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About Techno
A repetitive, hypnotic form of electronic dance music characterized by a strong 4/4 beat and synthesized sounds. Techno emphasizes rhythm and texture over melody.
- Repetitive 4/4 beat at 120-150 BPM
- Heavy use of synthesizers and drum machines
- Hypnotic, looping structures
- Minimal melodic content, focus on rhythm
History and Origins
Techno originated in Detroit, Michigan in the mid-1980s, pioneered by Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson — collectively known as the Belleville Three. Drawing from Kraftwerk's electronic minimalism, Parliament-Funkadelic's futurism, and Chicago house, they created a machine-driven sound that envisioned a post-industrial future. The genre spread to Europe in the late 1980s, finding a massive audience in Berlin after the fall of the Wall, where it became the soundtrack of reunification.
Subgenres
Common Chord Progressions
Producer Tips for Techno
- Use the Dorian mode (1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7) for basslines — the natural 6th gives a less dark feel than natural minor while staying moody
- Layer your kick with a sub-oscillator tuned to the root note of your Phrygian scale for cohesive low-end energy
- Create tension with the b2 interval from the Phrygian mode in stab patterns — this semitone dissonance is the signature techno sound
- Program hi-hats with subtle swing (52-56%) and velocity variation to humanize the mechanical 16th-note grid
- Use a minor 7th interval (10 semitones) in your bass to create movement between root and the flatted seventh
Sound Design Tips
- Synthesize classic techno kicks by layering a pitch-enveloped sine wave (fast decay from ~300Hz to 40-55Hz) with a short burst of filtered noise for the transient
- Run a saw wave through a resonant low-pass filter with envelope modulation for acid-style TB-303 basslines — automate the cutoff and resonance for movement
- Create industrial textures by processing field recordings or noise through bitcrushers, waveshapers, and short reverbs with heavy pre-delay
- Design hypnotic pad textures using detuned unison saw waves with slow LFO modulation on the filter cutoff and subtle chorus
Essential Techno Tracks
Related Genres
Frequently Asked Questions
What scale is best for techno?
The Dorian and Phrygian modes are the most commonly used scales in techno. Dorian (1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7) provides a moody but not overly dark quality, while Phrygian (1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7) delivers the tense, dark character associated with harder techno. Natural minor (Aeolian) is also widely used for straightforward dark textures.
What BPM is techno?
Techno typically ranges from 120 to 150 BPM. Classic Detroit techno sits around 120-130 BPM, while modern European techno and peak-time tracks often push to 130-145 BPM. Hard techno and industrial variants can exceed 150 BPM.
What drum machine is used in techno?
The Roland TR-909 is the defining drum machine of techno, prized for its punchy kick, crispy hi-hats, and snappy claps. The Roland TR-808 is also commonly used for deeper sub-bass kicks. Modern producers often use samples derived from these machines or software emulations like D16 Drumazon.
How do you make a techno bassline?
Start with a mono synth using a single saw or square oscillator. Set your notes in the Dorian or Phrygian scale, keeping patterns simple and repetitive — often just 1-3 notes. Apply a low-pass filter with moderate resonance and use envelope modulation on the cutoff for movement. For acid-style lines, emulate the TB-303 with short slides, accents, and high filter resonance.