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Interactive lab

Instruments & Frequencies.

Every instrument owns a slice of the spectrum. Two sounds fighting for the same slice = a muddy mix. This maps 30+ instruments onto the frequency band they live in, spots where any two clash, and tells you how to fix it — so you can choose sounds that fill the space instead of fighting.

Interactive frequency map Clash detector Hear any band
01

The frequency map

Where every instrument lives. The faint bar is its full range; the bright core is the band it dominates — the part you protect for it. Filter by family, tap any instrument for its EQ tip and a tone you can hear.

Interactive · Spectrum Allocation
Tap an instrument

Each row shows where that sound sits in the mix. Tap one to see its key range, its job, and how to EQ it — and hear a tone at the centre of its range.

02

Pairing lab — will these clash?

Pick any two sounds. If their cores overlap you'll see the clash zone shaded in red, with exactly what to do. If they don't, they pair naturally — that's how you build a full, clean arrangement.

Interactive · Clash Detector
Sound A
Sound B
Sound A core Sound B core Clash zone
Hear it — do they mask?
03

The method: make room

Mud isn't a volume problem, it's a real-estate problem — two sounds in the same band. These are the five moves to give every element its own space, in the order you should reach for them.

1

Choose, don't fix arrangement

The best EQ is picking sounds that already live in different bands. Before you layer two pads or two basses, ask: do they fight? Use the map — a sub-heavy 808 + a bright pluck fill the space; two mid-heavy synths clash.

2

High-pass everything clear the lows

Only the kick and bass need the sub. High-pass every other track up to where its core begins (see each instrument's range) — pads, guitars, vocals. Instantly removes 80% of mud.

3

Carve & complement EQ trade-off

When two sounds must share a band, cut that band on the less-important one and let the other own it. Classic move: dip the bass where the kick thumps, dip the pad where the vocal sits. One boosts, the other dips — they interlock.

4

Pan & octave the other dimensions

Clashing in frequency? Separate them in space (pan one left, one right) or in pitch (move one up an octave). Two guitars panned hard apart stop fighting without any EQ.

5

Sidechain the overlap dynamic space

For unavoidable low-end clashes (kick vs 808), sidechain so one ducks when the other hits — they share the band by taking turns, not at the same time.

The "fill the spectrum" checklist

A full-sounding track usually covers: sub (kick/808), low (bass), low-mid (body — keys, guitars), mid (the lead/vocal), high-mid (presence, snare), highs (hats, air). If a band is empty the mix feels thin; if a band is crowded it feels muddy. Use the map to see which bands you've filled and which are empty.

04

Common clashes

The conflicts that come up in almost every mix — who fights who, why, and exactly how to fix it. Test any pair yourself in the Pairing Lab.

Clash #1 — Most Common

808 / Bass vs. Kick Drum

Both instruments are trying to own the same low-end space (60–150 Hz). The result: a muddy, undefined low-end where neither instrument is clearly felt.

The Fix

Give the kick ownership of 80–150 Hz (the "thump"). Give the 808/bass ownership of 40–80 Hz (the "sub weight"). Cut 100–150 Hz on the bass by -4 dB. Cut 40–60 Hz on the kick by -3 dB. They now occupy separate shelves.

Advanced Fix — Sidechain

Route the kick through a sidechain compressor on the 808. Every time the kick hits, the 808 ducks by 3–6 dB for ~50ms. They take turns in time, so they never overlap.

Clash #2 — Very Common

Lead Vocal vs. Lead Synth

Both live in the 1–5 kHz "presence" zone. When both are boosted here, the mix sounds harsh and neither element is intelligible — they mask each other.

The Fix

Frequency swap: Boost the vocal at 3.5 kHz. Cut the lead synth at 3.5 kHz by the same amount. They literally swap space. The vocal sits "in front," the synth sits "behind." Volume levels stay the same.

Arrangement Fix

When the vocal enters, automate the lead synth DOWN by 3 dB. When the vocal rests, bring it back up. This is how every professional track is arranged — they take turns.

Clash #3 — Wind/Brass Specific

Trumpet vs. Lead Vocal / Lead Synth

Trumpet's "blare" zone (1–3 kHz) sits directly under the vocal presence range (3–5 kHz). Add a flute on top and you have three instruments stacked in the same 1–5 kHz window.

The Fix

Assign each a lane: Trumpet: 1–2 kHz (cut 2–5 kHz). Flute: 2–4 kHz (HP at 300 Hz, cut below 1 kHz). Vocal: 4–5 kHz (cut 1–3 kHz). Each instrument owns one "shelf" of the midrange.

Arrangement Fix

Never have trumpet, flute, AND vocal playing together at full volume simultaneously. Use the brass as an answer to the vocal phrase — they alternate, creating call and response naturally.

Clash #4 — Common in Dense Mixes

Pads vs. Everything (Mud Buildup)

Pads sustain for a long time, which means they continuously add to the 200–500 Hz mud zone. When pads are playing, everything else in the mix sounds thicker and muddier than it should.

