Roll of the Dice: 10 questions with Steve Ornest of Total Access Recording Studios

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Steve Ornest is the man currently behind Southern California’s legendary Total Access Recording Studios where bands like Guns N’ Roses, No Doubt, Sublime, Pennywise, Black Flag, The Descendents, Husker-Du, Great White and so many others have come and made music history over the past 40+ years. Steve took a few minutes to answer some questions for TGEFM on recording, mixing, and mastering.

Thanks so much for doing this. Before I dive into the techy recording questions I’ll start with some more general questions.

Over the years, Total Access has worked with well-known punk and ska bands like The Descendents, Black Flag, Husker-Du, Pennywise, Sublime, No Doubt, Minutemen, and Unwritten Law. You guys have also worked with huge mainstream artists like Duran Duran, Guns N’ Roses, Foreigner, and DIO just to name a few (and even some country acts). Do you have a genre of music you prefer to work on?

While we are definitely known for the rock, pop, and punk records we’ve been a part of over the years, my favorite part of this job is waking up every day and getting to work on all sorts of different music! I really believe if it’s a great song, genre doesn’t matter.

Is there an artist or band or music genre you haven’t worked with yet that is on your bucket list?

Ever since I was young and recording bands in high school, I was always looking for the best singers and songwriters, and that honestly hasn’t changed much! I’d love to work with Ray Lamontagne or Jason Isbell. They both have such distinctive voices and are equally incredible writers. I’d also love to work with Dave Grohl on literally anything!

Are there any bands or artists you are working with that our readers might not know about but you think they should?

Yes! I’m working with an artist called Illunis that is fantastic. They have a soulful roots rock vibe (sort of in the vein of Kaleo or the Black Keys), and the singer Ali is as good as it gets. I’m also working with a band called Acolyte that is very reminiscent of 90’s grunge but with a modern twist. Finally, I’d love to shout out a band I just did a single for called Willowake. They’ve already had some radio success and we’ll be heading back in this summer to record an EP. I’ll be co- producing with Jakob Armstrong (son of Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day).

Without giving away too many Steve Ornest tricks of the trade, is there something you do during the recording process or mastering that you feel is unique or different from what most everybody else does?

As simple as it sounds, I really care! I love making music and the collaborative process of being a conduit for artists. I think about making records when I wake up in the morning and and am still thinking about it before I go to sleep! I believe that level of enthusiasm seeps its way into every project I’m a part of.

I’m assuming there are bands or musicians reading this that may want to know the best way to DIY record their demo or EP. What do you suggest for someone just getting started as far as equipment, software, mics, or do you not suggest going the DIY route at all?

I think learning how to record is super valuable even if you wind up taking it as far as you can and then still bringing it to a place like Total Access and finishing it with a professional. Unless you have an incredible amount of resources at your disposal, there are going to be some things that will be hard or even impossible to accomplish at home, but I wouldn’t focus on that. Use those limitations to become the best writer, arranger, recorder you possibly can. I think it’s best to not get too caught up in gear at first, and just become a master at a few tools. Get a basic interface, like a Universal Audio Apollo, and really learn how to use whatever DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) you choose. I’ve been using Pro Tools since I was thirteen, but there are lots of great choices out there (Logic, Ableton, etc). I’d also invest in a pair of speakers (or headphones) and get so accustomed to them you know how all of your favorite music sounds on them. Maybe buy a Shure SM7 as a first mic. It’s really an amazing microphone that often gets overlooked because it’s under $500, but the vocals from “Thriller” were recorded with it, so there’s that!

Is there one piece of equipment or software you suggest spending the bulk of the budget on regardless of who is recording and what their style is, or do different genres require different approaches.

It really varies from project to project. If you are recording at home, I’d say invest in making the room you are using sound the best you possibly can. Sound treatment isn’t cheap, but if it helps you make better recording choices it’s worth it. The thing that is so incredible about modern recording tools is that for just a few thousand dollars, you can have an interface with excellent mic pres and converters, a great microphone, the same DAW I use, a decent pair of speakers and maybe even have a little left for room treatment. Is it going to sound the same as a professional studio, probably not, but there Is still so much you CAN do and learn if you are willing to put the time in.

What’s the most difficult instrument (or vocals) to record and/or your favorite to record?

I would say it varies depending on the level of skill of the musician or musicians you are recording. An amazing drummer that is consistent with where they hit, knows how to get a great sound and is always serving the song is a blast to record! A drummer that doesn’t have that all together can be challenging. Same applies to singers, or really any instrument. If it’s great at the source, it should great when you record it!

In your experience, how important is mixing and mastering versus the recording process?

Incredibly important! A good mix can bring out elements of the production that make people feel something that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. I believe using sound to affect how it makes someone feel, is much more important than how “good” something sounds. A great mix engineer will take the produced song and make sure everything that is meant to be heard (and felt) will be at every measure, and they’ll also make some creative decisions along the way that adds to the production. I generally mix a lot of what I produce, so I’m making decisions along the way knowing I’ll be the one mixing it later. I only trust a few people with mastering, and I believe Ted Jensen and Chris Gehringer over at Sterling Sound are at the top. Mastering is the final and last stop for another set of ears to touch your song, and is usually pretty subtle when the mastering engineer is given a great sounding mix to work with.

I still see very large mixing boards inside studios. With everything digital these days is a physical mixing board still necessary?

We have a 52 channel console at Total Access and use it every day. It is incredible what can be done in the digital domain in terms of plugins and recording, but nothing imparts warmth like a well maintained console. Making a great record is very much about an accumulation of great choices and I believe each choice matters very much. The song, the singer, the playing, the room, the vibe, the gear that was used, the mix, the master—it all matters and is all a part of what makes one song unique to the next.

You recently opened a rehearsal space in the Redondo Beach, CA area. What was your reason for opening this and what makes this rehearsal space different?

I opened Total Access Rehearsal a couple of years ago with my good friend Jeff Nisen. We both have been talking for years about how there is a lack of excellent sounding rehearsal rooms in Los Angeles (or pretty much anywhere), where a band can rehearse for the stage or studio in a clean, vibey, distraction free environment. A unit opened up a few doors down from the recording studio and we jumped on it! The space is 1000sq ft and boasts a large rehearsal room with top-of-the-line gear. It also includes a writing/recording room that is tie- lined into the rehearsal space which is fantastic for pre-production or even tracking overdubs. There is also a lounge with free water and coffee. Again, we really care and love the community we’ve built over there. Our roster of bands that frequent the space include Pennywise, Biohazard, Pepper, Fortunate Youth, Jakob Nowell and many others! You can book rehearsal time online at www.tarehearsal.com

You can also find out more about Total Access Recording at www.tarecording.com or email me at steveornest@gmail.com