Interview by Jules Mari

Based in New York City, the duo pH10 consists of Recone Helmut and SyBO. With a sense of humor and a knack for churning out phatt beats, their blend of genres such as Drum & Bass, Breakbeat, and Jungle are certifiable movers. Their latest album Helmutvision is a trip down chunky beat lane and also features collaborations with artists such as hip hop artist Pete Miser. Learn more about Recone, pH10, and some of the details regarding the making of Helmutvision in the following Q&A interview!

Jules: What is the burning force behind your desire to create music?

Recone Helmut: I would have to say that I started making music because I wanted to be cool. All my favorite people growing up were musicians so naturally I gravitated toward that. Having no real musical talent, I started playing the drums… then moved into electronic music because I was sick of having to wait until the gig was over to start drinking. Seriously, I loved playing drums, just being able to get on a stage and bang on stuff, those were great times. I got into the electronic scene partly because of my love of technology and partly because the possibilities seemed endless and that turned me on. Now it’s just what I do. It’s become so engrained in my life that I can’t imagine ever stopping.

What aspects of yourself are the biggest influences in your productions?

I’m an anxious dude. I mean, things bother me. Shit gets to me. The music reflects that I think. I’m not one to sit in the dark and enjoy the sound of the city ­ I’m a nervous wreck most of the time. Listen to ‘Helmut Theme’ and you’ll see what I mean.

What is your background in music and technology, were you formally educated or is your skill set self-taught?

I am so NOT musically educated. I ask my girlfriend and partner in pH10 ‘SyBO’ if notes clash all the time. She has a real musical background (some wind instrument or another I think) and so she helps out here and there. I’ve always had partners with a background in music that I could lean on. Whether it be the guys in LD-50 teaching me chords on the sampler or Clark ov Saturn trying to keep my tones compatible. The truth is I would love to have a more academic understanding of music and I’m working on it. Technology on the other hand is in my blood, I’ve always had a knack for figuring out ‘systems’ and it’s fun to me. This is what excited me so much about electronic music. I love sitting among all these machines, trying to get then to do what I want. It’s a great feeling to work an idea into a song. When you sit back and watch all the midi info fly from one synth to the next after taking the time to dial in each sound, that’s a cool feeling.

What is your current key creative influence in regards to technology (e.g. a particular piece of hardware or a particular software program)?

That’s an easy one. Cubase SX is by far the most creatively vital tool I have. It helps ideas flow quickly and easily and helps me to keep my momentum on a project (which is very important for an easily distracted dude like me). I use the hell out of ACID too. Since I employ a lot of rhythm loops, ACID is essential. I can import my main drum track from Cubase and then peruse my sample library for poly rhythmus and ghost loops that fit with it. ACID will automatically match the bpm to the main part and I can instantly hear what the two sound like together. There is probably a way to do this in Cubase but I haven’t found it. My last thing is my SansAmp PSA-1 distortion unit. It’s an analog distortion box that really helps bring the nasty out of any synth.

What keeps you motivated to work in a field that is tough to survive in?

I’ve been doing this for so long (going on 10 years) and truthfully it’s been very good to me. Most of my close friends I’ve met through pH10 including my best buddy and partner SyBO. I’ve seen lots of Europe, the US and Canada via pH10 and the high of releasing a record every few years is really worth all of the rejection and pain you have to put up with. At the end of the day, it’s worth it.

Are there other fields you are currently working in to supplement/fund your creative time? And if so, how do you manage to schedule your creative time with other aspects of your life such as work and social time?

Yeah, I work as an I.T. project manager in an Advertising agency. It’s a total bullshit job that I absolutely hate but it allowed me to build the studio I needed and buy a good car for touring. I am leaving soon though; I’ve had as much as I can handle of the self-imposed cast system we call Corporate America. As for scheduling of time, that comes easy if your music is truly your priority.

What comments do you have regarding the comments made about the Helmutvision track "Needless to Say" that was selected from numerous submissions to be on the monthly music compilation for December's 2004 Future Music magazine?

People always bash that track for being too simple and basic but I was just trying to feature Pete and the only way I knew how was to just let him shine. As I got more comfortable with working on tracks containing vocals, I learned how to beef up the backing instrumentation without taking away from the vocalist. That’s a fun process, learning how to work with something new. I recommend experimenting with vocals to all electronic artists, there’s really nothing like it.

Who is the guy talking in the "Intro" of Helmutvision and what did you use to create the stutter edits (sampler or software)?

