Should you use EQ before or after compression? | Mixing Basics - Warren Huart: Produce Like A Pro

In today’s video we are going to be talking about whether we should EQ before or after compression! There is not a lot of consensus on this topic, because the truth is, it may vary from case to case. The main question you should be asking when trying to make this decision is: what is the best thing to do on this project?

In the video, I will give you a few examples of where I EQ, why I EQ and how I use it, whether it is before or after compression, of a combination of the two.

In the first example, I have a lead vocal with loads of energy, where the vocalist is at the top of her range. First, I’ve got an REQ with high passing, and then I am going into a de-esser. This is a single band compressor set to 5 and a half K, and then going into a compressor.

So why am I doing this? The REQ is wiping off the low-end in the singer’s voice that isn’t necessary. There is a whole bunch of noise coming in the background – AC and foot noise – and a lot of low-end that we don’t need. Many of you know that low-end takes up a lot of energy, meaning that if there’s low-end in her vocal that I don’t want, that might compress earlier than anything else, so I am EQ-ing right away, before I do into any kind of compression or de-essing. I want you to do two things here: listen, and also look over to see how much compression is going on. On this vocal, there was about 2-3 dB of extra compression.

On the piano part of this track, a lot of the low-end was too compressed, and you lost some of the exciting bounce in the track, which is why you would EQ before compressing, in that case.

With many things, especially vocals, you will use a combination of serial EQ and compression. For me, de-essing always has to start as either the first or second step. Even though I high-pass, I don’t want to boost any of the high-mids and I wouldn’t want to do that without using a de-esser first, because I don’t want to boost something that I don’t want there in the first place.

❤️My Favorite Plugins:

❤️GEAR:

❤️❤️Free 3 Part Mixing Course:

#ProduceLikeAPro
#HomeRecording
#MixingBasics

Produce Like A Pro is a website which features great tips to help the beginning recordist make incredible sounding home recordings on a budget.

[Producelikeapro]

Do you use EQ before or after compression? Why?

[owencoopersfx]

Simple answer: EQ out anything you know you don’t need, then compress, then EQ to color correct. Thanks for the video :) Greatest takeaway for me is putting in the de-esser earlier. Normally I do it toward the end 😅

[DANpimp]

This video really is such a huge revelation. This really makes sense of the relationship between frequencies, and dynamics. I feel like now when I EQ I will be much more aware, and strategic about what I do going into my compressor. I see it as the EQ sets the precedent of how the compression will end up sounding. Amazing video nobody else has explained this as well as you 👍

[Juliano_DJOL]

Subtractive EQ, then Compress, then additive EQ...unless you wanna go for a crazy sound like maybe a parallel track with additive eq then super compress and add in a little of that to the orginal sound! MIXING IS SO FUN LOL!

[AudioReplica]

I use mainly Boz digital manic compressor exactly for this purpose. Since it have a side chain eq that you can use before compression it helps a lot when trying to make the compressor respond to a certain frequency range but the good thing is that side chain eq is not audible and does not eq your track at all...the only one listening for that eq changes is the compressor so you have plenty of freedom equing your track after compression again and not stuck to the tone you already dialed before compression.

[evighvitveis]

I usually do the subtractive EQ/filtering first, so the compressor only reacts to the signal i want it to. Alternatively use the internal side chain filter which most compressor plugins has these days👍

[chrismataran]

Basically I do what I've learnt from you :-) EQ and then COMP. Always good to repeat and repeat again those mixing basics. Thanks (again) Warren!

[DeltaWhiskeyBravo]

I EQ first, notches about 3 dB around 120, 250 Hz and another at 5 kHz. These 3 areas are always a bit too hot in my mix. This is a Livestream church audio I'm doing in Studio One 6 BTW.

After the initial EQ, there's serial compression, and another broad brush Massive Passive EQ emulation. My effect sends have EQ (modified Abbey Road trick) then sidechain ducking compression too.

