diff --git a/defaults/parameters.yaml b/defaults/parameters.yaml
index 9359b43a6..fce6baac2 100644
--- a/defaults/parameters.yaml
+++ b/defaults/parameters.yaml
@@ -137,8 +137,21 @@ ancestral:
 # Frequencies settings
 frequencies:
 
-  # min_date is set by default to 1 year before present
-  # but can be explicitly set if desired
+  # default settings that can be over-ridden for specific builds
+  default:
+
+    # min_date is set by default to 1 year before present
+    min_date: "1Y"
+
+    # max_date is set by default to present date - recent_days_to_censor
+
+    # KDE bandwidths in proportion of a year to use per strain.
+    # using 1M bandwidth by default
+    narrow_bandwidth: 0.0833
+
+
+  # settings that can be over-ridden across all builds, but not for specific builds
+  recent_days_to_censor: 0
 
   # Number of weeks between pivots
   pivot_interval: 1
@@ -146,9 +159,7 @@ frequencies:
   # Measure pivots in weeks
   pivot_interval_units: "weeks"
 
-  # KDE bandwidths in proportion of a year to use per strain.
-  # using 15 day bandwidth
-  narrow_bandwidth: 0.041
+  # Weight of KDE that uses wide bandwidth
   proportion_wide: 0.0
 
   # Diffusion frequency settings
diff --git a/docs/src/reference/workflow-config-file.rst b/docs/src/reference/workflow-config-file.rst
index 23f9ed789..bc3aa17a6 100644
--- a/docs/src/reference/workflow-config-file.rst
+++ b/docs/src/reference/workflow-config-file.rst
@@ -983,13 +983,30 @@ columns
 
 frequencies
 -----------
-- Valid attributes:
+-  type: object
+-  description: Parameters for specifying tip frequency calculations via ``augur frequencies``
+-  examples:
+
+.. code:: yaml
+
+   frequencies:
+     pivot_interval_units: "weeks"
+     default:
+       min_date: "6M"
+       narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
+     global_1m:
+       min_date: "1M"
+       narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
+     global_2020_to_2022:
+       min_date: "2020-01-01"
+       max_date: "2022-01-01"
+       narrow_bandwidth: 0.076
+
+Each named traits configuration (``default`` or build-named) supports specification of ``min_date``, ``max_date`` and ``narrow_bandwidth``. Other parameters can only be specified across all builds.
 
 .. contents::
    :local:
 
