Berlin-based producer, singer and live artist VELVE’s Be My Pony EP has an unusual starting point. The three tracks began life as part of her work composing music for the documentary KitKatClub – Kinks of Berlin, before being developed beyond the film into a standalone release.
That origin can still be felt across the EP, which pairs stripped-back, physical techno with acid, analogue textures and more fragile details that sit just beneath the surface. For this edition of How It Was Made, VELVE takes us inside the studio and breaks down some of the hardware, software and production techniques behind Be My Pony.
Elektron Analog Four MK II
The foundation is built on two analog oscillators and two sub-oscillators per voice, providing the sound with the necessary depth and presence in the mix.
For scoring purposes, I modulated in real time to the picture, which means I manually manipulated the filters and fade the LFOs up and down to precisely synchronize the sonic movement with the visual composition.
The built-in reverbs and delays are unmatched when it comes to creating massive, wide spaces. To make them work perfectly within a track, all it takes is setting the EQ, predelay and decay times correctly.
DFAM Moog
This little magic box allows you to create an incredibly deep kick drum and extremely texture-rich percussion – the perfect companion to the Elektron to produce authentic, analog underground techno that barely relies on any digital plugins.
In Ableton, I sync the DFAM via clock, patch various combinations with cables on the unit, and either let my self get inspired – because the DFAM often generates surprisingly cool sounds – or I use it to dial in a specific hi-hat that I have in mind, like in this track.
You can create even more unique sounds by playing around with Grain Delay on the signal. Choose one hihat with a narrower EQ range and one with a wider range going up to over 10 or even 20 kHz and after that surgically cut out harsh resonances. Pan one very slightly to the right, the other one to the left, but no more than 2, keeping the mix right in your face.
Fab Filter Pro Q4
This EQ has a lot of bands, allowing for highly precise filtering. On top of that, it’s excellent for comparing with EQs of other instruments by overlaying them directly.
In my signal chain, I place FabFilter’s saturator on a specific band first, follow it up with Pro Q 4 and cut out the overly harsh resonances. The ‘make dynamic’ feature is also fantastic, especially when you need to duck sub-bass frequencies from a rumble-generating tom, like in this case. I often use the built-in EQ of Ableton in the first place and then readjust with Q4.
Underground techno shouldn’t sound too polished or standardized – it’s supposed to rumble and hiss. That’s why I’d recommend to leave the instruments and emulations as raw as possible, using FabFilter only subtly and selectively.
Woodplate Reverb
The Woodplate reverb actually sounds like a beautiful wooden plate, supporting that organic, analog sound so the mix stays warm. Of course it doesn’t match the finesse of a dedicated pedal, but combined with Elektron’s built-in time-based effects, I think it already delivers a great dark sound.
I damp up to 300 Hz and usually cut from 8kHz onwards, depending on the instrument. The width shouldn’t be set too high.
Again don’t overdose – I used Woodplate only on one single instrument track. You can even define one setting, set it up as return track and blend it in individually.
Quick Fire Tips
Experiment, dare to have tiny clippings, dare to remain raw and dirty and choose sounds accordingly.
Learn from colleagues, exchange advice, make A-/B-comparisons on different monitoring systems.
Choose a masterer who is established in this subgenre, because that way you won’t end up with a cleaned up master which lacks all the edges and grit that you’ve painstakingly built in.
Be individual and follow your gut rather than a fixed formula – what’s too much or unappealing to one person might be exactly what someone else loves.
Since this style of music relies on a continuous live signal, you can only capture it in a single, continuous recording. You have to record the entire take in one go. This requires significantly more patience than working with MIDI, but in the end, it rewards you with a completely organic sounding foundation.
Be My Pony EP is out now. For more info, head to https://velve.co.uk
