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Production guides
Straight-talking guides to the moves that matter — EQ, sidechain, groove and mix — with the tools to do them.
Guide · EQWhat is a dynamic EQ (and when to use one)A dynamic EQ is an equaliser whose bands move with the signal — cutting or boosting only when a frequency crosses a threshold. Here's how it differs from static EQ and multiband compression, and when to reach for it.Guide · VocalsHow to de-ess a vocal (without dulling it)De-essing tames harsh 's' and 't' sounds without killing the air in a vocal. Here's what causes sibilance, the two ways to fix it, and how to de-ess with a dynamic EQ so you only touch the sibilance and nothing else.Guide · SidechainHow to sidechain in FL Studio (3 ways)Sidechain compression makes your bass and pads 'pump' to the kick — the heartbeat of house and techno. Here are three ways to sidechain in FL Studio, from Fruity Limiter to a dedicated ducker, and how to get a clean, musical pump.Guide · SidechainHow to sidechain in Ableton LiveAbleton's stock Compressor has a built-in sidechain — here's how to duck bass and pads to your kick for a clean, pumping low end, plus how to get a more controllable pump than a compressor gives you.Guide · MIDIHow to humanize MIDI so it stops sounding stiffDead-quantized MIDI sounds like a grid because it is one. Humanizing adds the micro-timing, velocity variation and ghost notes a real player brings. Here's how to do it — and how to imprint a genuine house groove instead of random jitter.Guide · MixingHow to fix a muddy mix (find the mud and clear it)A muddy mix is usually a pile-up of low-mid energy around 200-500 Hz and too many sources fighting for the same low end. Here's how to find the mud, clear it with subtractive and dynamic EQ, and keep the warmth.Guide · StereoWhat is mid/side EQ (and how to use it)Mid/side EQ splits your stereo signal into the mono centre (mid) and the stereo difference (side), so you can EQ each independently - tighten the centre, widen the sides, and keep your low end mono. Here's how it works.Guide · MixingHow to fix frequency masking (make everything sit)Frequency masking is when two sounds fight for the same frequency band and neither cuts through - kick vs bass, vocal vs synth. Here's how to hear it, the old static fix, and the cleaner dynamic 'unmasking' approach.Guide · VocalsHow to EQ vocals (a simple, repeatable order)Great vocal EQ is mostly subtraction in the right order: high-pass, clear the mud, tame the harshness and sibilance, then add presence and air. Here's the order, the frequencies that matter, and when to go dynamic.Guide · MixingHow to remove resonance and harshness with EQA resonance is a narrow frequency that rings or jumps out - a boxy room mode, a harsh mic peak, a plucky synth overtone. Here's how to find resonant frequencies and remove them without dulling the whole sound.Free EQ · FL StudioThe best free EQ for FL StudioFL Studio ships with Parametric EQ 2, but if you want a modern dynamic EQ with a live analyzer and one-click cleanup — free — here's how AURORA compares and how to load it in FL Studio.Free EQ · Ableton LiveThe best free EQ for Ableton LiveAbleton's EQ Eight is a workhorse, but it isn't a dynamic EQ. Here's where a free dynamic EQ with a live spectrum and one-click cleanup fits into an Ableton chain, and how to load it.Free EQ · ReaperThe best free EQ for ReaperReaper ships with ReaEQ, a clean and capable static EQ - but not a dynamic one. Here's where a free dynamic EQ with a live spectrum and one-click cleanup fits in a Reaper chain, and how to load it.Free EQ · CubaseThe best free EQ for CubaseCubase Pro includes Frequency, a proper dynamic EQ - but Elements and Artist don't, and even on Pro a second free dynamic EQ with a one-click assistant is handy. Here's how AURORA fits and how to load it in Cubase.Use case · MasteringThe best free EQ for masteringMastering EQ asks for transparency: linear-phase option, mid/side control and gentle, precise moves. Here's what to look for in a free mastering EQ and how to use it on the 2-bus without smearing the transients.