You Are Ruining Your Audio! - How to EQ voice properly 

As a sound engineer with about 30 years of experience, I can say that your advice here is dead on. Thanks for sharing.

Yes! Don't listen to videos that give you specific "tricks", listen to people who teach you how to THINK about the concepts you're not confident about. Great channel

You know what's crazy about this? I've watched quite a few videos of EQ lessons, maybe 50+ over the past 5 years in order to try and keep improving and this particular one probably was the most comprehensive and helpful one of them all. Thank you Julian that was a great break down.

After 50 Years Engineerning and Mixing in Nashville and Muscle Shoals Studios l really appreciate your clear explanations and wisdom beyond your years.

The best, comprehensible EQ-ing video ive seen in a long while. It takes a lot of time to actually become confident with equing, but two principles that have helped me are: 1. Listen unbiasedly. Does what youre doing actually sound good? (Also in the context of musical applications) If not- stop doing it 2. Repeat step one and start LISTENING. What does your rcording actually need to become better? Listen to everything with fresh ears and if you end up making changes, compare it with the original and stop focusing on your ego

As a singer-songwriter that is now on youtube and no longer goes to a studio for a professional recording, I now manage my own music at home. I have no training in sound frequencies and have been struggling to learn on my own with different softwares. I have never really understood the explanations I have seen. Your video was easy to understand and with your demonstration & explanation of each frequency really has helped me learn what to look for in my home settings. Thank you for sharing your input, as a beginner, you have saved me a lot of frustration & a lot of time. Peace ✌🏽 rock on . Thanks 🙏🏽

This is definitely not a rant. It's pure logical, real-world, audibly observable good advice. I have terrible hearing, but I know when a voice sounds appealing rather than irritating. All of your examples point out why. This is super helpful. Thank you so much for sharing what you know. You've removed a bit of my confusion.

Good ol' "smiley face" eq still around 🤣🤣 as an "old dog" live and recording engineer, the best tip I am able to pass on to newbs is to try to stick to subtractive eq and bracketing. Aloha Julian! Love your work!

Just realized I've been mindlessly slapping on an EQ curve for a while now. Many thanks for this knowledge.

Sound engineer here for over 40 years, and this video is one of the better tutorials to get straight to the WHY and WHEN, great job. Julian basically, without stating it, emphasized the GMPW method over the EQ method... that's---good mics placed well. Then season to tase and don't overdo it.

That point at :30 is what everyone needs to know! It's so true. There is no 1 EQ that works for every voice, every mic, every preamp, every room (boxy or not), there's no 1 magic formula. Great points as always! What works on them may not work on you, and works on you may not work on them. You have to go through it methodically and develop what works for you. Great points!!

An issue that has come to my attention, via an AKG C7 mic that has a non-switchable 12dB per octave, 150Hz, low cut filter, is the significant asymmetry caused to the envelope of the signal due to the LF phase shift. The same will apply to a U87 with its low cut switch engaged and/or the AKG C636, etc. etc. The same effect of asymmetry will apply to a signal that has been recorded as symmetrical, and then a low cut effect applied. This is why the audio enthusiast dislikes "tone controls" or is super sparing with the mixer EQ. In addition, and primarily, this will cause problems with dynamic processes, such as compression and/or limiting with the top or bottom of the signal becoming heavily sawn off, compared to the opposite pole. To remedy this, I use a phase modifier process, such as that which applies to Audition's Graphical Phase effect or Audacity's "allpass2 track x x "Nyquist prompt. Try this with the SM7B, with its filters applied, for an impressive example.

Mic placement. Lo cut. That's about it. If anything I might add some midrange and a touch of treble, if a voice has to poke through a dense mix. I'm glad you made this video. You Tube is full of people who know nothing but repeat false ideas, so hopefully some of those viewers will watch this and have a better view.

Well done! Thank you for your clarity.

The clearest help I’ve found on this. Thanks, Julian!

The way hearing works the pinnae around our ears create various peaks and notches that occur above about 1.6 K depending on where a sound source is located and we actually use those to determine where a sound is. So that might help explain why we’re not super sensitive to notches at high frequencies, because they are there all of the time anyway, from all of the interference patterns that already exist due to reflections, and the shape of our ears and head.

Thanks for sharing. The tips are spot on!

Best audio advice I found in years, Subscribed and looking on your channel for more! Thank you!