The Fix

HP pads at 200–300 Hz and cut -5 to -6 dB at 250–400 Hz. This feels drastic in solo but correct in the full mix. Pads should occupy the 500 Hz–8 kHz range only — let bass, kick, and low strings own everything below.

Quick Test

Mute your pad track. If the whole mix suddenly sounds cleaner and more open, your pad is the mud source. Mute is the fastest diagnostic tool you have.

Clash #5 — Strings/Orchestral

String Sections vs. Keys / Rhodes

Both strings and keys accumulate energy in the 200–500 Hz range (warmth/body zone). When both are playing chords simultaneously, the mix becomes thick, boxy, and indistinct — especially in the low mids.

The Fix

Let one own "warmth": cut strings at 300 Hz, boost Rhodes at 300 Hz. Or vice versa. They cannot both be "warm" simultaneously — one must feel thin for the other to feel full. The listener hears both anyway; they just stop fighting.

Voicing Fix

Have strings play sustained long notes while keys play rhythmic chords, or vice versa. Different rhythmic patterns let the ear separate them even at identical frequencies.

Clash #6 — Tuba/Bass Horns

Tuba / Bass Trombone vs. 808 & Sub

Tuba fundamentals reach 40–80 Hz — the exact same range as your 808 sub. They create phase cancellation and a boomy, undefined low-end when played simultaneously.

The Fix

Choose one per moment. Either: (A) HP the tuba at 100 Hz and let it contribute warmth at 100–300 Hz only, or (B) remove the 808 during tuba sections and let the tuba provide the low-end. They are doing the same job — pick one to do it.

Listening Test

Toggle between soloing just tuba and just 808. If they play the same note, you'll hear phase reinforcement or cancellation. One octave apart = they can coexist with careful EQ. Same octave = one must yield.

Frequency swap table

Cut each instrument where the other one lives — they trade space instead of fighting for it.

Instrument AInstrument BConflict ZoneFix: Cut A atFix: Cut B atResult
808 / Sub BassKick Drum60–150 Hz100–150 Hz (-4 dB)40–60 Hz (-3 dB)Bass owns sub, kick owns thump. Each felt separately.
Lead VocalLead Synth2–5 kHz— (boost 3.5k +2dB)3.5 kHz (-2 dB)Vocal pokes through synth. Synth sits behind.
TrumpetLead Vocal1–3 kHz2–5 kHz (-3 dB)1–2 kHz (-2 dB)Trumpet sounds "brassy", vocal sounds "airy". Different textures.
Flute / OcarinaLead Synth2–4 kHz1–2 kHz (-3 dB)3–5 kHz (-2 dB)Flute feels "breathy", synth feels "electronic". Separated by texture.
PadsRhodes / Keys200–500 Hz250–400 Hz (-5 dB)200–350 Hz (-3 dB)Low-mid opens up. Both feel distinct rather than one thick mass.
Strings (section)Pads300–600 Hz250–500 Hz (-4 dB)300–600 Hz (-4 dB)Strings feel "woody and bowed", pads feel "electronic and wide".
Acoustic GuitarPiano200–500 Hz200–350 Hz (-3 dB)350–500 Hz (-3 dB)Guitar owns "woody body", piano owns "bloomy warmth".
Tuba / Bass Horn808 / Bass40–100 HzHP at 100 HzDuck during tubaTuba provides warmth 100–300 Hz, 808 provides sub below. No overlap.
Sax (alto/tenor)Electric Guitar200–800 Hz300–500 Hz (-3 dB)200–400 Hz (-3 dB)Sax feels "reedy and warm", guitar feels "bright and present".
SnareClap (layered)150–400 Hz150–300 Hz (-3 dB)HP at 200 HzSnare provides body, clap provides crack and air. One low, one high.
05

What lives where

A quick map of the spectrum by band — what each region does and the one move to remember.

BandLives hereThe move
Sub 20–60 HzKick thump, 808/sub-bass, the rumble you feelOnly one thing here at a time. High-pass everything else. Check on speakers that have real low end.
Low 60–200 HzBass, kick body, low toms, warmth of pads & guitarsThe "weight" zone — and the #1 mud zone. Trim 200–300 on anything that isn't bass.
Low-mid 200–600 HzBody of guitars/keys/snare, vocal chest, fullnessBoxiness lives here. A broad cut around 300–400 cleans almost any mix.
Mid 600 Hz–2 kHzThe heart of most instruments & the vocal's intelligibilityMost crowded band — the one the lead/vocal must win. Carve room for it here.
High-mid 2–6 kHzAttack, presence, snare crack, consonants, pick noisePresence and "forward". Boosts here cut through — but get harsh fast. Watch sibilance.
Highs 6–12 kHzHi-hats, cymbals, sibilance, sparkleDetail and shimmer. De-ess vocals here; don't pile every track's highs on top of each other.
Air 12–20 kHzSheen, "expensive" sparkle, room senseA gentle high-shelf adds polish. Mostly cymbals, vocal air, and reverb tails.
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