My 10 Techno Production Tricks That Will Level Up Any Producer 💯

Ostinatos are repeating patterns that techno producers love to use.

These patterns work amazingly in other genres beyond techno, not just limited to one style.

A bridge with air rhythm created by repeating ostinato art patterns shows how versatile they are.

Don't overlook ostinatos as they are powerful production tools across multiple genres.

Vocal morphing involves changing vocal samples by selecting beads or tones to transform the sound into something different.

• Use shift and mark to modify the vocal • The more you morph, the weirder the sound becomes • Experiment with different morph intensities

Chop the morphed vocal, add effects, and layer with a beat to create unique sounds.

Use vocal morphing when you need something different from standard vocal samples.

Parallel compression blends a hard compressed signal with an uncompressed signal.

While commonly used on drums, many techno producers use parallel compression variants for aggressive lead sounds.

• Create a parallel chain with aggressive distortion • Add EQ to manage the highs • Blend with the original uncompressed sound until satisfied

Produces in-your-face lead sounds with increased aggression and presence.

Random percussions add groove and texture to techno tracks.

• Take a kick or rumble in a drum sample you like • Create random patterns with driving lines • Play around with velocity settings

Apply plunger effect, parallel filter modulation, and reverb to the percussion elements.

Adjust tuning to find what fits the track best and creates the desired groove.

Use the first LFO to modulate the decay of a simple hi-hat.

Add another LFO set to random mode to modulate attack and release parameters.

Modulate width and detail parameters for further refinement of the hi-hat sound.

Creates dynamic, evolving hi-hat patterns that add movement to the percussion.

Rumble bass is a hallmark sound of techno created by combining the kick with verbs, delays, and Rumble bases.

• Create another channel root that channel to the kick • Apply EQ, reverb, and overdrive • Add another EQ to smooth the sound

Use multi-band compression to compress the bass and lower frequencies while taking off the highs.

Blend in the original sound to maintain depth and achieve a smooth background rumble.

Sub-bass can be difficult to control in techno production.

Use multi-band compression with the multiply 6 smooth algorithm.

• Set really slow attack and release times • This creates a smoother, more controlled sub-bass • Bring down the sub-bass level appropriately

Results in a tighter, more controlled low-end without losing the essential sub-bass energy.

Start with a simple sine wave and add sine waves two and three half notes above it.

Modulate the frequency of the sine wave assignments to create recognizable bass sounds.

• Use multiple analog oscillator layers • Frequency modulate them from another analog oscillator • Add reverb for additional character

FM synthesis can produce aggressive and weird sounds that expand your sound palette significantly.

Modern producers tend to overcrowd tracks due to having too many available tools and inspiration sources.

Listen to techno tracks to understand how minimalism is used and how elements are utilized effectively.

Apply similar minimalist techniques to make your tracks more focused and less crowded.

Produces cleaner, more professional-sounding tracks that showcase the production more effectively.