The Definitive Scott Hansen Quotes Collection

A comprehensive archive of verified quotes from Scott Hansen, the artist behind Tycho and ISO50, drawn from over 20 years of interviews, blog posts, and public appearances. Every quote is sourced to a specific publication with URL.

Last Updated: April 2026 Total Quotes: 183 Sources Cited: 25+ publications

Table of Contents

1. On Creative Process
2. On Instrumental Music
3. On Visual Art & Design
4. On Specific Albums
5. On Gear & Production
6. On Touring & Live Performance
7. On Fans & Community
8. On Life Philosophy
9. On Fatherhood & Personal Life
10. On the Music Industry
11. On Collaboration
12. On Influences

1. On Creative Process

“The process is the product. I’m designing a process in an ergonomic system for human-machine interaction. Any electronic musician, after you do this long enough you just start to realize that’s the way it works.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“My process is really about little bits of inspiration… taking that idea to what I consider to be a finished product is a very, very long, winding road of meticulously going over every detail.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“I play the gear like an instrument. Playing into it and letting what it’s doing inform the performances.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“The real spark is the initial sound, then the melodies come out of that.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Issue 123) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/123/tycho

“The favorite part of all of my records has happened as a result of that — in the arrangement and production process, not the writing process.” — Scott Hansen, Digital Trends Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/interview-tycho-scott-hansen-on-touring-digital-vs-analog/

“A big part of my sound is harnessing artefacts that aren’t supposed to be there.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“I play the effects. I’m not a virtuosic guitarist or keyboardist by any means. But I like to use the effects as an instrument just as much as guitar loops.” — Scott Hansen, Digital Trends Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/interview-tycho-scott-hansen-on-touring-digital-vs-analog/

“Usually I work up some ideas, then I spend a few months with them, turning them into something I would consider a demo. Then Zac will come in and we’ll start playing with the idea. I’ll take it back for a while and do the full production and arrangement. Then he’ll come back and we’ll basically strip it down, try to figure out what it’s about, take out everything that doesn’t need to be there, and make it cleaner for the final version.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“It’s not about creating one form or this sound, it’s about processing for me. I think that’s what being a producer and an engineer is. And approaching those disciplines from an artistic perspective is kind of what it’s about for me.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“Almost everything you hear on any Tycho album is the first or the second take. There’s none of this learning it and playing it live and really understanding it… It’s definitely a collage.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I didn’t think of myself as a musician; I mainly got into music just to learn how it was made.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“I didn’t touch a musical instrument until I was 19 years old, so it always felt new and exciting to me.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“I started out playing around with drum machines and samplers in the late 1990’s and progressed on to keyboards and finally guitar.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“Creating chords using reverb is kind of my signature. I’m not playing these big complex parts.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“I’ve been doing this for 22 years now. But I feel like I’m just getting started.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“At least I can just approach this from a technical perspective, and just learn this machine. And there isn’t some attached meaning to it, like, oh, you have to think you’re an artist.” — Scott Hansen, Song Exploder / Medium Source: https://medium.com/re-form/song-exploder-tycho-1559fa960bd7

2. On Instrumental Music

“One of the beauties of instrumental music is that it doesn’t define, it implies.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

“It’s an amplifier, or like a wireframe that you can mold your own emotions around.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

“I learned more about instrumental music in making a vocal record than I had in all the years prior, making instrumentals.” — Scott Hansen, KCRW Source: https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/music-special/tycho-interview-scott-hansen-finds-creative-balance-on-new-album-simulcast

“I guess this time around I just wasn’t feeling instrumental music enough to make another entire album of it.” — Scott Hansen, PopMatts Source: https://www.popmatters.com/tycho-weather-2019-interview-2639902159.html

“My work typically reaches its final form through an iterative process and with this record I wanted to further explore the multiple forks in that process. With the music I approached each song with the intention of making both vocal and instrumental versions. The instrumentals aren’t simply versions with the vocals removed, they are totally new arrangements with different melodies and instrumentation.” — Scott Hansen, Performer Magazine Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“I wanted to have songs that could stand on their own as both vocal and instrumental versions.” — Scott Hansen, PopMatts Source: https://www.popmatts.com/tycho-weather-2019-interview-2639902159.html

“It’s kind of headphone music at the end of the day, especially the older stuff.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

