Course Duration:

Basic: 2 Months

Advance: 3 Months

Fee:

Basic:  ₹25,000

Advance: ₹48,000

Sessions:

Basic: 16 sessions

Advance: 24 sessions

Objectives:

• Master tools and techniques for producing psytrance, including sound design and intricate arrangement styles.
• Understand the dynamics of psytrance genres such as full-on, progressive, dark, and hitech.
• Explore hypnotic basslines, psychedelic textures, and atmospheric soundscapes.
• Equip students to create polished, dancefloor-ready psytrance tracks.

Module 1: Learning the Basics of Ableton Live (Sessions 1-5)

Objective: Understand the DAW, workflow, and essential tools for production.

• Overview of Ableton’s interface: Session vs. Arrangement View.
• Setting up your audio and MIDI preferences.
• Navigating browser, clips, and tracks.
• Basic shortcuts and workflow tips.
• Difference between MIDI and Audio tracks.
• Working with clips: launching, looping, and editing.
• Warping audio for precise timing in psytrance.
• Intro to Ableton’s stock instruments & sounds.
• Creating a MIDI track and programming basic drum patterns.
• Introduction to Drum Rack for psytrance percussion.
• Quantization, velocity, and groove adjustments.
• MIDI and audio recording inside Ableton.
• Using automation for effects, volume, and panning.
• Introduction to Ableton’s effect racks.
• Exploring reverb, delay, phaser, and filters.
• Introduction to Ableton’s audio effects for psychedelic sound processing.
• Freezing, flattening, and bouncing audio.

Module 2: Psytrance Essentials (Sessions 6-16)

Objective: Apply Ableton knowledge to Psytrance music production.

• Understanding psytrance BPM ranges (138-150+ BPM).
• Common song structures in psytrance.
• Intro to breakdowns, build-ups, and drops.
• Choosing and layering a psytrance kick drum.
• Introduction to rolling bass patterns in psytrance.
• MIDI programming vs. audio bass samples.
• Adding hi-hats, snares, and rides.
• Groove and swing concepts in psytrance.
• Humanizing percussive elements.
• Introduction to psytrance scales (Phrygian, Dorian).
• Using MIDI effects (Arpeggiator, Scale).
• Creating hypnotic acid-style leads.
• Using Ableton’s reverb and delay for trippy textures.
• Reverse FX, white noise sweeps, and risers.
• Experimenting with audio manipulation.
• Techniques for tension and release.
• Using automation for build-ups.
• Creating energy shifts with FX.
• Understanding groove templates.
• Adjusting swing for a human feel.
• Advanced MIDI groove editing.
• Introduction to vocal chops & chants.
• Creative sampling techniques in psytrance.
• Warping and reversing audio for psychedelic effects.
• Choosing the right reference tracks.
• Analyzing track structure, energy flow, and transitions.
• A/B testing and matching elements to professional tracks.
• Analyzing professional psytrance tracks.
• Identifying elements & production techniques.
• Developing an ear for arrangement and transitions.
• Students present their first psytrance loop/mini track.
• Group feedback and improvement tips.
• Next steps: Continuing learning and refining production skills.

Focus: Deep dive into advanced production techniques, sound design, arrangement, mixing, and mastering.

Module 1: Advanced Sound Design for Psytrance

• Master synthesis and design custom sounds using Serum, Vital, or other synths.
• Advanced Kick & Bass Synthesis: Designing a clean, punchy psytrance kick from scratch, advanced bass synthesis for rolling basslines, layering techniques, and fine-tuning transients.
• Advanced Psytrance Bass Processing: EQ, distortion, and multiband compression for bass, sidechain techniques without losing dynamics, and automation tricks for evolving bass patterns.
• Acid & FM Leads: Designing psytrance acid-style leads using FM synthesis, creating squelchy, metallic leads with filter modulation, and automating filter and resonance for movement.
• Pads & Atmospheres: Layering pads for depth and movement, using granular synthesis for unique textures, and soundscape creation with reverb & delay techniques.
• Psychedelic FX & Glitch Sounds: Creating trippy risers, sweeps, and glitches, using resampling & audio manipulation creatively, granular synthesis, and spectral processing.
• Vocal Processing & Sampling Techniques: Using ethnic chants, spoken words, and mantras, warping and processing vocals for psychedelic effects, vocoder & formant shifting for unique results.

Module 2: Advanced Arrangement & Storytelling

• Structure a track for maximum impact and storytelling.
• Full Track Breakdown & Analysis: Deconstructing a pro psytrance track, identifying key sections and transitions, and understanding energy flow in arrangement.
• Intro & Build-Up Techniques: Creating tension with evolving atmospheres, drum fills, FX, automation tricks, and subtle variations to maintain interest.
• Peak Sections & Drops: Maintaining energy in the drop, layering lead elements effectively, and handling variations in bass movement.
• Mid-Track Breakdowns & Transitions: The role of breakdowns in psytrance, building back energy with anticipation, and using reverb and automation creatively.
• Outro & Track Resolution: Creating a natural-sounding outro, filter automation & fading techniques, and preparing stems for mixing.
• Dynamic Track Flow & Arrangement Hacks: How to keep listener engagement, organic transitions & call-response techniques, and advanced automation & parameter modulation.

Module 3: Mixing & Mastering for Psytrance

• Achieve a clean, punchy, and professional mix.
• Mixing Low-End (Kick & Bass Focus): EQing bass for clarity & avoiding muddiness, compression techniques for tight low-end, and stereo vs. mono considerations.
• Percussion & Groove Mixing: Balancing percussions in the mix, parallel compression and transient shaping, and using reverb and delay without cluttering the mix.
• Lead & FX Processing: Advanced EQ, saturation, and reverb for leads, ducking techniques to fit leads in the mix, and delay feedback automation tricks.
• Spatial Mixing & Depth: Stereo widening without phase issues, reverb & delay automation for 3D sound design, and using mid/side EQing for a balanced mix.
• Advanced Mastering Techniques: Multiband compression and limiting for loudness, stereo imaging and harmonic enhancement, and finalizing a track for club or festival play.
• A/B Testing & Reference Mixing: Using reference tracks effectively, matching loudness and tonal balance, and common mistakes in psytrance mixing.

Module 4: Professional Production & Career Growth

• Taking music production to the professional level.
• Sound Design Tricks from Top Artists: Reverse-engineering popular psytrance sounds, understanding unique processing chains, and advanced layering and bus processing.
• Creative Workflow & Productivity Hacks: Speeding up production with templates & presets, avoiding creative blocks, and finishing tracks faster, customizing Ableton for a better workflow.
• Remixing & Collabs: How to approach a remix in psytrance, collaborating with other producers effectively, and file organization and project sharing tips.
• Label Submission & Self-Releasing Music: How to get signed to a psytrance label, preparing a demo submission (do’s and don’ts), and releasing independently vs. working with labels.
• Festival & Club-Ready Sound: What makes a track stand out for DJs, mixing for big sound systems, and preparing tracks for live performance.
• Final Project & Feedback: Students present a full track for review, peer feedback and discussion, and next steps for planning the production journey ahead.