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10 questions with Oliver Huntemann
With releases on Eric Prydz's Mouseville and DJ Hell's International Deejay Gigolos, remixes for Depeche Mode, Underworld and Chemical Brothers and three critically acclaimed albums on his Ideal imprint, Oliver Huntemann is without doubt a contemporary techno stalwart. The Hamburg hit-maker chats to us about how he builds grooves, his penchant for musical drama and the limitations of limitless technology.
Loops? Or programming your beats from single hits?
I rarely use loops because I find them rigid and restrictive. Using single hits give me the freedom to build my own groove and choose how it develops throughout the track. It takes more time to create beats this way but it's more than worth it as it's a fundamental part of developing your own musical identity - your own unique sound.
What is the key ingredient in a track? Breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?
Loop house and techno is the genre-de-jour right now, where arrangement isn't the most important thing. But because I'm more inclined to produce techno 'songs' rather than 'tracks' arrangement is the most important element of my production process. Having strong sequences and melodies are important but it's the implementation of proper dramaturgy (sic) that sets off a track. The need for considered arrangement should never be underestimated: fantastic basic elements can be ruined by poor structure.
When building a track how do you normally work? Do you start with the drums and build from that?
It always starts with the kick drum. That is the heartbeat of any dance track. On top of this I start to build the drum pattern, with hi-hats, claps and snares - in that order - to establish a strong groove. When the basic groove is nailed I write the bassline and build other melodic leads and elements on top of it until I have a full-sounding mix. Next I focus on the arrangement, working the different tracks to get the most out of them. It's rare for me to reach this arrangement stage and find that I need to add new elements or melodies. In fact the opposite is usually true: it's more common for me to end up dropping sounds from the mix to create a more coherent composition.
Do you mainly use analogue or digital soft synth sources? Do you think analogue makes a difference?
My studio has been fully digital for some years now, although I have been considering adding in some of my old synths for a bit of fun. I favour a digital setup because I like total recall of settings. Does analogue sound better? I don't know - there are lots of producers who work with analogue-only set ups and their productions sound crap. Ultimately I believe it's the producer and engineer that make songs sound great, not kit.
Any advice on monitoring? Quiet? Loud? Do you prefer flat and boring speakers, headphones or big, phat and chunky monitors?
For me, headphones are a no-go when monitoring. In the studio I have a pair of Focal Twin 6 Be speakers, without subwoofer, as the room isn't so big. The Focals are strong enough to give that club feeling from time to time and are not as flat as the Yamaha NS-10s. In terms of volume, I like to keep things relatively quiet: it doesn't make sense to overload your ears and by monitoring at lower volumes I keep them fresher for longer.
What are the biggest barriers new producers face?
The biggest barrier is probably the near endless amount of choice producers have in terms of kit and plug-ins.
When I started making music in the 1990s all I had was an Atari ST running Creator (which later became Logic) and a handful of synths and drum machines. Today you don’t know where to start. Some new producers think they need all the latest plug-ins and synths in order to make great music, which simply isn't the case. With so much new kit entering the market each week it's impossible to learn how to use each plugin - to really get the most out of it. I know a lot of young producers who own all the kit but don’t find the time to produce tracks using it because they are lost in learning the latest technologies.
I'd recommend working with a concise setup as it allows you to get the most out of the things you have and will ultimately free up time for the thing that actually matters - making music!
How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend?
I would recommend getting tracks professionally mastered. Mastering engineers are highly skilled and listen to tracks in a different way to the producer, allowing them to make the most of a track. I work with Andreas Kauffelt at Schnittstelle. He’s a fantastic mastering engineer who specialises in electronic music. He has the know-how and technology to make big things even bigger. I would never release a vinyl or digital track without giving it to him first. The same goes for my label Ideal. I hate getting quiet, unmastered promo tracks: it´s not professional and reflects on the disposable nature of music these days, which I really don't like.
What's your opinion on processing the mix bus? Leave it clean or drive it to the extreme?
I only use a Finalizer, and very cautiously at that, to finish a track. I keep use of the Finalizer to a minimum during the production stage and only work with it for pre-mastering.
What do you believe is the secret to your success as a producer?
I try to continually progress and develop my sound in order to stay fresh and interesting. I think I have a good ear for dramatic sounds and structure which helps create memorable productions. And I always try and make tracks that are catchy without being cheesy.
Any advice for aspiring producers out there?
Limit yourself to a concise set up, get familiar with new instruments and pieces of software, and practice, practice practice!
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More from Oliver Huntemann: www.myspace.com/huntemann and http://huntemann.tv
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