Hypnotic industrial techno start-to-finish
Follow along as we create a track from scratch
Join me in the studio for three days
Let's make industrial techno from scratch
This is not a typical tutorial.
At the start of this adventure, nothing is pre-produced, we begin with nothing but a vision. Together, we'll go from a vision, into a plan, into the experimentation, execution, polishing and finalisation of an entire song.
This tutorial is for producers who want to see the messy creative flow, who want to see behind the scenes, who want an authentic production experience.
Let's leave the clean, safe tutorials on YouTube where they belong, and let's get our hands dirty.
Here is the final product, after three days of production.
Have a short listen to see if it's your style, but then try to forget about it, so you can think along with my exploration process!
Day 0: Vision & Planning
We'll discuss the global vision for the track, our influences, what elements we do and don't want, and set out a structure for our work.
Day 1: Creating the Beat
We'll make atmospheric elements, kicks, rumbles, percussion, and everything that is part of a powerful techno beat, including a lead synth and transition FX.
This lays the foundation for our work in day 2.
Day 2: Arrangement and Identity
On day two we'll be refining the mixdown, and start creating the song's signature moments: the climax.
Once those are strong enough, we move on to doing a full arrangement of the track, and deliver a first draft "complete" track.
Day 3: Mix polish and finalisation
On day three we implement feedback from the first listeners, and address all remaining bugs.
With fresh ears and a clear mind, we are ready to finalise the track.
Invaluable for a beginner like me
Watching a skilled producer like Oscar create a track from scratch while simultaneously explaining the techniques he uses and his reasoning for them has been invaluable for a beginner like me. It’s helped me gain perspective on what a full track workflow might look like.
It also helps that I find Oscar to be very good at explaining these concepts and easy to follow!
The difference in before and after the course is huge
like a godsend this English language course from Underdog came up with how to make a hypnotic techno track according to professional standards. Previously I did a lot by feel and through trial and error on Youtube tips. The difference in before and after the course is huge in my quality and in addition to the speed that I have gained through the handy tips and insights. If this were offered again, I would blindly buy this from Underdog. It is more than worth your money. And if not, a personal conversation is aimed at a satisfied customer. Have fun with this amazing journey you are going to make.
Not your typical start to finish course
Not your typical start to finish course, but instead an inside look at techniques that can get immediately applied to any production workflow regardless of style. Learn how to move faster through the process while not sacrificing creativity. Highly recommended for any user, from beginners to advanced musicians.
Since my first lesson I've been hooked
After starting 1 year ago and being confused infront of Ableton Oscars classes blew my mind. He reassured me and taught everything clearly. Since my first lesson I've been hooked and without these it would've taken at least 5-10 years to learn everything myself.
One of the most insightful courses I’ve ever attended.
One of the most insightful courses I’ve ever attended. It’s great to go on a journey with Oscar into the unknown and see how he copes with the daily struggles of a producer and how he solves these issues. Oscar is the best (techno) teacher out there for me. Thanks again Os!
Mind bending
Mind bending would be the most appropriate definition of this course. Regardless of being a beginner or an advanced producer, this Hypnotic Industrial Techno course has a place for everyone who wants to get out of the loop.
Highly recommended.
Going down the techno rabbit hole with Oscar
For four years, I've tried piece together a "curriculum" with various tutorials on youtube, and a few course websites. While I was able to get myself started, a found it frustrating that somehow I still hadn't acquired enough knowledge for production to feel like a smooth, intuitive process.
Going down the techno rabbit hole with Oscar and watching the thought process behind each decision opened a new door for me. I feel like I am starting to "connect the dots," and I believe that learning by exploration nurtures the intuitive process, alleviates frustration, and brings the fun back to producing.
All the fundamental techniques
Easy to understand and follow along course that will teach you everything important about Industrial Techno.
All the fundamental techniques will be covered and explained in detail. Get the vision, the concepts, and the results to the next level for your own productions.
Invaluable for a beginner like me
Watching a skilled producer like Oscar create a track from scratch while simultaneously explaining the techniques he uses and his reasoning for them has been invaluable for a beginner like me. It’s helped me gain perspective on what a full track workflow might look like.
It also helps that I find Oscar to be very good at explaining these concepts and easy to follow!
The difference in before and after the course is huge
like a godsend this English language course from Underdog came up with how to make a hypnotic techno track according to professional standards. Previously I did a lot by feel and through trial and error on Youtube tips. The difference in before and after the course is huge in my quality and in addition to the speed that I have gained through the handy tips and insights. If this were offered again, I would blindly buy this from Underdog. It is more than worth your money. And if not, a personal conversation is aimed at a satisfied customer. Have fun with this amazing journey you are going to make.
Not your typical start to finish course
Not your typical start to finish course, but instead an inside look at techniques that can get immediately applied to any production workflow regardless of style. Learn how to move faster through the process while not sacrificing creativity. Highly recommended for any user, from beginners to advanced musicians.
Since my first lesson I've been hooked
After starting 1 year ago and being confused infront of Ableton Oscars classes blew my mind. He reassured me and taught everything clearly. Since my first lesson I've been hooked and without these it would've taken at least 5-10 years to learn everything myself.