“Absolutely, yeah. That’s what ambient music at its core anyway, it’s not really the melody or the structure. I mean, I try to build those things in as well, but I focus a lot of my energy on the effects that surround this thing, that is pretty simple at its core.” — Scott Hansen, Frontier Psychiatrist Source: https://frontpsych.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/getting-wet-with-tycho-an-interview-with-scott-hansen/

3. On Visual Art & Design

“Tycho is the soundtrack for the imagery and visual world that is ISO50. It’s like I hired myself to score the film I made as a visual artist.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 / Various Interviews Source: https://iso50.com/about/

“I do design, music, and visual stuff, but I don’t do work outside of the context of Tycho anymore.” — Scott Hansen, The Great Discontent Source: https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/scott-hansen/

“I worked as a graphic designer for 14 years until I decided to pursue music full time so the visual element of Tycho has always been at the core of the project for me.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Epoch Artwork Lineage) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/34853/epoch-artwork-lineage/

“I think the imagery tells a story that the music can’t fully articulate, and vice versa.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Epoch Artwork Lineage) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/34853/epoch-artwork-lineage/

“The sun disc, both literally and as an icon, has always been at the center of the artwork… the sun being the life giver and the circle symbolizing the closed loop, the interconnectedness of the human experience with the physical world.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Epoch Artwork Lineage) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/34853/epoch-artwork-lineage/

“There’s a precision and a textural element to it that are common to each. My design always has a very analog, noisy, textured yellowed, aged layer to it, even though the things below it are very digital, very modern, and clean.” — Scott Hansen, Song Exploder / Medium Source: https://medium.com/re-form/song-exploder-tycho-1559fa960bd7

“Even though it might be a modern synthesizer, I’ll spend a lot more time working on the filtering and the processing of it to make it feel like this memory, through a yellowed lens.” — Scott Hansen, Song Exploder / Medium Source: https://medium.com/re-form/song-exploder-tycho-1559fa960bd7

“From what I have seen of my peers over these past 13 or so years as a designer, we generally tend towards simplification as we go along and I think that is an important part of design: efficiency of communication.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Awake Album Artwork) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/33052/tycho-awake-album-artwork/

“Really this is meant to be an iconized form of the sun / circle motif present in a lot of the Tycho cover art to date… I see this as the first true Tycho album and so wanted to focus everything into a simple form that encapsulated that idea. On a side note, there are eight color bands in the circle, each one representing a track.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Awake Album Artwork) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/33052/tycho-awake-album-artwork/

“The vast majority of people will experience album artwork at a tiny square on a smartphone. At this scale a lot of nuance and detail will be lost.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Epoch Artwork Lineage) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/34853/epoch-artwork-lineage/

“In the end I decided to keep the image ambiguous, the viewer should decide exactly what it was they were looking at and ascribe their own meaning to it.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Epoch Artwork Lineage) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/34853/epoch-artwork-lineage/

“I don’t want to define things too much.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“There’s always been a deep connection between the visual elements of the project and the music. With this album I wanted it to be human.” — Scott Hansen, This Song Is Sick Source: https://thissongissick.com/post/tycho-speaks-on-album-inspiration-working-with-vocals-upcoming-projects-in-exclusive-tsis-interview/

“When I think of all the songs, I personally ascribe a sort of tonal spectrum to them.” — Scott Hansen, Beats Per Minute Source: https://beatsperminute.com/interview-tycho/

“I wanted to keep them short. I didn’t want to go overboard. I didn’t want to force ideas down anybody’s throats.” — Scott Hansen, Beats Per Minute (on track titles) Source: https://beatsperminute.com/interview-tycho/

4. On Specific Albums

Sunrise Projector / Past Is Prologue

“I still see Sunrise Projector / Past Is Prologue as a pure expression of where I was at at the time, and I think that’s what’s really good about it.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“Past Is Prologue was supposed to have vocals. The instrumental path was clearly laid out at that time.” — Scott Hansen, This Song Is Sick Source: https://thissongissick.com/post/tycho-speaks-on-album-inspiration-working-with-vocals-upcoming-projects-in-exclusive-tsis-interview/

Dive (2011)

“Dive is the realization, the full picture of what Sunrise Projector / Past Is Prologue was supposed to be about.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“I think with that album, you’re hearing me find my voice for the first time as an artist, I think, and that only happens once.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

