Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
TechnoLover
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Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Sun Apr 08, 2012 8:54 am

Hi everyone,

I am wondering if you guys can help me building some "modern" chords for my detroit or melodic techno tracks...

As I am working on Ableton, I love to use the chord midi plugin... So it would be amazing if you guys could explain with it because I am a bit lost in the usual chord names...

Here is an example : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL-MDpr5JNo (the sound I would like to get starts at 1:41)

I think they use some kind of piano with a chord (+3 and +7 on the chord plugin?) and some filtering, but I can't get this kind of sound... Would like to know of to make the variation (do I need to simple transpose the notes on the piano roll or do I have to change one of the chord?)

Would be great if you could tell me how to make the sound (or if any preset can do it with some tweaking) + the good chords to use... I've been stuck on this for months and couldn't find a tutorial that works with this...

Some other examples :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g74BN2wG4N0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V8GyHNAL0E (in the main break)

Thank you so much for helping me again...

2be
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by 2be » Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:04 pm

The piano sound in the first track sounds like a classic Korg M1 house piano to me. You can download free samples of it here: http://www.failedmuso.com/blog/?p=431
As far as the chords go, they are basic minor or minor chords. In Detroit Techno, you can get an authentic sound if you just sample one chord and play it on the keyboard - makes an interesting effect where higher notes are played back faster than lower notes.

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:59 am

Thanks for the tips... anything else mates?

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:43 am

Bump :)

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:21 am

Noone ? :)

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:22 am

:roll: bump!

robnotrob
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by robnotrob » Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:02 pm

Get the chorder plugin and do this

first 0 , second 3, third 7, fourth 10
fifth -24.

I think that's right, but you should get an instant Detroit chord.

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:35 am

gonna give it a try! thank you :)

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:15 pm

sounds nice! any other tips ? :mrgreen:

noisetonepause
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by noisetonepause » Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:06 am

Try varying the numbers.

Also, try not to. A lot of early house/techno was sampled chords moved up and down as they are.

In fact, try sampling your chords.
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TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:55 am

Thanks :)

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:33 am

small bump :)

contakt321
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by contakt321 » Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:57 pm

No need to bump, the info you asked for is in the this thread already. Here is a summary:

Most Detroit techno is Minor chords.
You can do this by programming the notes yourself, or using the chord midi effect in Ableton
Many Detroit artists would just sample a synth playing a chord sound, and then play that up and down the keys in a sampler. You can achieve this in Ableton by recording a chord sound, then putting it into a simpler or sampler.

I mean this respectfully; I have noticed that this thread, like your other Detroit questions has ended the same way, with people giving you good advice / answers very quickly, and you asking if there is more - there isn't. There is no magic bullet for making "Detroit Techno", it was/is people making (generally) melodic techno using the tools they had available (cheap synths, samplers, and drum machines) and finding ways to make it exciting and interesting through experimentation. You have been given lots of great advice and techniques in the several threads you started, start trying them, combining them, and pushing them further and see what you come up with.

You have the tools and the information - time for the experimentation :D

TechnoLover
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by TechnoLover » Mon Oct 01, 2012 12:11 pm

I know mate, you're totally right but even If I am able to make these minor or major chords, I think I still have problems with the original sound synth. The chords are good but the sounds are not.

I can make a dub techno stab/chord without problem but that doesn't sound like the melodic or detroit techno stabs.. I keep using minor 7th which are the good ones but the sound isn't good.

Any tips about how to make the sound are welcome. I own Ableton Suite but also some VST such as Sylenth, Z3TA 2+, FM8 and the Korg Legacy Bundle.

(tbh I would like to make them on Operator instead of any other "external" VST because that's easier when It comes to collaborate with some other Ableton users ^^)

ian_halsall
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Re: Melodic/Detroit Techno : Chords!

Post by ian_halsall » Mon Oct 01, 2012 12:51 pm

It's well know that Lois make the best cords - you can go wrong with a pair of these

Image

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