Downloading plug-ins for iOS Garageband is really quite simple, in fact, it might even be easier than downloading plug-ins for Garageband Mac OS.
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- Garageband Plugins Eq Ipad Case
Here’s the short-form guide for downloading plug-ins in Garageband iOS.
Down below, we’ll explore the process more in detail.
To install plug-ins in Garageband iOS, follow these 7 steps:
1) Download the Plug-In From the App Store
2) Open Garageband and open a software instrument track.
3) Select the “Track Settings” option.
4) Choose “Plug-Ins and EQ.”
5) Click “Edit,” & then “None.”
6) Choose “Audio Unit Extensions.”
7) Select the Plug-In.
Plug-Ins and Catalina
Working with GarageBand Plug-ins on iOS View and add Plug-ins. To see the Plug-ins you’re currently using on iPhone or iPad and to add more to your track, just do the following. 1) Open GarageBand to your track. On iPhone, tap the Gear icon on the top right and pick Track Settings. On iPad, tap the Controls button on the top left. Quick reminder; you can find GarageBand’s ‘advanced’ Compressor in the SmartControl’s ‘Plugins’ menu. Variation #1 – Laid Back Compression The aim here is not to squash or really even bring the Vocals to the front of the mix – they’re designed to simply catch the.
With the new Catalina update, Apple has made it so that one has to go into System Preferences in order to give permission to install third-party plug-ins.
I’ve already written about that change which you can check out here in my article on How To Install Plug-Ins in Garageband.
However, with Garageband iOS, the process is a bit simpler now because the apps in the App Store have already been vetted by Apple, so anything that appears in it is good to go.
The same thing can’t be said for random third-party plug-ins that you get off the internet.
Essentially, the primary difference between downloading plug-ins on iOS Garageband and Garageband Mac OS is that on iOS, it’s done through the App Store, whereas on Garageband Mac OS, it’s done through transferring components file into the appropriate folder.
Either way, doing it on iOS or Mac OS is fairly straight forward and it doesn’t take long to learn.
Now that I’ve shown you a basic guide for how to download plug-ins in Garageband iOS, we’re going to explore a more in-depth guide that way you don’t get lost.
Step-by-Step Guide for Installing Garageband iOS Plug-Ins
1) Go into the App Store and Choose the Plug-In.
For this tutorial, I chose to download the DLYM Delay Modulator, from Imaginado, which is one of the best free Delay Modulators.
Just click on the “Get” button to download it, and then wait for it to download.
2) Open up Garageband and Select a New Software Instrument Track.
Now that you’ve officially downloaded the new plug-in for Garageband, you just have to open up Garageband and you should be able to find it with some searching.
Hit the “+” button to open up a new project.
At this stage, you want to open up the Keyboard or the interface of your choosing.
I find that it’s actually easiest to just use the Keyboard, simply because it’s the first, and it’s easy to get into the actual workspace from the Keyboard interface.
After clicking on the Keyboard, you’ll be taken to the Automatic Keyboard that has presented you with a bunch of Chords in the Key of E Minor.
And from there, you just want to hit the little white bars button shown above to bring up the actual workspace.
3) Select the “Track Settings” Option, and Then Open Up The Controls
Once you’re at this stage, you want to click on the button that looks like a bunch of little faders.
4) Click on “Plug-Ins and EQ.”
At this point, you can see there are automatically two plug-ins that are already loaded onto the software instrument track, the Compressor, and the Visual EQ.
5) Click “Edit,” and then click “None.”
From here, you can see there are a bunch of empty slots that say, “None,” and this is where you load in the new plug-in.
6) Choose “Audio Unit Extensions.”
In addition to seeing the plug-in you’ve just downloaded, you’ll notice there are a lot more effects you can use as well, including things like the “Bit Crusher,” “Chorus,” “Distortion,” “Flanger,” and the “Microphaser,” among others.
In the “Audio Unit Extensions,” there are other AU plug-ins like the BandpassFilter, the Delay, Distortion, and the Dynamics Processor.
Experiment with these to see what else Garageband has in store for you.
***In the image shown above, there is no DLYM Modulator simply because I never downloaded it when I took that picture, however, if you download the app, it will show up.
7) Choose the Plug-In You Just Downloaded.
And voila, you’ve now downloaded the plug-in and loaded it into your interface.
As you can see, it’s actually incredibly simple.
Other Plug-Ins for Garageband iOS
Now that you know how to download plug-ins in Garageband iOS, we’ll talk about other plug-ins to use for Garageband iOS, because there are many of them.
The vast majority of these are free, however, there is going to come a point where you should honestly start paying for plug-ins because you’re going to get much better software.
One of the benefits of using Garageband iOS plug-ins is the fact they’re relatively inexpensive. Whereas plug-ins for Mac OS can cost hundreds of dollars, these ones often go for less than $5.
I haven’t tested all of these plug-ins, but I’ve done my best to compile as many plug-ins for Garageband iOS as I could find.
The ones that aren’t free are designated otherwise.
DC-9 Overdrive – This is an overdrive plug-in that mimics the classic Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. An overdrive sound that tries to imitate the analog sound.
Dub Filter – This is a dual low-pass/high-pass filter that’s used as more of an effect. Put simply, the plug-in makes it so either low or high frequencies have a harder time getting through.
Comp 609 (demo is free) – A precision stereo compressor that mimics the compressors of the 1970s. You can use it as a demo for a little while, but then you have to pay.
F-16 Filter – The F-16 Filter is another filter plug-in that has a frequency response delay. It has 16 different modes and a saturation knob for soft-clipping.
DL01 – Simple Delay – A simple delay plug-in with all of the usual controls, including delay time, feedback control, and the effect level.
FAC Chorus (Not Free) – A chorus plug-in with all the controls you need, like the delay, feedback, rate, and depth.
DRC – Polyphonic Synthesizer – A polyphonic synthesizer made by the people at Imaginado. It comes with oscillators, reverbs, arpeggiators, detune, sync, and ring modulation.
DLYM from Imaginado – This is a chorus/delay plug-in that I’ve already talked about in other tutorials, notably, my article on the best vocal plug-ins. One of the best modulators, for sure.
Stereo Lag – This is an interesting delay plug-in that has the effect of widening the stereo-image. In other words, I would refer to it as more of an expander, but it is a delay plug-in. They describe it as a delay plug-in that lies between the left and right channels.
RoughRider 3 Compressor – This is a compressor plug-in that comes with Side Chain controls and an input and output control. It’s one of the most popular compressor plug-ins.
WaveScope – This is an analyzer plug-in that allows you to see what your music sounds like in waveform. It’s as simple as that.
LRC5 EQ – This is one of the most popular EQ plug-ins for Garageband iOS, because it has more abilities than the regular Channel EQ plug-in in Garageband.
What’s special about this Channel EQ plug-in is that it actually gives you the option to adjust the Q (the wideness of the cut or boost), which the regular Channel EQ doesn’t allow.
AudioKit Audio Tune (Not Free) – This is a dope pitch correction plug-in that essentially is like the MAutoPitch from Melda, except for iOS Garageband. It costs a very small amount of money. I’d say it’s definitely worth it.
PhaseDelayArray – This is a reverb/delay plug-in that comes with three different sections. The first is an oscillator, the second is a modulator, and then the third is a feedback unit.
Sensual Sax from EmberSoft (Not Free) – This is easily one of the best saxophone plug-ins on the market. It costs a bit of money, but it’s probably the first time I’ve heard a saxophone plug-in that actually sounds awesome right out of the box.
Eventide Undulator (Not Free) – This is a modulated tremolo plug-in that’s used for adding movement to all kinds of sounds, including pianos, guitars, vocals, etc.
Stratosphere Cloud Reverb (Not Free) – A reverb plug-in that’s set up to look like a classic reverb pedal, or a stomp box, as they’re commonly called. It has around 8 different parameters, including diffusion, low-end, high-cut, onset time, wet mix, decay time, and modulation.
