How to Make Techno Music on Windows
Contents
A guide on how to make techno music using Windows. This guide will show you how to find the right software, how to create a basic melody, and how to add effects.
Introduction
Making techno music on Windows is easy with the right tools. In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to get started.
First, you’ll need a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). We recommend FL Studio, but any DAW will do. Next, you’ll need a synth plugin. We recommend LennarDigital Sylenth1, but any synth plugin will do. Finally, you’ll need a drum plugin. We recommend Drumazon by D16 Group, but any drum plugin will do.
Once you have all of your plugins installed, fire up your DAW and create a new project. We’re going to start by creating a kick drum pattern. Start by creating a new MIDI track and loading your drum plugin on it. Find the kick drum sound that you want to use and program a simple 4-beat pattern. Nothing too fancy, just something that will lay down a solid foundation for the rest of our track.
Now let’s add some hi-hats. Create another MIDI track and load your drum plugin on it. Find the hi-hat sound that you want to use and program a simple 8-beat pattern. Again, nothing too fancy, just something that will add some texture to our track.
Next, let’s add some claps. Create another MIDI track and load your drum plugin on it… You get the idea. Program a simple 4-beat pattern with your clap sound.
Now let’s add some synth melodies. Create a new MIDI track and load your synth plugin on it.. Find the sound that you want to use and program a simple melody that compliments our drums nicely.. Once you have your melody programmed, add some effects to it like reverb and delay to make it sound more interesting..
Now let’s add some percussion.. Create another MIDI track and load your drum plugin on it.. Find the percussion sound that you want to use and program a simple 8-beat pattern..
That’s it! You’ve now made a basic techno track using only Windows software.. If you want to take things further, try adding more tracks with different sounds and experimenting with different arrangements.. The possibilities are endless!
What You Need
In order to make techno music on Windows, you will need a computer with a sound card and speakers, a music editing program like Jeskola Buzz or Cakewalk Sonar, and some basic knowledge of music composition. You should also have a basic understanding of how to use your chosen music editing program.
Setting Up
In order to make techno music on Windows, you will need a computer with a sound card and speakers, an audio editing program, and a synthesizer. You can find all of these programs for free on the internet.
The first thing you need to do is set up your audio editing program. This is where you will create your beats and mix your tracks. There are many different programs available, but we recommend Audacity. It is free and easy to use.
Once you have your audio editing program set up, you need to choose a synthesizer. This is the program that will create the sounds for your tracks. Again, there are many options available, but we recommend FL Studio. It is also free and easy to use.
Now that you have all of the necessary programs, you are ready to start creating techno music on Windows!
Making the Beat
Making the beat is one of the most important aspects of making techno music. Thebeat is what will drive the entire song, so it is important to make sure that itis interesting and catchy. There are a few different ways to make a beat, butthe most common way is to use a drum machine.
A drum machine is a piece of equipment that allows you to create beats by inputting different percussion sounds. There are many different types of drum machines available, but for the purposes of this article, we will be using the freeware program Hydrogen.
Once you have Hydrogen installed, open it up and you should see a screen that looks like this:
Adding Bass
As with any genre, the bass is extremely important in techno. A good techno bassline will be repetitive, but will also have a clear melody and some movement to it. A lot of techno is made using only a few different notes played in a loop, so it’s important to use these notes in interesting ways. Try playing around with different rhythms and patterns to create a bassline that is both catchy and grooves well with the rest of the track. If you’re struggling to come up with something, try using a MIDI keyboard or controller to improvise until you find something you like. Once you have a good foundation, you can start adding in additional notes and embellishments to create a more complex bassline.
Adding Leads
Now that you have your basic synth sound set up, it’s time to add some more interest to your track with some lead parts. For this section, we’ll be using the 3xOSC plugin again. Start by adding another instance of this plugin to your project. In the first instance of 3xOSC, we used all three oscillators to create a complex sound. This time, we’re only going to use one oscillator so that our lead will be more focused and easier to work with.
Start by setting OSC1 to a square wave at around 700 Hz. Then, add a little bit of vibrato by increasing the LFO intensity and decreasing the rate. To make the lead stand out more, add some reverb using your DAW’s built-in effects or a VST plugin. You can also try automating the cutoff frequency of your low-pass filter to create an interesting sweep effect.
Now that you have your basic lead sound set up, experiment with the various parameters of 3xOSC and your other plugins to create different sounds. Once you’ve found something you like, record it into your DAW and move on to the next section.
Arranging and Mixing
Arranging and mixing are two of the most important aspects of making techno music. Here are some tips on how to do both:
Arranging Techno Music
Techno music is typically made up of repetitive elements, so it’s important to arrange your track in a way that is interesting and engaging. Start by creating a main melody or chord progression, then add layers of synths, drums, and other sounds to fill out the track. Make sure each element is clearly audible and contributes to the overall groove.
Mixing Techno Music
Getting a good mix is crucial for any type of music, but it’s especially important for techno. Because the genre is so reliant on sound design, each element needs to be carefully balanced in the mix. Start with the drums and percussion, then add in the bassline and other melodic elements. Pay special attention to the high-frequency sounds, as they can easily become overwhelming. Use EQ and compression sparingly, as too much can ruin the delicate balance of a techno track.
Conclusion
Techno music is easy to make on Windows with the help of some free software. All you need is a computer with a sound card and speakers, an audio editor, and a basic understanding of music composition.
With a little practice, you can create your own techno tracks that will get people moving. Just remember to keep things simple at first, and have fun!