Broadoak Studios

20/02/2024

Just in case anyone was hoping for another space themed album after Moon, don’t worry! There’s plenty of that in the works too. Here are a few of the images I’m working on for the big double album which will follow Ocean… conceptually it’s early days with these. The two albums each have their own themes and topics which are distinct but very connected. These images are just potential ideas for one of the two albums. As with the Ocean artwork, these are a combination of ai generated elements, hand-drawn bits (Apple Pencil and iPad Pro are fantastic for this kind of thing!) and lots of editing and comping etc.

Incidentally, one of the tracks from the double album is called ‘Singularity’ and deals with the topic of runaway AI!

On the subject of using AI in the creation of artistic work:

I’ve come to the conclusion that AI is clearly here to stay, whether we like it or not. I don’t think it will replace human creatives although it is going to decimate the business side of things for artists who rely on commissions etc. However, we can either moan and weep about it or embrace it, see it as a new tool and use it openly and be creative with it.
After all, the AI may generate source material and lots of variations on it, but a human can creatively select, edit and manipulate that material to mould it into something unique, personal and meaningful. So I believe in that sense, it can be valid as artwork (what I don’t like is when people use AI to do everything and then claim it as their own work).

In this way, it could be compared to improvising or producing in music. As an example, let’s say I’ve hired a musician to play on a piece of music I’m working on. Sometimes I have a precise melody, and want it to be performed exactly as I’ve written it. But on other occasions I might ask the musician to add their own embellishments or to improvise something entirely. I may record a dozen different improvisations and then spend a lot of time editing pieces from each take together, moving parts around, picking out all the bits which appeal to my aesthetic tastes and suit the needs of the piece etc. What I end up with can often be unrecognisable from the raw unedited performances.

So I can use AI to produce source material in endless variations from which I can edit and manipulate to achieve the desired results. But I would always credit the musicians for their performances - after all, the creative act is a collaborative one. So it seems logical to likewise ‘credit’ the AI in order to be transparent about its usage.

Inevitably, it will be abused of course but it will change the world either way. For better or worse? Very hard to predict at the moment. Humans don’t have a great track record of being sensible with new technology! It could all go terribly wrong, but it could also revolutionise medicine, energy production, space exploration and so much more, potentially solving many of the complex problems we face now as a species.

Time will tell.

Peace, love, music,
Your (mostly) human friend,
Harvey xx
✌️🖖🙏👽🎧🛸

19/02/2024

Hope everyone had a good weekend! Mine was anything but boring!

Since I’ve been unable to do much else for a few weeks, and after a brutal day of multiple hospitals on Sunday (details of which are not fitting topics for polite conversation! 😂), I’m back at home and resting up and have started getting some cover art together for my upcoming album releases (all still as yet unfinished - in addition to this one, I also have a double album coming. All 3 are about 75% finished).

The first album I plan to release (since Moon),
will be: Ocean.
This time, exploring another frontier - the ocean, and the many mysteries lie which beneath. (Who remembers The Abyss? Great movie… underwater aliens!)
Musically, it is again semi-orchestral and cinematic, adding voices and choirs, synthesisers of course, and features the piano quite a bit.

I have a few options for the album cover art, this is my current favourite (currently rough mock-ups, the image is derived from ai generated material, which I’ve edited and refined quite heavily etc)
Of the two, I prefer the framing of the first image and the white text seems better to my eye.
What do you think?

I’ll post some music from the album at some point soon.

Thanks everyone.

Harvey xx
✌️❤️🖖🙏👽🎧🛸🎶🌊

19/08/2022

Bittersweet Symphonies! Forever and a While, the long awaited final album from Gripper Lee 3 with their original trio line-up. Possibly their most adventurous album to date. And also poignant for me since this is the very last project I recorded at Broadoak before handing over to new owner and GL3 drummer, Gripper Martyn Lee. I’ve spent several months recently, mixing mastering, producing the album etc. It’s full of gems and has some great guest musicians on several tracks.
If you enjoyed their previous records, you’ll be sure to love this one. If you’re new to GL3, be sure to check it out too!

Bon voyage guys! And best of luck with the release.

The band is no more, but the long delayed fourth album by Gripper Lee 3 finally gets a release on 26th August 2022, streaming on the usual platforms. It's a beautiful thing, with guest performances on a range of instruments. Downloads, and physical copies on CD, available via Bandcamp.
www.gripperlee3.bandcamp.com

27/05/2022

Stranger Things Season 4 tonight! You probably know I’m a massive sci fi nerd!! To celebrate, I made this cover version of the theme music and a stop motion film to go with it… enjoy!

