There's one rule of EQ you're forced to live by:
"If it's not there, you can't EQ it in."
Although that's almost 100% true, you may be able to artificially create stuff with harmonic exciters and low-end magic plug-in dust.
However, no matter how much low-end
you boost in your EQ, if it's not there to be boosted, you won't add any low-end.
As magical as EQ can be in every situation, that's where it fails. So to make sure that never happens, you need to get it right at the source.
Because EQ'ing starts way before you insert your favorite EQ plug-in.
It happens in your hands when you're moving the microphone. You've probably heard this a
million times before but it still bears repeating.
There's a powerful EQ in your microphone and depending on where you place it, the source will sound different.
If your guitar is all shrill and no warmth, no amount of EQ will add that natural warmth to it you would've gotten if you had taken the time to record it properly.
Having the patience to really get the whole
frequency spectrum of your instruments into your computer will make all your EQ'ing easier.
So if you've got any recording sessions coming up over the weekend take this advice to heart:
Get it
great at the source to make the most of your EQ.
Although you can't really EQ stuff in that's not there, there's still plenty of stuff you can do with EQ. Learn how to master the most important plug-in to make better mixes with EQ Strategies - Your Ultimate Guide to EQ
Here's what Michael Wagner had to say about it recently:
"I was actually surprised on how helpful the very simple breakdown of the characteristics of the individual frequency bands was. You ofter hear the term "clarity" or "presence". But there is surprisingly little information on what that means in concrete EQ terms. Having all that information in one place (even if there is some subjectivity in the interpretation of the terms) was
very helpful."
If you'd like a breakdown of the entire frequency spectrum, go grab it here:
www.EQStrategies.net