How to make techno (with a drum machine & synth)

[@mylarmelodies]

What are YOUR recommendations for great, affordable beginner hardware (under £300/$380, cheaper the better) - mixers, synthesizers, drum machines? They can be old, or new. If you suggest something, please also say WHY you think that would be a good choice for someone starting out - what is great about it, what are the drawbacks, what does it sound like?

[@VinceFinemMusic]

I'm an Arturia fanboy. I went with Microfreak and Drumbrute Impact. Then my gateway into modular was the Minibrute 2S. All of them were had for way less used, which is another great tip for someone just getting into it. All of my stuff was virtually brand new from people who had more GAS than motivation to learn their new gear. Whenever the hot new thing is hyped on synth tube, wait 6-12 months and there will be a glut on the used market for a pretty penny less. PS: Would also recommend the Elektron Model Cycles as an all-in-one groovebox alternative to the DB Impact/Microfreak combo. It hasway more sound design features and built in melodic voices vs a straight up drum machine.

[@bcook6960]

The Elektron Model Cycles and Samples are super cheap used (~$200 ish), and the Arturia Drumbrute Impact is in that same range for drum machines.

[@digicat247]

The Korg Monologue. - The sequencer is clearly visible to see what is happening and is completely interactive to turn notes on and off. Learnable and discoverable. Allows you to assign bass notes easily when working with other interfaces on other machines. - The overall UI on its panel is clean and simply laid out. - Navigating menus on it, such as they are, is simple. - The presets can be used to build entire tracks out of from pads to drums to leads and bass. - Adding a USB connection to it makes it nearly instantly work with a DAW. - Overall construction is extremely solid and will take hard punishment from drops and playing. - The small screen shows you how the waveform reacts to what you are doing, letting you understand how your actions are impacting the sound. - Diagonal pitch bend is designed for being played as opposed to being out of the way. - Sync in and out to work with decades of old and new hardware. - it can be battery powered long enough for a set or travel :) Cons: - It is mono, so polyphony and how that works can not be explored. - Knob indentations to indicate where a knob is turned is not clear due to color and indentation depth. - The keyboard width is smaller than many other synthesizers and fat-fingering keys is easy. Sound: - Korg sleazy filter of amazingness - The bass can strip the paint off a car with distortion.

[@compucorder64]

For a monosynth, the Dreadbox Typhon is on sale for about that. Strong core sound, and Sinevibe effects if slightly awkward UI and noisy USB-only power. Or if you could afford a little more, or can find them second-hand, there's the PWM Malevolent, for a gnarly sound, though micro-keys. or Novation Basstation II because they sound good, have multiple filter options, and a small keyboard. Otherwise, the Arturia Keystep / Keystep 37 is really useful for not too much money because a keyboard and an arp/sequencer will get a lot of use. Mixer-wise, I like the Allen & Heath Zed 10. It's fugly, and doesn't have faders, but it sounds good and has two stereo inputs. Can't go to far wrong with something like a Cyclone Analogic TT-303 bass bot V2, because it's small, well made and a classic sound. When you are working with cheap/limited sources, then the other fun thing is pedals. There's lots and lots of cheap but good sounding pedals these days. Shout out to the TC Bucket Brigade delay, for about £50, sounds good, but mono only - so buy two? The Flamma FS02 is a nice sounding digital stereo reverb for about the same price. GFI Skylar is a fancier schmanier booteeq stereo digital reverb, sounds great, but only 3 algos, and over 3x the price - but still a bargain. TC SCF+ is a stereo out modulation pedal (chorus/flanger), but only mono in. Boss DC-2W Dimension is a stereo in/stereo out modulation pedal. Great for adding stereo interest, and is subtler less obviously cheesy 'chorus' sound though it's not _that_ cheap and doesn't have the best bass response. Walrus Mako M1 can do lots of stereo modulation, sounds great, but isn't analogue ... if you care.

[@mnksld518]

I'd pick Volca Drums over Sample anytime. It's really versatile drum synth and you can quantize the pitch to semitones, so it can do melodies too (and some very limited FM stuff). Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators (~£90 and under) are pretty fun too. Korg Volca Modular is a cheap entry level for getting started in west coast-style modular stuff. Microfreak is unbelievably bang for the buck.

[@MarkLoweLowebrau]

Been making hardware electronic music for over 20 years and I loved watching this. Sharing this simply because I'm so tired of laptop press play performances being called 'Live Music' being booked at a few local festivals and clubs. And the new gens (Z and Alpha) I find are less and less interested in hardware(except some very exceptional individuals). This is the type of accessible video that aspiring synth nerds need.

[@bigboygametime]

You are such a natural teacher, this is an incredibly intuitive way to bring people into the fold of electronic music. Hats off

[@borisborisov500]

And back on... 😂

[@stephenaskew4346]

Bravo to you for infecting new generations with the endless joy of electronic music performance. Also, for your excellent teaching style. If I hadn't been at this malarkey for 3 decades I would be taking it up right now.

[@MarkMcCubbin]

This video is great. I appreciate you showing people how much fun you can have with minimal gear at minimal cost.

[@Wanttoknowabout]

This is pure gold! I was about to suggest a Roland TB3, but then I went to look it up and it seems the prices have come up quite a bit.

[@kaitlyn__L]

You can thank Florian for that ;)

[@retlasd]

Yeah, bloody bad gear my a**e How often do you think “should’ve bought one of those a few years ago”…. Got to let it go I guess 😂

[@mrsulcus674]

I got caught out by that! Was clearing out some stuff I didn't really use including a TB3 which sold for a fairly low price...less than a week before that video shot the prices up. And that is the PWM of life!

[@tentakelmaschine]

I had to stop the video, because I absolutely LOVE the sentence (quote): "[...] Music making can offer a lifetime of fun, and exploration, where you - alone, or with friends and other musicians - can explore the literally infinite possibillities of electronic music [...]"!! Reminds me of Tristram Cary, saying "[...] With electronic music, I was always much freer [...]" as well as (as a response to the question of a simple definition of 'music') "[...] music is sound which has been organized. [...]". Thanks for saying this, from a fellow human that - literally - explores the same teritorry for nearly as long as you do (I'm late by 1 year 😄)

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks for this m8. It’s the best hobby ever.

[@SIAKPHDLIVE]

Been doing this stuff for two decades now and I absolutely love this video. Thx Mylar!

[@droesndroes9039]

Always been a big fan of your channel and your role as a music educator. This is a great vid for those getting started, wish i had seen it 10 years ago

[@BottleMakesMusic]

As you've mentioned already, the Korg Volcas are excellent value-for-money. I would also add that the Arturia Drum Brute and Drum Brute Impact are good alternatives for the Roland drum machines. Some off-the-wall ideas for expansion (especially on the MIDI side) would be to add the Arturia Keystep Pro or Conductive Labs NDLR to help synchronise and split out different MIDI parts to different synths. The NDLR is especially useful - two Motif arpeggiators, a polyphonic Pad part which can be poly-chained across up to four separate poly synths and a Drone/Bass part with three-note polyphony.

[@TurkeyManIndustriesLLC]

DAMN I love your other videos but being relatively new to music this one was extremely relevant and helpful! I was literally telling a friend last week that I want to start figuring out "how to make techno music" without even really knowing what I meant. When he asked that I clarify, I showed him one of your videos with the moog semi-modular stuff. So funny that you've now uploaded a wonderful, beginner friendly, and thorough tutorial laying the groundwork for EXACTLY what I was talking about. THANK YOU!

[@mylarmelodies]

👍👍👍 nice one and thanks!!

[@DiGertsi]

This is really one of the first proper basic and really well explained tutorials! Absolutely love how understandable you explain things! Keep them coming!

[@mit136speichenumdiewelt]

Thank you for the video the best for me this year. It's nice that someone came up with “back to the basics” Keep up the good work!

[@moolder]

Great vibes, you are making it real easy to get into that stuff. Funny I watched this video yesterday and today my son asks if we can make a song and video on my Syntakt with video from his racing game. He was insistent on taking this on himself, I showed him the step sequencer for kick and snare and the mute screen and he came up with a banger in minutes. Then he produced a ruff idea for a simple melody on my Minifreak. I was so happy. He is 9. we will continue this in the next days, I hope 🙂

[@diegotejerina2446]

This is pure gold. Thanks for your time ❤

[@loopyogden]

Fantastic! I love it. Watching your video today made me want to go make some music....

[@klumpmeister2000]

Thank you for inspiring me to touch my model:cycles and have it clock the minifreak! You got me into those T-8 faders!

[@odd_sundays]

this is so awesome!!!! your enthusiasm and warmth is infectious. bring all the youngins' into the fold!

[@PocketUnv]

This is exactly the kind of broad explanation that so many need, very well done Mr. Melodies!

[@BikeAmsterdam]

This was really helpful. Please do more. These are questions I’m to afraid to ask because they’re so simple. How to make drum pattern sound like music halp.

[@mrsulcus674]

I've always loved the use of toms as a pseudo-bassline. I'm working out how to implement the TR8 workflow on gear I've got... No room at the inn for another drum machine!

[@retlasd]

You have a wonderful knack for teaching and bringing infectious joy to this subject. I have a lot of experience in this field and tip my hat to you. Your recommendations are spot on. My own journey started with a moog werkstatt and Arturua keystep and quickly escalated to bring in a novation circuit to add brilliantly intuitive drum and synths combined. But this wasn’t enough. It never is. Roland’s mc707 soon followed which has a great function of acting as a mixer for other gear as well as a huge soundscape of synths and drums all of its own. But I still crave and covet the t8 and the tr8 for the classic drum and acid combo. I’d love to have them (or maybe swap the t8 for a tb3 with its touch pad take on classic acid). Word of warning to anyone who watches this and gets the bug….beware the synth rabbit hole, just remember though, a lot of creativity and originality comes from limitations. Work with what you have and make it sing! Peace y’all - RetalsD 🤟✌️❤

[@guyjackson1763]

Another excellent tutorial. I have just received a Torso-T1 - your tutorial clinched that decision. I will now get my TR8 out of it’s box, connect it to a Volca Nu Bass I have, and learn this video word-for-word to then teach my kids how to use them. Thanks!

[@mylarmelodies]

You’ll have fun with that combo, enjoy it!!

[@shortattentionspa.....]

This is amazing, love the tip about recording practices and listening back!

[@dannyznyc]

Really enjoyed your tutorial, very informative and explains thoroughly what's what 👍👍

[@rayderrich]

I needed this video 40 years ago :) Thanks!

[@blookbleak]

This is BRILLIANT! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@mathieurose]

Amazing video ! I myself started with a akai rhythm wolf (yes i know 😅) , a microbrute and a volca keys

[@amazeus1980]

Happy to see your channel grow…you deserve it for sure!

[@LeeWaltonUK]

Great video, thanks. I'm just getting into synths at the age of 55... and loving them. Find your videos very helpful and informative. I'm guessing that rather than a T-8, the S-1 would be a good synth to pair with a drum machine, or maybe the P-6?

[@GMS121]

Great, informative video. subbed 👍

[@louis_makes]

In terms of drum machines for beginners the drumbrute impact is really fun. One knob per function and the sequencer is simple, but powerfull and crucially for beginners separate from the pads, making it less confusing and more direct. In terms of sounds nothing beats the roland heritage. I’m intrigued, though by your choice of the tr-8 over the tr-8s. I have been eyeing getting either of them, but so far haven’t had a chance to interact with them. Could you elaborate on the choice, despite the latter being, at least on paper, a far more capable machine? Thanks!

[@treschlet]

Haha yeah share that T8 love! Technically here you have two drum machines and one synthetizer :D the T-8 is about the most fun you can have in that tiny footprint

[@Dogboy73]

Oi! I thought Atlantix was coming next?! 🤪 Only messing. Always love any new Mylar content 👍

[@mylarmelodies]

It’s on the bench!!

[@TOMLEW1S]

Hydrasynth Explorer: a banging synth for

[@Answersonapostcard]

affordable synths yes, but trying to make a living from music is a lot more difficult these days.

[@TOMLEW1S]

@@Answersonapostcard tell me about it!!! The goalposts for "affordable" have really moved in the last 2 years

[@chateautemp]

Just discovered your podcast thanks to the little card in there..last one to the party but, by gad, the advertising works!

[@mylarmelodies]

Sometimes the low tech solutions work!! Thanks for subbing

[@alex.g.88]

Hi, nice tutorial. I've been using Ableton for 2 years learning the basics, but then decided to upgrade and get some hardware. Bought Novation launchpad pro & launchkey mini and probably will get either tr8 or volca beats. Any idea on how to connect the novation pad with the launchkey & the tr8/ volca beats and play dawless? As far as I understand I need 1 trs to midi female adapter, a standard midi cable, and another trs to midi female adapter, which goes from the midi out on launchkey to midi in on launchpad, and then another trs to midi adapter connects to the the midi input on the roland t8 / volca beats. Sry for the stupid query - still learning the hardware.

[@FursAndMasksMusic]

Ahhh where was this video 25 years ago?! 😂 I bet you're great with the kids mate, what a gem 😊

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks! Genuinely the Deer Shed weekend me and Divkid spend showing kids how to use gear is always a delight - hard work and non stop, but totally worth it

[@diosancho3875]

Love the video! I was wondering if you would be able to help me and confirm that the TR8 is knob per function? I am blind and hoped it was. Thanks

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks!! I definitely think you could have a good time with it yes - there are dedicated buttons to select the various programming modes, as well as various shortcuts to access deeper functions (which will take some effort to learn with or without sight) but mostly it is a case of pressing a button to choose a sound and then programming it on the grid, with faders to adjust which of course let you sense what is muted or not based on feel, something not possible on most drum machines. Let me know if more questions!!

[@kaitlyn__L]

It’s worth mentioning the buttons are very smooth so you’d probably want to add a braille dot at whatever intervals suited you, so you could feel the positions in the beat without having to constantly count them. After that it’d be a bit like touch-typing on a keyboard for the real-time playing in of notes mode. And as Mylar mentioned the buttons which select the instrument in step mode are directly underneath the corresponding volume slider.

[@MoeShinola1]

My Elektron Model:Samples(which I have) is a good mid-point between the t8 and the Digitakt.

[@bornach]

Whatever you can snap up from CeX or Cash Converters for under £100. B stock Korg Volcas (OG Sample or Rhythm beats) and the occasional Behringer TD-3.

[@retlasd]

Who needs shoes when you can have synths?

[@stevebuchan6642]

I will turn up my synth. Oh heck, we have a 303 banger

[@graysynther2169]

These children your trying to addict to Musical expression & possible G.A.S. Will never have any shoes ! 😊 Great to know your passing on your extensive knowledge on to a new generation Of creators 🙏🏼

[@tillorrly1128]

Good thing, those kids will never have enough money for drugs...

[@iqnill]

A TRRS cable works just fine instead of the MIDI to TRS dongle thingies (assuming both devices are both A or B).

[@NinthBranch]

It is imperative that someone mention this about the 3.5 midi jack cable going into the Roland T-8. It has to be a (type A) 3.5 midi jack cable or the two units will not sync. I've been racking my brain for a few days now trying to troubleshoot my syncing issue. I have both of these machines and couldn't get them to sync because I was using a 3.5 mid jack (Type B) cable. Hope this helps someone who is having the same issue.

[@jtrace-444]

And one More Sub. for You.... BRILLIANT!!!!....I had to Add in......ROLAND $$ Pay the Man ....cause We lookin at Amazon for this Gear!!!!

[@jdtorian]

cyclone analogic tt-78 + tt-303 ver2. Cheap and deep!

[@kaitlyn__L]

I’ve seen many people say to not even bother with the TR8 in favour of the TR8S, so it’s nice to see the original have some love. I’m still in love (or in lust) with the 808 and 909, but for my own music I’ve seemingly settled on making my own weird crunchy sampled drums instead. As much as I love live-jamming with these classic sounds, I tend to think more about other people’s music than my own. Of course, who’s to say if that’ll last - I might get tired of that method or crave something simpler.

