Steve Hoffman
Encyclopedia
Steve Hoffman is an audio engineer from Los Angeles
, California
, who specializes in remastering
sound recordings on compact disc
and vinyl records.
and earned a degree in mass communications from California State University, Northridge
. In the 1980s, he worked at MCA
for nine years, where he compiled running orders for greatest hits albums. He has since done remastering
work for companies such as Digital Compact Classics (DCC) and Audio Fidelity, Analogue Productions, Rural Rhythm and, presently, S&P.
, limiting
and noise reduction
and adding colorations via tube gear, using from one to five layers of distortion, or substracting up to 14 dB @ 100 Hz from the Master Tapes (in Hotel California
).
who took them to Sound Masters studios in Houston, Texas. There, the reunited group overdubbed their new vocal parts onto at least 60 recordings, and sent them back to Hoffman at MCA
. The general consensus seems to be that, under Hoffman's influence, MCA would have issued these "new" recordings as an album, perhaps to commemorate the 25th year since Holly's death. This however, was not to be. In 1992, Pickering approached Viceroy Records to arrange a deal for major nationwide distribution of these overdubbed recordings, who hit a brick wall when MCA made it clear that Pickering did not have proper legal clearance to release such recordings.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, who specializes in remastering
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
sound recordings on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and vinyl records.
Biography
In his early years Steve Hoffman worked in radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and earned a degree in mass communications from California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
. In the 1980s, he worked at MCA
Music Corporation of America
MCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business...
for nine years, where he compiled running orders for greatest hits albums. He has since done remastering
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
work for companies such as Digital Compact Classics (DCC) and Audio Fidelity, Analogue Productions, Rural Rhythm and, presently, S&P.
Approach
His approach to remastering varies, and is dependant on the state of the original master tape and EQ choices of the recording engineer. He attains this by usually avoiding compressionAudio level compression
Dynamic range compression, also called DRC or simply compression reduces the volume of loud sounds or amplifies quiet sounds by narrowing or "compressing" an audio signal's dynamic range...
, limiting
Limiting
Limiting: Any process by which a specified characteristic of the output of a device is prevented from exceeding a predetermined value....
and noise reduction
Noise reduction
Noise reduction is the process of removing noise from a signal.All recording devices, both analogue or digital, have traits which make them susceptible to noise...
and adding colorations via tube gear, using from one to five layers of distortion, or substracting up to 14 dB @ 100 Hz from the Master Tapes (in Hotel California
Hotel California
Hotel California is the fifth studio album released by the American rock band the Eagles, in late 1976. It is the first Eagles album without founding member Bernie Leadon and the first album with Joe Walsh. It is also the last album featuring original bass player and singer Randy Meisner...
).
The Picks' overdubs
In February 1984, Hoffman sent what are known as safety copies of several Buddy Holly master recordings to John Pickering of The PicksThe Picks
The Picks is an American vocal trio that backed Buddy Holly and The Crickets' band on nine of the first twelve Crickets releases on Brunswick in 1957, as well as backing Buddy Holly solos for group sounds, beginning in 1984...
who took them to Sound Masters studios in Houston, Texas. There, the reunited group overdubbed their new vocal parts onto at least 60 recordings, and sent them back to Hoffman at MCA
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. The general consensus seems to be that, under Hoffman's influence, MCA would have issued these "new" recordings as an album, perhaps to commemorate the 25th year since Holly's death. This however, was not to be. In 1992, Pickering approached Viceroy Records to arrange a deal for major nationwide distribution of these overdubbed recordings, who hit a brick wall when MCA made it clear that Pickering did not have proper legal clearance to release such recordings.
External links
- Steve Hoffman Website
- Steve Hoffman Interview Archive
- Video clips of Steve Hoffman from HeadFest 2007
- In Search of the Holy Hi-Fi Grail JazzTimes, March 2007.
- The Mastering Master Metro Times, 4 April 2007