Anatomy of an EQ
The vocabulary every parametric EQ shares.
In Ableton Live: EQ Eight. Use the spectrum analyser (Show/Hide arrow, top-right) for the EQ sweep. Hold Shift while dragging a band to constrain frequency; Cmd/Ctrl-drag to fine-tune Q.
Every EQ — stock, vintage, mastering — uses the same handful of controls. Once you can name them, every plug-in looks the same.
- Spectrum — the audible frequency range, 20 Hz at the left to 20 kHz at the right.
- Frequency — which point in the spectrum a band is centred on.
- Q (or bandwidth) — how wide the band reaches around that centre. Low numbers are broad and musical, high numbers are narrow and surgical.
- Bell — a rounded boost or cut around a single frequency. The everyday workhorse.
- Shelf — a step-change in level above (high shelf) or below (low shelf) the chosen frequency.
- High-pass filter (HPF) — removes everything below the cutoff. Almost every non-bass track benefits from a gentle one.
- Low-pass filter (LPF) — removes everything above the cutoff. Useful for taming hiss or making room for cymbals.