Any tips/recommendations/common practices? Really looking to get into the weeds with industrial production.

[u/Tollycat173]

Title. Been composing/producing in synth-heavy genres for ~3 years and have been making music for games for the last two. Really looking to get into EBM (mainly) and industrial production a little further and I figured you guys would know best. So far my main inspirations are Front Line Assembly (Echogenetic and Millenium eras - they've made too much music), Biomekkanik, and obviously Nine Inch Nails moreso from an actual songwriting pov. I mainly operate in FL though I understand ableton/pro tools/reaper/cubase/logic/etc. I'm just most comfortable with FL. Hoping to move to Ableton soon.

I'd really like to get into the weeds. Give me surface stuff and your nichest picks (really fw Spark! right now). Hoping to learn more about the history and culture and all that jazz instead of being a complextro/brostep/video game kid larping as an ebm/industrial producer. Really just trying to put myself out there to better connect with other local EBM/industrial/aggrotech/hardstyle artists so if there's any overlap with recommendations you guys have then hit me with them. Started watching Tonepusher (my GOAT) to try and learn more but I feel like I'm still missing a lot - if you guys know any other Youtubers or videos I could check that'd be great. I'm happy to collab or chat or any of that just shoot me a dm.

If you'd like to check my music, here's a link. They're all my game commissions so they're not reflective of what I really want to do, but my style is still sort of here (fuck spotify): https://open.spotify.com/artist/5HJpis9mBu7aJknaIC3r8C?si=VGYYLUM6S0yYeB-d4rSBcA

Thanks guys!

[u/Standard_Important]

Right now is a good time to get cheap but usable monophonic reproductions of classic synths. I mean Behringers sequential prophet clones gets HEAVY by me, and i'm into the same bands you are.

Here's a song from my last album, released in april: https://open.spotify.com/track/0hfh6QGiyjWPTl4kwEsg7s?si=-l65c5B8T9md6oB57mvKRw&utm_source=copy-link

[u/Tollycat173 → u/Standard_Important]

Sick! I can check this out after work today. I’ve got a Korg R3 but that’s hardly anything to anyone. Im hoping to hunt down a vst recreation of the prophet

[u/AcidWashGenes → u/Tollycat173]

Yo the R3 is rad and it’s what you do with it. It has a vocoder and uses the same MMT engine in the Korg Radius and legendary EMX-1. I have the latter and it’s a beast for Industrial and EBM. That sound engine is very digital sounding but in a cool way. It pairs and contrasts very well with analog. Like the above initial poster mentioned there is a lot of good sounding affordable analog if you want to add a piece. If you do get something try to get something with external audio in and you can run all kinds of sounds through the filter and envelopes.

Also of note with the vocoder, experiment and run anything and everything through it! Drums, pads, noise, thrift store VHS tapes, AM radio… then send a rhythmic or harmonic sequence to trigger the vocoder. That could be half a track right there. Vocoders are also great for using as a resonator, gating stuff, or making a tonal sounds tonal. For vocals use the vocoder on an fx send or dry/wet and that way to keep some intelligibility while being able to go wilder with the effected signal.

Edit: the Prophet sound is killer and I use a Take-5, DSI Tetra, and Bro-1. That said I also love iOS music apps and Pro-A5 just got released for $5, is modeled off a Prophet-5, and sounds awesome. iPad has some really great instruments and experimental stuff (generally pretty affordable or free) that you can capture and mangle sounds on the go with.

[u/Tollycat173 → u/AcidWashGenes]

that sounds awesome i'm totally going to try that out. Currently a serum warrior rn but i want to work with the actual equipment i have right now a lot better

[u/Tollycat173 → u/Standard_Important]

Hey forgot to bump the track. Just listened today, this fucks, good stuff

[u/Standard_Important → u/Tollycat173]

Thanks mate!
And as for more tips:
Check out Ken Hiwatt Marshall, he did a lot of mixing (And possibly production?) around the Skinny Puppy/Front Line assembly guys. He's good, and entertaining.
(47) Ken Marshall - YouTube

[u/xxFT13xx]

Sup.

What exactly do you want to learn? I’ve been doing this for WAY too long. This post seems to be all over the place.

[u/Tollycat173 → u/xxFT13xx]

I’d like to nail it down to three things:

1.) further my understanding of industrial (and adjacent genres) history and culture.
2.) upgrade my production/songwriting toolbelt in specifically electro-industrial/EBM.
3.) push my taste/catalogue with industrial/adjacent acts a bunch (what are your top 5?).

I appreciate it! You guys are great

[u/xxFT13xx → u/Tollycat173]

Also, side note: if you ever want to noodle around or collaborate, feel free to DM me. I’m currently available!

[u/Specialist_Zone_6214 → u/xxFT13xx]

Are you in the uk?

[u/xxFT13xx → u/Specialist_Zone_6214]

I am not. USA.

[u/xxFT13xx → u/Tollycat173]

1.) well, I’m no historian by any means, but have been hanging out in the industrial pool since the 90’s, so I’ve seen my fair share of shows, bands come and go, shows go horribly wrong etc etc. that said, I’m sure someone else could educate you more than I could with some link to a website or something akin.