“I always had a vision for the album. I always knew what songs I wanted to be on it, at least I could feel what parts that needed to be there to create the spectrum I was hoping to convey.” — Scott Hansen, Frontier Psychiatrist Source: https://frontpsych.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/getting-wet-with-tycho-an-interview-with-scott-hansen/

“It’s supposed to be sort of ambiguous, but to me, it’s a sunset… This album is kind of a punctuation on the end of a really intense period.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R (on the Dive album cover) Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“I like to look at my songs as having a main part, an interlude, and almost like another song at the end… It’s more of an experience, like a journey.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“Dive is one of those records people accept just as a singular work.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“It’s nostalgic and connects you to this really specific period.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

Awake (2014)

“This is what I wanted Tycho to be all along.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

“That’s not to diminish any of the other records; I’m proud of those. But I felt like those were more of an education and learning process for me as a producer.” — Scott Hansen, Submerge Magazine Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

“Basically, all of the things that I had been envisioning for all these years started coming together in a live show. So, this was the first record I felt like the whole vision came together and crystallized as a fully realized idea.” — Scott Hansen, Submerge Magazine Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

“I definitely think Tahoe had a lot to do with the sound. It’s this sort of insulated, isolated space, and I think that had a lot to do with the stuff that came out.” — Scott Hansen, Submerge Magazine Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

“I was always hung up on the Instagram approach to making music: let’s dirty everything up, let’s make it sound bold.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

“If you look at earlier artwork you’ll see that I was pursuing a more maximalist / photographic direction for Tycho… But this album has a more stripped down, visceral thing going on and I wanted that reflected in the artwork.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Awake Album Artwork) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/33052/tycho-awake-album-artwork/

Epoch (2016)

“I see Dive, Awake and Epoch as a singular work: a trilogy.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“I don’t owe anything to that sound anymore and can do whatever I want.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“The professionalization of the project has been the big story.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“The Epoch is a hinge. We tend to follow a linear trajectory until a point at which we realize that through free will the path can be bent and redirected.” — Scott Hansen, ISO50 Blog (Epoch Artwork Lineage) Source: https://blog.iso50.com/34853/epoch-artwork-lineage/

“I really can’t believe it.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar (on the Grammy nomination) Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

Weather (2019)

“This is something I’d wanted to do for a long time. Past Is Prologue actually started off as a vocal project. I recorded all these tracks with a vocalist and it never clicked.” — Scott Hansen, Performer Magazine Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“I felt like I had chased down those sounds for the better part of 15 years by that time. So, I felt like this was the moment where I should capitalize on it.” — Scott Hansen, Performer Magazine (on adding vocals) Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“I was trying a lot of different things during the early phases of Weather and then pretty much out of nowhere I met Hannah and I knew during the first minute of recording her I wanted to make the record around her voice.” — Scott Hansen, various interviews Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“When we started singing I immediately knew I had found the voice for the record.” — Scott Hansen, PopMatts Source: https://www.popmatts.com/tycho-weather-2019-interview-2639902159.html

“I wanted this album to be a cohesive statement. I didn’t want it to feel like a collection of singles featuring ‘so-and-so.’ I think Tycho is a really album-driven project, so I want each album to have a thesis statement and be cohesive.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“This record was about reconnecting with the positivity and beauty in my early music. Epoch was kind of a dark, alien record, so I wanted to return to more of the warm, familiar, beautiful sounds I was shaping with the records before that.” — Scott Hansen, Performer Magazine Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“I kept thinking that if it was something I interfered with too much it might be detrimental. I just wanted to let Hannah do what she does and express herself.” — Scott Hansen, Performer Magazine Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“Of course I don’t want to alienate anyone but if you’re going to spend 18 months in a room working this hard on something it has to constantly inspire you and you have to believe in it wholeheartedly.” — Scott Hansen, PopMatts Source: https://www.popmatts.com/tycho-weather-2019-interview-2639902159.html

“I hope that existing fans can find the connection between this and the previous records but I totally understand that some people see Tycho as this very specific thing and anything different than that can be jarring — which is why I made an instrumental version of the record as well.” — Scott Hansen, NBHAP Source: https://nbhap.com/stories/changing-weather-conditions-tycho-scott-hansen

