Music Glossary

EQ (Equalisation)

Adjusting the balance of frequencies — boosting or cutting bass, mids and treble.

EQ, short for equalisation, is the process of boosting or cutting specific frequency ranges in a sound. Every sound is made of frequencies from low (bass) through middle to high (treble), and an EQ lets you shape that balance — cutting boomy low end, adding presence in the mids, or brightening the highs. In mixing, EQ is used to make each instrument sit in its own frequency space so the mix sounds clear rather than muddy. DJs also use EQ live, typically cutting the bass of one track while bringing in another so two basslines do not clash during a transition.

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