Cold minimal techno with eurorack

[beelsebub]

Hi!

I've been trying to achieve cold and minimal techno stuff with a modular setup, but I need ideas on how to create a specific sound that is kinda like Ulwhednar, Anthony Linell and such. I'm lost with especially the percussion stuff. Any ideas on specific modules and techniques would be helpful, however obvious they might seem. I'm trying to stick with only modular gear as much as possible.

This song is a great example of what I'm after:

I have still a quite small setup, but I've traded and tried like 20 modules this year, so the madness is definately real.

So sequencers, maybe BIA and other percussion modules? A syncing delay? How about the other stuff besides pecussion? Some oscillators through something and tons of reverb? If somebody has the time and could point me to the direction of that sound, and the modules that could produce something similar to that song for example, I'd be most grateful!

In short: I'd like to hear your opinions on how to build an ice cold techno rack with haunting melodies and shivering soundscapes.

[Pyrrhix]

A lot of the sounds in that track remind me of the Noise Engineering stuff, particularly BIA and Loquelic Iteritas (or LIP). Those two (maybe a couple BIAs actually) plus some Tip Top 909 modules and a flexible effects module like the FX Aid XL (CV control of FX could be handy for this style) would likely be a step in the right direction for sound sources. Then again, if you're using some 909 sounds, a standalone box like the TR-8S would be less hassle to handle that portion of your percussion palette. Plus you can use that as your master clock for modular via the trigger out. Add an input module like the Pico Input so you can process line-level percussion sounds too.

When choosing modulation sources for the NE stuff, keep in mind they expect 0-5v on the inputs, so a Clep Diaz, IME/Harvestman Kermit, and definitely Pamela's New Workout might be good choices. There is also lots of subtle filtering going on in that track. A flexible dual filter with some fancy tricks would be my choice: Morgasmatron, QPAS, or Stereo Dipole maybe.

I would recommend multitracking your sounds and handling mixing, eq, and compression with software. It's probably not going to feel quite right until you have a bit of compressed pumping against the kick. FX could also be handled with software, but a lot of these sounds are half source, half effects, so having the effects in your sound design setup might be a necessity.

Hopefully something there was helpful.

[Quiet Wilds]

I'd combo a stand-alone drum machine for percussion with your euro rack. Drumbrute+Minibrute is a great starting point, optimally with a mixer with some effects. Then when you get those down, pick up a rack brute and start getting some individual modules, such as effects and more advanced modulation sources (I swear I don't work for Arturia lol). One big thing that will help is side chain compression, which the WMD MSCL does it well IMO. A delay, reverb and distortion would also be pretty good choices for that. Happy Nerding FXAID or a used Erica Synths Black Hole DSP (now d/c'd often appears on the used market much much cheaper than the Black Hole DSP2) are both good options.

[PhineasFreak]

wofls secret tip - abusing noise gates to snip the length of transients diown to 'little' bits - there aint many noise gates in eurorack so the discovery of ladiks 4hp gems was a wonder - theyre absolutely perfect and they only cost like $70, they have all the controls/settings you'd need or wnat and are just sensitive enough but with stiff enough knobs to set accurately

run a drum or other percussive sound through the gate and tweak it til its jusst trimming off the most part off the percussive and then tweak to get the degree of softness on the trim to taste - when youve built up a whole set of percs like this it'll suit the style of techno far better, feeling much colder, miore minimal and sparse.

this also works nicely on chord stabsx with the right settings once youve filtered the craop outta them...

[Navs]

... kinda like Ulwhednar, Anthony Linell and such.

Thanks for the pointer, I didn't know these.

I found an 'Against the Clock' video and Red Bull + xlr8 interviews - it doesn't sound like they use much modular to make their music. 808s, monosynths, recordings from cell phones and Ableton effects.

Varg was one of the best Against the Clock I've seen - no messing around, he just started making music. If you do want to do this with a modular, I'd echo the suggestion to get a drum machine or some sort of hands-on sequencer, something where you can flick gates on and off. From the example you gave, 'cold' translates as little melodic variation (rather than specific synths or modules) and processing.

[Tumulishroomaroom]

I love that album, and most of the Anthony Linell stuff. He just put out a cassette of archive gems that is great too :


I seem to remember that Linell in particular uses a Synthi A and the ever elusive Orgon Enigiser; not stuff you'll find easily. But also the 0-coast I think too and this one is readily available. These guys have that thing where you instantly recognise their sound, and you can usually tell a Northern Electronics record by a mile. Not in this track but a lot of the "cold" factor also often comes from glacial pads they have going on.

