Dangerous Music has launched a new video in which producer, mixing and mastering engineer Todd Whitelock talks about getting a GRAMMY-winning vocal sound with the BAX EQ, a professional, standalone EQ that uses Baxandall curves.
With a one-take jazz singer such as Cécile McLorin Salvant, a skilled and thoughtful touch is essential to bringing out the amazing subtleties of her vocal artistry. On her 2016 GRAMMY® Award-winning Best Jazz Vocal Album, “For One To Love,” engineer Todd Whitelock did exactly that with the Dangerous BAX EQ. Get the details on exactly how and why Whitelock chose the BAX to get his GRAMMY-winning mix—you’ll hear the difference. Whitelock also explains how to use the BAX EQ’s dedicated high- and low-pass filters to sort out errant frequencies, and points out that using a superior EQ ensures that no damage is done to the integrity of the vocal due to phase shift.
“I felt the BAX EQ added more realism to the vocal, a little more transparency, and Cécile’s voice floats above the trio better. BAX gave me the detail of all of that delivery of the lyrics —very important obviously to a singer like Cécile,” says Whitelock. “Thanks to the BAX EQ I could reach exactly the ranges that I wanted, I didn’t need a lot, it’s not too surgical, I’m just using it for color.”
Todd Whitelock has engineered albums for many of today’s most exciting artists including Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, Harry Connick Jr., Yo Yo Ma, Kronos Qt., Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis. and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to name just a very select few. His work has been awarded six Grammy awards over a twenty five year career, the most recent being “For One to Love” by Cécile McLorin Salvant which garnered the prestigious “Best Jazz Vocal Album” for 2016 and his recording of Christian McBride’s Trio “Live At The Village Vanguard” captured a Grammy winning performance by Christian for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, the first for a Double Bassist. Besides album work Todd has engineered numerous Broadway Cast Recordings, Film Scores and Feature Music such as last year’s Coen Bros. movie “Hail Caeser!” as well as the theme music to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by Jon Batiste.
Browse other music projects and artists Todd Whitelock has worked with at AllMusic.
The BAX EQ is available from selected dealers for $2,399 USD.
More information: Dangerous Music / BAX EQ
