What are the best equalizer settings for a more clean and clear voice sound?

An equalizer (also known as an EQ) is an audio signal processing tool that allows users to adjust the level of specific frequencies. The primary function of an EQ is to shape the overall tonal characteristics of an audio signal by boosting or cutting selected frequency ranges.

Properly setting an EQ is crucial for voice audio in order to achieve a clean and clear sound. The goal is to enhance the fundamental frequencies that are essential for speech intelligibility while attenuating frequencies that can make vocals sound muddy or harsh. Finding the right equalization balance takes some training of the ear, but following a few key best practices can get you close.

In this guide, we will cover some of the most important equalizer settings to focus on for improving the clarity of vocal recordings and live speech. These include setting overall gain, identifying and cutting unwanted frequencies, boosting vocal fundamentals, shaping presence, listening on multiple devices, using compression thoughtfully, allowing for headroom, and more. Following these guidelines can help produce vocals that cut through a mix with crisp articulation and presence.

Understand Your Equipment

Knowing the frequency response of your microphone, audio interface, headphones, and monitors is key to achieving a clear and balanced sound. As this Shure article explains, frequency response shows the range of frequencies a microphone can pick up and how its sensitivity varies across that range. Microphones with a flatter, wider frequency response will capture more detail. According to Jim Vo, the frequency response indicates how accurately a mic transduces input sound into an electrical signal.

Your interface, headphones and monitors also have frequency response specs that indicate their capabilities and colorations. Research the frequency response curves for all your equipment to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge will allow you to shape the frequency content at different stages to compensate for any undesirable boosts or cuts inherent in your signal chain.

Set Overall Gain First

Before adjusting individual frequency bands with EQ, it’s important to set the overall gain level properly. The overall gain level establishes the foundation that the rest of the mix is built on top of. According to Produce Like A Pro, a good starting point for overall gain is usually around -12 to -6 dB (https://producelikeapro.com/blog/gain-staging-modern-recording/)

Setting the gain too high can lead to clipping and distortion even if no individual frequency is peaking. On the other hand, setting the gain too low reduces your signal to noise ratio and means you’ll have to boost EQ bands drastically to hear the desired effects. Finding the right overall level gives you more headroom to work with when applying EQ.

Start with the gain around -12 dB and increase slowly while listening carefully for distortion. As soon as you hear any harshness, back it down slightly. This establishes your maximum gain level before clipping. You can then reduce a few more dB to leave some extra headroom. Now you have the optimal gain staging set to build the rest of your EQ adjustments on top of.

Cut Unwanted Frequencies

One of the most important steps in EQing vocals is to identify and attenuate any resonant peaks or boxiness that make the voice sound muddy or honky. Certain frequency ranges like 300-500 Hz tend to build up and cause boxiness according to Audio Issues. A tight Q boost sweep around 300-500 Hz can help pinpoint the problem frequencies, which can then be cut with a narrow notch filter.

It’s also essential to control sibilance and harsh consonants, which often occur around 5-8 kHz. A de-esser can be very effective for transparently controlling sibilance. Otherwise, a dip at around 7 kHz with a narrow Q can help smooth out harsh “sss” and “ttt” sounds. Take care not to cut too much at 7 kHz though, as this can make the vocal sound dull and lifeless as noted by the Home Recording Network. A 2-3 dB dip is usually sufficient to control sibilance without sacrificing clarity and presence.

Boost Fundamentals

Gently boosting certain frequency ranges can help bring out the best in a vocal recording. In particular, a gentle boost around 100-150Hz can add fuller body and richness to the voice, while a slight boost around 5kHz can increase articulation and clarity (1). The key is to boost just enough to get the desired effect, as overboosting can make the voice sound unnatural or fatiguing.

According to audio experts, the fundamental vocal frequency range for both male and female voices tends to fall between 85Hz to 180Hz (2). Boosting within this range by a few dB can add pleasing warmth and fullness. However, each voice is unique, so listen carefully and adjust to taste.