As for this one it's a lot of very short synth hits, FM mostly, with timbre modulation rather than pitch. A complex oscillator would be a must, as would a hands on sequencer with switches, something like the Doepfer Dark Time or Verbos Multistage. Delays to have everything sort of shift in and out, reverb to give space. And a lot of live manipulation of enveloppes as you can hear say around 3:10. Good, driving sounding drums but like in most minimal/deep techno there aren't that many sounds, a kick and a few flavours of hats.

that's how I would approach it It's always good exercise to try are approximate a track you like.

[chai baba]

One thing my ear is constantly hooked to is the prominent filtering with resonance that is on still considered to be moderat. The filterbands could be done by single bandpassfilter or a row of filterbands like in the verbos barkfilter for example. Light distortion and compression can help too.

[Quiet Wilds]

Also check out the Elektron Model:Cycles as a starting point. Great groove box and sequencer with cool FM sounds, I see that Varg is using the Digitone in his Against The Clock which is sort of a big brother to the Cycles. You could combo it with a modular rack for filtering, effects/processing, a bit of sample one-shots and/or maybe a mono-synth for timbral variety.

[Technologear?]

I think I can hear LFOs clocked to various measures of the track bpm modulating different percussion parts subtlety, and delay matched to the track bpm with the repeats blending in behind the percussion rhythm.
Great track.

[Tumulishroomaroom]

This song is a great example of what I'm after:

I was playing around yesterday and stumbled upon this which I think is in the ballpark of that track. Not saying it compares but the idea is there.



It's just a sine wave from the Verbos Foundation oscillator (slightly waveshaped into a saw) going into the Bark filter with straight 16th EG and then into the Jomox T-Resonator for delay (it is clipping on purpose too for nice distortion)

[skryex]

+1 for the Bark Filter. This video is for the Verbos Sequence Selector but the audio source is noise going through the Bark Filter. Madness !

[drowld]

wofls secret tip - abusing noise gates to snip the length of transients diown to 'little' bits - there aint many noise gates in eurorack so the discovery of ladiks 4hp gems was a wonder - theyre absolutely perfect and they only cost like $70, they have all the controls/settings you'd need or wnat and are just sensitive enough but with stiff enough knobs to set accurately

Which modules are you talking about ?

[batch]

I think he means this:

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=2464

[dooj88]

came across this channel this morning. really dig the style.

[Red Electric Rainbow]

when i had a decent sized euro set-up i felt like it excelled at making minimal techno with little effort. less is more, use dynamic reverbs, lots of delays and just lock it in. you don’t need your effects to be in the rack, no one will shame you for using external resources for that.

[o-live]

with old MFB schlagzwerg you have nice start for percussion in the purest basic rules and sequencers all in one

[Red Electric Rainbow]

filters for drums

[PhineasFreak]

wofls secret tip - abusing noise gates to snip the length of transients diown to 'little' bits - there aint many noise gates in eurorack so the discovery of ladiks 4hp gems was a wonder - theyre absolutely perfect and they only cost like $70, they have all the controls/settings you'd need or wnat and are just sensitive enough but with stiff enough knobs to set accurately

Which modules are you talking about ?

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=2464

ladik noise gates g-110

[drowld]

wofls secret tip - abusing noise gates to snip the length of transients diown to 'little' bits - there aint many noise gates in eurorack so the discovery of ladiks 4hp gems was a wonder - theyre absolutely perfect and they only cost like $70, they have all the controls/settings you'd need or wnat and are just sensitive enough but with stiff enough knobs to set accurately

Which modules are you talking about ?

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=2464

ladik noise gates g-110

Thanks.
There are no demos online tho. Not sure what it sound like.
I mean i guess i know what a gate sound but i've never seen noise gate before

[PhineasFreak]

wofls secret tip - abusing noise gates to snip the length of transients diown to 'little' bits - there aint many noise gates in eurorack so the discovery of ladiks 4hp gems was a wonder - theyre absolutely perfect and they only cost like $70, they have all the controls/settings you'd need or wnat and are just sensitive enough but with stiff enough knobs to set accurately

Which modules are you talking about ?

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=2464

ladik noise gates g-110

Thanks.
There are no demos online tho. Not sure what it sound like.
I mean i guess i know what a gate sound but i've never seen noise gate before

to my knowledge 'noise gate' is just a fancy term for 'gate'

[djd_oz]

Check this out, https://www.tulpadusha.org/live

[EATyourGUITAR]

The right kick makes the whole track. The rest of the percussion is going through some kind of filter or phaser or reverb then into a gated compressor. The synths are also going through some reverb. Sounds like a concrete basement very small.