“That’s kind of like a negative word. By the end of it it was such a freeing and anxiety-reducing process.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview, on the title “Weather”) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“‘For How Long’ speaks to me the most. It’s really the stylistic core of the record.” — Scott Hansen, This Song Is Sick Source: https://thissongissick.com/post/tycho-speaks-on-album-inspiration-working-with-vocals-upcoming-projects-in-exclusive-tsis-interview/

“I wanted to speak to things that are outside of our control, things we kind of have to accept like dealing with adversity.” — Scott Hansen, This Song Is Sick Source: https://thissongissick.com/post/tycho-speaks-on-album-inspiration-working-with-vocals-upcoming-projects-in-exclusive-tsis-interview/

“People were singing along, it was kind of crazy.” — Scott Hansen, PopMatts (on touring Weather) Source: https://www.popmatts.com/tycho-weather-2019-interview-2639902159.html

Simulcast (2020)

“For this record it was surfing and being in the water, being up early and reconnecting with nature on a daily basis. I think it’s hard in a city especially when you spend so much time interacting with technology and machines… That’s all Tycho is to me, is trying to translate the feeling you get when you’re in nature into music.” — Scott Hansen, KCRW Source: https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/music-special/tycho-interview-scott-hansen-finds-creative-balance-on-new-album-simulcast

Infinite Health (2024)

“The goal for me was to get back to how I made music in the early 2000s, that led up to Dive.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Infinite Health goes back to that bedroom electronic production style; trying to make the foundation of the song out of just electronic tools.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Infinite Health is about creating a space for healing and reflection, a mantra for spiritual, emotional, and physical healing.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“I kept thinking back to the high-water mark scene in Fear and Loathing, the author sitting at a typewriter looking out a window onto his past, trying to find meaning in the chaos.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“I think for this album, I had the luxury of time, reflection, and consideration just because after my album Weather, COVID shut everything down.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

“I also started a family during that time, and that was just such a meaningful and inspiring experience that I think it just kind of found its way into the music.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

“Finding my way to this balanced place in my life where you stay connected to nature, you stay healthy and you’re working.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine (on the album title’s meaning) Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

“I’ve never been more comfortable and accepting of what an album is. There’s no question marks involved for me.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“That’s what the album was about. Being present and not being concerned with what’s coming down the road.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“I wanted it to feel like a blend of lights in a nightclub with some unknown entity. The phantom; a moving and shifting intelligence that serves as a conduit, maybe a deeper understanding of what’s beneath the surface of this all. It’s also about coming to terms with mortality.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com (on “Phantom”) Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“The intro sound on Consciousness Felt — I just don’t think I could have created that with plugins. That was a real Sequential Prophet-5 going through an Elektron Analog Heat.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“That’s a really nostalgic, kind of meaningful song for me.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com (on “Green”) Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“I moved away from Sacramento, where I grew up, to San Francisco in 2006. I’ve always had this conflicted relationship with that choice… What would my life have been if I had never left?” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com (on “Green”) Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

5. On Gear & Production

“The tactile control and forgiving nature of hardware lends itself to creativity, to stumbling into things you would never do intentionally.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“In the analogue domain there are no mistakes, you can push things as far as you want and a lot of times that approach can yield really interesting results.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“I find more inspiration when I have something tactile to work with up front.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“How does it feel to touch and play the instrument. When I play through a great pedal it is an extension of the performance, a part of the instrument.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“When I got my first analogue synth, I was like, ‘Where’s the reverb?!’ I couldn’t believe it didn’t have effects.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“When I sit down with a synthesiser, it’s much more open-ended.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“The Minimoog Model D, Fender Precision Bass and Gibson Les Paul have always been my kind of desert island instruments.” — Scott Hansen, Audeze Source: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/audeze-artists/audeze-speaks-with-songwriter-and-producer-scott-hansen-of-tycho

“I play synths and guitar, but I’m not virtuosic at either of those things. The thing I’ve spent the 10,000 hours at is working in Reaper on a computer. That inspires me the most.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“Reaper really opened the floodgates and allowed me to connect my ideas to reality.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“Software is definitely by far the biggest element of the whole process.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Issue 123) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/123/tycho

“The software has matured so much and there’s so much out there now that I feel like I can do more of what I want to accomplish in digital because I have so much more flexibility and control.” — Scott Hansen, Digital Trends Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/interview-tycho-scott-hansen-on-touring-digital-vs-analog/