Around 5kHz is an important range for bringing out articulation, presence and intelligibility in vocals. A boost of 1-3dB centered around 5kHz can help voices cut through a mix. But avoid boosting too much, as excessive 5kHz boosting can lead to sibilance and a harsh, grating sound.

When boosting fundamentals, use a narrow Q value and make subtle, gentle adjustments as you listen. The right boost should complement the vocal without calling attention to the EQ itself. Trust your ears to find the sweet spot.

Shape Presence

Boosting frequencies around 8-10kHz with a high shelf filter can add air and openness to the vocals. As this guide mentions, a gentle boost in this high frequency range brings out the definition and clarity in the vocals. It gives them more presence and crispness without making them harsh.

Conversely, cutting frequencies below 300Hz with a low shelf filter helps remove boominess and muddiness from the vocals. As explained in this vocal EQ tutorial, excessive low frequencies can make the vocals sound muddy and undefined. Attenuating frequencies below 300Hz tightens up the low end for a more focused vocal sound.

Listen Across Devices

It is important to check your voice mix on a variety of speakers and headphones so that it translates well across different playback systems (Title Reddit URL). What sounds great on studio monitors may sound very different on phone speakers or earbuds. Make a point to listen on as many systems as possible such as headphones, car speakers, computer speakers, Bluetooth speakers, etc. (Per title Title Blog URL).

As you check your mix, listen for elements that may be too loud or too quiet on certain systems and make adjustments to get the vocals to sit well in the overall mix. The goal is to get the voice to be clear and intelligible no matter what device it is played through. Even listening in different environments like a noisy cafe can reveal issues. If you make adjustments so the voice cuts through on a variety of systems, your listeners will get the best experience no matter how they access the audio.

Use Compression Carefully

When using compression on vocals, it is important to use a light touch. The goal of compression is to gently control the vocal dynamics without squashing the life out of the performance. According to this guide, a good starting point is setting the compression ratio between 2:1 and 4:1. The threshold can be set based on the vocalist’s dynamic range, catching only the loudest peaks. A short attack time between 1-5ms will allow transients through, while a medium release around 40-100ms will smoothly attenuate the signal.

Over-compression can make the vocal sound unnatural and lifeless. As noted in this Sound on Sound article, heavy compression was often used in the analog days to prevent tape distortion, but modern digital recording has more headroom, making extreme compression unnecessary. It’s best to use subtle compression just to control errant peaks and give a sense of polish. This will allow the vocalist’s nuanced dynamics to shine through while evening out the overall level.

Leave Headroom

When equalizing and compressing audio, it’s important not to overprocess the signal. As explained in this article on headroom from iZotope, you should leave ample headroom in your mix to avoid clipping or distortion. Headroom refers to the space between the highest peak level in your mix and 0 dBFS (digital full scale).

For optimal sound quality, you generally want to leave around 6-10dB of headroom above your mix’s peak level. This gives transients (sudden spikes in volume) room to breathe without hitting the ceiling and clipping. It also allows the entire mix to feel more open and natural with space for dynamics.

Overusing EQ and compression can reduce headroom by boosting levels uniformly toward 0 dBFS. As this Sound on Sound article explains, more headroom translates to a more natural, high-quality sound. So when equalizing and compressing, adjust settings conservatively. Don’t overdo it, and leave plenty of headroom for your mix to shine.

Conclusion

Equalizing your voice is an art that takes time and experience to master. By following the guidelines covered in this guide, you can get started on optimizing your vocal tone for a cleaner, clearer sound.

To recap, focus first on setting overall gain correctly to maximize your signal without clipping. Make strategic cuts to reduce muddiness, nasality, sibilance, and other unwanted resonances. Boost key frequencies in the 1-5kHz range to add clarity and presence. Listen across different sound systems to ensure your EQ travels well.

Compression can be used sparingly to tighten up vocals, but avoid overcompressing. Always leave some headroom for peaks rather than normalizing. Take breaks when equalizing to avoid ear fatigue.

Most importantly, train your ears by continually experimenting with different EQ settings on your vocals. Compare with commercial mixes you admire. Over time, you will develop intuitive skills for sculpting tone. With dedication to the craft, your equalizer can become a powerful tool for polishing vocals.