Steffen Kummerer | Obscura | Writing, Technique and Gear | Thomann

Steffen Kummerer stopped by to talk about his band Obscura, a very different writing approach (at least for Metal bands) and has some great insight on how to approach rhythm guitar lines! Also in this video: A new ENGL amp!
Signal chain: ESP - ENGL Savage 120 E-610/2 MKII - ENGL 412VS Pro - Voodoo VR2/Sennheiser e906 - UA Apollo x8p
Gear used: tho.mn/zxqgc
We use Triad-Orbit stands for our videos exclusively: tho.mn/triad
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:18 What's new with Obscura?
1:15 How does Obscura stay that tight?
2:29 Role of the fretless bass
4:59 Writing process
6:45 How the Obscura sound developed
8:32 The Importance of Picks and Strings for your attack
11:31 Palm Muting Techniques | Playing
12:40 Relationship with ENGL amps
14:37 New signature guitar
17:01 Dimebag-style bends
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[@senspartech3533]

Oh man, thanks for this! Absolutely love Obscura since I heard their first album and this is an interview that gives actual, valuable insight. Well done!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

SensparTech Yeah man, so good to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot! //cheers, Kris

[@jimmybags1494]

I truly believe that Steffen is an absolute mad genius. Some people are iffy about the Diluvium album but I feel like it's a complete masterpiece. It has such a classical music vibe without feeling neoclassical, it's unreal

[@TheSadistNat1on]

hes dope but, rafeal did write all of the neoclassical craziness. most techy thing he wrote on the record is emergent evolution and convergence

[@eh3253]

I listened to the new album for the first time a few weeks ago. I know I’m a little late to the party. It is unbelievable. Just when you think a band can’t get any better these guys prove that it’s possible to keep improving.

[@LouisR56]

I really love Diluvium, it's a very well balanced album with a lot of interesting elements. Even though Akroasis remains my personal favorite, Diluvium really is a solid record

[@crestfallen821]

He is more a good organizer to get fresh ideas into Obscuras discography than he is a good musician. He uses Obscura as a think tank to often change out band members and some times he does that in a very disrespectful way (see the scandal with Tom Geldschläger).

[@DoggoWillink]

Diluvium was a great album, especially on a technical level, but in terms of a tech death album that remains interesting for years, I prefer Cosmogenesis or Omnivium. Akroasis was another technically and musically insane album, but again it didn’t have the replayability for me. Hannes and Christian I think brought a lot to the band, and thankfully Chris is back again. I wish Hannes was though... his solo albums show just how great he is at writing songs. His solo albums are better than almost every full band’s albums today.

[@tommyfriedrich1473]

Steffens playing style has inspired me right now.

[@Oilid]

Thomann + Metal = Mega Win!!!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Oilid 🤘🤘metaaaaaal! //cheers, Kris

[@Deathworg1]

Steffen is a god damn treasure. Shook his hand in Barcelona. I still can't believe it.

[@leltraco1983]

This channel never disappointed me, pure gold this vid

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

LeL traco yeah dude thanks a lot! And we love you for your support! //cheers, Kris

[@bearmadden1776]

His hair is so amazingly clean. As clean as his playing. I must look into that correlation.

[@MoonOvIce]

A little late, but the guy clearly cares about his "clean" professional image, even the way he dresses, metal but somehow "classy".

[@spitefulwar]

Unglaublich gut gealtertes Video. :D

[@fabianthio4011]

Steffen your the man! Hope to see your future ESP guitar in the form of what loved from your past endorsements. 👍🏼

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Fabian Thio Oh yes that’s gonna be a mean machine for sure! //Kris

[@fabianthio4011]

Indeed. I think steffen knows what we mean. If that shape is back, I am on the board with ESP for it! 🤘🏼

[@Meksgehere]

New playthrough please 🙏 we all want that or a recorded show in pro shot 😍❣️ You guys are truly the best, can’t wait to get our hands on this new gear

[@logos_motorider6274]

This nterview is very good, informative about him and the band work. Thank you.

[@florenttenryu5011]

Thank you very much for this interview, full of details, very interesting ❤

[@49riffinator]

11:32 - Ode to the Sun, one of my favourites Please do another North America tour!! We still need a proper Diluvium one, the last one was mostly Akroasis

[@oscarlopez3435]

I was hoping there was a "Hair caring gear" part. Excellent video. Obscura has such an amazing sound.

[@ForeverdarkForevercold]

With Obscura, I can mostly hear Death (Steffen is Chuck direct descendant), Cynic, Gorguts, Atheist, Necrophagist... also a bit of Dissection (we all know Steffen love swedish melodic blach-death metal) and 90s swedish melodic death metal like the first In Flames or At The Gates in the palm mute riffing. But most important, i can 10000% hear this Obscura, with their own sound. Their are fucking amazing. Not underatted, of course, a lot of people know they are amazing, but dude, Cosmogenesis is now 10 years old, and with that longevity, I can truely say that Steffen is now a Guitar Death metal legend, amongs the Trey Azagthoth, Chuck Schuldiner, Muhammed Suiçmez, Erik Rutan, Paul Masvidal, etc. Greeting from France !

