The Ultimate Electronic Dance Music Frequency Chart

The frequencies in this chart have been proven to be the most effective for electronic dance music.

Introduction

The world of electronic dance music is one that is constantly evolving, with new genres and subgenres popping up all the time. With so many different sounds and styles to choose from, it can be tough to keep track of them all.

That’s where this frequency chart comes in. It breaks down the most popular genres and subgenres of EDM, and gives you an idea of what frequencies to expect in each one. Whether you’re a DJ looking for some new sounds to spin, or a producer looking for inspiration, this chart will give you a good starting point.

The Science of Sound

Dance music is often said to be all about the ‘drop’- that one moment in a track when the bassline suddenly kicks in and the whole song comes alive. But what exactly is happening on a frequency level when this happens? Let’s take a look at the science of sound.

What is sound?

Sound is a type of energy that travels through the air, or any other medium, as a vibration of pressure waves. These waves can be caused by many different things, such as clapping your hands, striking a tuning fork, or plucking a guitar string. The sound you hear when someone speaks is caused by their vocal cords vibrating.

When these waves reach your ear, they cause your eardrum to vibrate. This vibration is then passed on to the tiny bones in your middle ear, which amplify the sound and send it to your inner ear. The inner ear contains a snail-shaped organ called the cochlea, which is filled with fluid. When the fluid in the cochlea vibrates, it causes tiny hairs to move. These hairs then send signals to the brain, which interprets them as sound.

What is frequency?

Frequency is the number of cycles of a sound wave per unit of time. The unit of measurement for frequency is the hertz (Hz). The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch of the sound. The human ear can hear sounds with frequencies between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz (20 kHz).

Sound waves with frequencies below 20 Hz are called infrasound and are not audible to humans. Sound waves with frequencies above 20 kHz are called ultrasound and are also not audible to humans.

What is pitch?

Pitch is simply our perception of the frequency of a sound wave. A higher pitch sound corresponds to a higher frequency, and a lower pitch sound corresponds to a lower frequency. In low-frequency sounds, such as bass notes, we feel the vibrations in our bodies more than we hear them. That’s why it’s so important for dance music producers to have a good understanding of how pitch works.

The human ear can hear frequencies in the range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The average person can hear frequencies up to about 16kHz, although this range decreases with age. Some people can hear higher frequencies (20kHz and above) due to a condition known as high-frequency hearing loss, which is usually caused by exposure to loud noise.

The range of frequencies that we can hear is divided into seven octaves, each octave being twice the frequency of the one below it. The table below shows the range of frequencies for each octave:

Octave Frequency Range (Hz)
1 20 – 40
2 40 – 80
3 80 – 160
4 160 – 320
5 320 – 640
6 640 – 1,280
7 1,280 – 2,560

The Frequency Spectrum

In electronic dance music, frequencies are everything. Each note that you hear, whether it’s the thumping bassline or the soaring lead melody, occupies a specific place on the frequency spectrum. And each element of your mix should occupy its own place on that spectrum too. That’s why we created this handy guide to frequencies in EDM.

The audible spectrum

The audible spectrum is the range of frequencies that humans can hear. It extends from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Frequencies below 20 Hz are known as infrasound and are not audible to humans. frequencies above 20 kHz are known as ultrasound and are also not audible to humans.

The frequency of a sound is measured in hertz (Hz). This is the number of times per second that a sound wave vibrates. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch of the sound.

Most adults can hear between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. However, as we get older, our hearing deteriorates and we may only be able to hear up to 16 kHz or even 8 kHz.

The sub-audible spectrum

The sub-audible spectrum is the range of frequencies below the threshold of human hearing. These frequencies are important in electronic dance music because they can add power, depth, and fullness to a track without being audible. The sub-audible spectrum is also where the low end of a kick drum resides.

There are two main types of sub-audible frequencies: rumble and bass. Rumble is a low frequency rumble that can be felt more than it can be heard. Bass is a series of low frequency tones that can be felt and heard.

Rumble: 20 Hz – 60 Hz
Bass: 60 Hz – 250 Hz

The Frequency Chart

The frequencies in this chart are aimed at giving the listener a full, rich, and pleasant sound. They are not scientific frequencies, but they are what we have found to work well. You’ll notice that some frequencies are missing.

The low end

The low end is all about the bass. This is the foundation that everything else in the mix sits on top of. The low end is generally anything below around 250 Hz. This is the area where sub-bass live, which are frequencies that are felt more than they are heard.

The low end can be divided into two main areas, the sub-bass and the bass. The sub-bass is generally around 60-120 Hz, and this is where the really deep frequencies live. These frequencies are not always audible, but they add a sense of power and rumble to the mix. The bass region is generally around 120-250 Hz, and this is where most of the weight and body of the low end lives.

It’s important to remember that the human ear can only hear down to around 20 Hz, so anything below that is felt more than it is heard. This means that you should be careful not to overdo it with the low end, as too much can make your mix sound muddy and unfocused. When in doubt, less is more!

The mid-range

The midrange is where a majority of the energetic action of most electronic dance music tracks occurs. In terms of EQ, the midrange is generally accepted to be from around 250 Hz up to around 4 kHz. Above and below those frequencies lie the bass and treble regions respectively.

In general, the midrange frequencies are where you’ll find the “body” of most sounds. For example, the majority of a kick drum’s energy falls in the midrange, as does the snap of a snare drum or clap. The same can be said for lead vocals, acoustic guitars, and pretty much any other dominant sound in a track.

It’s worth noting that the ranges we’re talking about here are very broad brushstrokes. In reality, there is no hard and fast rule about where the midrange starts and ends. It’s more useful to think of it as a spectrum of frequencies that sits between the bass and treble extremes.

Within that spectrum, you’ll find a number of sub-ranges, each with its own unique characteristics. These sub-ranges can be EQ’d separately to achieve different results. Let’s take a look at some of the more important ones.

The high end

This is where things start to get tricky, because in reality, there are an infinite number of frequencies above 20kHz that we can’t hear. Most animals can hear higher frequencies than us, but as we age, our hearing deteriorates and we lose the ability to hear the highest frequencies.

However, just because we can’t hear something doesn’t mean it’s not there. In fact, a lot of what is going on in music is actually happening above 20kHz, which is why it’s so important to have good quality speakers that can reproduce these frequencies.

When it comes to electronic dance music, the high end is often where a lot of the action is happening. This is because a lot of the sounds that make up the music are high-pitched percussion instruments like hi-hats and cymbals.

So what should you be looking for when you’re EQing the high end? Well, as a general rule, you want to boost the highs if the track sounds dull or lifeless, and you want to cut them if the track sounds too harsh or tinny.

As with everything else in EQing, it’s important to use your ears and make small adjustments until you find something that sounds good. In general, you don’t want to boost or cut by more than 3dB at a time, and you want to make sure that you don’t go too extreme with your EQing either.

If you start boost too much at around 10kHz, for example, you will start to hear a harshness in the sound that can be quite unpleasant. The same goes for if you start cutting too much at around 4kHz.

So those are some general guidelines for EQing the high end of your mix. As always, use your ears and trust your instincts!

Conclusion

Now that you know about the different frequencies and what they’re responsible for, you can start to experiment with your music to see what sounds best. Don’t be afraid to boost the lower frequencies if you want a more bass-heavy sound, or the higher frequencies if you want your music to be brighter. Just remember to keep an eye on the overall mix so that everything still sounds balanced. And as always, have fun!