4-Zone Mix Theory refers to the four main regions of sound we will be shaping and sculpting within our song.
Understanding these 4 zones allows us to figure out which instruments are competing for any given frequency zone and then make EQ decisions to only those instruments as we improve the frequency balance within just that frequency zone.
The 4 zones are as follows:
Lows: 20hz - 200hz: Bass, Kick and Snare located here.
Mids: 200hz – 1khz: The meat and body of most instruments lies in this range. It’s important to be very selective about which instruments you allow to be dominant within this range or else you’ll get a muddy mix.
High Mids: 1khz – 5khz: This is where the forwardness and presence of your instruments reside. This is our ears most sensitive range (in particular our ear is most sensitive to boosts and cuts @ 3khz)
Highs: 5khz – 20khz: This is where the Sizzle, Aliveness, High-Definition quality of our instruments comes from. If the mix is too sibilant, this is the range too look at.
When we start cutting and boosting with EQ we will be focused on making what are called Broad Strokes in these 4 frequency zones to achieve a well-defined Front to Back Mix.