There was a Japanese Star Search style TV show that taped in Manhattan a few years ago. We got on and won, then we were back to play the best-of show and won that. Now can you friggin’ imagine pH10 on Star Search? It was ridiculous. Anyway, the guys voice in ‘Intro’ was the host of the show. I recorded a ton of samples from the show onto CDs and gave them to a DJ contact of mine Jase Mason. He used CD turntables and scratched along to the beat of the music. We recorded an hour of him doing that and I made samples of the best bits. Then, in Cubase I triggered the samples via MIDI. For stuttering and whatnot I still find it easier to use samples triggered by midi than mess with the actual audio in the sequencer.

What are the main pieces of gear you use when you perform live and what are the reasons behind your particular choices?

The heart of the live rig is two Emu E4 Platinum samplers. I’ve always used hardware samplers live and the only reason I still do is because I haven’t found a better way. It’s a major pain in the butt to re-create the song in the samplers (they are created in Cubase originally) and import all the midi info to run the synth lines and drum machines… but it’s how I’ve always done it and for the most part it works. The sampler runs the sequence for each song, which triggers note info on the Emu XL-7, Novation K-Station, Super Bass station, Juno 106 and Alesis DM5. We just ride the knobs through the song making changes to filters and frequency ­ triggering samples here and there.

The mix for Helmutvision is clear and well spaced. What monitors do you use for mixing, the reasons behind your choosing those particular monitors, and their influence on your final mix?

I use Alesis Monitor One MKII monitors. I am not totally happy with the bottom end representation and when I move my studio to a bigger spot I plan on getting some Mackie HR824s. I really think these are the best monitors in the under two grand category. But, if you’ve only got 300 bones and you want decent speakers you could do a lot worse than Monitor Ones (the passive kind, the powered version sucks). The reason I was able to get a half way decent mix with my current set up is simply trial and error. I must have made 50 mixes of every track and listened to it on lots of separate sound systems. Your car, your home theater system, your computer. Compare your mix to albums you know and make changes ‘till it sounds right.

Pete Miser's vocals stood out well. What type of microphone was used and what were the techniques you used to bring the vocals forward?

We recorded Pete’s vocal parts in his studio. I’m not sure what mic he used and what type of compression settings he used. I can tell you that I didn’t need to do much to the vocal to make it fit in the track. I would say most important things would be to compress it correctly, EQ out frequencies you don’t need, use a little reverb to help it sink just enough into the sound and for a dance track like this, let the vocal sit inside the groove rather than on top of it.

Did the mastering process greatly change the sound quality of your final album and if so, in what way?

I love mastering day. It’s the best day of the entire process. I insist on sitting in on all my mastering sessions ‘cause it’s fun as hell and it’s a time to make those last minute decisions. My mastering guy knows me and knows what I like so it’s never a big fight. I can’t explain how mastering changes the sound but it goes in sounding home made and comes out sounding professional. It has a lot to do with overall EQ, compression, volume and the indefinable cohesive quality the music takes on. I would never try to master my own work; it’s a mistake in my opinion.

What type of audio interface do you use?

M Audio Delta 1010. It’s an old PCI interface with a big rack mounted break out box. It’s 8 analog ins and outs with a digital box that receives and sends ADAT light pipe to my samplers. It’s been in my studio for about 5 years and have never had a problem with it.

Do you use any analog gear in your studio or do you use 100% digital?

Lots of analog gear. I’ll never stop lusting after old synths and effects.

What are some of your favorite artists who are influential to your productions?

I’m a sucker for the big beat stuff, Fat Boy Slim, Chemical Brothers, The Freestylers. I’m also a huge Drum and Bass fan, anything dark and nasty like Ed Rush and Optical, Bad Company, Adam F. I find a lot of inspiration in Heavy Metal and Industrial too. Like Slayer, Ministry, that sort of thing…

How does your background as a drummer influence your compositions and do you use your own drum playing in your tracks?

I would love to get one of those Roland electronic pad kits and bang out beats on that. Unfortunately I don’t have a spare inch in my studio. Sometime in the future though for sure. Having played in punk/industrial bands as a drummer helped me understand what makes a good foundation to a song. I learned that the drums and bass of a song need to be solid and bangin’ or the song will suck every time. That experience influences me to this day. All my tracks start with a groove and I go from there.

If you could work with anyone in this coming year, who would it be?

No question about it, Kool Keith.

And last but not least, your website www.helmutplex.com is a cool site. Who is the mastermind behind it?

Brian Romero and I designed it. He did all the work. He’s one of those sickeningly talented people that you just can’t stand to be around… Yeah, he’s one of them. His site is being developed now - www.brianromero.com.

Thanks Recone!!

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