Be like the cockroach and don't give up! Steve talked about running a pro studio and rehearsal space, scheduling bands, mixing Ronnie James Dio, generating studio business, getting guitar tones just right, rock guitar amps, and how to record drums.

My guest today is Steve Ornest a rock multi instrumentalist, engineer, and producer in Redondo Beach CA. Steve learned his studio skills at Total Access Recording under the guidance of Wyn Davis (RSR192) starting at the young age of 15. Steve started out playing guitar for rock sessions by bands like Don Dokken, Minoru Nihara (Loudness), and many others, but fast forward to the present and Steve is now running the studio with Wyn.

Steve’s mission has been to reinvigorate the local South Bay music scene by making it affordable for young local artists to come in and work on their song, EP or album and walk away with the same commercially competitive results Total Access has become known for over the past forty years. Aside from working with incredible local talent like Joker’s Hand, Mor Flowrs and Hand Drawn Maps, Steve continues to work on records for legacy artists such as Foreigner and Dio. Steve is currently working on a record with country artist Annie Bosko, which features a duet with country legend Vince Gill. Steve has also worked alongside producers Ken Scott (Beatles, Elton John, Supertramp), Eric Sarafin (Ben Harper, Amy Grant), and many others. 

Steve recently opened a 1000sq ft rehearsal suite steps away from the studio, called Total Access Rehearsal. The idea was born from a frustration at the lack of rehearsal studios in Los Angeles, particularly in the South Bay. The suite boasts an acoustically treated showcase room, top-of-the-line gear, a private lounge/bathroom, A/C, free water and coffee, private parking, and convenient roll-up entry.

Total Access Recording has an extensive client list including L.A. punk band Black Flag and many SST Records artists, Husker-Du, The Descendants, then flourishing in the 80’s hair metal era recording Dokken, Great White, and White Lion, followed in the 90’s with post-punk artists; Sublime, No Doubt, Pennywise, Slightly Stoopid and others. 

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Website Links:

www.tarehearsal.com
www.tarecording.com
Instagram:
@steveornest
@tarecording
@tarehearsal
Facebook:
Facebook.com/total.access.recording
Facebook.com/tarehearsal

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson