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01 ADD REVERB ON A KICK
There are a lot of ways to process your kick, depending on the type of sound you’re going for. Add a reverb plugin directly to your kick and it adds a distinct vibe. Use an EQ or filter after the reverb and filter out the high end to make the sound darker. Try adding a distortion or saturation plugin like FabFilter Saturn 2 after the EQ. If you decide you want to use the processed reverb as a layer on top of your main kick, try adding a volume side chain like Kickstart 2 so that the reverb plays after the main kick.
02 PARALLEL DRUM PROCESSING
After you have finished creating your drums, group them together and send them to an aux/bus track with a parallel compressor on it. Use a compressor like Arturia Comp FET-76 for parallel compression with a fast attack, fast release and the ratio set to ALL. Add an EQ and cut out all of the low end and bring down the volume of parallel comp aux/bus in the mix. The parallel comp will help make the elements in your drum group blend well together.
03 AUTOMATING PARAMETERS
As techno is built around grooves, it’s especially important to use automation to add movement to sounds to keep them flowing and sounding natural. On a synth, automate the filter cutoff as it comes into tracks and during the breaks. Other important parameters to automate on a synth are attack, decay, sustain and release. For example, you
04 SHADOW HILLS MASTERING COMPRESSOR
Try putting the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor on your Master bus when you start a session. Techno should feel compressed and squashed and this plugin will help you achieve this sound.
could automate the decay and release up before a break and bring them down for the drop.
05 CLAP LAYERS
To add movement to your drums, try layering every other clap or every fourth clap in the rhythm. Choose a clap that complements your main clap. Try detuning the clap layer, or use zplane Elastique Pitch to pitch it down. Add a bitcrushing plugin on top or FabFilter Saturn 2 to saturate the sound.
06 DRUM BUS
Create a simple drum bus by sending multiple percussion parts (eg the open hi-hat, closed hi-hat, cymbal, ride and/or top loops) and send them to an aux/bus. Process them with tape saturation (eg Universal Audio’s Studer A800 Tape Recorder or Waves Abbey Road Vinyl Plugin) then an EQ like the API-2500. Follow with Slate Digital’s VBC FG-MU or a similar bus compressor then an EQ that can add some air to the top end, like the Maag Audio EQ4. An idea to finish off the chain could be a plugin like the SPL TwinTube to add character.
07 PITCHING DOWN THE RIDE
Pitch down the ride (or hi-hat) in an arrangement. This is a simple trick that can be used during transitions, li
