Artist Feature Friday: Stevie Adamek
…It’s the same way with the artists I produce. I really just like to nudge them into place instead of pointing them where to go or telling them what they need to do. If I can provide them with enough info and they make choices to discover stuff, then that’s the best scenario. You’re fueling their creativity and letting them feel the reward of that process.
In order to have a career in the music industry, you need to be able to adapt to any given situation. In other words, you need to be able to wear a multitude of hats, something Stevie Adamek learned early on.
Stevie is a renowned producer, engineer, instrumentalist, songwriter, teacher, and so much more. With a career spanning over 4 decades, he’s worked on productions with the likes of Bighorn, Boston, VanHalen, Journey, The Allies, The Believers, as well as, T.V. commercials for some of the most recognizable brands.
With Stevie’s latest musical project, he has the opportunity to wear all of his hats at once…and maybe find a few new ones along the way.
Their debut album, Zombie Lover, Solveig and Stevie are bursting at the seams with musical creativity. With elements of pop, folk, rock, electronic, and a variety of other flavors, Solveig & Stevie capture something that will keep you on your musical toes.
We had a chance to catch up with Stevie to chat about Zombie Lover, recording, producing, and his GEAR!
CAUTION: AMAZING RECORDING/PRODUCING TIPS BELOW.
Here’s what Stevie said:
You’re a highly accomplished instrumentalist, from guitar to bass to vocals to drums, etc. When did you start making music?
I was in first grade when I took my first piano lessons, and that started to pique my interest in how chords are made and how to sing a melody on top of those chords. It had been this big mystery to me until I started to play chords on the piano. I didn’t really like taking piano lessons because that was back in the “old times” when nuns taught piano. Sometimes I would just ignore them and hunt and peck until I found chords and found my own manner of playing.
So did you continue to play piano?
Yeah, I’ve been playing piano ever since. I also learned how to play accordion. My family was from Minnesota and we were Czech, so having an accordion player in the family was a big deal. Then I talked my dad into letting me trade the accordion in for a set of drums. So in 1965 I started playing drums. I taught myself by listening to the Beatles, the Stones, and the Beach Boys.
Did you dabble in a lot of other instruments along the way?
Yeah, when I started producing I found that, many times, a lot of bands had a lot of the same problems in the same places in their material. For instance, the bridge would be weak or there wouldn’t even be a bridge at all. Or, the transitions between the chorus and the verse were kind of iffy. So, I finally got tired of just pointing to the frets on people’s guitars and just grabbed their instruments and started playing what I thought would work. That would show right away what I was thinking, and it was also a crash course for me on how to make a guitar or bass work. I’d dabbled in all of them all of my life, but this was when I really saw the benefit of being able to solve musical problems by having enough of a vocabulary on each instrument to be able to clear things up when they were getting cloudy in an arrangement.
So you have a pretty natural ability with songwriting?
Yes, and that was the other thing I did as soon as I figured out chord and melodies. I immediately started writing songs. Regardless of how elementary and simple they were, that was the first time I understood that I had something to say. It was so compelling that I would risk the rejection, humiliation, and all the other things that go along with doing something like that in front of people. The drive to want to say something on the instrument was greater than the terror of being humiliated. You get good and standing up and saying, “This is what I feel about this subject – here it comes from me and a piano or guitar.”
When I work with writers now, I say, “Hey, when you write a song and you play for your first person, which is a huge accomplishment.” That takes a lot of guts because you never know what others are going to think. I mean, when you write something, you’re thinking it’s a really cool song and then you play it for others and it just falls flat. But you need that feedback, and you need to know that this game is such a risk all the way around. In fact, I think the Music Business is designed to make you quit. You just have to keep pushing along, and then the next thing you know, you’ve been doing it for 42 years.
After a while, it starts to become a normal thing and you get good at [songwriting]. You become more and more expressive, and that’s when your actual style starts to emerge. Then you get a chance to really affect people’s lives and use the magic of music.
You’re also a highly accomplished producer. When and how did you get into producing and engineering?
