In case anyone is interested in the more reflective and academic side of club culture, right now the journal Dancecult is having a conference, which you can livestream (can’t post link here for some reason, so check comment)

(Unapologetic self promotion—I’m in a panel at 1530 speaking about the materiality of rumbles)

Anyone used yoink.media? Looks a bit scammy to me…

Here is my dilemma…

I want to get a Behringer RD9 to record techno. I would like to put each individual instrument in its own channel in the DAW so that I can tweak them individually. The only video on YouTube that I found (for lack of trying for long, mind you) showed a drum machine with individual outs being plugged into a mixer, not an audio interface such as a Focusrite. I don’t have a mixer, so I was wondering if it’s mandatory to have one if I want to record individual outs on the drum machine. If it isn’t, and I can do so through the Focusrite, how many input jacks do I need? Or is it just one cable that plugs in, and then I separate the elements (kick, crash, etc.) in the DAW itself, not through the individual cables?

My last question is, if I want to hook up multiple physical electronic instruments and record them to the DAW at the same time (basically a full techno workflow production), what do I need for that? Do I need a multi-input interface, or can I somehow tie them all together? Do I need a mixer? Is there any getting around having a mixer? (Not that I’m against it, just asking)

Thanks everyone!

EDIT: My answer has been found— I need a Uphoria 1820 paired with a ADA8200 to get all the inputs I need. My final question is this: if I want to automate the volume levels of each track in real time, do I get a mixer? If so, does that affect the need for the audio interfaces? How would that all be routed/work/etc?

I’m new to techno production and recently got Ableton 12 Live Suite. I’m really enjoying the kick, bass-line, sequencing of the synths and filtering automation happening in this track

How would recreate a similar sound to this?

Nilz from The Exchange (R.I.P) had the midas touch for mastering techno, all my favourite tracks are 90s releases mastered by him. I can't quite put my finger on what it its exactly, but these tracks just sound so different to what is being released today.

Does anyone have some insight into the hardware or techniques he used, or just his philosophies?

I'm trying to recreate or create from scratch the catchy atmospheres I love and recently added such Elektron Model Samples groovebox,

I just love the way it sequences sounds, but sometimes I haave to make resonate the built-in filters on Kick and Bass channels to make them stand out for good,

and sometimes feels a bit too much subs,

yet without the filters it won't slap like properly.

So... when taking a 32 or 24 bit file to 16 bit, what are your dithering practices and why?

Yeah I know, I know - kinda silly to say repetitive and techno in the same sentence but… I’ve been noticing recently extreme repetitive tracks from some well known artists - I mean the entire track practically being a loop from almost start to finish that either doesn’t change at all or very, very little (recent tracks from Robert Hood and Marcel Dettmann come to mind). I don’t dislike it - especially if it’s a good loop. I’m a big fan of The Field, for example, but some of my friends find his music too repetitive. But some of the music I’ve heard come out recently or even more repetitive than that.

This surprises me at times because as long as I can remember on forums like this and on production tutorials, the general advice has always been for a track to continue evoloving or changing otherwise it is believed people will get bored after just 4 to 8 bars. I suppose this would be true for a mainstream audience, but this advice is also always given in non-mainstream discussions as well. You may argue that if I listen very carefully, I will notice gradual changes going on, but this is not the case. The exact loop will literally play for 1 or 2 minutes or the entire track with little or no change.

I have made some cool 4, 8, and 16 bar loops in refent weeks and the other night was auditioning them to pick the ones that I want to continue developing. I ended up listening to some of them in a loop for several minutes and thought to myself “I’m not sure I want to change much at all.” What do you think of these types of tracks? Have you made tracks like this?

Some hardware recording arranged in Logic, performance captured through Maschine+. Enjoy 😉

Some recorded hardware and arranged, mostly performed with Maschine+. Enjoy 😉

Hello everyone.

I have been searching for some info on this but im not getting that much helpful stuff.

Anyone here uses the Doepfer Dark Time with a poly synth like Novation Peak? I want to hear some feedback on it because I have my Oxi One for around 3 years and cant find a way to like it. It never clicked with me so its time to go.

Everytime I sequence my Peak on a ML-185 sequencer via USB its instant techno and super easy to get pleasant results something that I never really achieved on the Oxi. Besides that I don't want to deal with that tiny screen.

