Acoustic guitar EQ guide

Acoustic guitars often have annoying mid-range resonances.1

High-pass around 75Hz, wherever the fundamental is. Balance the low-mid and high-mids.2 Warren Huart follows the high-pass with a slight boost at the fundamental.3

Acoustic guitars can be boomy around 200Hz. Notch out any resonances in the low end.4 Consider balancing this by high shelf boosting. Maybe Follow up an aggressive high shelf boost with a low-pass filter. Maybe Use a de-esser to tame high end. See also Softening digital transients.

Acoustic guitars can also sound congested and cheap around 800Hz. A dip here can be helpful.4

It’s common that mid-range resonances will pop up at each octave. If 300hz is over powering, 600hz, 1.2khz, 2.4khz, etc. may need addressing too.2 Alternatively, try a harmonic series cut. MPL made a script for ReaEQ to do this.

Bring out the mids around 2k-2.6k.5

A boost around 8k can enliven the guitar too.4 Marc Daniel Nelson Boosts and expands the highs on the side.6 F. Reid Shippen does a boost at 11.5kHz followed by a low-pass at 8.5kHz on a Neve 88Rs, which helps it cut through.7

  1. [Mixing & Mastering for Singer-Songwriters Freeman Recordings](https://www.freemanrecordings.io/products/mixing-fundamentals-eq/categories/2149508597/posts/2154723654)

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  2. [Mixing & Mastering for Singer-Songwriters Freeman Recordings](https://www.freemanrecordings.io/products/mixing-fundamentals-eq/categories/2150190361/posts/2157276929)

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  3. Mixing Basics: Guitar - Warren Huart: Produce Like A Pro - YouTube ↩

  4. How to Mix Acoustic Guitar - EQ - YouTube ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. How The Pros Use EQ - How To EQ All Instruments and Your Mixes - YouTube ↩

  6. 2 Steps To Wider, Deeper And Fatter Mixes With Marc Daniel Nelson - YouTube ↩

  7. [Acoustic Guitar “Air” EQ Simple Moves for Bright Guitars Neve 88RS and Native Alternatives - YouTube](https://youtu.be/PNSoNAXivXs)

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Notes mentioning this note

Mixing acoustic guitar
Mixing acoustic guitar [[Acoustic guitar EQ guide]] [[Compressing acoustic guitar]] [[Softening digital transients]] [[How to revitalize acoustic DI signals]] [[Use...