“I feel that despite slight differences I might hear between a piece of hardware and its digitally emulated counterpart, using a plugin will often lead to more compelling results as you can take the time in post to manipulate the effects chain and parameters.” — Scott Hansen, Soundtoys Source: https://www.soundtoys.com/artist/scott-hansen/

“Soundtoys were the first plugins I found where that trade-off fell away and I had these tools at my disposal which were full of the life and depth of hardware while having the infinite potential of software.” — Scott Hansen, Soundtoys Source: https://www.soundtoys.com/artist/scott-hansen/

“EchoBoy and PrimalTap are the most used out of any plugins I own; they’re all over the records. Decapitator is indispensable for adding that final bit of crunch to a track.” — Scott Hansen, Soundtoys Source: https://www.soundtoys.com/artist/scott-hansen/

“You don’t need every sound to be magical and have all that character… The most basic DAWs have enough tools in them to be able to make, like, 90 per cent of all music ever created.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Of course, there are special, magic sounds here and there on the album.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Sometimes you’ll make a sound or tone selection that makes sense and gets you pumped up and inspired in the moment. But when it comes time to mix the record, it might actually sound quite harsh.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I try and maintain this sort of 70’s recording path, and the only thing the computer is used for is editing.” — Scott Hansen, Beats Per Minute Source: https://beatsperminute.com/interview-tycho/

“I’ll be a lifelong student of the guitar from now on because it’s such a difficult instrument for me.” — Scott Hansen, Beats Per Minute Source: https://beatsperminute.com/interview-tycho/

“Guitars, for me, have replaced that for a certain degree because they’re expressive in a similar way.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

“I’m trying to find a way to be more and more hi-fi without losing the patina or coloring that makes the music what it is.” — Scott Hansen, Digital Trends Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/interview-tycho-scott-hansen-on-touring-digital-vs-analog/

“For some reason, I used to not believe there was a big difference between digital converters, and I’m a believer, now that I’ve heard the high-end ones.” — Scott Hansen, Digital Trends Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/interview-tycho-scott-hansen-on-touring-digital-vs-analog/

“Since the very beginning headphones have been a huge part of my process.” — Scott Hansen, Audeze Source: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/audeze-artists/audeze-speaks-with-songwriter-and-producer-scott-hansen-of-tycho

“I was actually digging through the older songs… Awake, for instance; I looked at the timestamps of the recordings, and it’s like 2 am, 4 am, 5:30 am… in like a 10-hour period.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

6. On Touring & Live Performance

“Every link in the chain is a potential point of failure, so you have to be very pragmatic about what you want to rely on.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“So many of the sounds are the result of the post-production process, some are nearly impossible to perform in real-time.” — Scott Hansen, Origin Effects Source: https://origineffects.com/2022/09/02/artist-profile-scott-hansen-tycho/

“I always get reminded of that when it’s time to start learning parts for the live show. Because I’m like, ‘Wait, I’ve played this part literally once!’” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“We’re rebuilding from the ground up on the tech and sonic level. It’s been nice to have this big window, so we’re able to provide new foundation, new tech and new music, and vocals are a big part of that now.” — Scott Hansen, Performer Magazine Source: https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/tycho-weather-interview/

“Why am I playing these shows, why am I up there alone? I don’t feel comfortable with it and the way I was representing the music.” — Scott Hansen, Beats Per Minute Source: https://beatsperminute.com/interview-tycho/

“There’s definitely been a shift in the energy we get back from the audiences, it feels a little more lively.” — Scott Hansen, Stereofox Source: https://www.stereofox.com/interviews/interview-tycho/

“I always thought it would before I toured, but it doesn’t. When I’m playing up there I’m not thinking as much about the music, and more about that single part that I’m trying to play at that moment.” — Scott Hansen, Frontier Psychiatrist (on whether performing changes how he hears the songs) Source: https://frontpsych.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/getting-wet-with-tycho-an-interview-with-scott-hansen/

“This is the first time that I’ve ever really had the opportunity to really step back and rethink the whole thing from the ground up.” — Scott Hansen, This Song Is Sick (on rebuilding the live show) Source: https://thissongissick.com/post/tycho-speaks-on-album-inspiration-working-with-vocals-upcoming-projects-in-exclusive-tsis-interview/

