How to EQ a bass guitar

For most bass guitars, high-pass at 40Hz, boost 2dB at 80Hz for body, cut 2dB at 300Hz to clear mud, lift 1.

Updated 2026-05-03

Short answer

For most bass guitars, high-pass at 40Hz, boost 2dB at 80Hz for body, cut 2dB at 300Hz to clear mud, lift 1.5dB at 800Hz for growl, and add 1–2dB at 2.5kHz for finger/pick noise. The 800Hz growl is what makes a bass audible on small speakers.

High-pass: 40Hz, 12dB/oct slope
Boost: 80Hz, +2dB, Q 1.0, body and weight
Cut: 300Hz, −2dB, Q 1.5, clears mud
Boost: 800Hz, +1.5dB, Q 1.5, growl and definition
Boost: 2.5kHz, +1.5dB, Q 1.2, finger or pick attack

Try this in Cue

High-pass at 40Hz

Bass guitars rarely have useful content below 40Hz, that's the kick's territory. A 12dB/oct slope at 40Hz cleans up the bottom and gives the kick room. For 5-string basses with a low B (31Hz), drop to 30Hz. For standard 4-string, 40Hz is safe.

Boost body at 80Hz

The fundamental of an open E string is 41Hz, but the perceived weight sits at 80Hz where the second harmonic lands. A 2–3dB boost here with a wide Q gives the bass weight. If it clashes with kick, side-chain the bass to the kick or move the boost up to 100Hz.

Cut 300Hz to clear mud

The 250–400Hz range is where bass gets boomy and indistinct. A 1.5–3dB cut at 300Hz with a moderate Q (1.5) clears the low-mids and lets the bass move with the song instead of smearing.

Boost 800Hz for growl

This is the most underrated bass EQ move. 700–900Hz is where the bass becomes audible on phone and laptop speakers. A 1.5–2.5dB boost at 800Hz with a Q around 1.5 makes the bass cut without making it louder. Without this boost, the bass disappears on small speakers.

Optional: add attack at 2.5kHz

If you want pick noise, finger snap, or string articulation to come through, lift 1–2dB at 2.5kHz. For slap bass, push to 3–5kHz. For fingerstyle in a busy mix, this band helps the bass keep its rhythm.

Frequently asked

What frequency is a bass guitar?

The fundamentals span 41Hz (open E) to ~330Hz (high frets on the G string). Most of the perceived character lives in harmonics at 80–800Hz. The 800Hz region is what makes the bass audible on small speakers.

Why does my bass disappear on phone speakers?

Phone speakers can't reproduce frequencies below 200Hz. The fundamental is gone. Add a 1–2dB boost around 700–1000Hz to bring out the harmonics that small speakers can play. Saturation works even better than EQ here.

How do I stop bass and kick from clashing?

Three options: (1) carve a notch in the bass at the kick's fundamental (usually 60Hz), (2) side-chain the bass to the kick with a fast release, (3) move the bass body boost to 100–120Hz so each instrument owns its frequency.

Should I EQ bass guitar before or after compression?

Subtractive EQ (high-pass, mud cut) before compression so the compressor reacts to a clean signal. Boosts (body, growl, attack) after compression so they aren't squashed. A common chain: HP → cut 300Hz → compress → boost 800Hz.

Apply this in Cue

Open the app with this question pre-loaded. Free to use, no signup.

Try this in Cue