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Making Techno

Learn to produce techno with John Selway

A hands on online course where you learn the ins and outs of producing techno with legendary NYC techno producer John Selway, from history and sound design to groove, arrangement and mixing.

5.0 Google rating

from 200+ reviews, more reviews than any other music production school

Ableton Certified Training Center

1 of 119 worldwide

Active artists as instructors

not career educators

Taught at our NYC location

Also available in Berlin and online

Course at a glance

Duration
Duration

6 weeks

Level
Level

Intermediate to advanced

Start dates
Start dates

Oct 7

Class size
Class size

5-10 pax

DAW
DAW

Any DAW

Final Project
Final Project

A techno track, presented for feedback

Location
Location

Join from home or anywhere

Course outcomes

You'll finish with real music

You learn techno production from the ground up with John Selway, from its history and signature sounds to groove, sound design, arrangement and mixing, and finish with a techno track of your own.

Check out the tracks our students have already released:

What you'll accomplish in this course

Understand the history of techno

Understand the history of techno

Program techno drums and grooves

Program techno drums and grooves

Learn techno sound design

Learn techno sound design

Use sampling and audio processing

Use sampling and audio processing

Arrange a techno track and build the drop

Arrange a techno track and build the drop

Learn to mix a techno track

Learn to mix a techno track

Course Journey

What you'll learn week by week

Class 1: Overview of techno
Topic 1

History and sub-genres: A short history of techno and its main sub-genres.

Topic 2

Artists and instruments: The key artists and the instruments and sounds that define techno.

Topic 3

References and now: Bring reference tracks and look at where techno is today.

Class 2: Setting the foundation
Topic 4

Drums and percussion: Program techno drums, percussion and low end.

Topic 5

Tempo, energy and feel: Set the tempo, energy and feel for your track.

Topic 6

Sound design and groove: Design drum sounds and build a hypnotic groove.

Class 3: Sounds, riffs and hooks
Topic 7

Inspiration and hooks: Find inspiration and build techno hooks.

Topic 8

Melody and leads: Write melodies and leads.

Topic 9

Sound design and sampling: Use sound design, sampling and effects as instruments.

Class 4: Further explorations
Topic 10

Evolving sounds: Create evolving sounds and modulation.

Topic 11

Hardware and MIDI: Bring in external hardware and MIDI control.

Topic 12

Finding your sound: Use generative ideas and genre blending to find your sound.

Class 5: Arranging and refinement
Topic 13

Arrangement approaches: Use arrangement and subtractive arranging techniques.

Topic 14

Building the drop: Build the drop with linear buildups.

Topic 15

Recording and automation: Record your arrangement in real time and add automation.

Class 6: Presentations and feedback
Topic 16

Presentations: Present the techno track you have built over the course and talk through the choices behind it.

Topic 17

Feedback and next steps: Get detailed, personal feedback on your track from John Selway and a clear sense of how to keep developing your sound.

Value

What's included?

Everything you need to learn, practice, and keep improving after class.

Live group classes

Learn directly from an experienced producer in a structured weekly format.

Small group feedback

Personal feedback from pro producers so you improve faster

Hands on assignments

Apply new concepts each week and use them to build your track

Exclusive discounts

Save up to 50% on selected software

343 Labs certificate

Receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the course

Some of your instructors

Learn from active producers

Mentorship from active producers, performers, and engineers shaping today's electronic music scene.

Stella Key
65M+ StreamsClub DJ

Stella Key

Producer DJ Vocal Producer

Producer, DJ, and topliner with releases and collaborations.

Great Dane
TeamSupremeFestival Artist

Great Dane

Producer DJ TeamSupreme Founder

Touring producer DJ and TeamSupreme founder known for bass music production.

John Selway
Techno ArtistLabel Owner

John Selway

Techno Producer DJ Label Owner

NYC techno artist and label owner with decades of releases and touring.