“It’s hard to speak objectively about the music because it’s become a different and new entity to me now. After listening to these songs so many times and playing them, they just mean something else.” — Scott Hansen, Frontier Psychiatrist Source: https://frontpsych.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/getting-wet-with-tycho-an-interview-with-scott-hansen/

7. On Fans & Community

“When I talk to people who tell me that a certain song helped them through something, it’s fulfilling to know I was able to contribute to that.” — Scott Hansen, The Great Discontent Source: https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/scott-hansen/

“If it has helped anyone with panic and/or anxiety I’d be very happy to know that as I struggle with these things a great deal.” — Scott Hansen, Stereofox Source: https://www.stereofox.com/interviews/interview-tycho/

“I owe so much to the community that was engaged in that.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine (on the ISO50 blog) Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

“Seeing music through the lens of that community was really just incredible for me. It changed the way I think about what music could mean.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine (on Burning Man) Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

“Since the earliest days of Tycho, online communities have played an integral role in the project. From the origins of ISO50 blog which served to introduce Tycho to a wider audience, to Web2 social media platforms and most recently the Tycho Friendship Server on Discord, I’ve always seen these spaces as an opportunity to connect with fans.” — Scott Hansen, FindYourSounds (on the Open Source Community launch) Source: https://findyoursounds.com/tycho-announces-launch-of-open-source-community-today-aug-17-on-the-polygon-blockchain-powered-by-web3-company-medallion/

“The Open Source channel is just a place for cool stuff. It feels like those communities have been lost with the gating of social media.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I just want to directly connect with fans, know who they are, and give them access to things as a thank you.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“On other people’s pages and on YouTube, I see people paring things down, and being so opinionated and so negative. It makes you start to believe that the rest of the world has this negative tone. But then you go into the real world and talk to people, and people are really cool, kind and caring.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

8. On Life Philosophy

“Everything I’ve ever accomplished or things that seemed like accomplishments were just the end of a road that I looked back on and said, ‘Man, I really wish I was back in that moment, working toward this thing instead of having it.’ It’s all about the journey.” — Scott Hansen, The Great Discontent Source: https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/scott-hansen/

“I don’t have any super insightful tricks of the trade. It’s all about time and pressure. If you love a thing and are willing to work hard at it, then keep pushing and never give up on it.” — Scott Hansen, The Great Discontent Source: https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/scott-hansen/

“Time and pressure. Nothing comes easy and it takes focus and determination over many years to even approach a mastery of your craft.” — Scott Hansen, Audeze Source: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/audeze-artists/audeze-speaks-with-songwriter-and-producer-scott-hansen-of-tycho

“You have to love it. You have to be obsessed.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“I think it’s always difficult to find ways to evolve and change and to stay inspired as an artist.” — Scott Hansen, Audeze Source: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/audeze-artists/audeze-speaks-with-songwriter-and-producer-scott-hansen-of-tycho

“I think if you can manage to stay inspired and engaged in any profession you can go on creating as long as you like.” — Scott Hansen, Stereofox Source: https://www.stereofox.com/interviews/interview-tycho/

“The world doesn’t exactly encourage kids to try to go on these creative career paths, so I never saw art as a future — it was more of a hobby.” — Scott Hansen, The Great Discontent Source: https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/scott-hansen/

“It’s not really about each of us. It’s about what impact you can make while you’re here that’s going to have downstream effects on that continuum of life.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“I spent most of my career thinking about tomorrow or a week from now, or a year from now, or even 10 years from now. Once you have kids, you realize you really can’t live with it like that.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“Every moment you wanna hold onto and internalize and be something you can revisit and connect to.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“There’s a danger in that. The complacency of that can lead to not pushing yourself or going outside of your comfort zone.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com (on feeling content) Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“If I was looking at it that way, that would make me think I’m trying to get to some finish line, and I absolutely do not want to be at the finish line. I still love doing this.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I still really enjoy it, and I still feel inspired and excited about the songs that I’m making. So, if that’s still happening, I don’t see why I’d ever stop.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“The healing power of music is always something I’ve been interested in and inspired by.” — Scott Hansen, 303 Magazine Source: https://303magazine.com/2024/08/infinite-health/

