EQ for Electric Guitar — Beginner’s Guide to a Fat, Heavy Sound
Say goodbye to thin tone.

White electric guitar – EQ tutorial
White electric guitar – EQ tutorial

This is a simple, no-BS guide for beginners recording and mixing electric guitar — rock, hard rock, or metal. Short steps, clear results. 🤘

What EQ Is

EQ lets you turn up or down parts of the sound. Think of it like volume knobs for bass, mids, and treble. We remove what hurts the mix and boost what helps.

Before You Touch EQ

  • Input level: Aim for -12 to -6 dBFS into your amp sim when playing normally.
  • Cab/IR first: If it’s harsh or boxy, try another cab/IR before heavy EQ.

Quickstart: 5 Easy EQ Moves

1) Clean the Low End (80–150 Hz)

Use a high-pass filter (HPF) to remove rumble. Start low and raise the cutoff until the mud clears, then back off a few Hz so the body remains. Choose a steeper slope (18–24 dB/oct) for lower tunings to keep palm-mutes tight without thinning the tone.

  • Standard E: 80–90 Hz
  • Drop D/C: 90–120 Hz
  • 7-string/very low: 100–140 Hz

Goal: leave the deepest lows for kick + bass, and apply HPF on the guitar track—not the master.

2) Reduce the “Box” (400–600 Hz)

This is where guitars get boxy/nasal. Do a small cut around 450–500 Hz; sweep with a narrow Q to find the exact offender and then reduce gently. Avoid overcutting here—too much scoop can hollow out the guitar and fight the snare’s body.

3) Add Attack & Clarity (1.5–3 kHz)

Pick definition lives here. Try a gentle boost around 2 kHz so guitars cut through drums and bass, and widen the Q if it sounds pokey. If vocals also sit in this band, consider a smaller boost or a dynamic band that lifts during instrumental parts only.

4) Add a Little Bite/Air (6–8 kHz)

A subtle boost gives brightness and edge. Check against cymbals—if the mix gets splashy or brittle, back off and try a slightly lower frequency. Sometimes it’s better to tame the harsh spot first and then add just a touch of air.

⚠️ If it gets “fizzy,” cut a bit at 4–5 kHz instead of boosting more top end. A narrow notch plus a good cab/IR choice usually sounds cleaner than big high-shelf boosts.

5) Double-Tracked Rhythms? Make L/R Slightly Different

Pan two takes hard L/R and EQ them slightly differently to create width without phase issues. You can also vary cab/IR or mic position a tiny bit between sides for natural separation. If you must use one take, use dual-mono processing and apply very small L/R differences.

  • Left: tiny low-mid cut (e.g., 450 Hz)
  • Right: tiny attack boost (e.g., 2 kHz)

Small differences add width and avoid the “stacked mono” sound—always do a quick mono check to make sure it still holds up.

How to Do It (step by step)

  1. Pick a good cab/IR. The raw tone should already feel close.
  2. Set HPF for your tuning (see above).
  3. Mix context first. Tame 450–500 Hz until boxiness calms down.
  4. Add attack around 2 kHz (light touch).
  5. Check the top end: if fizzy, notch 4–5 kHz; if too dark, add a little 6–7 kHz.
  6. A/B test (on/off). If it’s night-and-day, you probably went too far.
  7. Mono check quickly to ensure your width isn’t phasey.

Three Simple Starting Recipes (tweak to taste)

Classic Hard Rock (Standard E/D)

  • HPF 85 Hz
  • –2 dB @ 470 Hz
  • +1 dB @ 2.2 kHz
  • +0.8 dB @ 7 kHz (gentle shelf)

Modern Metal (Drop C)

  • HPF 105 Hz
  • –1.5 dB @ 500 Hz
  • If fizz: –2 dB @ 4.3 kHz (narrow)
  • +1 dB @ 2 kHz
  • If palm-mutes boom: –1 dB @ 180 Hz

7-String / Very Low Tunings

  • HPF 120 Hz
  • Palm-mutes swelling? –1 to –2 dB @ 200 Hz
  • Fizz? –1 dB @ 4.8 kHz (narrow)
  • +0.8 dB @ 2.6 kHz for pick clarity

Quick Fixes for Common Problems

  • Low-end mud everywhere: Raise HPF a little; let bass + kick own the sub area.
  • Boxy middle: Small cut in 400–600 Hz.
  • Harsh/fizzy top: Notch 4–5 kHz before boosting 6–8 kHz.
  • Thin and weak: Make sure HPF isn’t too high, try another cab/IR, maybe a tiny lift around 150–250 Hz.

Free & Simple Plugins (great for starters)

  • TDR Nova (free) — simple, can work dynamically when needed
  • ReaEQ (REAPER, free) — light and transparent

When you want to upgrade:

  • FabFilter Pro-Q 3 — super clear visuals and dynamic bands
  • SSL Native X-EQ 2 — musical curves, fast results

Amp Sims & Handy Tools

Mini Glossary

HPF (High-Pass Filter)
Lets highs pass, cuts deep bass.
Hz/kHz
Where you’re EQ’ing (bass → treble).
Fizz
Harsh, sandpapery top end.
A/B
Compare with/without your changes.

Hear It in Real Mixes

→ YouTube: @JohnnyRiffs

→ Backing track albums:

Remember

Small moves win. Start gentle, listen in the full mix, A/B often — and trust your ears. If it sounds good in the song, your EQ is right.