Introduction

Before you make a single sound, you need your DAW configured correctly. A well-set-up template saves hours of repetitive work and lets you focus on creativity. This lesson walks you through creating the perfect UK garage production template.

Setting Your Project Tempo

UK garage typically sits between 130-140 BPM. Here's a breakdown by subgenre:

• 2-Step: 130-136 BPM (most common)
• 4x4 Garage: 128-132 BPM
• Speed Garage: 135-140 BPM
• Bassline: 135-140 BPM

Our recommendation: Start at 134 BPM. It's the sweet spot for most UKG productions—fast enough to have energy, slow enough to groove.

Configuring Swing and Groove

Swing is what separates UK garage from house music. Every DAW handles swing differently:

Ableton Live

1. Open the Groove Pool (Ctrl/Cmd + 8)
2. Find MPC grooves in Core Library → Swing and Groove
3. Drag "MPC 8 Swing-54" or "MPC 8 Swing-58" to your clips
4. Adjust the Timing slider to taste (50-75% is typical)

FL Studio

1. Open the Channel Rack
2. Use the Swing knob at the top (54-58% for UKG feel)
3. Or: Piano Roll → Tools → Quantize → Set swing per channel

Logic Pro

1. Select your MIDI region
2. Open Region Inspector (I key)
3. Set Quantize to 1/16 note
4. Adjust Swing slider (54-58%)

Channel Routing Template

A clean channel structure makes mixing easier. Here's our recommended setup:

Track Groups

• DRUMS (Group/Bus)
  • Kick
  • Snare/Clap
  • Hi-Hats
  • Percussion
• BASS (Group/Bus)
  • Sub Bass
  • Mid Bass
• MUSIC (Group/Bus)
  • Pads
  • Keys/Stabs
  • Leads
  • FX
• VOCALS (Group/Bus)
  • Lead Vocal
  • Vocal Chops
  • Backing Vocals

Send/Return Channels

• Reverb A: Short room reverb (for drums, percussion)
• Reverb B: Long hall/plate reverb (for pads, vocals)
• Delay: 1/8 or 1/16 note ping-pong delay
• Saturation: Subtle tape/tube saturation for warmth

Essential Channel Strip Settings

Pre-load these on each channel type:

Kick Channel

• High-pass filter at 30Hz (remove sub rumble)
• Transient shaper (increase attack)
• Light compression (4:1 ratio, fast attack)

Bass Channel

• Low-pass filter at 200Hz for sub layer
• Sidechain compressor receiving from kick
• Saturation for warmth (subtle)

Hi-Hat Channel

• High-pass filter at 300Hz
• Groove/swing applied (54-58%)
• Send to short reverb

Saving Your Template

Once configured, save this as your default UKG template:

• Ableton: File → Save Live Set as Template
• FL Studio: File → Save As → Templates folder
• Logic: File → Save as Template

Summary

A well-configured DAW template is the foundation of efficient production. Set your tempo to 134 BPM, configure swing at 54-58%, organize your channels into logical groups, and pre-load essential processing. Save this as a template and you'll start every session ready to create.

In the next lesson, we dive into the heart of UK garage: the shuffle. You'll learn exactly how to program those signature skippy hi-hat patterns.