Balancing Act: Two approaches to Equalization in Professional Audio

When I first learned professional audio in the 80s and 90s, while the technology existed to cut and/or boost certain frequencies, the prevailing approach of all of my mentors was to cut only, infact there was several graphic equalizers and parametric equalizers that were cut only. However throughout the 90s we were boosting and cutting with equal frequency (no pun intended).

Fast forward to 2020’s and beyond and after a long hiatus from professional audio I’m seeing once again a big resugance of cut-only approaches to equalization. Social media is filled with images that are exclusively cut only. What jumps out at me is that it is squashed extensively, leaving on a few key frequencies still making it through the aggressive cuts. This is a perfect example of where possibly a single boost would undo the extensive cutting.

Here are some of the approaches reflect different schools of thought on how to shape and enhance the audio signal.

Cut-Only Philosophy:

• Less is More: The cut-only philosophy emphasizes that it’s generally better to remove or attenuate unwanted frequencies rather than boosting others. This approach aims to maintain a clean and uncluttered audio signal.
• Minimizing Phase Issues: By cutting frequencies, you’re less likely to introduce phase issues or phase cancellation that can occur when boosting multiple bands, especially in complex mix scenarios.
• Surgical Precision: Cut-only equalization allows for surgical precision in addressing specific problems in the audio, such as eliminating resonant frequencies, reducing noise, or cleaning up muddy or boomy sounds.
• Prevention of Clipping: When boosting, there’s a higher risk of signal clipping, especially if the input signal is already hot. Cutting frequencies can prevent this issue and preserve headroom.
• Tonal Balance Preservation: This approach often focuses on preserving the original tonal balance of the audio source, making it a preferred choice for mastering engineers or those working on critical listening applications.

Permitting Cutting and Adding Philosophy:

• Creative Control: The approach of permitting both cutting and adding provides more creative control over the audio signal. It allows sound engineers to emphasize specific frequencies and shape the overall tonal character to their liking.
• Tonal Shaping: This method is commonly used in mixing where the goal is to sculpt and shape the sound to fit within the context of a mix. Boosting certain frequencies can make elements of a mix stand out or add character.
• Enhancement: When working with recorded instruments or vocals, boosting can help bring out the inherent qualities of the source and make it more prominent in the mix.
• Compensation for Mic and Room Issues: In live sound or recording scenarios where you can’t control the environment completely, boosting can help compensate for microphone limitations or room acoustics issues.
• Musical Creativity: For creative or artistic purposes, sound engineers may use boosting to create unique textures and tonalities, which can be essential in genres like electronic music or experimental sound design.

Ultimately, the choice between these philosophies depends on the context and goals of the audio engineer or producer. In some situations, a combination of both approaches may be used to achieve the desired results. Additionally, the quality of the EQ hardware or software being used can influence the success of either approach, as some equalizers are better suited for cutting, while others excel at boosting. Experienced professionals often develop their own techniques and preferences based on their specific needs and the type of audio they work with.