My plug-ins:

Melda - standard parametric EQ and freeform EQ, standard compressor

Effects:
MDelayMB, MReverbMB, MSaturatorMB, MDistortionMB, a Stereo widener

Then the Pulsar Smasher parallel mixed in, the Pulsar Mu for glue compression, Pulsar Massive for final broad brush EQ

Master bus gets the Melda UltraMaximizer and loudness metering

[livingabovetheth]

If one needs a rule of thumb for this....for correctional cuts like hpf, lpf, cutting low mids -> eq pre comp. Because then your comp won't be reacting to things you don't want to hear anyway. For enhancement additive eq like hi shelf boosts -> eq post comp. Because boosting into a comp will cause it to turn down what you are boosting. Best solution is dynamic freq-dependant eq before your broadband comp. Waves C6 type into whatever comp. Chain that always works for me live and in the studio is hpf+lpf -> dynamic eq -> broadband comp -> enhancement additive eq.

[stupendousmusic]

Excellent Warren! I pretty much always eq before compressing/limiting, except on the main buss, where I usually just tickle the compressor—if I instantiate one—and then eq.

Juxtaposition: Bobby Owsinski always compresses and then eqs when doing a mix. He says that if you want to maintain or enhance the sound, compress before eq; if you want to alter the sound, eq first, then compress. What are your thoughts (or anyone elses here) on this?

How about NO COMPRESSION? Everything doesn't always need to be compressed (or even eq'ed for that matter).

[seanohutton]

This Answer!... This!.

Thank you for explaining stuff I have always done, because I was taught to do it this certain way, yet not exactly understanding why but doing as taught... I find it's comforting knowing that they steered me straight!.

It's a bit different for me as my past is in live audio, and studio recording is a different beast, and mixing live VS recorded in the studio is a whole other world of new.

[moosehavenstudio]

You explain things so eloquently, I find that after listening to your explanations I have a habit of putting them in my Notes ( yes, I take notes) and implementing them. You will never get the credit you deserve, You teaching a whole generation of mixers that will be better than ever. I wish that years ago, as I was reading my EQ mags and Home Recording that I knew what you just told us, it would have gone a long way with me. For this I raise my glass to you and tell you that my mixes are so much better because of your instruction!!! May you teach forever, I glean a universe of truth in your videos, and your the perfect post audio for media student ( that I am, at age 61, but thats a long story), LOL.

[johnvcougar]

I apply the Mike Stavrou principles in this regard. Typically subtractive stuff before, and maybe pre-emphasis to setup specific frequencies that trigger the compressor. Post-compression, the notable feature is that there is a multiplication factor to any boosts and cuts, so use sparingly! Take a peep at "Mixing with Your Mind" by Mike Stavrou. Amazing "bible" for mix balance engineering, imho.

[GolgothaMediaStudio]

Fantastic, so much easier when you can see, and have your ears correlate the difference. The approach I first learned was to see the compressor to 3db of reduction and then start low cutting. Once it was obvious, back it off a tad.

[Banditman]

Thank you so much for this Warren. I've seen many people post videos on what they do, but they don't always explain WHY. That WHY makes a huge difference!

[jonmatthews]

Interesting as always, thanks. I use a highpass eq first, then a multiband compressor to avoid boosting unwanted low end indirectly with blanket compression, just the frequency areas desired.

[danvan]

For the last 20 years I've done HPF, De-esser, comp, second HPF, EQ (if necessary), FX for everything except low end signals (bass, kick, floor tom, etc.). But I never thought of setting up two master buss tracks for mastering. Great idea - Thanks!

[matthewsweet]

This was very timely for me. I just used the filters on Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain on the 2bus to not only bypass compression detection on the low end, but I pushed a bit of 2.3K into the detector to smooth out some accumulated harshness that I just couldn't quite drive out in the individual tracks. I'm trying to finish up my take on Mary Spender's "Someone Better" and get it posted to the PLAP academy to see how I'm doing. Thanks for all of the lessons! I have a long way to go, but I can hear things improving.

[noahbirdrevolution]

I just looked at the chain for my radio show: EQ-reverb-Dsr-Comp. Not sure why I went verb there, but it is the slightest bit and it works.

[HEVANCERECORDS]

Thanks Warren, the way you presented the topic in this video about EQ after Comp cuts thru some of the confusing stuffs that needs to be cleared out in my mind. Great video.