Steve Levine

"The great advantage of Roland Cloud, especially in the rough demo or sketch stage, was to have all the classic synths at your disposal. The ability to initially have multiple instances of the same synthesizer running together (something that would be difficult, and very expensive) is one of the wonderful features of the cloud. ‍ Once a track was created and approved, I could easily start printing or rendering the audio and in some cases double the sounds with my vintage hardware. ‍ This was especially true of the D-50 as I have the Roland Cloud version, the new Boutique 05, and my original D-550. The latter has some of my own sounds I created many years ago, but instantly evoke the sound of the ’80s. This was very important to the overall tone and vibe of Hyperbrawl.

I also loved mixing, say, the JUNO sounds with the JUPITER sounds. I also used the JUPITER arpeggiator on many of the parts as this added an extra melody or rhythm and is very different from the often more-complicated DAW versions."

"The great advantage of Roland Cloud, especially in the rough demo or sketch stage, was to have all the classic synths at your disposal. The ability to initially have multiple instances of the same synthesizer running together (something that would be difficult, and very expensive) is one of the wonderful features of the cloud. ‍ Once a track was created and approved, I could easily start printing or rendering the audio and in some cases double the sounds with my vintage hardware. ‍ This was especially true of the D-50 as I have the Roland Cloud version, the new Boutique 05, and my original D-550. The latter has some of my own sounds I created many years ago, but instantly evoke the sound of the ’80s. This was very important to the overall tone and vibe of Hyperbrawl.

I also loved mixing, say, the JUNO sounds with the JUPITER sounds. I also used the JUPITER arpeggiator on many of the parts as this added an extra melody or rhythm and is very different from the often more-complicated DAW versions."

"The new TB-303 was used with the sequencer as that often created cool musical bits that I could render out of the track and re-position in different spots.

Finally, lots of TR-808, TR-909, etc. I also used the hardware TR-8 on a few tracks as I like the instant hands-on way of creating a rhythmic beat. Apart from Roland Cloud, I used much of my Eurorack modular synths and some of my vintage hardware drum machines my Linn LM1, Simmons SDSV, and CR-78."

"The new TB-303 was used with the sequencer as that often created cool musical bits that I could render out of the track and re-position in different spots.

Finally, lots of TR-808, TR-909, etc. I also used the hardware TR-8 on a few tracks as I like the instant hands-on way of creating a rhythmic beat. Apart from Roland Cloud, I used much of my Eurorack modular synths and some of my vintage hardware drum machines my Linn LM1, Simmons SDSV, and CR-78."

"The new TB-303 was used with the sequencer as that often created cool musical bits that I could render out of the track and re-position in different spots.

Finally, lots of TR-808, TR-909, etc. I also used the hardware TR-8 on a few tracks as I like the instant hands-on way of creating a rhythmic beat. Apart from Roland Cloud, I used much of my Eurorack modular synths and some of my vintage hardware drum machines my Linn LM1, Simmons SDSV, and CR-78."

"The new TB-303 was used with the sequencer as that often created cool musical bits that I could render out of the track and re-position in different spots.

Finally, lots of TR-808, TR-909, etc. I also used the hardware TR-8 on a few tracks as I like the instant hands-on way of creating a rhythmic beat. Apart from Roland Cloud, I used much of my Eurorack modular synths and some of my vintage hardware drum machines my Linn LM1, Simmons SDSV, and CR-78."

"I also used the stand-alone version of Melodyne. For example, if I used a sound library FX and needed to exactly change the key or chord to fit the score. I also used Synchroarts ReVoice again as a creative tool to pitch shift or time-align my “vocal” sound design."

Long a fan of digital equipment, Steve tries to keep as much of his recording chain digital as he can, but feels that you can only get the best out of such a system if analogue signals entering the digital domain (for example vocals and acoustic instruments) are recorded to as high a spec as possible. Consequently, although his setup is based around four Alesis ADAT XT digital multitracks, an Emu EIV and Yamaha 02R and 01V digital desks, the mics and preamps at his disposal comprise some of the finest (and most expensive) analogue gear around — of which more later. Steve: "That's the kind of signal path I like; you go straight from this very expensive analogue input stage into the 02R, and then digitally on to the ADATs."

Long a fan of digital equipment, Steve tries to keep as much of his recording chain digital as he can, but feels that you can only get the best out of such a system if analogue signals entering the digital domain (for example vocals and acoustic instruments) are recorded to as high a spec as possible. Consequently, although his setup is based around four Alesis ADAT XT digital multitracks, an Emu EIV and Yamaha 02R and 01V digital desks, the mics and preamps at his disposal comprise some of the finest (and most expensive) analogue gear around — of which more later. Steve: "That's the kind of signal path I like; you go straight from this very expensive analogue input stage into the 02R, and then digitally on to the ADATs."

Long a fan of digital equipment, Steve tries to keep as much of his recording chain digital as he can, but feels that you can only get the best out of such a system if analogue signals entering the digital domain (for example vocals and acoustic instruments) are recorded to as high a spec as possible. Consequently, although his setup is based around four Alesis ADAT XT digital multitracks, an Emu EIV and Yamaha 02R and 01V digital desks, the mics and preamps at his disposal comprise some of the finest (and most expensive) analogue gear around — of which more later. Steve: "That's the kind of signal path I like; you go straight from this very expensive analogue input stage into the 02R, and then digitally on to the ADATs."

