Schranz
Techno · 1999 · 150 to 170 BPM · also known as Progressive Techno, Hard Tekno
German hard techno of the 2000s, named by Chris Liebing: saturated, rolling percussion loops planed down until they become a single block of friction, around 150 beats per minute. Melodic events are scarce, replaced by a trance of pure texture and pressure, built for long, physical sets. The hard techno revival of the 2020s owes it almost everything, while rarely crediting the debt it owes to these earlier German producers.
6 reference tracks
- DJ Rush: Motherfucking Bass (2001)
- Spirallianz: Blast Food (2000)
- Marco Zaffarano: Playback (Picotto mix) (2002)
- DJ Rush: Get On Up (Chris Liebing Remix) (2000)
- Chris Liebing: Auf Und Ab (2003)
- Chris Liebing: The Real Schranz (1999)
At a glance
- Tempo: 150 to 170 BPM
- First appeared: around 1999
- Machines: Roland TR-909, Steinberg Cubase, Akai S3000
- The sound: Boucles percussives saturées, Distorsion en chaîne, Roland TR-909 écrasée, Filtres en mouvement permanent
- Labels: CLR, Kne'Deep, Fine Audio
- Key artists: Chris Liebing, DJ Rush, Boris S., Felix Kröcher, Robert Natus
Producing Schranz
Hold between 145 and 155 BPM with no groove at all: schranz is a trance of matter, and the tempo is a wall nothing should stray from. The feel comes from loops grinding against each other and moving filters, not from drum programming. Build a three part kick group: a main kick, a quieter offbeat kick with a faded attack, and sidechained sixteenth note kicks filling the gaps, together creating a constant pulsation. Above that, a noise blanket of claps, low closed hats, open hats and doubled rides, all saturated. Percussion comes from loops: take a chunk from an eight bar sample, roll it under an automated bandpass filter, and saturate it. There is no separate bass: the treated kick group owns the low end alone.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Schranz?
German hard techno of the 2000s, named by Chris Liebing: saturated, rolling percussion loops planed down until they become a single block of friction, around 150 beats per minute. Melodic events are scarce, replaced by a trance of pure texture and pressure, built for long, physical sets. The hard…
What tempo is Schranz played at?
Between 150 and 170 BPM.
Who are the key Schranz artists?
Chris Liebing, DJ Rush, Boris S., Felix Kröcher, Robert Natus.