Hear from our students

300+ 5-star reviews
Tess Bianchi Tess Bianchi
Posted on Google

I took the in person Ableton Immersive class and it was amazing! My teacher (Dane) was so knowledgable and inspirational. I feel really comfortable using Ableton now and have two tracks from the class. Also going in person was nice because it kept me accountable. It’s cool that 343 even has that offering since so many people are doing remote only classes. I definitely hesitated at first, but I thought. If I was going to take do a masters program, I would stop working and pay wayyy more money, and I want to learn it so why not do it? That was one of the best decisions of my life. If you are hesitating, just do it! It’s totally worth it.

Shaun Farrugia Shaun Farrugia
Posted on Google

I love taking classes with 343 Labs. I started in 2019, completely fresh. I knew nothing about production or music! If you’re serious about pursuing music production and want to make an investment in yourself, 343 labs was a great place for me to start my journey and figure out what I want to do. It really feels like a community here. The teachers know thier stuff; John Selway and Abe Duque teach here. I took the 2 Ableton Live classes along with Synthesizers for producers. These classes gave me a pretty good grounding in these tools. It’s also helped me navigate the technical depth in this industry. Solid investment for me!

Kristen Barry Kristen Barry
Posted on Google

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience at 343 labs. Instructors are incredibly talented and knowledgeable. Class sizes are small enough that you get a ton of personalized attention and you can learn from the other student’s work as well. No matter what kind of music you want to make, instructors and classmates offer super valuable feedback. If you’ve ever thought about learning how to make electronic music or getting a more intimate understanding of Ableton, Logic, mixing/mastering, etc (they have tons of different courses) I can’t think of a better place.

Jason Todd Jason Todd
Posted on Google

I cannot say enough good things about our experiences with 343 Labs! My teenage son has spent two summers in the 343 Labs summer program (in person last year and online this year) and absolutely loved it. The instructors are all experienced professionals who are equally gifted teachers. My son loves music production (he’s a very advanced student and practitioner for his age) and he’s learned so much in the program. We’ve found 343 Labs to be a nurturing, educational and fun environment that has had extremely positive influence on his development and joy of making music. Everyone at 343 Labs has been incredibly supportive of my son and gone out of their way to stay connected, continually encouraging his development in the most generous and sincere fashion. I should also mention that the facilities are fantastic if you plan to attend in person, but they also do a magnificent job teaching their courses online. Music production is well suited to teaching remotely and with so many activities cancelled now due to COVID its wonderful to have an activity that my son can participate in remotely. We are so happy to be part of the 343 community and I wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering taking classes at 343 Labs to do so. They are the real deal.

Théau Ravier Théau Ravier
Posted on Google

I moved from France just to take the classes and don’t regret my decision. The teachers are high level, we were only 3/4 students on each class, and it really pushed me to learn hards things that i would never have bothered self teaching. I really saw the value of going to a physical location for discipline purpose. Also Berlin is the place to be for networking. And networking is 50% of the job!
Thanks Max, keep it up!!

life-changing
It's not only the classes they offer.
community
343labs fosters a great community.
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PRICING & SCHEDULE

Making Techno with John Selway [Online]

Making Techno with John Selway [Online]

Choose your start date and lock in your spot

Schedule: Oct 7-Nov 11, 2026, Wednesdays, 1-3pm EST

Unsure? Talk to our team

FAQS

Still have questions?

Anyone who wants to learn to produce techno, from enthusiasts to producers wanting to sharpen their techno craft.

Some basic music production experience is helpful, but the course starts with the fundamentals of techno.

A techno track of your own, with feedback from John Selway.

A laptop, headphones and a DAW of your choice, plus Zoom to join the live online classes.

Every class is recorded, so you can rewatch any session at home.

Yes. Flexible monthly payment plans are available through Affirm so you can spread the cost.

Call 1-800-243-3405 or schedule a free Zoom with Nacho. We look forward to speaking with you.