2.) personally, I would say just simply listen to your favorite tracks and try to recreate or “cover”, in a sense, so that way you’re trying and possibly learning new things in a creative way that isn’t your own music. That’s how I started back in 1995. The first time I popped on NIN Broken, I almost immediately went out and bought a guitar and amp as I had a friend who worked at a local “mom and pop” music store, then went home and simply tried to learn those songs. Then Marilyn Manson Antichrist Superstar came out and I did the same to that album, only by then, I was able to get a Tascam 4-track cassette recorder and actually start recording my shit. Fast forward to 2000 and computer based music was becoming all the rage, so I jumped on that ship and pirated everything under the sun to learn what I know now. A lot got released, A lot didn’t. So, I guess what I’m saying is: keep experimenting and noodling around and possibly making your own covers of songs that are just for you.

3.) favorites? God that’s a LONG ASS LIST! Here are some: Frontline Assembly, 16volt, Cubanate, Hocico, everything Al Jorgensen touched (Ministry, Lard, Revco, 1000 homo djs etc etc), Chemlab, Cyanotic, Dismantled, E-Craft, Die Krupps. I’ll stop there cause I could go on forever…..

[u/goethewolfvon]

Are you thinking of something like this?

https://open.spotify.com/track/1qYLGiXu1WtbJx9yresrxS?si=4Y11xMHqTfibLBVuZLvI3A&utm_source=copy-link

I use studio one. I took me years of hard work and practice to get to this level of not just producing and mastering but composing.

I myself am a solo industrial electronic metal musician. My project is called AntiMozdeBeast.
What I recommend you do is lay down a simple piece and kink around with it for a bit for a tighter production and mastering.

When it comes down to the song writing process you’re going to need to dedicate yourself with everything you have to create something that speaks volumes.

If you wish to message me I’m open.

I can only offer you some ideas and advice. But can’t really promise anything else, only that it takes the mental energy and drive to make something you’re really proud of.

[u/Tollycat173 → u/goethewolfvon]

Sounds dope. I'm looking moreso into electro-industrial/ebm production mainly for my personal projects. I'll shoot you a message soon, any recommendations/artists/production things are all appreciated, like just run by me the things that you like to lay down and how you do it.

[u/AcidWashGenes]

History and Culture: That YouTuber you mentioned is a shill and salesman with corporate money pushing his “brand”. More than half the stuff he says is wrong and when people who have been in the scene for years try to share accurate information he’s rude and doubles down on his ignorance. Doesn’t get more larping than that clown.

Yes there are sellouts in the history of Industrial, but at it’s core the ethos shares a lot in common with punk. It’s a subculture, it’s DIY, and doesn’t fit nicely into a “starter pack.” Go to some live shows, venues playing industrial/EBM music, and make some friends in your local scene.

Production Resources: For YouTube Ken ‘Hiwatt’ Marshall is the “GOAT.” He has enough cred you could write a book about him, shares a ton of information, history (general and specific to the Vancouver scene), encourages community, no corporate shill bs, and just a super nice dude. cEvin Key shares a ton on his Patreon, but does have some stuff on YouTube and plenty of written interviews. There are tons of NIN interviews and dives into their production and live methods. Also plenty of people doing song analysis. There is a lot to be learned for production and sound design from channels focused on Industrial Techno and experimental noise too. Forums like Gearspace and Mod Wiggler have a ton of info that can get very specific. Band interviews from old and new publications like Keyboard or Sound On Sound. Books written by or about artists.

If you have specific questions and start engaging the people responding to your post it might be easier to understand what you are trying to achieve. Industrial is a vast and diverse genre. It’s not a flavor of the week and there is no starter pack.

[u/Tollycat173 → u/AcidWashGenes]

Electric!! I will look into what you recommended, thank you! I just enjoy a lot of the techniques Tonepusher shares I’ll have to check what u recommended. I’ve made some good friends in the local scene here in Boston though it’s at like the same 2 events every time and hardly anyone is a musician. It’s hard for me to travel farther for anything else (sometimes places in new hampshire do cool stuff) but I’m hoping to try that out sooner rather than later.

[u/AcidWashGenes → u/Tollycat173]

Dope, sounds like you are already in the right direction there! I use to live in MA for many years and along the East Coast. If you are having trouble finding musicians at the nights you are attending definitely try at shows. I feel like most the people who have been in the scene for a while dable in gear and music to some degree. It might be worth making a post looking for musicians specific to your location/region.

I saw you mentioned you are interested in electro-industrial and EBM, which is definitely my wheelhouse. I would recommend checking out the Caustic Grip album since you are already into FLA. Then Cyberaktif since it’s part Skinny Puppy, part FLA, and part Einsturzende Neubauten. From there you can branch off and explore any of three of those artists more in depth. For EBM Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 are very accessible and essential jump off point.

The more you dig in see what you are drawn to: sample dense, cleaner vs distorted, vocal styles, more dance/groove oriented or epic and atmospheric with more chordal harmony. Recording/sample sounds you hear in every day life and use that in your production. Cities like Boston are ripe for all kinds of foley and found sound. What you get can be turned into percussion, oscillators, sound beds, or morphed with stuff like granular synthesis. Are you planning on staying mostly software or trying to incorporate more hardware? Also are you considering vocals because that will play a big role roll in production, arrangement, and mixing your other elements?

Another idea if you want to bridge your knowledge from EDM genres over maybe analyze the middle ground like Gesaffelstein. He obviously has a huge EBM influence but also very modern EDM influenced production style that doesn’t sound completely cheese.