Producing Groovy Hypnotic Techno with Audio Units

Join Audio Units as they guide you through building a hypnotic, loopy techno track using Ableton Live 12 and select third-party plugins. Discover how they layer subtle textures, design immersive sounds, and shape minimal yet powerful arrangements that define their signature sound. From sculpting immersive atmospheres to weaving drum patterns with deliberate precision, this session unpacks their masterful control of tension, space, and subtle repetition.

Preview The Masterclass:

What will one learn in this masterclass?

• Kick Drum: Processing a straightforward 909 kick drum and using EQ, saturation for tonal balance and beefing up the sound.
• Bassline: Using Operator to achieve a simple yet sophisticated rolling bassline.
• Lead: Serum doing the heavy lifting with its wavetable synthesis-driven approach to design a modulated lead.
• FX Loops: Using Sylenth1 for its randomizing capabilities to come up with quirky sounds that are then processed into atmospheres, textures, etc.
• Hats: D16 Drumazon 2 for sharp, punchy 909-style hats and cymbals.
• Mixing: Using Pro-Q 4 and other EQs for tonal balance and cleaning up sounds. Using free plugins from Analog Obsession to treat individual sounds. Approaches to group processing for low end, drums, synths, etc.
• Arrangement: Full process from start to finish, going from ideas in Session View to a fully arranged track in the Arrangement View with automations, transitions, etc. split over 3 chapters.
• Tweaks: Editing sounds and initial ideas to make them fit the final result.

Disclaimer:

This is a no-talking masterclass. We think is a great solution to overcome language barriers.

Requirements for opening the project file

You will need the following plugins in order to succesfully open the project:

• Analog Obsession FETish (Free)
• D16 Drumazon 2
• FabFilter Pro-Q 4
• Xfer Records Serum
• Steps (Free Max for Live Device)
• Granulator III (Free Max for Live Device)
• Pitch Hack (Free Max for Live Device)

Minimum Ableton Live Version: Make sure you have the latest version of Ableton Live 12 Suite. The project will not work with previous versions of Live (Live 11, Live 10 and so on)

About Audio Units

Hailing from Bangalore, Audio Units are brothers Ashwin and Ashrith operating with a shared sensibility shaped by structure, restraint, and an enduring curiosity for sound. Their work navigates tension, repetition, and atmosphere, pushing techno forward without severing its ties to tradition.

Their catalogue on Molecular, Newrhythmic, Dynamic Reflection, and Illegal Alien positions them among the most formidable names to emerge from India’s electronic landscape. Touring extensively across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, they have carved an uncommon international trajectory. At Goa’s iconic Hilltop, their residency Genesis stands as a considered curatorial statement — a monthly gathering where carefully invited figures from the global techno circuit meet a deeply rooted local vision.

Their music has found support from a wide spectrum of respected artists including DVS1, Richie Hawtin, Dax J, Ben Sims, Truncate, Chris Liebing, Luke Slater, Sandwell District, The Advent, Dasha Rush, Marron, and Rødhad, while appearing on revered stages such as Berghain, Bassiani, Stone Techno Festival, and Awakenings. The Mind Medizin vinyl EP, remixed by Ben Sims, further reinforces their presence within the international canon.

Beyond the studio and stage, Observant serves as their platform for dialogue connecting Indian artists with global counterparts through a shared language of sound. Their long-standing educational initiative at Beatworx has quietly shaped generations of producers and DJs, contributing meaningfully to the growth and sustainability of India’s electronic culture.

What emerges is not spectacle, but conviction — a body of work that rewards attention, values patience, and affirms Audio Units as a singular voice within contemporary techno.

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Audio Units’ Latest Unreleased Music

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Boiler Room stream from November 2025:

Audio Units’ EP on London-based Molecular Recordings for their second outing:

Audio Units for the legendary Reclaim Your City mix-series featuring their unreleased works:

Audio Units singles and remixes playlist:

What’s included in this webinar?

• Recorded video for unlimited re-watching
• Ableton Live 12 project file