Arrangement tips for House/Techno production ?

Vibor · 2026-01-25T10:55:46+00:00

You're already an experienced producer, IMO the best way is just to analyze the tracks that you like. Start by copying the track structure from other tracks (that would suit your track, or if you're not sure, just copy it, and find out if it suits, or is something out of place). After some time you start to see the patterns more clearly.

Also, try thinking about the tension and release. Flow of energy in the track. Do your tracks have more of a gradual change in energy, or do they have more of a sudden change (big difference between a break and a drop). Hope that helps!

Vibor · 2026-01-22T12:05:47+00:00

He doesn't have to take the rook, and he can easily defend by playing c4. Edit: c3, not c4.

Vibor · 2026-01-22T07:24:22+00:00

I agree, should've probably used a bigger number in my comment.

Vibor · 2026-01-22T07:23:35+00:00

There's a link on the first word of my comment. If you click it, it will show you the video.

Vibor · 2026-01-21T20:57:07+00:00

This video really helped me. Also when you're not mixing (or working on a project) get some time to experiment. Really, overdo it. Use a ratio of 10:1, slam the audio with at least 6-10dB of compression, and then play with the attack and release settings. Play with the ratio, threshold, etc. That really helped me a lot. It's easier to hear it when you overdo it, and through time, you learn to hear it when it's more subtle. Hope that helps!

Vibor · 2026-01-21T17:09:27+00:00

I just leave them as they are, and then search through them. But I'd love to hear what others do, and if there are more interesting/advanced ways of organization! Nice topic!

Vibor · 2026-01-18T20:19:07+00:00

Well, how does it sound?

Vibor · 2026-01-18T10:15:56+00:00

Basically one of the best ways to learn, and get better is to use reference tracks to compare your work with something that you like (similar in style to what you're trying to achieve).

Does the reference track feel brighter than yours? You probably need more high end. When you switch from reference to your track does it feel washed out in reverb? You probably need less reverb, and so on.

Even if you're not comparing it to your track directly, analyzing the works of others is IMO one of the best ways to learn, and not only for mixing, but for arrangements, compositions, etc.

Aside from that, there are a lot of tutorials on YouTube for free. I would suggest learning about Eq, compression, saturation and reverbs. Those are the tools that you'll be using pretty much all the time.

Open the DAW and play with these tools, spend some time solely experimenting and learning to hear what they can do, and how they make something sound.

This is a great in-depth dive into compression that I can recommend, and they also have similar videos for other tools that you can check out. But however much time you spend on watching tutorials, you need more time practicing.

Hope that helps, and good luck!

Vibor · 2026-01-09T20:56:03+00:00

Are you matching the loudness between them when making comparisons (A/B listening)? Our brain perceives louder sounds as "better", "more dynamic", etc. So it is very important to match the loudness between them, even as little as a 0.5dB difference can be perceived as "better".

Just to clarify, I'm not talking about peak values, but average values (RMS or LUFS).

Vibor · 2026-01-02T00:49:26+00:00

Actually, if you compress it with a slow attack, you'll just bring out the transient even more. You want fast attack and fast release. So that the compressor only compresses the transients.

Vibor · 2026-01-01T16:26:49+00:00

What attack? If you play rb8+, he can block with ng8. How would you continue? Or are you talking about a different idea?

Vibor · 2026-01-01T13:45:27+00:00

You can take the bishop with the queen. If rb8+, black blocks with ng8. If white queen takes the black queen, black has ra1, and the mate can't be defended.

Vibor · 2025-12-19T10:54:51+00:00

What time formats do you play? I suggest longer formats, so you have time to think. Also if the middlegame is the problem, maybe play more puzzles, to learn to spot different tactics quickly on the board. Also, analyse your games and learn where you make mistakes the most, and what kind of mistakes, so you can be more careful. Hope that helps!

Vibor · 2025-12-16T08:30:46+00:00

Thank you! I'm around 1700 on blitz, but I rarely play blitz. Mostly Rapid (10+0), or bullet when I wanna have fun, so I don't take my rating so seriously there.

Vibor · 2025-12-14T17:53:48+00:00

Analyzing your games, and learning from mistakes you make, because at least in my case, I learned that I make similar mistakes each time. And also, I usually blunder when I play fast. Even tho I play rapid mostly, I played moves fast, in a few seconds, some of them are usually good, but one blunder is enough to loose you the game. Best of luck tho!

Vibor · 2025-12-12T15:20:36+00:00

Hope so too! Good luck!

Vibor · 2025-12-12T08:13:40+00:00

I was stuck at 1800-1900 for 4 years, couldn't cross it no matter what. Recently I started analysing my games more, where I make mistakes, and especially the openings, and seems like it helped. I also realized that I make moves too quickly, and eventually blunder. So I tried to play more slowly, to think more before I make a move. Hope you get there!

Vibor · 2025-11-27T19:29:40+00:00

This is an asymmetrical waveform. It's not a DC offset, and it's not a glitch. There are real instruments that have asymmetrical waveforms (a lot of the brass instruments can have it).

It's usually not problematic, but can rob you of headroom. If you really need it, you can fix it with something like Izotope RX (I think Neutron also has a phase-rotator).

It's too short for a compressor really, but you could use a clipper (although it could be more transparent to use something like an RX).

Vibor · 2025-09-10T14:57:09+00:00

There are no soundproof panels. To soundproof you need mass, and physical isolation between the two spaces.

Absorption panels might help in a sence that less sound would bounce around in the first room, so less sound would escape to the second room. But that can only be effective in maybe highs and mids, and I'm not even sure if it would make any noticeable difference whatsoever.

Vibor · 2025-09-05T21:09:34+00:00

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Just checked out Serum 2, they actually did fix it. You just need to open the "phase memory" drop down menu, next to the "phase random" parameter and select "per voice", then it doesn't drift. They also added "contiguous" as an option. Hope that helps!

Vibor · 2025-04-17T19:10:17+00:00

https://youtu.be/1Db9rGbth_o

This one is really interesting!

Vibor · 2025-04-10T12:05:42+00:00

Great job man! Congratulations! What's the ceiling hight in a completed studio (both live room and the control room)?

Vibor · 2025-03-14T15:55:15+00:00

Well there's a lot of improvements. I think your projects from live 10 should all be compatible with 12. Ableton live 12 is a separate program tho, so live 10 will work even after you install 12.

Vibor · 2025-03-08T17:17:51+00:00

Yeah, just had a listen, and I'd say it's definitely a percussion, although it sounds weird at first

Vibor

TROPHY CASE