Niko Goebel

What is your purpose at session and how long have you been there?
I am currently a content manager in marketing and am also responsible for the coordination and preparation of various marketing campaigns. I think I'm in the right place because I've been with the company since 2004 and have already worked in every department. This means I know all the employees and processes in the company and how the individual gears mesh, which makes me a kind of link between the departments.

What kind of instrument do you play?
I feel most comfortable with analog synthesizers, groove boxes and recording equipment.

How long have you been making music?
I started playing drums in the school band when I was 10 years old. This then led to the desire to make my own music and become creative myself.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I think the best way to get inspiration is to walk through the world with your eyes open and be open to a lot of things. Inspiration can come from anywhere. For example, I really enjoy taking photos in my private life and I also run a blog where I get to know a lot of different people, from which I can draw a lot of inspiration.

What genre do you feel at home in?
I prefer to listen to 80s sound. New Wave impressed me early on. But I also listen to the Beatles, David Bowie, The Smiths and a lot of hip hop. If they complement each other a little bit and cross-fertilize, I think that's the coolest. But electronic music and techno also have their appeal. Of course, it always depends on the moment you are in.

Tell us three of your favorite artists.
For me, I would specifically call The Fantastic Four. They just picked me up early. Even at the age of 3 or 4, it was music that I understood, that wasn't too aggressive and that I could easily get involved with. I learned early on to love the importance of combining music and lyrics. Otherwise, as already mentioned, I think David Bowie is great. He has not only reinvented himself musically, but also as a figure and person, also in connection with fashion and lifestyle. For me, this makes David Bowie the epitome of a musician or artist. I would put the Beatles in third place because they managed to create a kind of pop music early on and founded the phenomenon of those boy bands that later took place in my generation.

Is there an album you would have liked to have played on?
No, I think that would be presumptuous to say. But I think it would be cool to release music myself at some point that inspires someone else. But the way there is of course difficult.

Do you play in a band or something similar?
Yes is the answer. There are many musical projects that I am involved in, but there are no live performances or regular band rehearsals. Most of the time it's more like sending photos and ideas back and forth with friends.

What is your favorite piece of equipment?
If I had to choose one instrument , it would be the KORG Microkorg. This is a small synthesizer with buttons, where all the controls are directly accessible on the finish and which can be used to produce great 80s sounds. I've been using it for over ten years now and I wouldn't bat an eyelid buying it again if it were to break.

The most important thing when making music is...?
The most important thing is to have fun, be open and try new things. I started rapping hip hop lyrics over an electronic beat framework early on. I perceived this connection between disco and hip hop as something new at the time, before I later discovered it in others too. That's why you should always try to implement your ideas in new ways.

Current favorite product from our range?
Most recently, I was really impressed by the ABTONI Push 2, which I also use privately. I really like the way this controllers works with the software . Who knows where I would be today if this combination had been available to me 20 years ago.