Long a fan of digital equipment, Steve tries to keep as much of his recording chain digital as he can, but feels that you can only get the best out of such a system if analogue signals entering the digital domain (for example vocals and acoustic instruments) are recorded to as high a spec as possible. Consequently, although his setup is based around four Alesis ADAT XT digital multitracks, an Emu EIV and Yamaha 02R and 01V digital desks, the mics and preamps at his disposal comprise some of the finest (and most expensive) analogue gear around — of which more later. Steve: "That's the kind of signal path I like; you go straight from this very expensive analogue input stage into the 02R, and then digitally on to the ADATs."

"We then did a rough take all the way, recording the vocals onto ADAT and on into the computer, and Darius spent perhaps half a day refining his piano part in the sequencer. I then put a lovely room reverb on the piano from the under‑rated Yamaha ProR3 on board my 02R."

With the basic chordal backing complete, Steve brought in his regular drummer and percussionist, Terl Bryant, to add rhythm parts. Terl played in a MIDI drum part from a drumKAT percussion controller, and Steve used this to trigger drum samples Terl had made on a previous visit. "The hi‑hats and ride cymbal were recorded here, while the snare was a combination of one Terl recorded here and a few other samples from my CD‑ROM [the East West's CD‑ROM of Steve's personally collected samples] which I had manipulated in the EIV. There's also a Novation Drumstation with an internally distorted snare and a bongo. But the essence of the groove came from Terl's drumKAT performance. On top, Terl then layered real percussion — congas — which I chopped up and made into loops in my EIV. Finally, there are some real fingersnaps going through the distortion algorithm on a Zoom 1204, which I really like.

"Next, we overdubbed the bass. That was interesting, as everybody fiddled around with it! I had some initial discussions with the bassist I use, Francis Hylton, and we decided to go for a bass line with a dub feel. We tried electric bass, but it just didn't fit sonically. So Francis played a dub bass line into the sequencer from my Novation BassStation, using a custom patch. There's quite a lot of real‑time performance on that; bends and sliding notes."

With the bass line in place, the backing track was completed with the addition of a filtered synth wash from Steve's Korg Wavestation, and an acoustic guitar track.

Levine thus now generally works on projects with smaller budgets, and his small but top‑quality home studio is the ideal tool. Perhaps it's time to examine the gear that's packed into Levine's tiny room. Levine: "I've built this selection of equipment up over many years. I've refined it to exactly what I want. My synth collection had grown to enormous proportions at one stage and has now shrunk back to the things I decided I really need. Technology moving on helps: I used to have three Akai S‑series samplers, and now just one Emu EIV with 128Mb of RAM and a 1Gig Jaz drive does the same job. The Emu is a brilliant machine with great filters. Many people don't program or process their sounds any more these days, through inexperience or laziness. It does take some patience, but I think it's very satisfying when you make a great, new, fresh, sound. The other day I created a pad sound that sounded vaguely like an evolving Wavestation patch, a looped and filtered 15‑second sample of a river and a nondescript breathy flute‑like sound from an old CD‑ROM. It was a fantastic surreal pad sound. So it does pay to experiment." Levine is known for having a large sample library, and he's even made some sample CDs.

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

The two centrepieces of Levine's studio are the Yamaha 02R digital desk and his four ADAT machines with BRC (Big Remote Control). The small size of the desk is in itself a breakthrough, for it means that he can have a top‑quality desk in his tiny room to mix on. Before the Yamaha, Levine had a Mackie 3204 desk, which was only used for monitoring, but not for recording, let alone mixing. Levine says about the Yamaha: "It's fantastic. I don't mind the 'page' system, because in practical terms you only use very few. Having a meter bridge does help, though — it means that you can look at two things at the same time. This desk is one of the best things I ever bought, and I can't describe how happy I am with it. It may not be perfect, but for the money it's amazing. You're looking at a man who once spent £220,000 on two Sony 3324 24‑tracks, plus £28,000 on a DDA desk with £20,000 Optifile automation. All great gear, but the Yamaha costs only £10,000 fully loaded, it sounds great, and I can do top‑quality mixes with it. It's connected to my ADATs with fibre‑optic cables, which results in a phenomenal S/N ratio."

Steve Levine's equipment list from the December 1996 issue of Sound on Sound:

RECORDING/MIXING

Akai DD1000 magneto‑optical recorder Alesis ADAT digital 8‑tracks (x4) Alesis AI‑1 AES/EBU interface Alesis BRC (Big Remote Control) Alesis RMB meter bridge Mackie 3204 mixer and expander Sony PCM 2500 DAT recorder Technics SV260 portable DAT recorder Yamaha 02R digital mixer with four ADAT cards and meter bridge

COMPUTERS

Atari Mega 4 computer Atari STacy laptop computer Macintosh LC475, 20Mb RAM/180HD

Steve Levine's equipment list from the December 1996 issue of Sound on Sound:

GUITARS/INSTRUMENTS

Antoria Mandolin Encore Dobro guitar Ibanez Blazer guitar Starfield guitars (x2): custom green, humbucker pickups and custom white, stacked single‑coil pickups Stepp DG1 MIDI guitar synth

Listed on the official Lovetone "Clients" page.

Steve Levine DG/BC

Listed on the official Lovetone "Clients" page.

Steve Levine DG/BC