I was in a band when I was 18, and we were hired to do a beer ad. So, we went into the studio, and I saw how studios actually worked. So when I saw how it all worked, I made a deal with the owners and said, “What do I have to do to come back here tomorrow and do something?” They liked my enthusiasm, and I started showing up all of that summer. That was the first 4-track studio in the area with these big radio dials – one for each track. So, that studio eventually fizzled out and another studio in town started with the first 8-track, and I started engineering there.
I began to see how all these bands that were recording ads and that I was engineering for needed some kind of leadership during the decision-making process while they were recording. That’s when I started to understand that that’s what a producer does – it’s kind of like directing a film. He provides a vision and he has to get that vision linked up with the artist so that everyone’s on the same page. Then you have to see what you can discover and try a whole bunch of different ideas. The best productions are where everyone is discovering something new and cool as you move through the tune. So, as a producer, you need some people skills, and the bigger vocabulary of each instrument, the better.
I studied records so hard when I was younger without even understanding why. I realize now that I was trying to memorize how these artists recorded so I could emulate that in some way when I ultimately got to my own studio. It helped me with mic choice and placement, and looking at the source of the drums, guitar, and bass. And you look at the player and see someone trying to say something on his or her instrument and think, “How do I record that?” You have collaboration right from the start.
So you’ve seen the recording process evolve from the start to where it is now.
Yeah, because that’s how all that started in the 1970’s. It’s been really cool to see how things have changed and how the quality of sound has emerged. It’s so ironic now – we have such facilities to make sound really amazing, but more and more people hear that sound in little ear buds.
There’s a place out here that’s a high end studio, and sometimes I’ll take mixes down there and A-B them on a system they have. Their system has top of the line audio files, and the cables from the amps to the speakers are $3,500 a piece. So the cabling is $7,000 and the amp and speaker are $12,000, and it all sounds so amazing. But then you realize that you’ll never hear it that good anywhere else again because everywhere else it’s ear buds.
You really have to hear the detail, and that’s what ultimately makes records nice and “see-through,” no matter how fuzzy they are or how hellacious the drums are. You still have that see-through mix when the quality of the sound is the best it can be.
Are there other producers, songwriters, or artists that you see as your primary sources of inspiration?
Mutt Lange is a huge one, and Sir George Martin with the Beatles. Also the early “Who” and Kit Lambert when they were just in there recording and smoking weed, you know. Nobody really knew what they were doing – they were just trying to keep from blowing up the gear. But they came up with some really cool stuff because each player in the “The Who” is so distinctive that they each gave him an incredible source to work with. You know, Keith Moon’s drums are so iconic, along with Entwistle’s bass and Townshend’s guitar and Roger’s vocals. They were all so obviously different that [Lambert] just tried to record them without wrecking anything. That’s how you get that incredible energy and sound – a lot of it was things that you weren’t supposed to do in music theory, but they didn’t know that. So they made these great records because of that.
And Sir George Martin was so refined and detailed because of his work with symphonies and musicals, so he was able to take the Beatles and keep them so snappy and see-through. Since each one of the Beatles was so inventive, it just all came together so perfectly. And that’s the kind of stuff I look for when I work with artists – “Who, in this band, is exhibiting some leadership?” You know, just enough to keep things cool but not enough to make anyone feel like they’re being told what to do. We all get into bands because we want to be someplace where no one tells us what to do, but we still end up needing some layer of discipline to get things done. Navigating decision-making for yourself is plenty of work. But, doing that for a two-, three-, four-, or five-person band creates a lot of energy to work with, organize and create something. But there’s nothing better than being in a great band – it’s a great feeling.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk about the recording process of your most recent album “Zombie Lover.” You and Solveig began writing together back in 2010. Can you describe the writing process between the two of you and the writing process of this album?
