It is during my various exchanges on social networks that I had the opportunity to meet Stéphane. Of course he is passionate about music, but also and above all someone who is passionate about his work.
So I let him speak!
Hello Stéphane, thank you for accepting my invitation for this interview for Wave Sensation! So tell us everything! Who is Stéphane ?
Stéphane Tremel, I was born in Brest and my family is from Brittany. I've been working in the sound business as a technician for a few years, mainly in the field of modern music, for live performances, but also for recording in the studio and recently, full time, in the mastering part, a very specific and delicate step. A real priesthood for the one who wants to make it his job, which requires a total implication with a lot of learning, constant trainings, if one wants to give a service and a rendering worthy of this name, like many jobs besides.
What is your main activity musically speaking?
I spend the rest of my free time composing, arranging, tweaking and working on my Electronica music project An Hedonia influence Trentmoller, Recoil, Moderat ect ...
What are your musical influences ? How would you define yours ?
It's very vast, but in summary, I was fed with Post Punk, Industrial or even Bruitist music but also electronic music like Kraftwerk, DAF, Severed Heads ect......
Then artists like Coil, Autechre, Plaid and many other things like Synthwave for example.
An Hedonia is a bit of all these influences at the same time, a summary of all that except for the Post Punk because there are only machines in the project and female voice.
Can you describe us how your creative flow develops, how a day of composition, recording, mixing/mastering goes?
I will choose the composition mode:
Because of my job and thanks to the contacts with various musicians, I had to train myself to the bases of the classical music as the solfeggio, the modes, the harmonies ect....
I often start on the melody which is the center of my pieces then I concentrate on the energy, the sounds of basses which I particularly like and the rhythmic kind " kick basses snares ect ".
All my sounds are made with machines, hardware synthesizers, it's not because I don't like VST, it's just that I'm used to compose with them since ever, and then to compose with VST would require me even more time to build all my sounds to get the same result as hardware. I never use sound banks or factory sounds simply because it never fits what I'm looking for. This has been a good thing for me, because it forced me to spend hours learning how to make my own sounds from the beginning, with the help of my training from sound school where most of the synthesizers are seen.
The sources and the material are very important, it is like wood for the sculptor.
For the recording part, I rarely apply any treatment on the synthetic instruments except a compression for the rhythmics and the bass, but light, in order not to denature anything too much, to tighten and give a little more attack.
The recording of the voices is another story which requires days of recordings, according to the availability of Chrystelle who is the singer and lyricist of the project. It is necessary to choose the microphones, to make tests, to choose the preamplifier that we are going to use, to manage the energy, the intentions, the tiredness, the takes ect....
It is far from easy but Chrystelle is very professional and used to it.
All this process is done once all the instrumentals have been finalized. Chrystelle has the total freedom of creation on the vocals, besides I never hear the result beforehand, I discover everything during the takes and it's always very beautiful surprises. Chrystelle always arrives ready to record. It's very fluid in our exchanges because everyone knows what he has to do. The recording of the voices must be intended only for the recording, the intentions. The work of composition and writing is done before.
In fact when I create my sounds we can say that I already mix because all my machines are synchronized between them what also allows me to have already bases for live, Then I do not have any more but to record all that on the fly with the played keyboards parts.
The mixing part takes me little time in the end, because I try to make the songs sound natural.
What are the things that motivate you in what you do?
The satisfaction of realizing projects, the relationship and the various human encounters rich in emotions and discoveries.
Is there a track you are proud of? A collaboration with some artists that you liked?
We are proud of all our songs lol and I enjoy collaborating with Remy Pelleschi from Mlada Fronta.
What tools (Software/Hardware) do you use and why this choice?
Here is the bulk of the list of tools:
Metric Halo ULN83D card (the extraordinary quality of the preamps, its modularity thanks to the edge card, these converters, for me the best card on the market)
Focal Solo 6be monitor (their musicality and precision thanks to their Berilium tweeter), I'm switching to Twin 6be in a short time
Mytek Digital Mastering edition converter (essential and formidable for a 192khZ listening in order to work in a surgical way)
Mac mini M1 full
An overview of the software and plugs in which some are dedicated to mastering :
Acoustica (Acon Digital), Myriad from KVR audio, Metric Halo Plugs in, Acustica plugs in, Equilibrium (Dmg audio), Goodhertz, Gulfoss (Soundtheory) ect.....
An overview of the Daw :
Logic Pro X, Ableton Live 11, Cubase Pro 11
The exhaustive list of hardware machines :
DSI Polyelvolver (a unique sound and you can get completely crazy structures thanks to its 4 x 16 steps seq and its very complete modulation matrix, it's a hybrid with 2 analog and 2 digital osc with wave tables and the famous DSI curtis filter, 4 polyphonic voices), it's the heart of all harmonies and infinite sound possibilities.
Elektron AR mk2 (the Elektron sound, the quality of the pads) all the rhythmics
Elektron AF mk2 (the Elektron sound, its basses) basses, strings, arpeggios
Moog Matriarch (the vintage moog sound, a very rich sound palette, integrated moog stereo delay, semi-modular 90 points, 4 voices paraphonic) stereo filter, a breathtaking sound, a very nice achievement as moog can do so well). synth bass, bells, pads, arpeggios
Moog Litlle Phatty Stage Edition II (the little big one for huge Wobble bass sounds, simple and efficient, also contains an arpeggiator).
Elektron Digitone Key ( the new king of FM sounds ) Bells, metallic percussions ect ...
How do you see yourself evolving and what are your plans for the future?
Continuously enriching ourselves, the sound professions are a bottomless pit where we learn constantly and all our life.
A new album in the making and the preparation of a live album for 2022/2023.
What advice or recommendations would you give to those who would like to start in music like you, the work of mastering, mixing in studio ?
Perseverance, hard work, patience, creativity, curiosity, continuous training and pleasure.
I leave you the final word Stéphane!
Plug and play !
Ah ah ah! Thank you for this interview Stéphane! It allowed us to learn more about you and your passion!
Title of the next album and featured on the 20 years compilation of M-Tronic
M-tronic was created in July 2001 with the aim of being an innovative platform for all kinds of electronic experimentation including IDM, Glitch, Electronica, Breakbeat, Industrial, Drum and bass, Electro Wave, EBM, Ambient, Synthwave & Minimal Dub.
Some albums are available for free download, find them!
Find M-Tronic on bandcamp
ANhedonia on SoundCloud
@ Richard Raw Wave Sensation Editor
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