by Hamed Wardak
Hello! Hamed Wardak here. Some of you devout techno fans may know me as Valen of Wicked.
As one of the most popular genres in the world, techno music has become something of a phenomenon. Whether you’re in Detroit, London or Berlin, it’s not difficult to find the techno subculture that will obsess over the perfect song. However, what is a perfect techno song? The idea of a perfect techno song means something different for everyone, but there are some techniques that you can use to ensure that the song you make is good.
To help you understand the basic principles behind techno music, I, Hamed Wardak, created a guide on How to Write a Good Techno Music Song:
Step #1: Choose Your Digital Audio Workspace (DAW)
Like most forms of electronic music, techno is created on a computer. Programs that help users create music are typically referred to as Digital Audio Workspaces (DAWs). This name is in reference to the fact that these programs allow you to organize and edit sounds, creating a tapestry of arrangements that will eventually become a finished song.
There is a variety of different DAWs to choose from depending on your personal preferences and budget. For example, an Audacity is a great option that is also entirely free, but it can feel limited when compared to other products.
If you don’t know where to begin and simply want to purchase the best DAW for techno music, we highly recommend investing in Ableton Live!
Step #2: Choose Your Speakers or Headphones
Creating music without good sound equipment is like asking a painter to paint a sunflower without their glasses on. To make sure that you are getting the clearest possible image of the sounds you are working with, you should purchase a high-quality set of speakers or headphones. If you don’t know which headphones to buy, you can truly never go wrong with a pair of Sony MDR-7506s!
Step #3: Get a MIDI Keyboard
Sure, most of the sounds you create for your techno track will be created within your computer. However, it can be difficult to create music with just a computer keyboard, so you should consider investing in some type of MIDI controller. MIDI controllers most often take the form of a musical keyboard, but they can also manifest in guitars and even wind instruments. If you’re a beginner, though, we recommend that you get one that looks like a keyboard. Your MIDI controller will make the process of composition much easier, allowing you to effortlessly input notes into your DAW of choice.
Step #4: Know the Structure of Techno Music
Though techno music is an intricate and nuanced genre, there is a general structure that you can follow when creating a song.
The first thing you want to do is to choose the key signature of the song. If you want to make people feel happy and inspire them to dance, we recommend choosing a major key signature.
Once you’ve chosen your key signature, you can follow this structure:
It’s worth noting that this formula for a good techno track is also something that can be applied to other genres of electronic music such as Electronic Dance Music (EDM). However, what makes the formula distinctly techno-oriented is that each section is substantially long. For example, EDM songs are typically 2.5 minutes long while techno songs are usually over 10 minutes long!
Intro
Your intro needs to catch the interest of the crowd right away. This will help with the initial connection with them and get them hooked. I recommend using some type of pulsating rhythm that will grab the audience’s attention and cycling that rhythm through a chord progression.
Verse
The verse is the first part of your song that will begin to introduce some type of narrative development or melody. Think of it as the A section that will eventually be contrasted by the chorus (B section).
Chorus
This is the part of the song that people will want to remember. If you have a melody that you want to use at a key moment in the song, you should break it out during the chorus.
Break or Bridge
Once the chorus is articulated and your audience has a catchy tune in their head, you should inspire them to dance with an awesome bridge.
Repeat Sections as Much as You Want
One of the most important things about techno music is that it keeps going in a hypnotizing fashion. If you want to completely captivate your audience, you should continually repeat your sections and get their attention.
Outro
Once you’re done repeating sections, slowly remove elements of the song while it slowly fades out!
Step #5: Mix Your Song
Composing your song is only the first part of the production process. By mixing your sounds and layering effects on them, you can start to discover the identity of the song!
At the end of the day, I recommend that you create multiple techno songs before you take any of your work to a club. You will undoubtedly learn from each song that you make, subsequently making each song better than the last. This type of constant progression is necessary to not only create good techno music but to also become an efficient artist. I hope this guide has been helpful so that the next time you want to create techno music, you know just where to begin!
Hamed Wardak currently splits his time between his home in New York City and On the island of Puerto Rico. Hamed Wardak is the son of a former defense minister for Afghanistan. Hamed Wardak is an entrepreneur and recently joined the techno music world, creating, producing, and performing his new artistry in underground techno clubs all over the world. Hamed Wardak is known as Valen of Wicked.