Great information. Well written. Well articulated. Thanks Julian. -Mark

thank you for sharing your knowledge. easy to comprehend and detailed. well done and appreciated.

Great tutorial - no fluff - to the point. Thanks!

I’ve just learned more about EQ in the last 10 minutes than I have done in the last decade. What a video!

The best video ive ever seen on vocal eq. Great visual and audio demonstrations.

The best things come to you randomly, so did this video. Thank you you're the best

Excellent advice! It was great to see the frequency display too

That was such a great demonstation. Thanks for helping to simplify EQ logic.

Simple but detailed. No surprise. Julian is always top class

Thanks for the very clear and concise video. Very helpful and informative.

An incredibly helpful video, I admire people who can explain complex topics like this with such clarity and without even pausing for a breath in between. So impressive. I can't wait to put your advice to good use. Subscribed!

Simple and brilliant. Thank you.

Thank you 🙏 for all of the time and energy you put into making this invaluable content. Love it! Keep up the great work, and have a kickass day!

Wow. What a great video. Thanks for the very useful information here.

This is always what I've been looking for, a common starting point with a bit of a crash course in the most accessible ways to adjust the sound. Thanks!

Thanks. I learned a good deal. Also, your work in The Mummy was top notch.

Good solid advice Julian thanks!

There are a few videos out there covering this topic but this is probably my favourite. Clear, concise and with plenty of examples to illustrate your points. Cheers.

This was very helpful! Thank you!

Great info, Julian!! Thanks...

Very good, Dr. Krause. I love your empirical approach, passion, and skill as a communicator. Thank you :)

Good advice. If I can add something of my own: don't mix vocals (or anything) soloed. Listening to it soloed can be useful, but don't EQ or change things while it's in isolation because it will almost never sound right in the mix when you EQ it solo. Even frequencies that sound awful solo, can sometimes complement a mix in weird ways.

Nice coverage of EQ, Julian. Thanks for the measured advice!

This is the only tutorial where I actually learnt something about EQing voice recordings. Thank you!

Julian is always super solid in what he says. Keep it up, mate!

This is only the second video of yours I've watched, and I already know it. You are a born educator! Every word is on its place.

One of the best videos on RU-vid regarding this topic. Well done sir👍🏾

A sigh of relief from me...sensible and credible logic. Thank you. 😊

This has to be the BEST dialogue-EQ tutorial I have come across. Fantastic work!

That was an enlightening video, thank you!

Your perspective and is unique. Learnt a lot from this

Fantastic explanation - thanks very much!

Great demo, thanks!

Wise words from The Master. Much appreciated as always!

This is probably the best voice EQ explanation video there is. The part where you go through the different frequencies, with us hearing to real-time results, is extremely helpful. Thanks!

This was helpful. Thanks, brother, for such awesome content..

Thanks so much for this! This is the first time I’ve seen someone breakdown what the *middle* frequency ranges especially do with the voice!

This video is pure gold. Danke Julian!!!

This video was incredibly informative and useful. Thank you so much

Great use of your expertise.

Beautifully put. Thank you :-)

Such a Beautiful advice, Thank you, Sir, 🙏🌺😇

wow i have been looking for this for to long, i wanted to put vocals in my trance tracks but i could not find any explanation that made sense until now. this will also help when shaping background music for youtube so the voice still stands out. thanks you just got my sub

I was only 30 seconds into your video and you hooked me with the intro, and the great sounding audio capture of your voice. I'm very interested in audio so I subscribed! Also - I really like your sweater. You video quality is also exceptional!

Love your videos always insightful

This video is exactly what I needed, thank you. I only just started producing music (after playing in several bands around 30 years ago), and I'm going to record a friend who's a very talented MC. I've only got an SM58 and I've still got some soundproofing to sort out first, but it's good to know how boosting or attenuating certain frequencies will affect the recording once Imy vocal booth is ready. As you mentioned, the ability to develop a good ear and EQ properly won't happen overnight. But we've all got to start somewhere, and you just made that first step a lot easier.

My voice has never sounded better on my mic until after seeing this video. Thanks for being so concise!

Thank you so much for this video! For the life of me, I couldn't wrap my mind around EQ's but with your tutorial, it made it easier to understand.

Look, I've subscribed and liked, and I don't know how to help your channel any further. But your delivery is concise, your content is insightful, and your channel is wonderful overall.

You explain these things well, Julian!

Brilliant video, thanks.

Thanks a lot. Equalizer makes much more sense to me now. Thanks!

