The Ingredients #005 / Audio Effect Racks

We've made it to Season 5, and this month we're bringing everything together.

In this session I'll be building a 16-bar loop from scratch, taking the sounds and techniques we've explored throughout the series and using them to start writing an actual track idea. The focus is on getting that initial groove down, finding the right relationship between the drums, bass, musical elements and textures and turning them into something that feels like a track.

We'll look at how I approach the writing process, making decisions as I build the loop and getting all the individual elements working together to create a solid starting point for the track.

This month we're diving into atmospherics. I'll cover everything from building drones from scratch using synthesis, transforming everyday samples into evolving soundscapes, capturing and reshaping moments with freezing techniques, and using resonance to create rich, tonal textures that sit deep within a mix.

We'll explore synthesis, sampling, freezing, feedback, and resonance, along with practical techniques for creating evolving atmospherics, layered ambience, noise textures, immersive backgrounds and movement to bring more depth into your productions.

In this months session, I’ll cover everything from simple to advanced transitions, dub FXs, a rebuild of one of my favourite hardware synths in Serum, and some final creative experimentation using some unusual stock FX.

We’ll go through risers, pitch drops, tremolo movement, sirens, dub delays Lyra-8 inspired textures, plus deep sound design using grain delay, spectral, and modulated processing.

Following on from last months Pad tutorial, we focus our attention to Leads.

I guide you on how to build powerful, distinctive leads from the ground up using Serum, covering everything from tight plucks to classic rave tones.

Discover how to add tension, layer bass and vocals, and resample creatively using granular synthesis. Rounded off with lush vocoder effects, this gives you everything you need to create unique  and exciting leads

This packs tutorial focuses on creating simple but effective pads that add depth, space, and emotion to your tracks, and it marks the start of Season 3.

We begin with the fundamentals of pad creation and chord writing, showing you how to build solid harmonic foundations that feel full and musical. From there, we explore creative sampling techniques to add texture and character, helping your pads stand out while still sitting naturally in the mix.

Finally, we shape everything with effects and dive into more experimental approaches, giving you tools to push beyond the basics and develop your own sound. A practical, start-to-finish guide to making pads.

In part two of the drum series, we go even deeper into building professional, groove-driven drums from the ground up, picking up right where we left off with last months kick and snare design.

In this session, I’ll guide you through the full process of creating a complete drum loop, covering a range of shuffle grooves, hi-hat patterns, and drum break variations to help your drums feel more dynamic and alive.

We’ll also focus on the finer details, dialling in timing and swing to get that natural groove before bringing everything together, gluing the drums and enhancing the final result with a polished drum buss.

With season 1's bass focused episodes complete, we move into Season 2 - Drums

Starting with a deep dive into kick and snare design using the exact techniques I rely on in my own sound design sessions. You’ll learn how to build powerful, weighty hits from the ground up, drums that feel solid, punch through dense arrangements, and sit confidently at the front of the mix.

For the kick, I break down my full workflow, covering synthesis, shaping, processing, and layering to achieve both low-end weight and midrange punch. For the snare, we explore transient design, body control, tonal balance, layering strategies, and tail shaping, so you can create snares that snap at the front, carry substance through the body, and decay cleanly without cluttering the mix.

I’ve leaned heavily into this for this month’s sample pack, with loads of kicks and snares created using these exact techniques.

We’re now diving into Episode 2 of Season 1 of the Framework series, continuing our journey into bass sound design. In this session, we’ll be exploring several advanced techniques to take your basses to the next level such as effects chains, parallel processing, automation, and blending multiple bass sounds together, all key tools to sculpt and shape your basses so they fit perfectly into your next track.

Every mid-bass sample included in this month’s sample pack was crafted using racks like the ones demonstrated in the tutorial. I also applied the same automation techniques and sound-blending methods we’ll be walking through today. By following along, you’ll get a detailed look at how to combine multiple layers, modulate parameters dynamically, and create rich, polished bass sounds that are ready for your productions.

2026 is the year we switch things up with a brand new format.

For years, I’ve created tutorials based on what I’m working on, what inspires me, or those essential tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way that I just have to share.

This new format takes things further. It’s a complete, structured journey through every stage of music production, designed to take your new ideas to finished tracks with clarity, depth, and a focus on developing your own sound.

Across 6 seasons, each lasting 2 months, we’ll dive deep into every part of the process, from building intros and crafting heavy basslines to programming detailed drums, shaping unique sounds, perfecting mixdowns, and finishing tracks that truly stand out.