A lot of it is being impressed internally with a conflict or storyline and trying to capture what that would sound like. We were dealing with the conflict of being in love and getting bunt out from a fast paced life, you tend to turn into a zombie. I came up with a guitar line that was dark and swampy and really represented that pace. I would work on it for 4 or 5 hours in my studio, then she (Solveig) would come out and work on some part for a few hours. We would just continue to follow our instincts.
When we can create something by discovering it, that’s the best. To me, that’s where all the special music exists.
Did you find any challenges or benefits to producing an album for a band that you’re part of?
You learn to sustain this period of objectivity. One way I like to separate myself is to take a track and go listen to it in my car and hear it in a different setting. I like to leave it alone for a couple days and trick myself into throwing it on without remembering it. You train yourself to stay injected. You want it to not only create memories, but also create experiences. It’s tricky, but you realize you would be solving the same problems with someone else’s band as you are with your own. You naturally pop in and out of roles.
I love waking up at 5:00 a.m. and starting a mix. You wake up with a fresh set of ears and you have this sense that no one else on earth is mixing except you. It really feels incredible.
Solveig is a great mirror. I can play something for her, and if it hits that sweet spot, then I know we’re on the right path. For me, when she first plays me a song, I often end up in tears. That’s one of our little barometers.
Another one of the risks you run into is, ‘how much time should I spend on this piece?’ ‘Is it going to give me that incredible reward?’ That’s one of the amazing things about this project, is that we know we can be honest and tell each other when something doesn’t work, or when something needs to go a different direction. We have a mutual respect for each other’s abilities and admiration to create.
It’s the same way with the artists I produce. I really just like to nudge them into place instead of pointing them where to go or telling them what they need to do. If I can provide them with enough info that they make choices to discover stuff, then that’s the best scenario. You’re fueling their creativity and letting them feel the reward of that process.
Can you tell me a little about your home studio setup and the gear you like to use?
I have the Pro Tools setup. Currently, I’m using PT 7.4, however, I’m about to graduate to PT 11. The problem is, I tend to fall in love with my plugins. I usually will have about 3 or 4 projects going on at one time that are counting on the sounds I get from those plugins. Whatever gear I have, I know its possibilities and its limitations. If my setup or the technology I have available can’t get the job done, then I know it’s something I need to solve musically.
Do you have specific outboard gear that you like to use with your setup?
I have a Neve compressor/limiter/pre-amp. I basically run everything to that. Being that it’s a project studio, I don’t do too many bands in it. When I’m working with bigger bands, I’ll go to one of the other studios in town.
I was actually working on an article that was discussing how to mic a drum kit. I even mention there is a way to mic a drum kit with just one Neumann microphone. I’ll then deal with the kick drum separately so I can get that low end fundamental.
Part of my setup is actually the way this studio sounds as a whole. It’s really only a 20×20 room, but the sound has such a characteristic about it that I don’t want to change anything. That characteristic actually becomes part of your sound that you identify with. When you work with it enough, you start to really learn what and how each piece of gear is going to affect the sound for what you are going for.
The key to keep an audience engaged is to incorporate as much style to the point where the listener can visually see what you look like through just listening to your music. You want your audience to create images and an imagination about the music you are creating.
I love how your album has so many exciting, unexpected elements. Each track can really stand on its own. One of the first things that caught my ear was the guitar tone on Zombie Lover. How did you capture that sound?
I have a Fender Strat through a small Valvestate Marshall combo. I played an open D tuning, so I had a little thicker strings than I typically would, and I played around with it until I found a sweet spot that I wanted for the sound. That sound is really what drove that arrangement, and vice versa. It becomes a hand off between the two that will ultimately drive itself to the final product.
I absolutely love how the drums sound on this record. The snare is actually one of the better sounding snares that I have ever heard. Can you discuss a little more about the process of how you recorded the drums?
Thank you, I appreciate that.
They were recorded at my home studio. For the drums, I have an Audix D6 on the kick drum and the neuron TLM 190 backed away form the kit about 10 feet, and then I crank the compressor/limiter. The snare is just an old classic chrome Ludwig snare that I got back in 1977. I never got rid of it. It does what I need it to do.
