Workspace and Environment: Stereo Total

Ask me to do an interview in French and/or German and I am screwed. I must say that I'm completely humbled by the overall correspondence that takes place between international artists and myself. Their capacity to communicate in English is a reminder that I ONLY speak English.... and Thai... and a bit of German. With that out of the way, we will be uploading some videos of our time at NAMM soon. I think we spent more time harassing other people and ourselves than finding out anything useful. Anywho, here is Stereo Total!

Brezel Göring of Stereo Total
How long have you been involved with making music?
Since I was 15. I was born in Kassel (which I hated) and I ended up in Berlin, which is - for a German city - not bad.

What is your favorite hardware unit that you use?
4-track Tascam cassette recorder: It is easy to handle, small and sounds very good.


What is your current favorite software or plugin?
Retro player, which gives everything the sound of a 78 shellac record

How does your physical space and surroundings influence your workflow?
We have these pictures (see photo) all over our studio/rehearsal room: This definitely influences our workflow

Are you involved in any music/sound work outside of your own projects?
I made two one hour radio plays (one about Patty Hearst, another based on a novel that Francoise Cactus wrote). My music was used in several movies, a game, a tv show and in a comercial.

What was the first piece of hardware you remember obtaining?
A Korg Mono/Poly

What is on your current 'wish list'?
The further away from computers I am the happier I am: so my wish list is to stop using a computer for music

Do you have a mobile studio setup?
A four track, a Neumann mic and a Focusrite pre amp and a Yamaha SU 10 Sampler


What is your setup for live performances?
A Boss dr sample 303, a Yamaha SU 10, a Doepfer modular synthesizer and a self-built midi trigger machine, a Midiman mixer and a Zoom guitar pre amp and a guitar. Francoise has a drum set and a trumpet.

How has your studio evolved?
The place shown in the picure is the first and only work space I ever had. It is in the cellar of a squat and we are in there since 15 Years (1993)

Stereo Total is Françoise Cactus and Brezel Göring.
They can be found on myspace.com/stereototal or www.stereototal.de