Dave Kutch, The Weeknd, and the Art of Aggressive EQ
“Two lessons from Kutch’s approach: don’t be too rigid with your techniques, and trust your instincts when bold moves feel right.”
Most mastering is subtle work. Small adjustments. Gentle nudges.
But sometimes the mix demands something bolder.
Each morning, I analyze masters by top engineers. I'll work on a track myself first, then study how the original engineer approached it. It's how I learn from the best while also warming up my ears.
Recently I worked on 'In Your Eyes' by The Weeknd, analyzing Dave Kutch's master. Kutch is more aggressive than most A-list mastering engineers. Where others might add 1dB here and there, Kutch really goes for it with 3-4dB boosts. That might not sound like much, but in the mastering world, it's substantial.
He really brought out the low end and vocals. Imagine having the balls to push that hard on a Serban Ghenea mix. Impressive stuff.
When I first tackled the track myself, my instincts were similar—boost the bass, brighten the top. But I played it safe. Kutch didn't.
The other big difference is that Kutch used mid-side processing, which I don't always reach for. In the mid channel, he pushed the bass and high-mids even harder. This made the track punchier than my stereo-only approach.
Here's an additional benefit: the aggressive EQ actually reduced the need for limiting. To match Kutch's level, I had to back off my limiter. The major benefit was that the limiter wasn't stomping on the transients as much, resulting in a punchier, livelier master.
Two lessons from Kutch's approach: don't be too rigid with your techniques, and trust your instincts when bold moves feel right. I rarely reach for mid-side EQ, but it worked great on this track.
Most of the time, subtle moves are the right choice. But when you've developed your ears through active listening and analysis—when you know your monitoring system inside out—you should trust what you're hearing. If the track feels like it needs more, give it more.
Here's a step-by-step approach on how I might tackle a similar track in the future:
Using your main stereo EQ, bring up the low end until it feels big, full, and punchy. Stop when things start to feel muddy.
Still using stereo EQ, bring up the top end until the vocal feels balanced and present, relative to the low end. Stop when things start feeling harsh and thin.
Now, reach for mid-side EQ. Try bringing out the low end some more in the mid channel. Can you make the bottom feel bigger, without additional muddiness from the sides?
Do the same for the vocal range. Can you make the vocals sound clearer and more present, without making the whole track sound too bright? How about the snare?
Sometimes the mix is asking for more than you think. Sometimes bold is better than safe.