Audio Kit Retro Piano – This is a vintage piano plug-in. Essentially, it’s a piano with an old rag-time sound.
Nembrini 8180 Monster Tube (Not Free) – This is a high quality amp simulator. It’s the most expensive plug-in on the list, coming in around $25, but it has a great reputation. It’s used for heavy rock and metal primarily.
Wider – A mono-to-stereo converter or stereo image expander. The purpose of this plug-in is to widen the mix as much as possible.
Filterstep – A creative motion filter plug-in that adds movement to an input.
AudioKit Synth One – A critically acclaimed synthesizer plug-in that’s been praised by Cult of Mac and more. Essentially, it allows you to create your own synth sounds.
Syntronik CS – A synthesizer plug-in that comes with some of the most popular synth sounds ever used and created.
Synthmaster One – Another synthesizer plug-in with 300 presets.
Analog Rack Delay – A delay plug-in with six different parameters, input and output, time, offset, feedback, and mix. It’s described as being much closer to an analog delay sound.
Analog Rack Noise Gate – A very simple noise gate plug-in with just a couple of parameters. It has been created especially for the bass and guitar player.
Analog Rack Chorus – Like the noise gate, a very simple chorus plug-in with just a few settings.
Analog Rack Cleaner – This is a high-pass and low-pass filter that’s designed to clean up certain obtrusive frequencies.
Minimoog Model D – A classic analog synthesizer with a lot of settings and customizability.
Zero Reverb – A reverb and delay plug-in that’s described as having a more modern sound.
Tape Cassette – A plug-in that’s designed to imitate the classic analog sound of tape cassettes. Cassettes are known for sounding warm and smooth, and this plug-in imitates that sound. You can add it to any instrument or sound you want.
Crunck V2 – A guitar amplifier simulator 30 different speakers and the ability to bypass the cabinet altogether.
Simple Stereo-Widening – Another stereo-widening plug-in that expands the sound from mono into stereo. In effect, it widens the sound so it doesn’t sound like it’s all coming from the same channel.
StreamByter – A MIDI Processor plug-in.
mfxMonitor – Another MIDI Processor plug-in.
RRS EQ3 – An “Air” Equalizer based on what was commonly used in the late 1980s. The caveat is that you can only use it for five minutes at a time.
EQ560 – Another equalizer plug-in, except this one is based more on what was commonly used in the 1960s. Similar to the one above, you can only use it five minutes at a time, unless you pay for it.
Bass Enhancer – Designed to add more harmonics to the low-end on your sounds. In other words, it saturates the low-end a lot more and literally enhances the bass sounds.
Channel Equalizer – A 3-band Equalizer plug-in.
Polylvoks Filter – A synthesizer plug-in that fancies itself as being used by the Soviets.
EQ550b – Another EQ plug-in.
SA60 – A spectrum analyzer plug-in.
Harmonic Exciter (Not Free) – A plug-in designed to give more harmonics to certain sounds over others. Put simply, it’s meant to help particular sounds cut through the mix a bit more.
And there you have it.
This is by no means a full list of all the plug-ins available to Garageband users, but there are a lot here that you can use and try out.
I’d recommend going into Garageband iOS, and then after selecting a plug-in slot, select the option, “Find More On the App Store,” and you’ll get a list of other ones to try out.
Important Things To Note
Downloading the plug-ins from the App Store is very convenient.
However, this is kind of a double-edged sword because while it’s fairly easy to do it, the caveat is that you now have another Application on your phone’s interface, and if you’re anything like me you already have a lot of applications and it can be quite a mess.
To combat this, I recommend making different folders on your iPhone, that way you can house all of your Audio Effects Units in one folder, that way everything is nice, neat, and organized.
What I’ve done, is that I’ve created a folder on my iPhone called, “Garageband,” and everything related to the application is in that folder.
For instance, I have the Logic Remote in there, Garageband, itself, as well as the effects units and other plug-ins.
