Track Deconstruction: Kreature – ‘Stepper’
In an extended tutorial for Mixmasters, Kreature gives us a deconstruction of his Beatport number one track: ‘Stepper’ in Ableton Live.
Kreature is no stranger to the studio, with his first release in 2012 reaching #2 in the Beatport charts. He has had releases on WOW Records, ViVA and Resonance and his work gets continued support from names like Marco Carola and Jamie Jones. He is skilled at articulating what he has done and why, offering value for producers of all levels.
Below are some professional insights from his track deconstruction:
Track Deconstruction: Kreature - ‘Stepper’: Producer Insights
- Use Nicky Romero’s Kickstart to easily sidechain tracks that have kicks in a 4/4 rhythm.
- Use “Fade in” in 1-shot mode in Simpler to remove attack from your hi-hats, then use EQ to take out the bottom end.
- Use a transient shaper such as the SPL Transient Designer to tighten up reverb returns, then use an EQ to remove low and high end to taste.
- Start with creating a really good loop before you even think about arranging your track. Aim to create something that you can listen to for over a minute that doesn’t get boring.
Full Tutorial Description
- In-depth deconstruction of Kreature’s Beatport hit : ‘Stepper’.
- Using PunchBox to synthesize drums.
- Layering drums.
- Bass synthesis in Ableton Live’s’: Operator.
- Sidechaining with Nicky Romero’s Kickstart.
- Audio vs Midi.
- Using the groove pool to add swing.
- Sends and returns.
- Drum processing.
- Setting your kick and bass levels.
- Tips for glueing drums together.
- Processing pads.
- Arrangement tips.
- Filter automation.
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