What to do before adding treble with EQ｜Mix that doesn't make your ears tired even though it comes out

When you want to make your mix brighter, simply raising 8kHz or 12kHz may cause problems before it goes out. For high frequencies, it is more important to find out what is hiding the high frequencies than how much to add.

1｜First, adjust the volume balance

Try lowering the accompaniment by 1-2 dB before EQing the stuck sound. If the vocals or main melody are only small, there is no need to add high frequencies. Play the whole thing at a low volume and see if you can follow the main character naturally.

2｜Check for congestion between 200 and 800Hz

What may sound like a lack of high frequencies may actually have too much low-mid range, hiding brightness. If you gradually eliminate unnecessary box sounds and turbidity from instruments other than the main character, you can bring the main character's high range forward without raising it.

3｜Separating sibilance and brightness

Vocal brightness is the overtones of the vowels, and sibilants are the short peaks of the sa and ta lines. Using the same EQ tends to make the entire voice darker or make only the sibilance sound painful. Use a de-esser or dynamic EQ to smooth out short peaks first.

4｜Creating overtones with saturation

An alternative to lifting the highs themselves is to add mid-high harmonics with light saturation. Even at low volumes, the contours are more visible and may feel more natural than a sharp EQ boost. The amount of processing starts before you can see it in the bypass.

5 | Use shelf EQ broadly and shallowly

Once the material is ready, try the high frequency shelf from about 0.5 to 2 dB if necessary. Setting the frequency too high will only increase the airiness, while setting the frequency too low will make the consonants stronger. Find the position where the main character of the song is bright, and be sure to compare them at the same volume.

6｜Review the high range of reverb

Instead of the original sound, the high frequencies of reverb and delay may accumulate and sting. By using a low pass or de-esser on the reverberation side, you can soften the sound while maintaining the brightness of the original sound.

7｜Check at both low and high volume

The ideal situation is that the outline remains at low volumes, and you don't want to turn your ears away even at high volumes. If you only adjust the volume at high volume, your hearing will become accustomed to the high frequencies and it will be easy to add too much. Turn the volume back up after short intervals and take a break.

More treble is not the same as higher resolution. We aim for a state where the details are naturally separated, and the sibilance and cymbals are grainy, but without any edges.