To create folders, check out the following guide:
a) Click on the Application and hold it.
b) Select, “Edit Home Screen.”
c) Drag and drop the relevant applications on top of each other to make a new folder.
d) Click the “Home” button to turn off the editing home-screen function.
e) Click and hold the new folder to rename it.
Enable iOS Effect Plug-Ins
Important Tip:
You may have already done this at some point, or maybe it was done already by default.
In my case, it was already done by default, but for some people, you actually have to turn on the “Enable iOS Effect Plug-Ins” in the settings.
Click on Settings > Garageband > Enable iOS Effect Plug-Ins.
You just have to scroll down to the bottom to find the button.
YouTube Video Tutorial
Conclusion
When it comes to plug-ins, it’s always best to pay for better ones, and then find just a couple of of them that you like, otherwise you can get lost in the sheer number of them out there.
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how I use EQ in Garageband, both in the mixing phase, as well as in the final mastering stage at the end, but first, what is it? And what’s the quickest way of going about it?
EQ, or equalization, is the act of adjusting low, middle, and high-end frequencies to improve the sound of an audio recording. To use the EQ in Garageband:
1) Select the Channel EQ plug-in in the Smart Controls
2) Choose a preset from the drop-down menu like “Acoustic Guitar,” or “Natural Vocal.”
I’m going to run through a quick tutorial for how I equalized a song for a client. You’ll be able to see all of the changes I made, and why I made them, and then I’ll discuss some of these concepts in full afterward alongside a YouTube video.
How To EQ Bass, Guitar, Drums, And Synths
1) So, I have my song created in Garageband, which includes several software instruments, including an electronic drum kit, a guitar, cymbals, and hi-hats from an actual drum kit, a bass guitar, and violins.
The very first part of the song that plays before everything else has had it’s EQ adjusted like what is shown in the image below.
It’s a guitar part that I created by playing it back through the Laptop speakers and recording that very sound from my computer (this is the one I recommend from Amazon) with the built-in microphone:
You’ll notice that I’ve scooped out the highs as well as the lows, which has a sort of lo-fi effect. It’s a good way to introduce a song, and you’ll notice it sounds quite similar to the way a flanger works, moreover, you can get even more creative if you automate your EQ like I’ve shown in my other tutorial.
2) For the next guitar, which serves as the main riff for the song, I’ve scooped out the low and sub-bass frequencies, because there is no need for them to be there.
This not only makes room for other frequencies in this area but also has the effect of bringing the guitar part “forward.”
3) I left the snare alone because I like the way it sounds on the default setting. If you spend a lot of time on the producer section of Instagram, you’ll notice other producers talking about how they obsess over EQing the snare.
You don’t have to put a ton of work into something if you think it already sounds good as it is.
4) The next instrument track is the kick, and for it, I boosted the frequencies at 74Hz by +5dB. This has the effect of making the kick much fatter and thicker.
5) Moving on to the Boutique 808s, you’ll notice that I scooped out the sub frequencies starting at around 30Hz, and I also scooped out the frequencies from 1000kHz all the way until 20,000 kHz. That’s because there is no reason for those frequencies to be there. Additionally, if you use my favorite 808 plugin, Initial Audio’s 808 Studio II from Plugin Boutique, you won’t even need to change the EQ that much.
Because I used Garageband’s stock 808 plugin instead of 808 Studio II, I had to boost the frequencies from 50Hz all the way until 300Hz, by around +1.5dB to +3dB.
6) For the guitar solo at the end, which lasts for the majority of the ending of the song, I scooped out the sub frequencies, as the image shows below.
Then I gave a boost of around +2B at 1000kHz, and then another boost from around 2000kHz all the way until the end. This gives it clarity and a higher-end so the guitar part can cut through the rest of the mix without having the volume turned up.
At this stage, the song has enough of the EQ adjusted. Now, I also use things like compressors and distortion on the software instrument tracks, however, this tutorial isn’t about that so won’t get into it. That’s for another tutorial.