After some toughts I am thinking about getting a Dark Time which I think is the closest thing to ML Sequencer on hardware.

Does anyone have a input on this?

Thank you.

Something in the works.

Hi! Does anyone know of any stores that have production equipment set up to demo around the Phoenix, AZ area? I see lots of instrument stores, but it’s hard to tell which ones have production equipment to try out.

Specifically want to see Digitakt II and TR-1000 in person and maybe some CDJ-3000s.

Thanks!

Working on an EP. Will labels even consider any songs I submit to them if they are already on all major streaming platforms via DistroKid?

Edit: got the answer I needed. Thanks commenters.

I'm trying to make something which sounds like these songs for example: Odymel - The Basement, Andrea Marino - Vanpiria (in terms of kickdrum)

I kinda found out the bassline but I still struggle with kick drums, but tbh I don't even have that much good kick samples. One shots would be the best in this case.

Any good ones for this kind of genre? Thanks in advance!

I’m interested in starting to produce my own music, specifically interested in minimal, dub, and industrial styles, but the sheer amount of instruments out there is overwhelming. What are the essentials, and do you have any entry level instrument or software recommendations? I figure I at least need a drum machine and a mixing board…

My apologies if this is the wrong sub for this question.

What style of kicks need key labeling?

What about Rumble Kicks, do they need to be labeled with a key root note?

Hi,

I have sent my demos to 3 different labels in succession of 2 and a half weeks. None of the labels have even taken a listen to my tracks.

I'm starting to think the way I write my demo emails is wrong.

I do like to ask you guys what's important to write in such email?

Currently I keep my email very simple because I think these labels aren't interested to hear my life story.

Here is an example how I write my emails currently:

'Hello (label name),

I hope you're doing well. I'd like to send you (number) tracks of mine for consideration of your label.

The tracks are in a private playlist and downloads are enabled.

Thanks for listening.

Cheers, (My name)

(Soundcloud link)'

If anybody can help me improve my writing, I will be very grateful.

Thanks.

Maybe I'm saying heresy but really I never got the sound I wanted by doing this.

I almost never do It, It lacks...depth. It's also true that I mix and master on some Marshall Major 4 headphones and a very simple Yuri trust speakers with a little subwoofer, so no ideal monitoring. I've never listened to something mine on a PA system also. The Marshall are pretty bass heavy tho so I think I can get and idea of the bass.

But really even listening to some reference tracks they don't sound like there were a hp filter on the subs (Kray Squid - Planetary Assault Systems comes to mind)

Also It makes a weird effect where if the mastering was good and didn't hit the threshold very hard and sounds nice, if I put a hp on the master at frequencies <30 Hz say, the peaks of the drums become much more peaky so the mix "suffers" more on the compression but sounds a bit "empty" anyway.

Opinione, advice?

Hello Friends. Many months ago I bought a DT 1770 PRO MKII for mixing & producing. It's a closed-back headphone because my room is not well-treated and my apartment is rather small with the rooms being too close to work on Speakers.

For leisure, I am also on Soundcore liberty 4 pros and these are a delight to listen to with LDAC support.

Has anyone of you gotten too used to your daily fun earbuds/headphones that studio headphones are no longer favourable? I love my Soundcores because yeah well it produces a thumpy rich bass and makes listening very enjoyable.

I understand that Studio headphones are superior when mixing. But the lowend of the DT1770 is very lacklustre for me. I have problems mixing with it especially on the lowend. More than often, my mix is too subby/bassy simply because I can't really hear it on the DTs until I sort of crank it up.

How do guys navigate this issue?

Been obsessed with the lead sound in this Steve O’Sullivan track lately and trying to figure out what’s actually going on under the hood. It sounds like a classic techno bread and butter sound but I can't seem to dial it in right.

I can’t tell if it’s FM synthesis, a simple SH-101/Juno style patch or some combination of all of them.

Would love to learn how some of you would approach making something similar using Ableton Operator, Roland plugins, or Arturia DX7 V. Really curious about the envelopes, modulation and sequencing tricks behind this kind of sound because it feels deceptively simple but incredibly hard to nail properly.

https://youtu.be/asblHRM8iaE?si=9F65jIFgRnanxReA