Description
Across releases for labels including Ghostly International and Midland's Intergraded, Tom VR (@TomVR) has developed a distinctive approach to UK techno, one that puts as much emphasis on detailed textures and drifting melodies as on driving kicks.
As we learned when we sat down with Tom to watch him build a track from scratch, that sound is born out of an approach that he describes as 'upside down', where background textures and glitchy percussive effects come first, with kick drums and basslines drawing everything together later on.
Keep up with the latest from Tom VR:
https://tomvr.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tomvalbyrotary
In this video:
00:00:00 – Intro: Tom VR makes a track from scratch
00:00:25 – Starting with an ambient piano loop
00:03:11 – Turning an audio loop into an ambient background texture
00:12:03 – Writing drums through resampling and editing
00:19:45 – Adding a kick drum
00:22:10 – Automating shaker variations
00:24:10 – Drum variations with send effects
00:27:10 – Creating a bassline with the ARP Odyssey
00:39:00 – Structuring a club track around the bass recording
00:48:10 – Creating a melody
00:54:25 – Programming a sub bass with U-He Diva
00:57:00 – Layering melodies and arp patterns
01:07:01 – Building tension with open hi-hats
01:09:38 – Snares and percussion
01:14:20 – Creating an FX sweep with the original piano loop
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