I know each situation has a variety of variables, but do you typically gravitate towards a certain microphone for Solveig’s vocals? What about your own vocals?
We both love the Neumann TLM 49. It works really well with both of our voices. You just have to find the sweet spot for your vocals. When we sing in our sweet spots, we have what’s called a fully modulated voice. Which is where the level of the voice doesn’t change, but the pitch and inflection does. When you keep the level of the vocal consistent out of the person’s mouth, then the microphone doesn’t have to do that. The microphone is going to act like a camera and see everything that is coming out of the mouth. It allows for a smooth, ear friendly sound.
With elements of Folk, Pop, Rock, Acoustic, and Electronic, this album offers a lot of unique sounds that keeps the listener on their toes. On the track Keep your eyes on your heart you incorporate elements of electronic music in the bridge. Was that a conscious effort? Or was that just how the song lended itself?
That was one of my favorite surprises on this record. I love Dubstep and I love how it generates emotions really quickly. Solveig thought of the idea to put Dubstep in that section. To me, I thought it was the perfect fit. It sounded wrong, but in a good way. We talked about how much we enjoyed the high contrast of different pieces of music. This turned out to be one of the highest contrast moments of the record. It was a product of me madly gluing things together. I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Do you do all of your own mixing and mastering also?
I do all of the mixing, and then I have a friend that does all of the mastering. I’ve known him for 35 years. I trust his mastering process and ear. He knows what I bring to him, and he knows how to make it sound the best. When you known someone for that long, you know what the other person is going to say about certain things, so you provide it. It really speeds up the process.
We don’t want to be caught having to work. The creativity needs to be able to move forward and be fun. It will sound like there is something wrong if you’re striving for something. The audience will pick that up in their own way and will remember that the next time they think about listening to your music.
You taught at the Art institute of Seattle. Do you have any advice for other teachers out there that struggle to keep their kids engaged in learning their craft?
Sure. Most of the people that end up in this profession are free thinkers. They don’t always want to be told what to do. I would make it so that we could spend as much time as possible in the studio. We kept out of the theoretical and stayed in the actual. I wanted to give them as much hands on experience as I could. You learn more, and you learn faster. You need to go learn how to wreck things and break them (laughs).
What are some of the biggest differences you have seen happen in the music industry?
Well, 30 or 40 years ago, the artist had a lot more influence on his or her career. It was more about what they though about life. And the artists took that as their responsibility. It was a smaller market, but with a larger audience. Now, the markets are strong, but the audience is so diverse. You end up competing with a lot of things that didn’t exist 20 years ago. There is nothing that pulls you above the musical noise faster than good writing. If you can hear the time and effort that went into the songwriting, then it doesn’t matter what you’re listening to.
Do you have any advice for people that are just starting out in the music industry? More specifically in engineering, recording, or producing?
Devote yourself to trying to break down and crack the code of the songs you’re listening to. Not only what did they do, but also WHY did they do it. Even if you’re wrong, at least you’re engaging your mind and training it to think that way. Train your ears to listen to all sound. Walk outside and imagine what you’re hearing. Your ears are the key. If you’re ears can pick up more than what someone else’s can, then you’re going to be working longer and working better. It’s just a matter of trusting your own ears.
If you could have dinner with one musician, DOA, who would it be?
George Harrison. I think he was an amazing component to the Beatles transitions. He was able to put in such iconic flavors. I think it would be a blast to ask him how certain things were recorded and how some of those sounds were created.
As you can see, Solveig & Stevie have certainly created a sound all their own. We can’t thank Stevie enough for FREQ’n out with us. We welcome both Solveig & Stevie to the Tone Freq family with open arms, and wish them nothing but the best on their future.
Here are a few links for you to stay up to date on all things Solveig and Stevie! We highly recommend heading over to their website and downloading their album! It’s available for free, but you can also give them a tip! YOU NEED TO HEAR THE SNARE!
Big thanks to Cyber PR for connecting us with Solveig and Stevie!
Tone Freqs 