When do YOU boost low mids?

[CM03]

Yes I know everything depends on the song.

But in what instances or instruments do you find yourself generally boosting the low mids (250hz-800hz around) on a track? In other words, in what occasion that pops up from time to time would you find yourself doing it? Of course you would do it if your track sounds like it is lacking some belly or weight, but do you find yourself applying those boosts on some instruments more than others over a large sample of mixes? If so what?

I use an SSL Channel strip to EQ mostly and I find it intuitive to cut low mids just a little around 500hz so prevent some clutter on some of the tracks. I am worried that since the SSL Channel strip is set up that way (blue knob), it is almost subconsciously biasing my mixing decisions in that direction even if I know that you should not cut frequencies just for the sake of it, but let the track dictate to you what needs to be done. I find most of my mixes have a big bottom end and then have less frequency information around 250-600hzish, kind of making a U shape.

Thoughts?

 

[Yumid]

As long as you cant hear a negative change or any of the formant disappearing you can never go wrong cutting anything. But most formants live in the mid lows so just be careful when your cutting there.

But as far as I'm concerned any cut in the mid lows that doesnt ruin the timbre is a good cut.

Boosts, not so much,

 

[dights]

Mixing is balancing, so to be non-specific you boost here when it's needed If in doubt don't get too caught up in what you are told and technical terminology, use your ears. Reference against a released song that you love, you'll hear straight away if you've got the low mids wrong.

To be fair, as you suggested, in the lows and low mid area it is far more common to cut than to boost... Also when mixing I personally tend to prefer to cut about 90% of the time, and I only really boost for vibe (with a particular EQ for a particular effect) and even then generally not by much. Most of the time I'd much rather cut and then turn up the fader, it sounds far more natural to me. There is however no "right way" to EQ, it's preference really.

To answer your question, I do have a few things that I personally like to boost to add vibe in that area, but it's totally song specific. For example I really like wide boosts at the top end of the low mids (700/800Hz) in claps and some thin snares - it adds an aggressive body and weight that they sometimes lack - try a Neve 1073 or an API 550 instead of the SSL.

More often than not though I wouldn't choose to boost in the low mids, I'd just choose not to cut or to cut elsewhere.

 

[CM03]

Great advice!^ Are you recommending the API550 over the SSLEQ in general or for those specific weighty snare boosts you mentioned?

 

[dights]

Great advice!^ Are you recommending the API550 over the SSLEQ in general or for those specific weighty snare boosts you mentioned?

Not necessarily, it's a preference. Outboard gear like EQs all have their own individual characters and that makes them good for different purposes.

The SSL channel EQ is great, I own two. It's a great clean punchy high quality workhorse EQ... It's quite tight in the lows, and can be cutting in the mids. It's also a fully parametric EQ which the API isn't, making the SSL far more surgical if needed. I actually use two SSL outboard channels for kick and snare, but mainly for the compressors which I love for that purpose.

The API550 is still punchy but it has quite a nice warmth to it, and its mids have a nicely aggressive sizzle and edge. The width of the bell on the API550 is determined by how much you boost, it starts off wide and the more you boost the narrower it gets... that makes it quite vibey and musical to use. Very nice for electric guitars and saw synths, and I personally like them for claps - like on hip-hop tracks where the snare is actually a clap, a 2dB boost at 800Hz on the API can put a smile on my face. I also own an API5500, which is nice

They are are both great EQs, just for different reasons!

 

[Summit Hooks]

Often times the low-mids are cut from a track as I'm sure you're aware.

If that track is in the same pitch register as another instrument, or just needs more separation from it, often times you'll want to opposite-eq the two tracks which would involve boosting those exact same low-mids on that second track.

Or if a drum sample sounds too wimpy or something.

But it's sooooo easy to overdo boosting. So I always try to find the solution by first using cuts

 

[Yumid]

Yay for know how in this thread.

So crazy watching people on youtube EQ "Alright mids, YOU get 12 dB. And Highs, dont think I forgot about you, YOU get 12 db. And Lows, whats up? YOU get 12db. I think we're done here...oh wait, better cut 2dB or so from 2k. NOW we're done"

EQing should be subtractive before anything.

 

[CM03]

I would tend to agree but then you have guys like CLA who says he is a boosting guy more than a cutting guy. Different styles are viable. But personally 90% I don't boost more than 3db unless it really calls for it.

 

[dobro]

But in what instances or instruments do you find yourself generally boosting the low mids (250hz-800hz around) on a track? In other words, in what occasion that pops up from time to time would you find yourself doing it?

Not generally, but from time to time I find myself boosting electric bass in the low mids. The times I do that, I've often notched the guitars in almost the same frequency. Aside from that, I almost never boost in the low mids cuz stuff accumulates unattractively there so often. On the other hand, I don't automatically cut everything there like I used to. I listen to it. Does it need a cut in the low mids? No? Then don't touch it.

 

[crimsonhawk47]

often times you'll want to opposite-eq the two tracks which would involve boosting those exact same low-mids on that second track.

Not necessarily.

Just because you want separation between two sounds does not mean you find a frequency, cut on one instrument and boost on another. You're already getting separation by cutting the mids out of one instrument. In fact, I would argue that clarity comes from cutting mids on both of the instruments (though really I would argue separation comes from panning).

 

[Rekordhead]

Snares.