7) Following the EQ for the guitar solo, is the EQ for the bass, which you can see in the image below.
For this instrument, I subtracted all of the higher frequencies, pretty much all of them past 2000kHz. This allows more room for the other frequencies in this area to shine, and it has the effect of having a much thicker bass sound in the song, without being too overpowering.
We’ll move on to the final stage. The final mastering stage.
Mastering EQ Stage
This stage comes after I’ve exported the song to my desktop, then started a new project, and then dragged and dropped the AIFF file into a new project. The EQ as shown below is on the master channel which I explored more in my mastering tutorial.
Truth be told, EQ is one of those things where you want to approach it piece-by-piece. In other words, you make a lot of small changes, which end up making a big difference combined together when the track is finished.
In the image you can see below, you can see that I haven’t changed that much about it.
I just dropped out the sub frequencies a little bit between 20Hz and 40Hz, gave a tiny boost around 90Hz to fatten up the kick one more time, dropped out a few low-mids at 200Hz, boosted at 500Hz by a bit, and then gave a small boost of about +1.5dB to the frequencies between 1000kHz and 18000kHz.
It’s a personal preference of mine to increase the higher frequencies because I like my music to have a very bright sound to it, and that’s the effect that increasing high frequencies creates.
And for a track like this one, it’s perfect because it’s a happy sounding tune in G Major.
And frankly, that’s all for the EQ.
What Is EQ And What Are Some Of The Best Practices?
Now, we’re going to talk about EQ as a general concept.
While it may not seem like that, you’ve probably actually EQ’d a sound before without even knowing, like turning down the bass in your car stereo system.
This action, technically, is equalization, because you’re making the sound more palatable by turning down the bass frequencies. You’re literally “equalizing it.”
It’s probably not probably far reaching to assume that most musicians don’t ask for specific adjustments to their music, for instance, “boost the frequency at 200Hz by +1dB.”
They may have a different way of saying it, like asking for the kick to sound more “aggressive.”
It’s up to us as music producers and engineers, to understand what’s meant by the client’s words.
Over time, especially after working with more and more people, you’ll come to realize that a lot of people will use different, albeit similar, terminology, to describe the same frequencies.
For example, if some want to make the song sound more “treble-y,” that means they want a boost in the higher frequency range, like 1000kHz and up. Increasing this frequency range, as the image below shows, will bring more clarity and more “air” to the song.
Low and High frequencies are described in different ways.
The low-frequency range, from 10 to 200 Hz, will frequently be referred to as “Bass-y” or “Big.”
The higher frequency range, from 5 to 20,000kHz, will be referred to as “Treble,” “Meek,” or “Thin.”
Boosting and Cutting
Boosting a frequency, as the name suggests, means we’re increasing the volume of that frequency. The more proper terminology would say we’re increasing the amplitude of that signal, which is more accurate to what’s actually happening.
Cutting a frequency, as the name suggests, means we’re subtracting that frequency range, so it has the effect of lowering the volume, but really, we’re just decreasing the strength of that frequency.
1) Use Subtractive EQ
The term most commonly used when talking about mixing is subtractive EQ.
Essentially, this means that, rather than boosting frequencies in the desired range, you subtract EQs from another part of the track, which in turn, creates the impression of a boost in the desired EQ range.
Taking the example of the Boutique 808, the vast majority of the sonic frequencies will fall between 50hz and 1000khz, and anything after 1000 kHz will typically be subtracted.
This is also called a Low-Pass filter because we’re letting the low frequencies pass, and the high frequencies are being stopped.
We’ll get into Low and High Pass filters in the next step.
In the image you can see below, for instance, you can see that I’ve subtracted all of the frequencies after 1000kHz, which “creates room” so to speak, for other instruments to shine through.
Moreover, how subtractive EQ takes form in the mixing process, is also similar to volume.
So If I want to increase the volume of the kick, I may actually choose to turn down the bass a little bit, or even the snare and other accompanying instruments that typically fall in that same EQ range.
