Before you EQ
Check the basics: the microphone well placed (close to the mouth and aimed at it), the gain set properly and the room acoustics. If the voice sounds distant because of a badly placed microphone, no EQ compensates for it.
Voice frequency map (approximate values)
| Zone | What it gives | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Below 80–120 Hz | Handling noise, plosives, room rumble | High-pass filter (HPF) |
| 200–400 Hz | Body; too much sounds “boxy” or muddy | Cut a little if it sounds covered |
| 1–3 kHz | Word intelligibility | Be careful: add clarity without making it harsh |
| 3–5 kHz | Presence; the voice “moves forward” | Boost slightly if it sits back |
| 5–8 kHz | Sibilance (sharp “s” sounds) | Cut if it hurts the ear |
| 10 kHz and up | Air and sparkle | A touch, if the microphone allows |
These are references, not rules: every voice, microphone and room is different. Listen before you move anything.
A simple order of work
- High-pass filter to remove what adds nothing.
- Find the “mud”: if the voice sounds covered, a small cut around 200–400 Hz usually helps.
- Add clarity: a slight boost in the presence range makes the words understood without raising the overall level.
- Tame the harshness: if the “s” sounds or the highs hurt, cut a little in the sibilance range.
- Compare with the EQ off to confirm it improved.
Golden rule: cut before you boost, with changes of 2 to 3 dB. Big cuts and big boosts almost always make the sound worse.
Pastor and singers are not the same
- The sermon: prioritize intelligibility and a steady level. A headset or lapel microphone changes the tone a lot; set the EQ for that microphone, not for another one.
- Singers: they allow a bit more body and sparkle, always making sure they do not compete with the instruments in the same range.
- Choir voices: one overall setting is better than EQing each microphone separately.
Compression: EQ’s companion
Gentle compression evens out loud and soft phrases so the voice stays present without you riding the fader all the time. Start with a moderate ratio and adjust until the effect is not noticeable: if it “breathes” or sounds squashed, it is too much.