Hypno hook for Deep Techno
Uncompromising catchy hooklines, hard beats and felt monotony without end ... that‘s the recipe for success of The Lady Machine, who sums up contemporary techno with minimal means. But is a looped hookline and a thick kick all it takes? Not at all, because it‘s the details that count ...
Sound source
The basic idea - usually a simple 16th note sequence of one bar length - is quickly created and a field in which modular systems feel at home. But other synth is also suitable for this, whether with or without a sequencer, because patterns can be drawn in the DAW at the latest. However, the way via hardware is usually more intuitive.
Coincidences
With higher pitches, FM synthesis sounds more bell-like and metallic, while lower pitches provide dirt in the bass range. In the first step, we let chance take effect: We turn all the controls of the sequencer like crazy until we find a pattern that appeals to us. Tip: Build in two accents, i.e. two particularly loud steps.
Modular power
For our workshop we use a DFAM, which with its strong basic sound and 8-step sequencer is perfect for techno hooklines. Alternatively, you can use the DFAM emulations for the VCV Rack and the Voltage Modular. You can find both in the magazine downloads. For a typical hook line with the necessary hypnotic content …
Accents
For more groove, we put these two accents on straight 16th steps so that they don‘t end up on the kick or off. And then we‘re ready to go: We still leave oscillator 2 muted, filter cutoff is turned down and the recording session begins. Besides the loop, the movement in the sound plays a very important role to avoid boredom.
Frequency modulation
... sine or triangle waveforms are ideal for the oscillators. On the one hand, they provide the necessary low end, on the other hand, in combination with frequency modulation, metallic booming sounds, as we want them, are quickly created. Tip: Load a long reverb with lowcut starting at about 1 kHz. With the DFAM we turn the VCO FREQUENCY controls to 2 o‘clock each.
Movement!
In the course of the recording session, which lasts several minutes, we open the filter, close it again, add oscillator 2, change the sound via the FM AMOUNT control and turn up the reverb. In the meantime, OSC 1 is turned down, and towards the end both play again. Tip: For a change, you can move the pattern start point.