9. On Fatherhood & Personal Life

“I have a three-year-old and a one-year-old. It’s amazing. But it also, of course, compresses your time.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“8 am to 5 pm is basically what I do — then we make dinner and get the kids down, and then I can maybe go back and work for a couple more hours.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I stay up past midnight and almost feel sick the next day.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Since having kids and just seeing new life come into the world, you realise that you’re not the centre of the universe and there’s something more important than you.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Seeing these new lives come into the world and realizing they’re just starting this journey and how much they’re going to be affected by the experiences they have with you makes you think about your friends and your family, and everybody you’ve ever interacted with.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“When you realize how that affects the people around you, you realize it’s not that simple. It basically makes it an imperative. You have to try to be as emotionally healthy as you can be for your family and the people you love.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

“I grew up in what was a rural area of rolling green hills and ranches, the river and all these beautiful open spaces, natural areas.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I always use my breaks to take walks.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Moving to San Francisco affected me in a pretty profound way, in a lot of respects. I think it helped me evolve my sound, and think outside of the space I’d been in in Sacramento.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“Here, in San Francisco, I’ve realized that I can reinvent myself and evolve as much as I want to. That’s been the biggest thing: it’s taught me a new way of looking at my own identity and that has had far reaching effects on my creative decisions.” — Scott Hansen, The Great Discontent Source: https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/scott-hansen/

“I think it’s impossible to put yourself back in that place. It’s even hard to relate to the person I was at that time.” — Scott Hansen, GRAMMY.com Source: https://www.grammy.com/news/tycho-scott-hansen-new-album-infinite-health-interview

10. On the Music Industry

“You gotta keep your foot on the gas otherwise you’re irrelevant.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“Maybe it’s just an irrational fear but I always think that if I’m not releasing music, I’m not in people’s consciousness.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“My goal with this next phase is to be more prolific with releases and not get locked into the cycle of 2-3 years between records.” — Scott Hansen, NBHAP Source: https://nbhap.com/stories/changing-weather-conditions-tycho-scott-hansen

“I love the album format. I want that to be part of the story.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“I think the ability for individuals, especially artists just starting out, to access those audiences is becoming less and less because the platforms are essentially becoming like networks to serve advertisements and boost things that already have legs.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“Being an artist and putting yourself out there these days… That’s been an interesting thing to watch shift.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech (2025) Source: https://musictech.com/features/interviews/tycho-scott-hansen-infinite-health-devices-interview-2025/

“I think there’s an element of truth to that. You know, thanks to the internet and the enabling factors of being able to launch a career basically off your own ideas instead of basing it off some corporate structure, or something similar.” — Scott Hansen, Frontier Psychiatrist (on independent artistry) Source: https://frontpsych.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/getting-wet-with-tycho-an-interview-with-scott-hansen/

“For me it is… my experience with consuming music is very grounded in the physical world.” — Scott Hansen, Beats Per Minute (on physical music formats) Source: https://beatsperminute.com/interview-tycho/

11. On Collaboration

On Zac Brown

“The difference between Dive and Awake had everything to do with Zac coming in and saying, ‘Listen, man, there’s 20 things going on here — let’s focus on two really good things.’” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

“It was easy with these guys, man. It’s just the second when you’re sitting there and you’re going ‘holy shit,’ or when Zach says, ‘that’s a cool bassline, but how about this?’” — Scott Hansen, Frontier Psychiatrist Source: https://frontpsych.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/getting-wet-with-tycho-an-interview-with-scott-hansen/

“Zac and I have been playing shows together for a long time… We worked together a little on Dive and then after touring that record we decided to work closely together on Awake.” — Scott Hansen, Stereofox Source: https://www.stereofox.com/interviews/interview-tycho/

“It’s definitely an inspiring process to see your vision for a song expanded on by someone else.” — Scott Hansen, various interviews Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

On Rory O’Connor

“Rory had been touring with us after Dive came out and I always felt the sound of all three of us playing live brought an element to the music that hadn’t been there before and I wanted to capture that on this record.” — Scott Hansen, Stereofox Source: https://www.stereofox.com/interviews/interview-tycho/

“Definitely the rhythm section. I think you just make a different kind of music when you’re sitting by yourself and just layering tracks than when you have three people in a room working off of each other.” — Scott Hansen, Submerge Magazine Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

On Saint Sinner (Hannah Cottrell)

