Harsh EBM: Trying to create a specific sound

A

akai

New member
Hi everyone,

I'm using propellerhead reason for a couple of years, wrote some stuff but never published anything as I'm not happy with my sound.
The style I'm trying to create is something like harsh ebm, pretty aggressive and hard but no techno beats and rhythms like in aggrotech music.
Now I'm trying to create a new setup and wanna start from a specific sound and then adapt it to my style and needs.
I've been trying to figure out how to configure reason devices to sound like that: youtube.com/watch?v=Z8QqCArkjWo

I had no success at all so far. It all sounds so cheap and harmless whereas the original song's sound has so much power and energy.
Can anyone give me general or specific hints on how to end up with that kinda sound? I'm also doing an ableton live trial now, no success either so far.
Would you suggest a specific software or do you think that every sound is possible with DAWs like reason or ableton (even without external VSTs) ?

I'm happy about any advise.
 
The sound you're trying to create can be created in most proper DAWs. Reason is perfectly able to create that sound. It helps to be on Reason 6 or beyond, or have Reason and record though.
Getting that sound demands you grasp some knowledge about sound production and general music theory.
Stuff like harmonies, layering, effects, eq'ing, etc.
In Reason you can for example right click on the track and instrument and duplicate those a few times. Then right mouse click on all of the duplicates and reroute them to a new bus channel. You can easily fatten the sound like that. Tweak the individual channels. Another option to fatten sound is to work in octaves below and above. This is all covered in general production and music theory tbh. Brush up on your theory and you'll eventually get better.
Reason has a pretty good youtube channel with courses on there. Basic, advanced, etc. I'd start with the 52 reason and record tips, then work your way up from there. After that you could grab the basic tutorials, in depth tutorials, music making month (which has a pretty good long 2 piece about mixing and mastering), etc.
Also, check out the sticky posts on the FP forum in the different sections.
Other than that, find yourself some course info here and there on the net I'd say.
 
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So...what is ebm?...
Never heard of that genre. Do you mean edm or is there a new genre?

And that is way too vague and not specific.
Don't know what version you use, whether or not you looked at youtube tutorials or the manual, whether or not you learned synthesis and sampling etc.
 
B Side Producer - thanks for that quick helpful answer!
You telling me that reason is perfectly capable of creating that sound helps me deleting one variable (chosing the right tool) and letting me stick to what I bought already.
I'm gonna watch more tutorials and try experimenting with track duplications.

KonKossKan - funny and I didnt know what EDM is :-D
EBM is rooted in the early 80s and is short for Electronic Body Music. The style I'm trying to create doesn't really have anything to do with it anymore, just it's kind of sinister melancholic basic style maybe.
I once heard the term "harsh EBM" for the style I mean.
And well, yes, I did do tutorials and ahve experience with synthesis and sampling, but still kind of advanced beginners level I guess.
I'm using reason 6 by the way.
 
I'm jus a hobbyist so not sure what to tell ya besides that.
I produce some beats in subgenres, in the other one, Edm.
Boombap/footwork etc.

Anyways, you can route anything to anything in pretty much anyway imaginable in any daw.
Seriously. There's a lot of specifics that go into this and quite frankly, anything synth related is possible in every daw.
 
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