[@JackWareingFilms]

Yea, I definitely agree with the Cynic, Atheist comparisons. I would also add Believer, and Sculptured as other equally cool innovative, Progressive, Death metal bands that I think are in the same metal sub-genre (technical, progressive death metal) and worthy of respect. Obscura is very cool. I like AKROASIS a lot.

[@lashedandscorned]

Don't forget about Christian Müenzer.

[@ostravia]

@@lashedandscorned And Fountainhead.

[@drakecurtis8025]

i know im randomly asking but does anyone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I stupidly forgot the login password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me!

[@keatondavion6706]

@Drake Curtis instablaster =)

[@EntreMetido]

The secret is change the line up every 10 minutes xD

[@pl_vitor]

Steffen's great! High-level musician!!!

[@florenttenryu5011]

This last riff is so Morbid Angelesque ❤

[@aek4018]

thanks Steffen for beer in Warsaw! ;)

[@PooNinja]

8:38 always have a back up! great gauge 10-56:)

[@shreddykrueger7641]

I would pay so much to get lessons on how he writes riffs.

[@EkaitzIturbeltz]

Easy : he finds good musicians

[@TheSadistNat1on]

@@EkaitzIturbeltz ya he literally wrote one song on the new album..and ya an easy death metal song. but one more techy style..and only a couple riffs the song has so..

[@hehebwoai3056]

Dat tone!! Dat tone tho!!

[@gerpb]

I'm in love with Obscura. They transcend genres..i mean I could listen to Obscura next to Vulfpeck.

[@EvanJr]

Great. Very professional interview. 🥇

[@Lupine.]

17:02 mmmm the end of Ocean Gateways is so good.

[@dragonmodel9262]

those parts he played were very cool and it was a great video too.His guitar was very cool too.

[@tobiasmohring2813]

Would it be possible for you to do an interview with Andre Olbrich and Markus Siepen from Blind Guardian?

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

We can try to get them if they are touring Germany! //Andy

[@將軍英雄MILITARYHERO]

OBSCURA 2021 GUITAR HERO!!!

[@roberthofmann932]

I want to learn more from them!

[@abood93226]

18:18 love that part so much

[@Nahuel_Ramos]

Great interview!!! ':-)

[@ostravia]

I have found stone pickups, particularly green aventurine to be the best for Death Metal.

[@TheSpineSplitter1990]

Yesss!!!

[@chriswhite7927]

fantastic

[@adasastro]

10:42 so rafael also recorded the rythm with the esp?

[@charmanfer]

I'm pretty sure Rafael recorded the whole Diluvium record lol

[@kukquakk4716]

@@charmanfer I think only the songs he wrote (i.e. all the good ones: Clandestine Stars, Diluvium, Mortification, Etheral Skies, Epilogue to Infinity, Ekpyrosis)

[@ostravia]

I always wondered if he could play Akroasis all the way through. Does anybody know?

[@jcalzada74]

Man that head stock looks huge

[@northernlefty5412]

His secret is stealing music, surrounding himself with vastly more talented musicians, and screwing them out of royalties. Dude is scum!

[@MrArpSolina]

Where can I get this dBA meter?

[@nordgrenjoakim]

www.thomann.de/gb/dateq_spl_d2.htm?ref=intl&shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6IjIiLCJsYW5ndWFnZSI6ImVuIn0%3D

[@clemensmoeller4549]

I think they sell it on the Thomann website

[@mitchellerodhy1757]

12:07 I can hear the bass haha

[@ACM1000000PT]

nice ears :)

[@okadz7485]

same its so weird hearing it without the bass

[@EmotionalShredd]

Best German technical death metal

[@kristopherdavis5824]

Wat esp is he playing

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

This one - www.thomann.de/at/esp_ltd_mh_1007_qm_blkfd.htm //Andy

[@jaychen2000metal]

I want the esp ltd h-1001!

[@GNRGNRGNRGNRGNR]

Looks like some type of E-ii arrow. Dont know why an LTD was linked but thats clearly not the guitar he was playing.

[@leltraco1983]

8:41 #findthepickchallenge

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

LeL traco well I clearly lost that challenge. Haha! //Kris

[@Mat-zt4bi]

Hi steffen

[@metalwrath4]

Next Obscura album will be ridiculous

[@SuperMetalbird]

tunning?

[@liammews2375]

Whole step down from standard

[@marcosmitchellcesarespinoz4239]

We need more filippa un thomman

[@theantarex]

Bringback the Ran!!!!!

[@arefinkhandaker4370]

8:36

[@Coppercustomz]

Just discovered this band & The music is great stuff🤘🤘 However I personally prefer singing over cookie monster vocals

[@DrCarlosMusic]

Bro got so nervous coulda asked much more questions!

[@retratosybodas]

I will save you 20 minutes of your life. The secret of obscura is hiring REAL talented lead guitarists.

[@masternetito209]

The secret behind obscura is that Steffen kicks every member of the band, that sucks

[@ashdavies3218]

His secret is too get all the members to write the music and then claim it for his own... Hannes wrote the first two and Tom wrote Akroasis.

[@666MrAlexi]

The members forming the group Obsidious are definitely miles above Steffen on their respective instruments which even Steffen will agree. Sucking is not something those guys are good at.