3: Pattern length.

Dance music has become increasingly easier to make due to the accessibility of the technology. And probably in some ways techno has become one of the easiest musics to make at it’s basic level. “Just mash some loops together” etc
With people getting a little tired of over loopy-ness it really is time producers started getting a little more clever with their programming.
One of the things I like to do to enliven the 4x4, 16 step nature of techno us to use unusual pattern/loop/phrase lengths.
Sometimes, for example, I’ll make an intricate hat pattern and spread it over 20 steps, instead of the usual 16. It means the pattern rolls over on it’s own separate groove, but is still in time to the 4x4 beat, giving a jazz like spontaneous sounding flare.
This simple technique, although it can make programming a little more laborious, can be applied to any part of your tune.
Bass lines, leads, whatever, and when varying pattern lengths mix together you get some interesting shifting groove effects.