By the end of the year, you’ll have the full toolkit to take your ideas and bring them to life. Whether you’re just starting or levelling up your experience, 2026 is your year to grow as a producer, season by season.

Kicking things off this January and February is everyones favourite topic - bass sound design.

This month I guide you on a Serum bass design session starting with simple to more advanced sounds, sub bass layering through to macros and fully controlling your sound.

As we roll into 2026, here's the round up of what happened last year.

This yearly discography pack is loaded with samples, Serum presets, and in-depth masterclass videos exploring everything from writing sessions and mid-bass design to track breakdowns and drum groove creation.

To view tutorial previews, please see individual 2025 packs below.

For this bundle, I take a look back over 'Break' with Hugh Hardie taken from my 'Lotus' EP. I wanted to focus specifically on how we started this project and it began with a sound design session.

You will get to hear all of the raw sounds as i explain how we created them, then I move onto implementation and how we constructed the initial loop and main theme of the track. There are loads of tips and tricks in this one especially with audio processing.

For this tutorial I will be guiding you through a mixdown of a new dubstep track I have coming out early 2026.

In just under 2 hours, I show you my final mixdown checklist and work through it in real time to create a more polished and club ready track.

Taken from my debut EP on Halogenix's Gemini Gemini imprint, I look back over A Lot To Give and show you the inner workings of this track.

I will go over sampling techniques, how to make them more your own as well as drum processing and sub bass production.

The focus of this bundles tutorial was to not only engage with my members but also to challenge myself. I asked the Discord community to send me sounds they love in some of their favourite tracks to see if I can recreate them.

This is not supposed to be a tutorial about how to sound like your favourite artists but the process along the way, and for me to show you new ways of thinking about synthesis and sound design.

Join me for a 2 hour writing session where I take a simple idea into a fleshed out groove. You'll get to see how i created the intro, worked out a mid bass progression as well as resampling, groove and arrangement techniques

I complete the third instalment of my Ruff Stuff track breakdowns. Over the last couple of months we’ve looked over the drums, then the leads and fxs, and now its time to showcase how i created the bassline and mid bass sounds for the track.

I talk about sub movement, harmonics, mid bass arrangement, recording and processing sounds and much more. Sit back and enjoy this tutorial

Alongside this bundles vast sample and preset pack, I continue my breakdown of Ruff Stuff focussing this time on the leads, atmospherics and FXs.

This was heavily requested since the tracks release date and I'm happy to share the tips and tricks on how I created the hooks for the track.

Inside this production bundle there are loads of drum beats stripped down, mid bass sounds and everything weird and wonderful in between. This is also the first month of dedicated Serum 2 presets, expect even more power from such an insane synth.

The tutorial this month is a drum track breakdown of my latest release 'Ruff Stuff'. I guide you through the samples chosen, processing, arrangement and some really useful tips and tricks along the way. Sit back and enjoy the hour long session.

Inside the production pack, I show you how to make stabs inside of Serum. This technique can be evolved and taken so far and its a really versatile way to add rhythm to your track.

I create 2 unique sounds and demonstrate how to edit and control the tone giving you the best starting point to reverse engineer and tweak into your own sound. 

Inside the production pack, I show you how to make stabs inside of Serum. This technique can be evolved and taken so far and its a really versatile way to add rhythm to your track.

I create 2 unique sounds and demonstrate how to edit and control the tone giving you the best starting point to reverse engineer and tweak into your own sound. 

Inside the production pack, I show you how to make stabs inside of Serum. This technique can be evolved and taken so far and its a really versatile way to add rhythm to your track.

I create 2 unique sounds and demonstrate how to edit and control the tone giving you the best starting point to reverse engineer and tweak into your own sound. 

Inside the production pack, I show you how to make stabs inside of Serum. This technique can be evolved and taken so far and its a really versatile way to add rhythm to your track.

I create 2 unique sounds and demonstrate how to edit and control the tone giving you the best starting point to reverse engineer and tweak into your own sound. 

Inside the production pack, I show you how to make stabs inside of Serum. This technique can be evolved and taken so far and its a really versatile way to add rhythm to your track.

I create 2 unique sounds and demonstrate how to edit and control the tone giving you the best starting point to reverse engineer and tweak into your own sound. 

Inside the production pack, I show you how to make stabs inside of Serum. This technique can be evolved and taken so far and its a really versatile way to add rhythm to your track.

I create 2 unique sounds and demonstrate how to edit and control the tone giving you the best starting point to reverse engineer and tweak into your own sound.