Crafting Tech House Akin to FISHER in 5 Simple Methods
Dive into the captivating world of Tech House music, a genre that skillfully blends the rhythmic essence of house with the futuristic sounds of techno. In this comprehensive tutorial, we'll explore the essential elements of Tech House production, offering a step-by-step guide for beginners.
What is Tech House?
Tech House is a subgenre of house music characterized by its fusion of techno and house elements. Defined by a four-on-the-floor beat, deep basslines, and minimalistic, repetitive grooves, the genre combines techno's mechanical and futuristic tone with house music's melodic aspects. Originating in the 1990s in the UK, DJs experimented with the blending of house's energetic beats and techno's darker sounds, appealing to fans of both genres and quickly garnering popularity in underground clubs.
Building a Tech House Track – Step by Step
To create a Tech House track from scratch, follow these carefully curated steps:
Step 1: Setting the Tech House BPM and Structure
Start by setting the tempo between 125 and 128 beats per minute (BPM), with 126 BPM offering a balance of speed and the quintessential Tech House sound. Create a track structure using empty MIDI clips, which serve as "dummy clips" to mark different sections in the track—common sections typically include an intro, build-up, drop, breakdown, and outro.
Step 2: Crafting a Groovy Drum Pattern
Establish a groovy drum pattern using a punchy kick drum, intricate hats, and powerful claps. Ensure your drums sell the vibe of the track, embedding a "boomy" tail in the kick drum to set the energetic tone. Add layers of claps, hats, and other percussion elements to create a dynamic rhythmic foundation.
Step 3: Engineering a Tech House Bassline
Create a driving bassline that bolsters your rhythm section. Start with a beefy bass sound and heavily low-pass it for a rich, bass-heavy tone. Structure your bassline with timely notes, syncopation, and legato glides to emphasize your drums' off-beats.
Step 4: Designing a Tech House Lead
To fill out the mid-range frequencies, design an unobtrusive yet complementary Tech House lead. Experiment with various sounds using synths such as Serum. Create a basic patch with multiple layers of saw and square waves, a low-pass filter, and distortion. You can then layer in perfect fifths to add tension and texture to your lead.
Step 5: Adding Vocal Chops
Incorporate vocal chops for added character and energy. Record your own vocals or use pre-made samples found online, such as those on Splice or Soundcloud. Transform the vocal using chopping, compression, noise gate, pitching, and distortion to create a distinctive layer in the mix.
Adding Extras – Percussion, Synths, and Effects
Continuously add elements like percussion, additional synths, and FX to keep your track engaging. Experiment with mellers, risers, and crashes for transitions between sections, while maintaining space for variation in your drums and melodies. Add finesse by mutilating the kick and bass during the last two bars of the build-up and incorporating shakers in sections C and D for added movement.
Conclusion: Exploring the Art of Tech House Production
Crafting a Tech House track from scratch can be a rewarding experience for beginner producers. By following the outlined steps and experimenting with variation, transitions, and arrangement, you'll be well on your way to creating your own unique and danceable Tech House tracks. Immerse yourself in the genre's rich history and find inspiration from professional Tech House releases to continuously grow as a producer.
In the process of creating a Tech House track, one essential step is the 'sound design' of the lead synth, where various synths like Serum are utilized to create a basic patch made up of multiple layers of saw and square waves, a low-pass filter, and distortion, adding layers of depth to the mid-range frequencies (Steps 4).
For those interested in Tech House production, it's not just about using 'gadgets' like synths, but also understanding the integration of these tools within the broader context of entertainment, particularly music, as well as the principles of technology, such as understanding the mechanical and futuristic aspects of sound design (Overall).