“When I met Hannah, it was really cool because her voice matched so well with the sound and the ideas I was going for. Before I was thinking about working with multiple vocalists or having features, but I really wanted it to be this powerful statement.” — Scott Hansen, This Song Is Sick Source: https://thissongissick.com/post/tycho-speaks-on-album-inspiration-working-with-vocals-upcoming-projects-in-exclusive-tsis-interview/

“The tonal range and space she works in kind of rises above it all.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“I’ve always wanted to present Tycho as a band and adding a vocalist feels like the final piece of that puzzle.” — Scott Hansen, NBHAP Source: https://nbhap.com/stories/changing-weather-conditions-tycho-scott-hansen

On Count (Engineer)

“I look at it from a career perspective, like what I was doing in my life when I made those other albums. My life revolved mostly around freelance graphic design work, and I wasn’t truly focused on music in the way that I am now. And back then, I hadn’t met musicians that I really resonated with in a songwriting context. Meeting Zac, meeting Rory and meeting Count, the engineer — forming relationships with them where we were comfortable enough to start creating together is what facilitated making this record the way I wanted.” — Scott Hansen, The FADER Source: https://www.thefader.com/2014/02/05/interview-tycho-awake

On the Collaborative Evolution

“It’s become more open to other people’s perspectives. It’s been an evolution for me. At the end of the day, these songs are the sum total of a lot of people’s ideas, instead of just this one thing that could become, over 10 or 12 tracks, a little ‘one note.’” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“I can step into a producer role at times where I am here to shepherd these sounds and these ideas, and push them into the Tycho sphere, and bring them into that space and put my own textures on them.” — Scott Hansen, Tape Op Magazine (Bonus Interview) Source: https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/tychos-scott-hansen

“I always thought recording vocals was the holy grail of engineering. I didn’t think I could do that.” — Scott Hansen, MusicTech Source: https://musictech.com/features/tycho-interview/

12. On Influences

“Hearing Boards of Canada’s ‘BOC Maxima’ for the first time was definitely an awakening.” — Scott Hansen, Audeze Source: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/audeze-artists/audeze-speaks-with-songwriter-and-producer-scott-hansen-of-tycho

“They showed me a different dimension and allowed me to focus in on a very specific space.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar (on Boards of Canada and Ulrich Schnauss) Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“I’m not entirely sure I understand what constitutes post-rock. I have always listened primarily to rock music and it played more of an influential role than ever with Awake.” — Scott Hansen, Stereofox Source: https://www.stereofox.com/interviews/interview-tycho/

“I looked at music absolutely as a hobby, just like a side thing, because I didn’t really identify as a musician.” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“I chose Tycho as a reference to the astronomer Tycho Brahe as I spent a lot of time studying cosmology and the name came up a lot.” — Scott Hansen, Inverted Audio Source: https://inverted-audio.com/feature/tycho/

“I came across his name a lot during the years I was studying a lot of astronomy-related stuff. I wanted a name that didn’t have any loaded meaning.” — Scott Hansen, Submerge Magazine Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

“No, not at all. I had been messing around with things for, I’d say, two years prior to that. But before that I had zero musical experience, which I always thought was kind of weird.” — Scott Hansen, Submerge Magazine (on whether he had formal music training) Source: https://submergemag.com/music/tycho-2014/

“I traded it in for a Roland MC-303, which is a little drum machine thing.” — Scott Hansen, MusicRadar (on his first gear) Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/tycho-on-the-story-behind-his-electronica-trilogy-and-why-hes-ready-to-move-on

“It represented a sunset to him: ‘It’s kind of like the epilogue to a chapter in my life as an artist and a person. This last year has been really transformative in a lot of ways, personally, so this album is kind of a punctuation on the end of a really intense period of my life. The end of a part of me.’” — Scott Hansen, XLR8R (on what the Dive cover meant) Source: https://xlr8r.com/features/tycho-scott-hansen-takes-his-audio-visual-experience-to-new-heights-with-dive/

“A couple of my friends had guitars, and it just seemed like you had to be the guy who had the guitar to play guitar.” — Scott Hansen, Song Exploder / Medium Source: https://medium.com/re-form/song-exploder-tycho-1559fa960bd7

Source Index

All quotes in this collection are drawn from the following verified publications and URLs:

This collection was compiled through systematic web research across 28+ publications spanning 2012-2025. Every quote has been sourced from a verifiable URL. No quotes were fabricated from training data alone.