5 Tips for Music production beginners : The Teknoist

A hurricane, a trainwreck, a tank: Miike Teknoist’s take on the underground hardcore scene has always been a stormy and massive one. Here is an artist who confronts his music head-on and who gathers influences in a whirlwind of breaks, beats and bass. Jumping on the scene with renowned DJ sets, influenced by veterans of the hardcore sound such as Hellfish and The DJ Producer, The Teknoist was quick to make the jump from the decks to the studio, coming up with varied, powerful pieces of audio dynamite. Those initial tracks exploded on the scene, no matter how beat-up the equipment was that they were written on, no matter how young their author was, they soon found themselves released on high profiles imprints such as Planet Mu and Deathchant.

More tracks, more shows (from Brazil to Russia, from Manchester to Berlin), more records (on Peace Off, Nekrolog1K or Rebelscum and more): once it had started, The Teknoist’s storm didn’t know any respite. Gaining experience, he refined and sharpened his own style of meticulously shattered breakcore, of melodic yet monstrous hardcore and of harmonic violence. The Teknoist’s zombies go for the jugular, they do it in style and know exactly when to strike.

This talent for hardcore design led him to his first full length album, 2008’s Ad Noiseam release “…Like a Hurricane Made of Zombies”, which confirmed that he had become a main actor of the scene. This status was confirmed by the peer accolades of “Trainwreck Magnetism” (Ad Noiseam, 2011), featuring collaborations with µ-ziq, Hecq, Drumcorps and “End.User Shares Needles with The Teknoist” (Ad Noiseam, 2012) with End.User and Needle Sharing. In 2014, he manned the “Tank Alligator” (on Industrial Strength Records), a merciless combination of some of the hardest beats around with the most punk, ever changing attitude.

It seems impossible to get Miike Teknoist out of the studio. When he’s not writing his own tracks or practising for his sets, he runs the Ninja Columbo label (as well as its Our Fucking Jungle, Samurai Brylkreem and Fire Hammer sub labels), a house for not only his own music but also for material from Dolphin, Scheme Boy and countless other core legends and scene breakers.

Q.How to choose the DAW that suits me?

I use Cubase. Iv used it since v.1 but before that i used Octamed on an Amiga 500, using floppy disks. You dont need to know about all that but do know that ‘trackers’ as the DAW’s are called, still have people use them on modern computers. Venetian Snares, Enduser and DJ Hidden all use trackers.

Cubase though is what iv always used as far as a ‘modern’ DAW. I think for deep audio editing it is superior to any other DAW. As far as ease of chopping blocks of audio is concerned anyway. Im aware Ableton has a lot of unrivalled appeals but for what i do and how i do it, Cubase is king.

So ultimately i never was in a position to have to ‘choose’ a DAW. There was no Ableton or Reaper or even Logic for the Amiga (ancient computer lol). I just evolved in to using it. Ableton does seem very accesible and easy to learn the basics if you are looking for a DAW now so i guess youtube ‘learning the basics with Cubase’ or ‘learning the basics with Ableton’ and just see what feels right.

Q.What should I get next after buying a DAW? 

I write mainly in headphones as i benefit from the mental isolation that putting something to block the world out over your ears but i do use Adam monitors as reference and switch between the 2 regularly. Referencing is important. Also you have to really spend a good amount of money to get a pair of headphones that you can really trust to give just as good a reference as a pair of good monitors. I think it depends what environment youl be writing your music in. If you cant have the freedom to play music at a good volume, like if your walls are thin or you share a house with someone that needs a quiet house, then a good pair of headphones is the choice. You dont have to worry about annoying your neighbours then ;)

Q.What is the practice method of making songs? 

I think this depends on what kind of person you are and what kind of music you want to make. If like me, you come from a background heavily influenced by hip hop production of sampling then yeah just make a beat. I sooner evolved in to synthesis and learning software modular synthesis like Reaktor but your evolution and path will blossom as you want to create more and grow your ‘sound’. There are tons of really inspiring video channels on youtube like ‘Rhythm Roulette’ where it shows producers and their process.

Q.What is your recommended Sample Pack or FREE material?

I highly recommend using the website and service of ‘Splice’. It is an online, endless sample pack and synth patch library. Go to splice.com and watch a promo video on its service. I use it a great deal.

Q.How to keep enjoy music production?

I think try and not put too much pressure on yourself. Just have fun. Its something i have to remind myself even after 20+ years of producing. Sometimes you forget why you started in the 1st place. Keep reminding yourself to just have fun.

I hope this helps! <3

Miikezilla The Teknoist