Play Hi-hats frequencies
Pick a band to boost it on the loop. Cut and Solo use the same frequency.
Hi-hats
Where a hi-hats usually needs help
Hats are mostly high, but a cheap pair sounds harsh at 8–10 kHz and papery around 300 Hz.
High-pass until the hat is no longer a shaker full of mud, then tuck the harsh band instead of turning the whole top down.
| Frequency | Job | What you are hearing |
|---|---|---|
| 300 Hz | Chuff | Stick and air leak. High-pass or a narrow cut. |
| 1500 Hz | Metallic honk | A closed hat's 'ting'. Cut if it pokes a hole in the vocal. |
| 6000 Hz | Stick | The tick that locks with the snare. |
| 10000 Hz | Sizzle | Air. Boost only after 3–6 kHz is already balanced. |
| 14000 Hz | Extreme air | Often inaudible on the audience's headphones. Check before boosting. |
These are starting points for this instrument, not a preset. The numbers differ from the toms page because the problems differ. Playback is a peaking filter around +9 dB or −10 dB, or a solo, as described in the methodology.
Other instruments
Hear it in a chart. Train it in the app.
The frequency trainer uses drums, bass, guitars and mixes so the bands on this page show up in daily practice.
Download on theApp Store- EQ & compressionDaily drills on drums, bass, guitars and full mixes.
- Intervals & chordsPiano training that uses the same note names as these pages.
- Studio toolsMetronome, tone generator and tap tempo live in the app too.
Explore the cluster
Keep training & testing
FAQ
Hi-hats EQ questions
What frequency is most important on a hi-hats?
Start with the fundamental or the mud, not the air. On this page that means reading the first rows of the table and soloing them before you touch a high shelf.
Will these exact numbers fit my recording?
No. Microphones, tunings and arrangements move the resonances. Use the labels to know what you are hunting, then sweep a few semitones either side.
How loud should I listen?
Keep soloed bands at a conversation level. These pages can generate steady tones and noise, which fatigue your ears faster than music. If anything rings or feels uncomfortable, stop and turn the volume down.