Stephan Paul Goetsch, better known as Hanbach, is a German experimental composer, artist and YouTuber who is perhaps most famous for creating music with laboratory equipment and scientific instruments. He describes it as “dark Souls Despite using “hard mode” production techniques that often rely on telephone line testing equipment and gear salvaged from nuclear testing facilities, Hanbach is also incredibly prolific, releasing six albums in 2025 alone, as well as a few singles and EPs. His latest, soft hummingThere is a collaboration with Aah! Kosmos (Turkish composer, Baisak Gunak). The album is a nostalgic collection of unconventional percussion, droning analog synths, processed vocals and of course burbling test equipment.
His award-winning composing career and frequent musical collaborations would be enough to keep most people busy 24/7, but Hanbach is also a successful YouTuber. His channel explores experimental musical techniques, obscure vintage gear, and even modern oddities like the Bastle Kalimba. As if that wasn’t enough, he also frequently collaborates with companies like AudioThing to bring the essence of his mysterious music-making setup into a modern DAW. (I personally own several of them, including the wonderful Wireshark plugin.)
With so many projects going on at all times, we wanted to know what Hanbach is most proud of and what keeps his intimidating studio together.
What is your most indispensable tool?
A Nagara reel-to-reel tape recorder. I use these for my live shows, in the studio, for music and sound design. A wonder of technology, absolutely high standard of its time, and still looks great several decades later.
What’s the first app you install on a new phone or computer?
Gauss field recorder. This is an app I created with Bram Bos to solve a problem I’ve always had: I made a lot of field recordings with a phone, thinking I’d use them at some point. I never did this, and I ended up being left with a vast library of disorganized and anonymous voice memos. With Gauss, I can instantly turn any recording into music and save and share the session.
How many tabs do you have open right now?
Since it’s morning, only my two Gmail accounts and this questionnaire. Later, this number may exceed 20, especially if I do research.
Which social media platform do you use most (if any)?
As for all I’ve posted, it’s pretty evenly split. But mostly it’s work, I’m not there for fun.
What is your happy place online?
My protector. I love this community and the security it provides. Without it I wouldn’t have been able to start my strange musical journey.
What is your favorite gadget of all time?
Definitely a Swiss Army knife. As a child and now as a father, this has been very useful. Even on stage, I use it to fix my Swiss Nagra, because they work perfectly together. However, I forgot that I had them on the flights, so I had to have them mailed to me from airports around the world. This is why sadly I don’t keep them on me anymore for fear of losing them.
Which was the most disappointing?
Anything that tried to replace the Swiss Army Knife. Like those silly credit card-sized devices.
What sport do you have the fondest memories of?
play breath of the wild For my children during the pandemic. They were excited, and we suffered and felt happy throughout the game. When it was over, he burst into tears and I had to promise that we would show it again. Whatever we did, this time it is coming to a complete end. After that, my oldest played it, and she completed the pilgrimage 100 percent on master mode. Lastly, she was doing things like switching weapons between attacks to deliver maximum damage, which was weird to me.
What tech trend do you wish would take off?
AI music and sound generator. Useless machines for technocrats who never felt the joy of being good at anything.
What creation are you most proud of?
My series of Destruction Loops. An installation music piece that self-destructs over time, which I used to elicit online hate comments, viewers’ and listeners’ regrets, and far-right speech.
What is the best advice you ever received?
Stand still. My wife was watching one of my early live shows as Hanbach, and I still had all the moves I’d learned from years of playing in rock and electronic bands. Those actions had nothing to do with my music at all, it was just a habit. Now I keep an eye on every action, I don’t do anything unconscious on stage.
What is your current passion?
Passive bandpass filter. I’m about to go to East Germany to pick up a set that belonged to Deutsche Reichsbahn, the GDR train service. These filters often look amazing, and I have quite a collection now. I’ve converted one of them into a plug-in with Irish company Audiothing.
What do you do when you need to concentrate?
Not much, just a little time. I can work fast, something I taught myself during the short time I was doing my mandatory government service, and yet I felt an absolute need to make music in the small breaks I got.
What do you do when you feel stuck?
I go for a walk to reset. Back in the studio, I challenge my assumptions about what I’m working on. Often, the culprit is the part that I build a track around, nurturing it by giving it all these supporting structures. But then everything is going on at once, and it’s just not happening, creating no emotion, world, or story. That part may have served its purpose and may fade into the background, or disappear. It was probably just an inspiration, not an object.
If killing cute babies were a crime, I would have been sentenced to several life sentences.
When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?
Spa area in a hotel in Carlsbad during the Easter holidays.
What’s the last piece of physical media you purchased?
Daniela Mars heartbroken On vinyl on Bandcamp, from the artist himself. Amazingly minimalist and beautiful music.
What do you think is worth spending on?
A nice bed, with good mattress and pillows. Important for long-term health, especially as a touring musician.
What will be the tagline of your biopic?
In Germany, we love adding the over-the-top tagline to the title, even for American movies. Top Gun – Sie Furchten Werder Tod Noch Teufel (“They fear neither death nor the devil”). so maybe: Hanbach – Cold War Confidential. I use Soviet military wire recorders and American nuclear and military research equipment to make music, so at least there’s some truth to it.
What was the last GIF or meme you used?
I don’t think I’ve ever used a meme, although I have seen memes about myself. And now it’s eight tabs, and you should totally buy my new album Aah! Cosmos He is playing in one of them.
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