How to make MODERN Deep House like [Tchami]

• Deep groove as the foundation • Fat, well-produced bass sound • Piano and pluck arpeggios as finishing touches

The tutorial will demonstrate how to build each of these core elements from scratch.

Understanding the key sonic characteristics that define modern deep house.

Begin with drum programming and percussion layering.

Start with a kick drum on the fourth floor with minimal processing needed.

• High layer with bright character • Low layer panned slightly left to create space • Additional lower layer for boom and tail definition

• Dark percussion samples for complementary rhythm • Ambient percussion with heavy reverb to fill empty space • Noise percussion and friction sounds for texture

Layer multiple percussion elements and use side-chain compression with the kick to maintain groove consistency.

• First layer: organic sound with EQ, locked to grid • Second layer: more randomized and unlocked placement

• 16th note hi-hats with slight velocity and placement variations off-grid • Randomized hi-hat layer with bright sound quality

Add open hats with short attack to cut through the mix for additional rhythmic definition.

Combining claps and hi-hats creates random, interesting variations that enhance the groove when played together with the full track.

• White noise or ambient noise in background • Warm pad sound from sample pack • Deep pad texture built with synthesis

Use two oscillators with sawed and squarish FM wave tables, modulating cutoff with envelope and applying distortion, flanger, chorus, and compression.

• Distortion and flanger for character • Chorus for width and movement • Compression for dynamic control • Reverb and EQ for space • Side-chain compression to kick for groove feel

Combining all pad layers creates a dark, groovy ambience when played with the percussive elements.

• Use Theo synthesizer with two oscillators tuned to minus one and minus two • 24 dB filter with slide drive enabled • Create slight envelope with slow release to avoid abrupt changes

• Add slight distortion for character • Apply compressor side-chained to kick for pumping effect • Use EQ to remove frequencies below 25 Hz and above 110 Hz

• Use Serum with analog oscillators and 24 dB filter • Create plucky envelope with sustain lighter than sub bass • Apply second envelope to cutoff for dynamic opening on each hit

• Add distortion for richness • Use Hyper Dimension effect for width • Apply compression and EQ boost • Add final 6 dB filter with same cutoff envelope • Side-chain compress to kick

Create additional layer with same notes as sub and body bass but emphasizing brighter frequencies.

• Use Basic mini synthesizer with shorter envelopes • Apply unison for depth and richness • Create bright, cutting sound quality

Add noise click on top with kick attack to help the bass cut through the mix more effectively.

Group all bass layers and apply glue compressor to unite them, then increase tempo to 124 BPM for proper deep house feel.

Eight-bar chord progression using a spread of notes rather than multiple layers to create a huge, full sound.

• Piano is heavily affected by velocity in simple piano sample • Hard playing creates bright tone, soft playing creates dark tone • Vary velocity throughout track to show different emotions

Automate velocity values to create dynamic expression during the track and especially during breaks to slow down the feel.

Decrease velocity before breaks to darken the sound, creating anticipation and emotional depth.

• Use same three notes throughout entire sequence: G sharp, D sharp, and F sharp • Limit note variety to maintain deeper, simpler ambience • Avoid too many different notes which would create progressive house rather than deep house

• Use digital oscillators with bipole harmonic setting • Apply two oscillators slightly detuned from each other • Set filter to 24 dB with plucky envelope

• Add diode distortion for richness • Use EQ booster to brighten high end while cutting lows • Apply unison effect with small setting for subtle width

• Add second filter with matching cutoff envelope • Apply reverb and delay effects • Automate effects during track for ambience control

• Room reverb: 1.6 seconds for drums and general material • Hall reverb: 4 seconds, dark sound with high-end cutting • Shimmer reverb: 13.5 seconds focusing on high end with dense reverb

• Slap and echo delays for rhythmic interest • Reverb EQ for dark, shimmery background sound • Resampled reverb for textural depth

• Drums sent mostly to room reverb • Vocals and other elements sent to different reverbs • Shimmer reverb sent to create white noise-like effect before breaks

• Automate reverb sends before breaks for build-up effect • Deep house uses effects instead of white noise to build atmosphere • Small automations create punctuation and emotional feeling

• Automate bass EQ to remove it during breaks for dynamic impact • Turn off EQ at key moments to create big hits in the mix • Small adjustments provide significant punctuation and feeling

Automate reverb sends to create under-the-water feeling going into breaks.

• Play with velocity variations throughout track • Create small changes from mid to down to up dynamics • Show emotional expression through velocity automation

• Deep house relies on small changes and automations across effects and processing • Use the track's own sound to create cohesion • Layer small modifications to show emotion and create a professional deep house track