Name: Christopher Stein aka AVAION
Nationality: German
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current release: In March, AVAION will hit the road for an extended tour through Europe's German speaking countries. He also has a new single out ("Broken") as well as a remix of his 2022 release "Don't Wake Me Up".
Gear Recommendations: Ohmsound Frohmage (best sounding filter effects); Spectral conquest (super oldschool EQ but crazy for cutting super specific frequencies)

If you enjoyed this interview with AVAION and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit him on Facebook, Soundcloud, and twitter.



What was your first studio like?

Back when I started making music, my first studio, for more than a decade, was my bedroom.

How and for what reasons has your set-up evolved over the years and what are currently some of the most important pieces of gear for you?

What I’ve learned over the years, is that the vibe and atmosphere of the room where you make music is just as important as the production gear that you use. So, I’ve focused a lot of energy on putting as much comfy vibes in my studio as possible and setting the right scene for creativity to flow.

I completed my new studio around a year ago, and since then it’s where I’ve worked on singles such as ‘Lies,’ ‘Hope,’ and my latest release ‘Broken.’

As for the most important elements in my setup - these are my speakers, laptop, mic, and interface.

Some see instruments and equipment as far less important than actual creativity, others feel they go hand in hand. What's your take on that?

I think that creativity is way more important than the gear you use.

It’s really important to understand what your equipment does (compressors, EQs, …).

A studio can be as minimal as a laptop with headphones and as expansive as a multi-room recording facility. Which studio situation do you personally prefer – and why?

I enjoy the art of minimalism. For me, less is more.

Speakers, mic, and the knowledge of what every plugin does are way more effective than an overloaded studio where you have no idea what to do and start to feel overwhelmed by all of the technology and gear options available.

From traditional keyboards to microtonal ones, from re-configured instruments (like drums or guitars) to customised devices, what are your preferred controllers and interfaces? What role does the tactile element play in your production process?

I’ve got a bunch of analog synthesizers that I love to use to get creative on my tracks.

I also recently bought the Maschine Plus drum pad and it's incredible to just jam around with and start generating ideas on.

In the light of picking your tools, how would you describe your views on topics like originality and innovation versus perfection and timelessness in music? Are you interested in a “music of the future” or “continuing a tradition”?

I really like the idea of making my songs timeless. I’ve created my own style of music in this industry and the timeless part plays a big role.

Most would regard recording tools like microphones and mixing desks as different in kind from instruments like keyboards, guitars, drums and samplers. Where do you stand on this?

I would put the microphone also in the position of the synthesizers and midis because I use my voice to create part of the song, like you do with any other instrument.

In my songs, such as ‘Pieces’ and ‘Broken,’ the vocals are a really crucial aspect in setting the vibe and getting the emotion across.

How would you describe the relationship between technology and creativity for your work? Using a recent piece as an example, how do you work with your production tools to achieve specific artistic results?

I put a lot focus on plugins. I also really enjoy getting new hardware equipment like synthesizers or analog vocal processing tools.

In my opinion, I think the joy and excitement of buying yourself something new to work with gives you a lot of motivation to create, even though it's short term.

Within a digital working environment, it is possible to compile huge archives of ideas for later use. Tell me a bit about your strategies of building such an archive and how you put these ideas and sketches to use.

I mostly use DropBox to store my projects and the files that go with them.

Nowadays it is very easy to save large projects and allow a pleasant workflow. It’s also an easy system for collaborating with other artists because you can exchange files faster.

How do you retain an element of surprise for your own work – are there technologies which are particularly useful in this regard?

I try to experiment a lot with effect plugins like reverbs or delays or frequency shifters. You never really know what output you’ll get when you play around with the settings and I love that.

It creates space to explore.

Production tools can already suggest compositional ideas on their own. How much of your music is based on concepts and ideas you had before entering the studio, how much of it is triggered by equipment, software and apps?

Most of my songs start in my head just as an idea. However, I think every song I’ve written then starts with me opening my DAW and just trying to get the ideas from my head into the program.

Sometimes I use my analog synth to get along with chords and catch the vibe of the song, too.

Have there been technologies which have profoundly changed or even questioned the way you make music?

AI is quickly becoming a big deal nowadays, especially in the music industry. To be honest, I’m kinda scared of where this is going and just how far it will go.

To some, the advent of AI and 'intelligent' composing tools offers potential for machines to contribute to the creative process. Do you feel as though technology can develop a form of creativity itself? Is there possibly a sense of co-authorship between yourself and your tools?

Actually, I think yes. I get a lot of inspiration out of presets or samples that are generated by the tools so they play a big role in the whole song coming together and the finished sound.  

What tools/instruments do you feel could have a deeper impact on creativity but need to still be invented or developed?

AI where you can make voice notes how the song and melody should be and it creates it for you in the genre and style you like. This would be super cool!