Now, obviously, you can also boost desired frequencies if you want, as I’ve done in the image above, at 100 and 200Hz. From what I understand, subtractive EQ is how most mixing engineers will tell you to approach EQ, although some likely disagree.
From what I’ve read, Subtractive EQ is a way of carving out different sounds and frequencies so everything can shine together, cohesively.
When I first started using EQ, I found that my mixes sounded terrible and muddy, because I was boosting the frequency of every sound I wanted to be amplified, but the end result was a muddied mix in which all of the instruments were competing for the same frequency, or the “sonic space,” so to speak.
Using the example of Jason Newstead, the bassist from Metallica, he said in an interview once that the reason why his bass guitar wasn’t heard on …And Justice For All is that much of his playing directly followed the root notes of the guitar, so there was too much competition for the same frequencies, which causes muddiness.
Instruments will end up competing for the same frequency, and subtractive EQ is a way of remedying this dilemma.
Using another example, a beginner mixer would probably just add the frequencies he wants, like I mentioned I used to do above, with the most common being the bass, especially in hip-hop.
Rather than thinking about what you can “add,” think about what can be eliminated, and how this would bring attention to the more desired frequencies.
Having said all of that, this doesn’t mean that you have to completely avoid adding frequencies, it’s just the order in which you do so. It’s best to employ subtractive EQ first and then additive EQ after.
2) Use Low and High Pass-Filters.
As I briefly mentioned in passing above, setting up low and high pass filters is a great move for adding clarity and allowing your tracks to breathe.
A Low Pass filter, is when you block higher frequencies and allow low frequencies to shine, and a high pass filter is the opposite, to block low frequencies for the sake of emphasizing higher frequencies.
It’s important to note, however, when employing low and high-pass filters, you may eliminate some of the frequencies that are making the music sound authentic and real, so it’s a good idea to listen closely when setting them, and determining whether your low-pass or high-pass is too strong.
Explained in another way, make sure you’re subtracting unneeded frequencies and not frequencies that are actually making small but ultimately important contributions to the way the instrument actually sounds.
In the image you can see below, I’ve set up a high-pass filter, where the lowest frequencies have been eliminated because the instrument in question is the “tinging” sound of a cymbal, which is a fairly high frequency.
To create as much sonic space as possible, it’s not a bad idea to subtract unneeded frequencies from every instrument track, but as I said above, be careful.
3) Use Low-Cut and High-Cut Filters
A low-cut and a high-cut filter, are the same as the high pass and low-pass filters, they’re just explained in a different way.
For example, it’s not a bad idea to add a low-cut to the guitar, which has less low frequencies and than a high-cut to instruments that don’t have a lot of highs, such as the kick and snare.
Filters are great because they allow us to eliminate unwanted noises and unneeded sounds from our music, permitting the most desired sounds to shine through.
You may think to yourself, “Hey, what’s the difference between the low-cut and a high-pass?” They’re pretty much the same thing, however, the principle and the purpose of employing them is different.
4) Pay attention to the point between 100 and 200 Hz.
This is, by far, the area that has to be watched the most, because many instruments and sounds will have frequencies at this level, including the guitar, the piano, the bass, the kick, the snare, and so on and so forth.
It seems like all of the major instruments have a frequency in the 100 and 200 Hz range, so it’s important to pay attention to it and to make subtractions where it seems fit.
Now, let’s talk about different frequencies, sub frequencies, low frequencies, low to low-mid frequencies, mid to mid-high frequencies, and then high frequencies.
Garageband Plugins Ipad
Frequency Ranges
Sub Frequencies are below 80Hz.
This is perhaps the most commonly discussed frequency in the general public, because of the term, “Subwoofer,” referring to a common speaker-type that people often put in their cars to make the bass as loud as possible.
These frequencies can be particularly destructive if used too much.
Crank the frequencies in your mix at 80Hz and below, and then play the track in your car and you’ll quickly find out why. The bass will be so overpowering that it’ll sound terrible.
