Part studio production and part live performance, techno music has been the dominant music in dance clubs for over twenty-five years. While the number of genres rivals that of Rock ‘n Roll, all forms of techno share similar techniques from writing to performance: computer-based writing programs for recording, and live performances manipulating these prerecorded sounds. Learning how to make techno means becoming familiar with all these mediums, techniques and instruments.
What is Techno Music?
Techno is based around synthetic sound production, and because of this it can be done by a single person, making the writing of this music, not its performance, the primary factor. Someone who writes techno music is called a producer, while someone who performs it is a DJ, even if that person isn’t using the traditional turntables.
What Equipment do I Need to Make Techno Music?
Like any other music, musicians will argue endlessly about what the “right” equipment is for their work. While some insist on using only hardware for producing sounds, such as synthesizers and drum machines, this can become very expensive, especially if you plan on collecting vintage hardware. Equipment for the majority of musicians fall into four major categories:
Digital Audio Workstation: This is a program that lets you write music using sampled sounds. Most beginners use FL Studio, commonly called by its old name, Fruity Loops, as it’s relatively inexpensive.
Sample Kit: Samples are recordings of instruments that can be played back in the DAW, varying pitch and speed to produce notes. This can be a simple sound file or a DAW-specific set of information enabling accurate reproduction of an instrument’s real-life sounds. You can even record your own sounds and use them inside the program.
How to Make Techno
MIDI Device: Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or “MIDI,” is a standardized interface for electronic instruments. Synthesizers are the most popular MIDI-compatible instruments, but there are a variety of other instruments that can interface using MIDI, including drums to turntables, as well as producer-specific equipment like soundboards. While it’s possible to write music entirely on a computer, using MIDI may help you bridge the gap between an instrument you are familiar with and the DAW. The DAW can get information from your device, typically through a MIDI to USB connector, letting you play the notes you want to use. This equipment can also be used with the DAW for live performances.
Turntable: Even though vinyl has mostly become obsolete, there are still digital devices that use the same basic format: merge two audio tracks by using speed and volume controls. Typically stand-alone, these devices can use CDs or media players as audio source.
Techno Software – Working with a Digital Audio Workstation
While even the simplest DAW will include basic techno software and a staggering number of plug-ins and effects, at their core they use a sequencer to control the instruments.
A sequencer works like a digital conductor’s score. Instead of a line of musical staffs, you have channels, each of which can hold one instrument. The track connected to the channel has slots where commands can be placed, with each slot representing a beat or part of a beat, typically a quarter or eighth note.
When the sequence is played, the DAW runs the sequences, playing the instruments at the speeds (notes) and applying the effects marked on the channels.
Making Techno Music – How Do I Mix?
When making techno music, DJ’s will often use prerecorded music, which they will merge together so there are no breaks in dancing. Traditionally this was done with turntables using vinyl records, but since then they have been replaced by digital devices using a similar interface.
A turntable deck has two audio outputs: one to the speakers, and one to a set of headphones worn by the DJ. The headphones let the DJ work out the timing and speed of the upcoming track before playing it for the audience.
While a consumer record player has set speeds depending on the format of the record (33, 45, or 78rpm), a turntable has an adjustable knob so that incoming sounds can be matched in tempo to outgoing songs for a smooth transition. Commercial dance records often have the BPM (beats per minute) printed on them to help the DJ figure out how fast the record should be playing. Using the headphone output, the DJ can work out the speed and timing the next song should play at, and then pipe this to the speakers.
This switch is done using a crossfader: this reduces the volume of one track while increasing the volume of the other. Turntables will also have controls to vary the volume of bass, mid-range, and treble, which performance DJs use alongside the crossfader to mix songs together as they’re playing. There are even records made specifically to be a backbeat to be played alongside another record.
While the variety of equipment used in techno is endless, two devices are central to making this music: Electronic tools like Digital Audio Workstations can be used to make recorded songs, and turntables for live performances.
Related posts:
