Deep House Production Guide
Complete guide to deep house production. BPM, warm chord voicings, rolling basslines, organic percussion, and mixing techniques from Larry Heard to Disclosure.
Deep house is built on warm chord voicings that only work in the right key. Before you programme a single Rhodes note, detect the key of your reference track or sample with BeatKey. Every chord voicing, bassline note, and melody decision flows from knowing the key first.
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Deep house lives between 118 and 126 BPM. The sweet spot is 120 BPM for most substyles. Unlike tech house or progressive house, deep house prioritises warmth and groove over driving energy.
| Style | BPM | Key | Character | Artists | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Deep House | 118-122 | A minor, D minor | Warm, soulful, Rhodes chords, organic drums, analog bass, spiritual atmosphere | Larry Heard, Ron Trent, Kerri Chandler, Moodymann | Classic deep house is built on feel, not precision. Swing your hi-hats 55-60% and let the Rhodes breathe. |
| Modern Deep House | 120-124 | A minor, F minor, G minor | Polished production, UK garage influence, vocal chops, sidechain pumping, crisp low end | Disclosure, Maya Jane Coles, Dusky, Kidnap | 122 BPM is the modern deep house sweet spot. Tight sidechain compression on the bass gives the signature pumping groove. |
| Afro Deep House | 118-122 | D minor, G minor, C minor | Organic percussion layers, marimba, kalimba, tribal vocal chants, long arrangements | Black Coffee, Culoe de Song, Enoo Napa, Da Capo | Layer 3-4 percussion elements (shaker, conga, bongo, clap) panned across the stereo field for width. |
| Jazzy Deep House | 118-120 | A minor, D minor, F minor | Jazz samples, live piano, walking bass, hi-hat swing, sophisticated chord voicings | Masters At Work, Jimpster, Atjazz, Henrik Schwarz | Use real jazz samples or Rhodes VSTs with 7th and 9th chords. Simple triads sound too thin for jazzy deep house. |
| Soulful Deep House | 120-124 | A minor, G minor, C minor | Gospel and soul vocal samples, organ stabs, warm pads, uplifting emotional arc | Frankie Knuckles, Kenny Dope, Louie Vega, Dennis Ferrer | Soulful deep house needs a vocal or vocal sample as the centrepiece. Everything else supports the voice. |
| Deep Tech Crossover | 122-126 | D minor, G minor, A minor | Minimal chord progression, rolling bassline, hi-hat groove emphasis, subtle pad texture | Solomun, Dixon, Maceo Plex, Tale Of Us | Deep tech is where deep house meets techno. Strip the chords to a single pad layer and let the bassline and groove carry the track. |
The 120 BPM Sweet Spot
120 BPM is the universal deep house tempo. It is slow enough for warmth and groove, fast enough for energy on the dancefloor. When in doubt, start at 120.
Deep house drums are warm, organic, and groovy. Four-on-the-floor kick, clap on beats 2 and 4, off-beat hi-hats, and layered percussion create the deep house feel.
Swing Is Everything
Set your hi-hat and percussion swing to 55-60%. Deep house groove comes from the organic, human feel in the timing. Straight 16th notes sound mechanical and lifeless. The swing is what makes deep house feel "deep."
Kick
Warm, round kick with a longer tail (100-150ms). Low-pass at 8-10 kHz. No clicky transient. The low-end sustain defines the deep house groove. Layer a sub-bass sine under the kick tail for extra warmth.
Clap/Snare
Beats 2 and 4. Use a layered clap (2-3 samples slightly offset 5-15ms) for width. Add short reverb (0.5-1s) for space. The clap should sit behind the kick, not compete with it.
Hi-Hats
Off-beat closed hi-hats (positions 3, 7, 11, 15) define the deep house groove. Swing 55-60%. Velocity variation 70-100% for human feel. Open hi-hat on position 16 for groove.
Percussion Layers
Layer shaker (8th notes, panned 30% L), conga or bongo (ghost hits panned 20% R), and a ride cymbal (panned 15% R). Pan each element differently for organic stereo width.
Deep house chords are warm, extended, and soulful. Always use 7th and 9th voicings. Simple triads sound too thin for deep house. Rhodes electric piano, warm pads, and organ are the primary chord instruments.
The foundation of deep house. Two chords, infinite groove. The m7 voicing adds the soulful depth that separates deep house from generic house.
Tip: Play the Am7 for 2 bars, Dm7 for 2 bars. Let the Rhodes or pad sustain through bar changes.
The Dorian vamp. The major IV7 chord adds a funky, optimistic warmth that natural minor cannot. This is the Larry Heard sound.
Tip: The D7 is a dominant chord (not minor). This one change from Dm7 to D7 shifts the entire mood from melancholy to soulful.
The classic jazz cadence adapted for deep house. Each chord resolves to the next, creating forward motion over a slow 120 BPM groove.
Tip: Use voice leading: keep common tones between chords (D stays from Dm7 to G7, B stays from G7 to Cmaj7).
The bVI to bVII creates an uplifting emotional arc before resolving back to the tonic. The gospel lift that makes soulful deep house feel spiritual.
Tip: Fmaj7 to G7 is the magic transition. The ascending bass (F to G) pulls the listener upward emotionally.
Descending bass motion with warm major 7th voicings. The Bbmaj7 adds an unexpected warmth before cycling back to Dm7.
Tip: Play this with a marimba or kalimba patch for authentic Afro deep character.
One chord. Four bars. The m9 voicing is complex enough to sustain interest alone. Deep tech strips everything to the essential groove.
Tip: Am9 = A C E G B. The 9th (B) adds shimmer above the m7. Filter automate the pad over 8-16 bars for movement.
The Deep House Sound: 7ths and 9ths
Deep house uses extended chord voicings exclusively. Am is too thin; Am7 (A C E G) is the minimum. Am9 (A C E G B) adds shimmer. Fmaj7 (F A C E) replaces plain F. The 7th and 9th intervals are what give deep house its emotional depth and warmth.
m7
Minor 7th. The deep house workhorse. Am7, Dm7, Gm7.
maj7
Major 7th. Warm, lush. Fmaj7, Cmaj7, Bbmaj7.
m9
Minor 9th. Adds shimmer above m7. Am9, Dm9.
9sus4
Suspended 9th. Dreamy, unresolved. C9sus4.
Deep house bass rolls, not stabs. Use portamento (20-50ms glide) between notes for organic movement. The bassline follows the chord root notes with passing tones on the 5th and octave.
| Key | Root Hz | 5th Hz | Camelot | Bass Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A minor | 55.00 | 82.41 | 8A | Full sub-bass, clean low end |
| D minor | 73.42 | 110.00 | 7A | Warm mid-bass, great for Rhodes pairing |
| F minor | 87.31 | 130.81 | 4A | Punchy, defined bass presence |
| G minor | 98.00 | 146.83 | 6A | Upper bass, melodic movement |
| C minor | 65.41 | 98.00 | 5A | Deep, cinema-grade sub presence |
Sub Bass Layer
Pure sine wave following root notes. This is the sub-bass foundation below 80 Hz that you feel in your chest on a club system. Sidechain to the kick with 1ms attack, 150ms release.
Mid Bass Melody
Filtered sawtooth or square wave with portamento (20-50ms glide). Play root, 5th, and octave passing tones. This layer provides the melodic movement above 80 Hz that defines the bassline groove.
Bass Sidechain
Sidechain compress BOTH bass layers to the kick. Attack 1ms, release 120-180ms, ratio 4:1, 4-6 dB gain reduction. The pumping bass groove is non-negotiable in deep house.
Deep house arrangements are long and gradual. Elements fade in and out over 8-16 bars. The breakdown removes drums and bass to let the chords breathe. DJ-friendly intros and outros use 16-32 bars of beat-only for club mixing.
| Section | Bars | Elements | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro (Drums Only) | 16-32 | Kick, hi-hat, percussion only | DJ mixing point |
| Intro B (Bass Enters) | 16 | Add bass, subtle pad | Build groove |
| Main Loop A | 32 | Full groove: drums, bass, chords, percussion | Dancefloor groove |
| Breakdown | 16-32 | Remove drums and bass. Chords and pads only. | Emotional breathing space |
| Build | 8-16 | Percussion re-enters, riser, filter opens | Tension before groove returns |
| Main Loop B | 32 | Full groove with new element (vocal, melody) | Peak energy |
| Second Breakdown | 16 | Stripped back, emotional resolve | Emotional resolve |
| Outro (Drums Only) | 16-32 | Kick, hi-hat, percussion only | DJ mixing out point |
DJ-Friendly Intro and Outro
16-32 bars of beat-only at the start and end are mandatory for club deep house. DJs mix in and out during these sections. Without them, your track is a bedroom production, not a DJ tool.