Low Frequencies are between 50 to 200Hz
Frequencies between 20 and 200Hz have the tendency to make the sound of music sound a lot thicker and bassier. The human ear is not the greatest at hearing these frequencies, a common reason for why guys make beats and songs with bass-lines that are off key.
A quick way of getting around this, by the way, is by shifting the music up by one octave to see what it sounds like, or by changing the software instrument track to a piano or bass guitar to hear the notes better.
A track with a lot of low frequencies will always have a thick and bassy sound to it. It’s definitely easy to overdo it in this area, so pay close attention to what you’re doing.
Low-Mid Frequencies are between 200Hz to 300Hz
As I mentioned in passing above, this is the “muddiness” frequency, so it’s important to watch how many instruments and sounds are taking up this space.
For that reason, it’s not a bad idea to use subtractive EQ to eliminate any unwanted frequencies in this area, to create as much room as possible.
Freeing up space in this area will help clear the air for guitars, flutes, pianos, and vocals.
A technique people often use when dealing with this frequency is to subtract at 200Hz or so by around 2-3 dB, not a lot, but just enough to allow some space to breathe.
Mid Frequencies are between 300Hz to 700 Hz
This frequency range is a place where even more subtractive EQ is used because there is a fear of creating a “hollow” sound.
Apparently, this area is great for easily the most common and prominent instruments, like the saxophone, the cello, bass guitar, snare drums, bass drums, and male vocals.
This the area where the depth comes from, and without it, the sound will have a “shallow” effect.
Garageband Plugins Eq Ipad Case
Male vocals, bass drum, snare drums, bass guitar, cello, saxophone, and some woodwind instruments. This range forms the base of music. There is no depth in music without these instruments and the frequencies they produce, moreover, I find that if you use premium instruments like Komplete 13 from Native Instruments, you don’t need to change much in the way of EQ.
Upper-Mid Frequencies are between 1.5 to 4 kHz (1000 – 4000 Hz)
This is a sensitive area, even more than most because it’s the one most easily heard by the human ear. To increase the frequencies in this area, will make it seem like the music is more “in your face.” This frequency range has an aggressive quality to it.
Taking the example of guitar tone to illustrate my point, increasing frequencies from 1000 to 4000kHz will have the effect of adding “crunchiness” or “bite” to the sound.
This is my favorite area to adjust when working on the guitar sound because it’s where you can get that solid cutting guitar tone. Too much frequency in this area, according to Timothy Dittmar, can cause ear fatigue.
Mid to High Frequencies are between 4 to 10 kHz (4000 to 10,000 Hz)
This is the frequency range most commonly attributed to the words, “Clarity” or “Presence,” and the “Presence” knob on a guitar amp, for instance, is the adjustment tool meant to increase the overall “breathiness” of the sound.
Vocals are usually within this area as well, and we can add a bit of a boost in this area to allow for the vocal track to sit nicely in the mix.
In other words, a frequency boost in this area will help the vocals cut through the rest of the track.
High Frequencies are anything above 10kHz (10,000 Hz)
The frequency most commonly used to increase the “brightness” of a track. An increase in this frequency range will allow instruments to cut through the mix as well.
Other words meant to describe it typically have to do with sunshine and other outdoorsy features, like “sparkly” or “sunny.” Lo-Fi, for instance, is completely devoid of these frequencies.
If you’ve ever heard Lo-Fi music, you’ll know that it has the quality of sounding like it doesn’t have much brightness.
It’s because there aren’t a lot of high frequencies in the music, and the vast majority of the sound is within the low-mid to mid-range.
Garageband Plugins Eq Ipad Mini
For more on this subject, I recommend you check out Timothy Dittmar’s book, Audio Engineering 101. He does a good job of explaining things. You can check out his Twitter and his book on Amazon here.
YouTube Video
Watch the tutorial on YouTube where I run through all of the concepts I just talked about here.
Conclusion
Garageband Plugins Eq Ipad Case
That’s all for my article on EQ. Do me a solid and share this on your social media to all your producer friends. Also, take a look at my recommended gear page for more products that are great for music production.