Learn how to produce a dark, relentless, peak-time Afro Tech weapon inspired by Shimza in this step-by-step Ableton Live tutorial.
Built entirely from our DIABLO – Afro Tech Sample Pack Bundle, this timestamped breakdown covers the 7-channel Afro Tech drum groove, the custom Nightforge Serum bass preset paired with a rhythmic stab, dual interlocking arpeggios, low and high atmospheres, and 3-layer vocal programming.
What you will learn
1. Seven-Channel Driving Afro Tech Drum Groove (00:37–01:31)
From 00:37 to 01:31, we assemble a tight, rolling percussion section designed for big club sound systems:
• Kick & Tom Bounce: A deep, punchy Afro Tech kick paired with a resonant low-mid tom pattern that creates the signature Shimza bounce.
• 16th Hat, Clap, Shaker, Additional Hat & Snare: We layer a driving 16th hat, a crisp backbeat clap, an organic shaker, a secondary off-beat hat, and a syncopated snare to lock in the polyrhythm.
2. “Nightforge” Serum Bass Preset + Rhythmic Stab (01:31–02:30)
At 01:31, we engineer the dark, rolling low end using custom sound design from the DIABLO bundle:
• Serum Preset Nightforge: Plays the main driving Afro Tech bassline, combining deep sub weight with gritty midrange harmonics, tightly sidechained to the kick.
• Layered Rhythmic Stab: We pair Nightforge with a dark, percussive synth stab that hits in the gaps of the bass pattern to inject extra movement and warehouse energy.
3. Dual Interlocking Arps + Low & High Atmospheres (02:30–03:35)
From 02:30 to 03:35, we build the hypnotic synth tension that carries the arrangement through the breakdown and drop:
• Arp 1 (Melodic Movement) + Arp 2 (Rhythmic Pulse): Arp 1 supplies the evolving melodic motif with filter automation, while Arp 2 locks in a tight, metallic rhythmic pulse underneath.
• Low Atmosphere & High Atmosphere: We separate our ambience into a dark low atmosphere drone for weight and a shimmering high atmosphere layer for wide stereo air.
4. Main Vocal + Two Vox Layers & Full Transition FX (03:35–05:32)
In the final section (03:35–05:32), we add human emotion and explosive transition energy:
• Main Vocal + 2 Vox Layers: We combine a centerpiece main vocal stem from the DIABLO bundle with two supporting vox texture layers panned wide in reverb and delay.
• Fills, Crashes, Uplifters & Risers: Punchy drum fills, bright crashes, sweeping uplifters, and tension risers connect every 16-bar phrase seamlessly.
Get the sounds and complete project
Every drum loop, vocal stem, atmosphere layer, and the Nightforge Serum preset used in this tutorial comes from the DIABLO – Afro Tech Sample Pack Bundle.
Explore DIABLO – Afro Tech Bundle:
Explore DIABLO – Afro Tech Sample Pack Bundle →Get the Complete Afro House & Afro Tech Bundle →
Inside DIABLO – Afro Tech Bundle
• Full Afro Tech Construction Kits with Stems, Loops & MIDI Files
• Custom Serum Presets (including the “Nightforge” Bass Preset, Arps & Dark Stabs)
• Main Afro Vocal Stems + Layered Vox Textures (Dry & Wet)
• Punchy Afro Tech Kicks, Toms, Shakers, 16th Hats, Claps & Snares
• Low & High Atmospheres, Drum Fills, Crashes, Uplifters & Risers
Get the complete DIABLO – Afro Tech Bundle today, combine it with MAGNIFIED 1 & 2 and KIMBA in our Afro House & Afro Tech Bundle, or unlock all 11 products in The Everything Bundle (€119).