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How to Equalize Bass Drums

Although some bass drums require little to no equalization to make them sound good, others need a lot more work. Fortunately, with equalization you can drastically change the sound of a bass drum. For instance, through equalization you can add much-needed punch to a thin-sounding bass drum, or you can take away bass from a bass drum that is overpowering the mix. On the other end of the frequency spectrum, you can add high frequencies to highlight the sound of the bass-drum beater, allowing the bass drum to cut through a mix.

Instructions

    • 1

      Increase the gain on your equalizer anywhere between 60Hz and 100Hz to add low-frequency thump or power to a weak or thin-sounding bass drum. Decrease the gain on your equalizer between 60Hz and 100Hz to take away low frequencies from a bass drum that has too much bass and is too heavy-sounding.

    • 2

      Increase the gain on your equalizer between 200Hz and 250Hz to emphasize the frequencies that make a bass drum sound boomy. Decrease the gain on your equalizer between 200Hz and 250Hz to de-emphasize the frequencies that make a bass drum sound boomy.

    • 3

      Decrease the gain on your equalizer between 300Hz to 600Hz to take away the frequencies of your bass drum that have a cardboard or boxy sound.

    • 4

      Increase the gain on your equalizer between 2.5kHz and 4kHz to add high-frequency attack to the bass drum and make it easier to hear in a mix. Decrease the gain on your equalizer between 2.5kHz and 4kHz if your bass drum has too much high-frequency content and you want it to sit further back in a mix.

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