz carries word clarity. A boost of 1 to 3 dB near 3 kHz brings the lyric forward. Too much causes harshness.
Should I EQ before or after compression?
Do both. Clean up before the compressor with a high-pass filter and mud cuts. Add tone after it with presence and air boosts.
What is the best EQ for vocals?
Any clean parametric EQ works. Logic Pro's Channel EQ and GarageBand's Channel EQ both have the bands you need, so you do not need to buy a plug-in to follow this chart.
How do I EQ a vocal for a rap mix?
Use a high-pass around 90 to 110 Hz, cut mud near 300 Hz, and add presence near 3 kHz. Then check how the vocal sits against the 808 and adjust the low-mid cut.
For reverb and delay times at any tempo, use the reverb and delay settings cheat sheet for vocals.
To hear how other vocal styles are built, browse vocal sounds by artist and style.
