First, a crucial distinction. Attack Magazine is a UK-based publication revered for its technical depth. While they publish monthly issues, is a standalone book (often called a "Special Edition" or "Volume 1").
If you are on a budget, look for official blog articles, video tutorials, and sample breakdowns hosted directly on the Attack Magazine website or verified educational channels. To help tailor more production advice, tell me: What sub-genre of dance music do you produce? Which DAW (Ableton, FL Studio, Logic, etc.) do you use?
The success of the first book has led Attack Magazine to expand its "Secrets" series. In late 2024, they announced – a 218-page guide dedicated entirely to the art of making techno. Like its predecessor, it features insights from iconic artists like Nina Kraviz, Alan Fitzpatrick, and Sara Landry. This shows Attack's commitment to providing deep, genre-specific knowledge for the production community.
"The Secrets of Dance Music Production" by Attack Magazine is a comprehensive 312-page guide covering essential studio techniques, mixing, and sound design for electronic music. Highly regarded by users for its practical, genre-specific advice, the book includes access to over 500MB of samples and project files. Purchase an official copy at the Attack Magazine Store Attack Magazine First, a crucial distinction
Purchasing the book provides access to supplementary digital assets to aid learning:
Check your mix in mono. If your lead synth or vocals disappear, you have phase issues that will make the track sound weak on large club systems. Why Support the Original Work?
Try turning off your DAW's snap-to-grid feature. Manually nudge your claps or snares a few milliseconds behind the beat to give the track a laid-back, heavy feel. Alternatively, nudge your hi-hats slightly ahead of the beat to create a sense of driving energy and urgency. 5. Free, Legal Resources to Elevate Your Production If you are on a budget, look for
To put this into perspective, here is a preview of the book's full table of contents, giving you a sense of its incredible depth and scope:
: Detailed walkthroughs for House, Techno, Drum & Bass, EDM, and more.
The real secret of dance music production is not hidden in a pirated PDF. The real secret is that there are no shortcuts. The knowledge contained within Attack Magazine’s book is powerful, but it is useless without application and practice. The success of the first book has led
The official Attack Magazine website hosts hundreds of free, high-density tutorials covering synth secrets, mixing tips, and "Deconstructed" articles where they break down the MIDI and arrangement of famous tracks.
A successful dance track relies entirely on its rhythmic foundation. Electronic music production flips traditional songwriting on its head by prioritizing the physical impact of the rhythm section over melodic complexity.
Utilizing the Haas effect, micro-detuning, and mid/side processing to make leads sound wider than the speakers.
Quantizing your MIDI notes completely to the grid results in a rigid, robotic feel that lacks human emotion.