Let's learn about electronic music production together! Posting tips below!

nevetsblack · 02-12-2020, 07:02 AM

1. Non-Sync Delay & Reverb

Try turning off tempo-sync on your delay effects, and experimenting with longer reverb pre-delay times. Programming your spatial effects manually can introduce very subtle timing discrepancies that are surprisingly effective for loosening up the groove and giving a subtly human feel to your electronic/programmed tracks.

2. Drop In Groovy Percussion Loops To Loosen Up The Main Beat

A classic trick, but it works. Percussion loops with a nice bit of organic shuffle laid behind your main kick and snare pattern can instantly transform an otherwise heavily quantized groove. I find that trying out many different percussion loops and perhaps taking the sounds of one loop, chopping them up and matching them to the pattern and placement of another loop, can also quickly spark lots of ideas developing a lively and more original rhythm track as I write.

3. Sample Grooves And Patterns From Your Favourite Tracks

Take your favourite drum loops and grooves and use them as templates for your own patterns. You can either do this using the features of your DAW for example the Groove Quantize functions in Cubase or you can simply line up your own MIDI (or audio) hits manually against the waveform of the loop on a neighbouring track in your DAW, and add in your own velocity information if necessary. This takes a bit of practice to sense where the real beginning of some hits actually are (especially sounds with slower attacks like shakers), but once youve done it a few times and shuffled things backwards or forwards to taste youll find it pretty straightforward.

4. Program sampled instrument parts as if you were playing the real thing

Real instruments and players have physical limitations that it can be helpful to remember, in order either to give your programmed samples more realism, or simply so you dont make your compositions too dense. To take a simple example, a drummer only has two hands (and two feet): so when hes striking a crash cymbal at the beginning of a new phrase, he probably wont also be striking the hihat, tom or other percussion at the same time. Incorporating little things like this can make a surprising difference to the natural flow of programmed parts, even in electronic genres where strict realism isnt always an issue.

Musashi · 02-12-2020, 10:05 AM

If is that easy ill be already psytrance DJ rocking all over the world :D
I wanted to learn before...

Let's learn about electronic music production together! Posting tips below!

Submitted by nevetsblack, 02-12-2020, 07:02 AM, Thread ID: 188347

RE: Let's learn about electronic music production together! Posting tips below!