[@Brandon-n9h1x]

I actually just bought a tr8s because I missed my old tr8. Now I wish I bought tr8 again. Tr8s is too menu divey for me and I get a kind of feature overload. Not hating on tr8s but just my preference/opinion

[@jsleeio]

Have you significantly changed how you record/EQ your voice in these videos? Not a criticism, mind. Just noticing how different it sounds now vs your older videos, like Metropolis or (my fave; I sometimes listen to it when I'm working and wish it was much longer) 28min DFAM jam.

[@darrellforbes5082]

doing the lord's work of getting kids started making ACID

[@mylarmelodies]

😋

[@chonbaquer]

good on ya

[@lockyp204]

It’s amazing how many people have 30k Modular’s and could pretty much make the same music on this set up with maybe a synth or two more

[@gregvittore5004]

Mass infection 🎉❤

[@deansmith852]

Hi there. I love the fact you call out Chicago and Detroit. There are only 2 types of electronic dance music, house and Detroit techno. That's a rather fruity statement 😜

[@wireheadinstruments]

Bmm tss Bmm tss Bmm tss Bmm tss ❤

[@devjock]

Oh man, how hard were you trying not to sound like you're re-enacting the music intructor - hymn clip? 🤣 "Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to show you how to make a HIT record"

[@DankePlace]

If tRoland had of made the TR8 with better materials, I think it would have been a better instrument to use, it feels cheap to me, I sold mine and have replaced with other gear. I recently got rid of my Jomox AB which was built like a tank but the UI is some weird shit that slows creativity. tRoland has good UI but bad materials, which is a shame. Only drum synth I have now is a Nord 3P drum, my synths do percussive for me now. Thx for the upload.

[@JohnHallberg-v4o]

Acid house music 😅😊😊😊😊

[@jamiestewart1644]

Nice. Any of the TR Behringer’s for starters although I think you’d get more mileage from a TR8s. NORAND mono mk1’s price has dropped to around £350. That’s a lot of baseline for the££££

[@dionysiaex5538]

Needs more cowbell you beautiful human.

[@ScottLHines]

Sorry to be a smartass, but as I’ve told my students, lay down a four beat and you could put a track of a woman screaming on top of it and people will dance.

[@mylarmelodies]

For your first ever beat I think it’s ok, you know!

[@claytonlevibrown]

whenever I read comments on reddit which generally come from america, canada and australia; not sure why british people don't use reddit, can you use reddit? anyway, in the comments about styles of electronic music people like or dislike the most, Acid techno, is always people's least favorite music, just a heads up for ya there.

[@mylarmelodies]

Nobody’s perfect

[@claytonlevibrown]

@@mylarmelodies no, I like acid music. It's everyone else. I'll listen to most music within the boundaries of good dance music electronic, not that anyone was asking.

[@claytonlevibrown]

I get the joke on the cardboard though I feel it is a bit insensitive and misguided. Buying something with your money should not be seen as loss of earnings. It's ownership, it's investment in assets, not loss of earnings. It is misleading to tell people music production and buying into music is in somehow going to cause losses. You didn't lose anything, you paid for music equipment and now own music gear. How exactly do you see logic in telling people they will have loss of earnings from an improving interest in producing music?

[@mylarmelodies]

It’s a joke mate, based on the fact most people will spend considerable money on this hobby. I’ve bought and sold more gear than I can remember over 25 years - don’t worry, people are aware they can resell things they bought! 👍

[@wallofsheep5645]

Honestly, this is why i hate dance music. :)

[@mylarmelodies]

Lots of people love it though! And dancing does our bodies good

[@MichaMaschiene-jd8wd]

Hey thats Remember Me on my first 4to the Floor Expierience with Rebirth Steinberg with my 1st MidiController *1998 great 🎛️👏👏👏

[@3tree]

Love this Alex, nice job. Get yourself on Hey Duggee. Today squirrels, it's the techno baaaadge!

[@mylarmelodies]

Just time for one more thing! Dance floor hug🏅🏅🏅