How To Make Dark Room Techno with Kirk Degiorgio

Tutorial 15 - Final Level Balancing

This week Sonic Academy proudly welcomes back Techno grand master Kirk Degiorgio for a new course in How To Make Dark Room Techno.

Found in clubs like Room 2 in Fabric, and Berlin's infamous Berghain this is a much sought after genre that may sound minimal but is difficult to get right.

With over 25 years of experience Kirk gives us a real treat over these 15 videos building a dark, minimal, evolving track from the ground up, and with no pre-prepared track, this is an exclusive insight into a master at work.

Starting with the dark, driving beat Kirk layers on tension and atmosphere creating a drone and discordant sequences before sharing his subtractive method of arrangement in Ableton. After clever use of automation to add variety to the minimal elements, we watch Kirk go back to his analog roots using tape saturation before tweaking and perfecting the mix with EQ and compression, ready to be sent on for mastering.

As you go through the tutorials, the course evolves as much as the tune itself, and it's a joy witness it taking shape.

Check it out and take your techno skillz to the next level!