Techno kick and rumble
The low-end of dark driving techno is often created by processing the kick drum. Here we’re using a selection of aggressive effects in Ableton Live to produce what’s generally known as the “rumble”
use [Live’s] onboard drums like the 808s or 909s. I’ll layer drums though, in order to separate the lower and higher parts so I can focus on the low end. I’ll have the same drums – for example a 909 – split into two so I can shape both elements separately. Then to create powerful drums, of course, you have to compress them and limit them. That’s the key to making sure you can hear them and feel them in the club.”
It’s no coincidence that, alongside its long history as a hub for techno artists, Berlin is also home to several significant music technology brands. The crossover between the genre and those creating new music technology has always been strong in the city – Ableton co-founders Gerhard Behles and Robert Henke were both members of minimal techno outfit Monolake at the time of the company’s launch, and Native Instruments has employed a number of notable DJs such as Objekt and Errorsmith, the latter of whom developed the company’s excellent Razor synth
In a neat bit of reciprocation, both companies have significantly advanced the ways in which techno is produced in the 21st century. NI software such as Reaktor, Massive and Kontakt are key tools for creating the textural, often-atonal sounds used in modern techno. With its hybrid take on the classic MPC format, Maschine is a prime conduit for the genre’s hands-on ethos. Ableton Live, meanwhile, has become the de facto DAW of choice for modern techno producers thanks to its loop-focused workflow and non-linear approach (although it’s by no means the only viable option). These, along with the likes of Bitwig and modular mainstay
Schneidersladen – and its Superbooth trade show – mean that Berlin remains a prime spot for adventurous music makers and technologists alike.
ROLAND DOMINATION
It’s difficult to talk about most electronic genres without eventually mentioning Roland’s 1980s machines, but the links between the Japanese brand and techno are arguably tighter than with any other genre. The TR-909 is effectively the foundational machine of the genre; its sounds and workflow inspired the earliest Detroit techno releases and it remains the go-to rhythm machine today.
Jeff Mills, an undisputed master of the 909, explained its appeal in FM 338: “its sounds are kind of party-ready. They’re so distinctive and have just the right amount of resonance and tuning that you don’t need to put effects on them to make them sound great. It’s also a really powerful machine that came along at a time when music needed to be powerful. This was during
“THE 909’S SOUNDS ARE PARTY-READY. YOU DON’T NEED TO PUT EFFECTS ON THEM”E