One of the most insightful courses I’ve ever attended.
One of the most insightful courses I’ve ever attended. It’s great to go on a journey with Oscar into the unknown and see how he copes with the daily struggles of a producer and how he solves these issues. Oscar is the best (techno) teacher out there for me. Thanks again Os!
Mind bending
Mind bending would be the most appropriate definition of this course. Regardless of being a beginner or an advanced producer, this Hypnotic Industrial Techno course has a place for everyone who wants to get out of the loop.
Highly recommended.
Going down the techno rabbit hole with Oscar
For four years, I've tried piece together a "curriculum" with various tutorials on youtube, and a few course websites. While I was able to get myself started, a found it frustrating that somehow I still hadn't acquired enough knowledge for production to feel like a smooth, intuitive process.
Going down the techno rabbit hole with Oscar and watching the thought process behind each decision opened a new door for me. I feel like I am starting to "connect the dots," and I believe that learning by exploration nurtures the intuitive process, alleviates frustration, and brings the fun back to producing.
All the fundamental techniques
Easy to understand and follow along course that will teach you everything important about Industrial Techno.
All the fundamental techniques will be covered and explained in detail. Get the vision, the concepts, and the results to the next level for your own productions.
Instructor(s)
Teacher
Oscar from Underdog
Oscar is the creator of Underdog Electronic Music School. He posts weekly free YouTube videos exploring the many dimensions of electronic music production.
Known for his relaxed but goofy attitude, he specialises in making music concepts feel accessible.
What we'll be doing
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1
Prologue - Before we Start
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Welcome to the course!
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Prologue - A word about me (Torc)
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Prologue - Track vision & workflow
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Prologue - About mixing and mastering
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2
Chapter 1: Atmospheres
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Atmospheres: vision
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Atmospheres: exploration
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Atmospheres: about sampling workflows
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Atmospheres: results
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3
Chapter 2: Rumbles
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Rumbles: intent & vision
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Techno Rumbles Mastery (YouTube Video)
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Techno Rumbles Mastery Flowchart
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Rumbles: exploration
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Rumbles: result
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4
Chapter 3: High Percussion
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High percussion: idea and exploration
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High percussion: grouping my track workflow
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5
Chapter 4: Mid Percussion
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Mid percussion: vision & exploration
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Mid percussion: making a snare roll
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Mid percussion: objectivity, balance and referencing
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6
Chapter 5: Lead Synth
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Lead synth: vision & exploration part 1
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Lead synth: exploration part 2
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Lead synth: exploration & refining the mix
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7
Chapter 6: Transition FX
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Transition FX
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End of day 1 (state of play)
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8
Chapter 7: Starting day 2 with fresh ears
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Mixing with fresh ears
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Committing to Audio
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9
Chapter 8: Creating the climax
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Creating the climax
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Creating the unique moment
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10
Chapter 9: Subtractive arrangement
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Subtractive arrangement
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Adding a snare roll & bitcrushed percussion
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Subtractive arrangement: final moves and next steps
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11
Chapter 10: Day 3 - Finalisation Day!
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Day 3 prep: planning the last session
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Day 3 prep: Mattias Fridell's feedback
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Day 3 prep: workflow philosophy
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Fix 1: high end elements
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Fix 2: synth stereo image & mixing for loudness
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Fix 3: kick transient
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Fix 4: low end weight
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Fix 5: transition effects - storyline
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Fix 6: transition effects - adding foley
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Finishing touches: optimising the mixdown for loudness
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Finishing touches: last listenthrough
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Wrap-up and next steps
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Feedback time!
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Post-class questions
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8 hours of techno production with Oscar from Underdog, spread over 3 days.
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Everything is done in Ableton Live, but the concepts are universal and can be used in other DAWs as well.
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This is a long-form, comprehensive video series, that goes into much more detail than the YouTube videos. It mixes beginner and very advanced concepts together, while trying to explain it all in real-time.
FAQ
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What will I learn in this course?
This is a follow-along course as I try many different strategies for many different parts of the production of a single track. The real value here is in following the creative process, and less in the breakdown of techniques (though they are included too). Think of it less like school, and more like joining your friend in the studio for 3 days.
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Do I need Ableton Live to follow along with this?
Not strictly speaking, but you'll find it easier to follow. As you see from my YouTube videos, I try to explain concepts in an abstract way, not limited to any DAW - so you can follow the same ideas in your DAW of choice. In practice, I do use Ableton stock plugins for everything here, so that's the easiest to use.
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Do I need third-party plugins?
I made a point of ONLY using Ableton Live stock plugins for this tutorial. No 3rd party VSTs at all. You'll also get the project file, so if you have Ableton Live 11 or newer, you should be able to open it!
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What if I don't like it?
I really hope that's not the case! But if you do, you have a few options: you can tell me directly, perhaps it's something that can be fixed. You can discuss parts of it on the Underdog Discord channel too, and share experiences with others. If it can't be fixed, and you really regret your purchase, we can refund you as well. I want everybody who buys this to be happy :)
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I like it too much, how can I get more?!
Now that's the spirit. Come tell us on the Discord channel, and share your own techno productions with the community there! Let me know you liked it by leaving a review - if this course does well, I'll make a few more!