| Element | Frequency | Level | Processing | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | 50-100 Hz | -6 to -4 dBFS | HPF at 30 Hz, gentle compression 3:1, slight saturation for warmth. Deep house kicks are warm and round, not clicky. | Use a longer kick tail (100-150ms) than tech house. The low-end sustain defines the deep house groove. |
| Bass | 40-200 Hz | -8 to -6 dBFS | Sidechain to kick (attack 1ms, release 120-180ms, ratio 4:1). Subtle saturation for harmonics above 200 Hz. | Deep house bass rolls, not stabs. Use portamento (20-50ms glide) between notes for organic movement. |
| Rhodes/Chords | 200-5000 Hz | -12 to -8 dBFS | High-pass at 200 Hz (bass handles the low end). Gentle compression 2:1. Stereo chorus or phaser for width. | The Rhodes sits behind the bass and kick, not in front. Let the chords breathe in the background. |
| Pads | 300-8000 Hz | -16 to -12 dBFS | High-pass at 300 Hz. Low-pass at 8 kHz for warmth. Long reverb (2-4s) for atmosphere. Sidechain to kick. | Pads are the atmospheric glue. They should be felt, not heard. If you can identify the pad clearly, it is too loud. |
| Percussion | 1000-12000 Hz | -14 to -10 dBFS | High-pass at 400 Hz. Pan shakers 30% L, congas 20% R, bongos 15% L for stereo width. | Layer 3-4 percussion elements panned across the stereo field. This creates the organic, live feel of deep house. |
| Master Bus | Full range | -12 to -10 LUFS | Bus compression 2:1 ratio, slow attack (30ms), auto-release. Limiter at -1.0 dBTP. Target -12 to -10 LUFS for streaming. | Deep house is quieter than festival EDM. -12 LUFS is correct. Do not compress to -7 LUFS; you will destroy the dynamics. |
| BPM | Quarter (ms) | Dotted 8th (ms) | 8th (ms) | 16th (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 508 | 381 | 254 | 127 |
| 120 | 500 | 375 | 250 | 125 |
| 122 | 492 | 369 | 246 | 123 |
| 124 | 484 | 363 | 242 | 121 |
| 126 | 476 | 357 | 238 | 119 |
120 BPM row highlighted. Calculate exact delay times for any BPM →
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85 Genre Guides
Production guides for every major genre
Using bright, aggressive kicks
Deep house kicks are warm and round with longer tails (100-150ms). Low-pass filter your kick at 8-10 kHz. Avoid clicky transient-heavy kicks.
Simple triads instead of 7th chords
Am sounds thin. Am7 sounds deep. Always use m7, maj7, m9, or 9sus4 voicings. The 7th and 9th are what make deep house sound "deep."
No sidechain compression on bass
Sidechain the bass to the kick with 1ms attack, 120-180ms release, 4:1 ratio. The pumping groove is fundamental to deep house.
Too many melodic elements
Deep house is minimal. One Rhodes/pad layer, one bass, one vocal sample or melody. Strip away until only the essential remains.
Straight hi-hats with no swing
Set swing to 55-60%. Deep house groove comes from the organic, human feel in the percussion. Straight 16ths sound mechanical.
Mastering too loud
Target -12 to -10 LUFS, not -7. Deep house is dynamic. Over-compression kills the warmth and breathing space.
Deep house runs from 118 to 124 BPM. Classic deep house (Larry Heard, Kerri Chandler) sits at 118-122 BPM. Modern deep house (Disclosure, Maya Jane Coles) tends towards 120-124 BPM. The sweet spot is 120 BPM.
A minor, D minor, F minor, and G minor are the most common deep house keys. The genre uses 7th and 9th chord voicings (m7, maj7, m9) and often uses Dorian mode (im7 to IV7 vamp) for soulful warmth. Detect your reference track key with BeatKey.
Deep house is warmer, slower (118-124 vs 126-132 BPM), chord-driven, and emotionally focused. Tech house strips away chords, focuses on groove, percussion, and minimal bass, and aims for hypnotic dancefloor energy. Deep house uses Rhodes and pads; tech house uses hi-hat patterns and filtered bass. Deep house is about feeling; tech house is about rhythm.
Larry Heard (Mr. Fingers, Can You Feel It), Kerri Chandler, Masters At Work, Frankie Knuckles, Disclosure, Maya Jane Coles, Black Coffee, Jimpster, Henrik Schwarz, and Atjazz. Larry Heard's 1986 track "Can You Feel It" defined the genre.
House Beat Guide
124-128 BPM, sidechain, chord stabs
Progressive House
122-128 BPM, filtered builds, Eric Prydz style
Lo-Fi Music
70-90 BPM, jazz chords, vinyl aesthetic
R&B Music
65-110 BPM, neo-soul chords, vocal production
Techno Music
125-140 BPM, industrial, minimal percussion
All 85 Genre Guides
Complete genre production reference