-.. _min_date-1:
-
 min_date
 ~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid-21L/builds.yaml b/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid-21L/builds.yaml
index 41363741a..7345d6010 100644
--- a/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid-21L/builds.yaml
+++ b/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid-21L/builds.yaml
@@ -896,115 +896,62 @@ traits:
 # narrow_bandwidth = 0.019 or 7 days for "1m" and "2m"
 # narrow_bandwidth = 0.038 or 14 days for "6m" and "all-time"
 frequencies:
+  default:
+    min_date: "2020-01-01"
+    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
   global_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  global_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  africa_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  asia_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  europe_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  north-america_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  oceania_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  south-america_all-time:
-    min_date: "2022-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
diff --git a/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid/builds.yaml b/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid/builds.yaml
index ab07dcc63..65e4cec89 100644
--- a/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid/builds.yaml
+++ b/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-gisaid/builds.yaml
@@ -887,119 +887,62 @@ traits:
 # narrow_bandwidth = 0.019 or 7 days for "1m" and "2m"
 # narrow_bandwidth = 0.038 or 14 days for "6m" and "all-time"
 frequencies:
-  reference:
+  default:
     min_date: "2020-01-01"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  global_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  africa_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  asia_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  europe_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  north-america_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  oceania_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  south-america_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
diff --git a/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-open/builds.yaml b/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-open/builds.yaml
index e39f59da7..5e9d9755f 100644
--- a/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-open/builds.yaml
+++ b/nextstrain_profiles/nextstrain-open/builds.yaml
@@ -892,119 +892,62 @@ traits:
 # narrow_bandwidth = 0.019 or 7 days for "1m" and "2m"
 # narrow_bandwidth = 0.038 or 14 days for "6m" and "all-time"
 frequencies:
-  reference:
+  default:
     min_date: "2020-01-01"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7  
   global_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   global_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  global_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   africa_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  africa_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   asia_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  asia_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   europe_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  europe_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   north-america_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  north-america_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   oceania_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  oceania_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_1m:
     min_date: "1M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_2m:
     min_date: "2M"
     narrow_bandwidth: 0.019
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
   south-america_6m:
     min_date: "6M"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
-  south-america_all-time:
-    min_date: "2020-01-01"
-    narrow_bandwidth: 0.038
-    recent_days_to_censor: 7
diff --git a/workflow/snakemake_rules/common.smk b/workflow/snakemake_rules/common.smk
index 0c2713950..290716ec1 100644
--- a/workflow/snakemake_rules/common.smk
+++ b/workflow/snakemake_rules/common.smk
@@ -183,8 +183,8 @@ def _get_sampling_bias_correction_for_wildcards(wildcards):
 def _get_min_date_for_frequencies(wildcards):
     if wildcards.build_name in config["frequencies"] and "min_date" in config["frequencies"][wildcards.build_name]:
         return config["frequencies"][wildcards.build_name]["min_date"]
-    elif "frequencies" in config and "min_date" in config["frequencies"]:
-        return config["frequencies"]["min_date"]
+    elif "frequencies" in config and "min_date" in config["frequencies"]["default"]:
+        return config["frequencies"]["default"]["min_date"]
     else:
         # If not explicitly specified, default to 1 year back from the present
         min_date_cutoff = datetime.date.today() - datetime.timedelta(weeks=52)
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ def _get_min_date_for_frequencies(wildcards):
 def _get_max_date_for_frequencies(wildcards):
     if wildcards.build_name in config["frequencies"] and "max_date" in config["frequencies"][wildcards.build_name]:
         return config["frequencies"][wildcards.build_name]["max_date"]
-    elif "frequencies" in config and "max_date" in config["frequencies"]:
-        return config["frequencies"]["max_date"]
+    elif "frequencies" in config and "max_date" in config["frequencies"]["default"]:
+        return config["frequencies"]["default"]["max_date"]
     else:
         # Allow users to censor the N most recent days to minimize effects of
         # uneven recent sampling.
@@ -207,6 +207,17 @@ def _get_max_date_for_frequencies(wildcards):
             datetime.date.today() - offset
         )
 
+def _get_narrow_bandwidth_for_wildcards(wildcards):
+    # check if builds.yaml contains frequencies:{build_name}:narrow_bandwidth
+    if wildcards.build_name in config["frequencies"] and 'narrow_bandwidth' in config["frequencies"][wildcards.build_name]:
+        return config["frequencies"][wildcards.build_name]["narrow_bandwidth"]
+    # check if parameters.yaml contains frequencies:default:narrow_bandwidth
+    elif "frequencies" in config and "narrow_bandwidth" in config["frequencies"]["default"]:
+        return config["frequencies"]["default"]["narrow_bandwidth"]
+    # else return augur frequencies default value
+    else:
+        return 0.0833
+
 def _get_upload_inputs(wildcards):
     # Do whatever the configuration says if it has opinions.
     if "upload" in config:
diff --git a/workflow/snakemake_rules/main_workflow.smk b/workflow/snakemake_rules/main_workflow.smk
index 2bd018d25..10c19542f 100644
--- a/workflow/snakemake_rules/main_workflow.smk
+++ b/workflow/snakemake_rules/main_workflow.smk
@@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ rule tip_frequencies:
         max_date = _get_max_date_for_frequencies,
         pivot_interval = config["frequencies"]["pivot_interval"],
         pivot_interval_units = config["frequencies"]["pivot_interval_units"],
-        narrow_bandwidth = config["frequencies"]["narrow_bandwidth"],
+        narrow_bandwidth = _get_narrow_bandwidth_for_wildcards,
         proportion_wide = config["frequencies"]["proportion_wide"]
     resources:
         # Memory use scales primarily with the size of the metadata file.