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Paul Taylor is a writer, musician and game developer from Oxford, UK. He writes regularly for Computer Music magazine, and has released tracks as nervous_testpilot on London's Nu Energy record label among others. He's currently working on a new game soundtrack for Mode 7 Games (http://www.mode7games.com), as well as on improving his engineering and production abilities.
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How to Add the Experimental to Electronica, Part 1

Paul Taylor on Nov 10th 2008 with 21 comments

It’s a bit of a shame that the abstract electronica genre isn’t thriving commercially the way it used to be. The heyday of labels like Warp Records and Planet Mu has long gone, and very few experimental electronica producers are making a living from their music.

That said, there’s a great wealth of absolutely amazing free electronica out there. I’d recommend any fan of electronic music to take a listen to the brilliant Bleepshow podcast for many fantastic examples. It’s a highly creative area, and one which needs a constant supply of fresh talent, so it’s a good time to get started!

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How to Make an Insane ‘Plucky’ Trance Lead

Paul Taylor on Aug 8th 2008 with 13 comments

The lead sound is the key to any track: pick a clichéd or dull-sounding lead and you’ll multiply the amount of work you need to do in order to create a memorable record. Obviously, your own creativity is vital when creating an original lead, but it certainly pays to know the territory before you embark….

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This entry is part 1 of 35 in the Top Sound Design Tuts Session

Make and Mix a Running 16th-note Bassline

Paul Taylor on Jul 4th 2008 with 27 comments

In this tutorial, we’re going to learn how to make and mix a “running” 16th-note bassline. You’ll hear this in countless dance genres such as techno and even breaks, but it’s become synonymous with trance over the years.

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