🤖

I’ll admit it, I’m a massive nerd and I love Stranger Things! As a composer who was a kid in the 80’s and who loves sci fi, I couldn’t resist the temptation ...

18/04/2022

English Composer Harvey Summers Shoots for the Moon With Stunning New Album!Please help me welcome him to The Ted Show!!Even before Harvey Summers considered...

15/04/2022

🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕

It gives me great pleasure to present the video for “Dreams of Another Sky”, the first single from my new album, Moon. The track is available now for streaming, adding to your playlists and downloading.

I’m very grateful to all of my friends for continuing to comment, like and share my posts. It means the world to me and makes a real difference!

Enjoy… and Happy Easter! 👽🎧🛸

Single: Stream/add:
https://harveysummers.lnk.to/dreamsofanothersky

Moon album out 6th May! presave https://harveysummers.lnk.to/moon

🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕



https://youtu.be/IytRjvI-x9c

Stream and add "Dreams Of Another Sky" to your playlists now: https://harveysummers.lnk.to/dreamsofanotherskyTaken from the album "Moon". https://harveysumme...

02/12/2021

As of Monday, 1st December, 2021, I am no longer running Broadoak Studios. As many of you will know, I made the difficult decision to sell up and retire from recording bands etc. After some 25 years doing this at Broadoak and previously at my first commercial studio, Medium Moose (remember that?), I decided it was time to refocus on my own music. This was my intention when I started out all those years ago, but the day to day running of the studio took over entirely. Health problems have also been a major factor in my decision. I have so many happy memories from the last few decades at Broadoak, we’ve made countless albums for some incredible artists. Too many highlights to list! Working as a producer with so many of the remarkably talented musicians we have locally has been a privilege and a joy. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me at Broadoak over the years, and to wish Martyn Lee and Glen Mitchel the very best for the future as they take over the reins.
I’ve set up a great studio at home for the short term where I’m able to work on my own music (I’ve just signed a new record deal with my latest album, Moon, and am very excited about the future with them). I’m also still offering mixing, mastering and session playing remotely for any who might be interested. You can contact me via Facebook or email [email protected]

I’m going to maintain this page as a kind of historical archive of the studio and the work we did there. Please share your memories and photos!
Onward to the future. Farewell Broadoak, you will be missed but your story will continue!

Peace, love, music.
Harvey. X

08/08/2021

Important announcement - Broadoak Studios

To all of my friends, colleagues and clients, I am stepping down from running Broadoak Studios and handing over the reins to my good friend and colleague Martyn Lee who will reopen the studio in the near future.

I will still be offering mixing, mastering, production and musical arrangements but I will no longer be handling live recording sessions. Unfortunately, my health has become an issue over the last couple of years and has reached a point where I can no longer physically run the day to day operation of the studio the way I used to. This, combined with my desire to refocus my efforts around my own composing and musical work, alone with mixing and mastering, are the reasons for making this difficult decision.

Much will remain the same at Broadoak, although I will be taking some of the equipment with me, some of it will remain including the legendary Raindirk mixing console! My long term and most capable assistant, Glen Stebbings will also stay on under the new management.

It’s hard to believe it’s been over twenty years since I opened Broadoak. I will always look back on my time there with great fondness and gratitude to all of the remarkable talent I’ve had the privilege of working with over these last two decades. I’d like to thank everyone who has recorded with me or supported the studio in any way, we had some great times and made a lot of wonderful records. I’ll certainly miss it. Although as stated, I will still be available for all other work and have set up a fantastic mixing and mastering room at home where I can continue all of this. In time, Sarina and I intend to relocate at which point I will build a new studio to match my new requirements.

Although health has been the driving force behind this decision, I have for a long time wanted to make more time for my own musical composing and output. Indeed, lockdown gave me the time to make my latest album, Moon which is now being signed by a fantastic record label which all bodes very well for my new direction! (More on this soon!).

I’ll leave it to Martyn to let you all know when he is reopening and the details going forward. I’m still there at present, getting things ready and moving my mountains of stuff out!

I keep an archive of pretty much everything I work on (going back around ten years - some projects even further back), so don’t worry! All of your files are still safe with me!

I wish Martyn and Glen the very best for the future. I’m delighted to be able to hand over the place which I’ve called home for so long to great people who will continue the Broadoak legacy!

Feel free to message me directly about any of this.

Onwards and upwards!

Peace, love, music.
Harvey. X

27/01/2021

Here’s a little taste of Harvey’s new album, ‘Moon’ now exclusively available from HarveySummersMusic.com

https://youtu.be/KRiRYZpnu6I

We have lift-off! I'm delighted to share this preview of my new album, 'Moon', recorded during lockdown 2020-2021. Available exclusively here: https://www.ha...