I just stumbled on your video Julian and in a few minutes you provided solutions to a problem I've been trying to solve by watching dozens of RU-vid videos. Needless to say, you have a fan and yes...I subscribed.

Incredibly useful and informative. What a great explainer. Instant sub, thank you!

Final some good advice regarding audio! Thanks!

Awesome stuff Julian keep rocking bro!!

Really precise and so true...

That was very helpful. My problem is so many things sound OK to me. And then you have all these audio snobs and self-appointed experts who have OPINIONS. If it sounds bad, I know, and can fix it to a degree. But deciding what sounds "right" is so much spaghetti on the wall. Could be so many different kinds of OK, but in the end you have to make a decision and live with it. I have the same problem judging visual things, like photography. I know if I like it, but what is good and bad to others is a mystery.

Thank you! Great information.

Excellent video - I've been playing about with different mics recently and, of course, watching RU-vid reviews, and the amount of BS advice out there is astonishing. This refreshingly all made perfect sense :)

Julian - continue to really enjoy and benefit from your knowledge. Had a teacher once say if you know WHAT you are trying to achieve you'll always be able to look up HOW. Meaning, the Semantics are more important than the syntax, and in the art of sound, guiding principles like WHY we use an EQ, proximity effect, different mic characteristics, fundamental frequencies are key. Loved the illustration of high EQ shelf driving unnecessary need for a de-esser. Your gear reviews continue to be informative, but these more practical sound engineer type articles really benefit me, and I imagine many other folk too. Thanks.

Thank you Julian. Delivering incredible and informative content! I think this also steeply applies to any audio mixing ideology: always work WITH your source material, not against it because of a preconceived notion.

This is very helpful, thank you.

Thanks for the advice. Liked the video.

Thanks a lot! As always, great content!

In addition to being a great video on the subject, I really find your voice easy to listen to!

Gold content, as always. Thank you!

Thanks for the valuable info.

YES! Nice to see you back Julian! 😄 (Already knew all this, but watching again anyway, coz it's Julian! 😅)

This is very good information. This sounds like what I am currently doing. Makes so much sense to me. Thanks for sharing. 😊

Great info! Adding it to "watch later" for future reference. Quality vocal audio has always been challenging and I feel lacking in knowledge for sure. It's especially difficult when a project requires multiple microphones and recording devices. I need to try to make the different sources sound more similar. 😅

This is the best video on vocal EQ I have ever watched. The fact that Julian managed to squeeze this into under ten minutes, including some rants regarding the various EQ myths and "one size fits all EQ curve" advice that gets copied/repeated over and over by self-proclaimed mastering experts, is a testament to his uncanny ability to provide very high quality, concise, and well thought out hands-on practical video instruction.

Finally! Someone who actually brought me all the clarity i was seeking. There are 100s of videos out there, who just recommend factory presets as blanket solution to make your voice better, which only ruins the audio.

Not all heroes wear capes! 100% correct and simplistic at the same time. All the best Julian!

Das worauf es ankommt super erklärt. Top!

Verry helpfull, thanks alot, Claus.

Thanks for this video… I use the same mic in the same room everytime I record… and I’ve found that I have to use different EQ settings for different songs, styles, and keys… You’re advice is spot on. There’s no one size fits all setting… For this reason, I no longer spend money on presets and pre-made vocal chains

I EQ all my voiceovers differently, every time. Sometimes it's because I am not exactly in the same position when recording or maybe I'm recording in a different room. I make small adjustments and to solve specific problems. Over time I've been able to hear better and better what's good and what's not...but it takes practice and there is no preset that will help with every situation. Nice video. Your advice is better than all those other posts and videos out there. One of the few channels I watch regularly for its logic and information.

Finally!!! Someone that is explaining how to dissect my own voice! Thank you

Best explanation I've seen so far! I'm quite a noob in Eq'ing my videos and thanks to your tips I went from too bassy and muffled to a great clear voice without lashing a ton of money on new hardware. Great! 👍

I am constantly fiddling with mine in edit, depending on the recording I've done! It's one of those things where I can sound completely different from one day to the next, and sometimes use different microphones. I feel like it's like when I was a kid and I thought the rear-mirror in cars were set specifically to one person and then when I started driving realized how much I change and adjust it to fit different scenarios (it always bothered me when my parents would drive and change the other one's "setting") 😆 Loved this video. You have a very nice voice!

Julian-I always take your advice you are one of the best