What does compression & eq do to a vocal?

Hi.

What does compression & EQ do to a vocal?

Please explain simply.

I watch tutorial and the hz and numbers scale comes up, like -10db etc.. I have no idea what this means.

Could someone explain?

Thanks so much appreciate your time!

Compression levels the signal, reducing the dynamic, so that the volume is more consistent throughout the song. So if your recorded vocals sound like:

I'VE AAAAAALLLLWAAAAAYS LOOOOVED YOOUUUUUU UUUUUU

... which may be too dynamic for your mix, meaning the loud parts are too loud and the soft parts too soft, the compressor will make them sound more consistent, like

I'VE AAAAAALLLLWAAAAAYS LOOOOVED YOOUUUUUU UUUUUU

The EQ allows you to apply gain (positive or negative gain, which basically means you're turning the volume up or down) to specific bands of frequencies. For example if your vocals sound boomy, you may want to turn down the low frequencies. If they lack definition, maybe you'll turn up the mid-high frequency around 3,500Hz to make them more intelligible. If they're too bright to the point where they sound aggressive, maybe you need to turn down some high frequencies. Etc...

Compression levels the signal, reducing the dynamic, so that the volume is more consistent throughout the song. So if your recorded vocals sound like:

 

I'VE AAAAAALLLLWAAAAAYS LOOOOVED YOOUUUUUU UUUUUU

 

... which may be too dynamic for your mix, meaning the loud parts are too loud and the soft parts too soft, the compressor will make them sound more consistent, like

 

I'VE AAAAAALLLLWAAAAAYS LOOOOVED YOOUUUUUU UUUUUU

 

The EQ allows you to apply gain (positive or negative gain, which basically means you're turning the volume up or down) to specific bands of frequencies. For example if your vocals sound boomy, you may want to turn down the low frequencies. If they lack definition, maybe you'll turn up the mid-high frequency around 3,500Hz to make them more intelligible. If they're too bright to the point where they sound aggressive, maybe you need to turn down some high frequencies. Etc...

What a wonderful way to illustrate compression, David. I'm gonna use that in the future.

Okay, David, you inspired me.

http://www.septemberartstudio.com/_BriPics/Compression-Limiting_diagram.png

... and, "whatever you do, don't let it clip!" Because, in the digital version of things, there is nothing good that can ever come of it. (The irreversible result of digital clipping is: "[permanent] data loss.")

If you want "[analog-] audio distortion effects," we have plenty of "kewel plug-ins" to s-i-m-u-l-a-t-e those effects in various exciting ways ...

... but, (fair warning ...) you're gonna need a clean, un-clipped signal to feed into all of them . . .