MAKE SLAP HOUSE THAT HITS.
CREATE A DARK PITCHED VOCAL, A PUNCHY OFFBEAT BASSLINE AND A CLEAN CLUB DROP INSPIRED BY THE MODERN SLAP-HOUSE DIRECTION ASSOCIATED WITH IMANBEK.
THE BEST SLAP-HOUSE DROPS FEEL SIMPLE, HEAVY AND IMMEDIATE. THE ENERGY COMES FROM THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE KICK, SHORT BASS NOTES, DARK VOCAL HOOK AND EMPTY SPACE - NOT FROM FILLING THE MIX WITH ENDLESS LAYERS.
WATCH THE QUICK TUTORIAL.
BUILD THE DROP FAST.
THE ODESA SHORT SHOWS THE CORE IDEA. FOLLOW THE FULL GUIDE BELOW TO DEVELOP THE VOCAL, CHORDS, BASSLINE, DRUMS, ARRANGEMENT AND MIX INSIDE YOUR OWN DAW.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE1. CHOOSE A DARK VOCAL HOOK.
START WITH A SHORT VOCAL PHRASE THAT CAN BE RECOGNISED QUICKLY. A LOWER PITCH CAN CREATE THE DEEP, MOODY CHARACTER COMMONLY HEARD IN SLAP HOUSE, BUT THE WORDS STILL NEED TO REMAIN CLEAR ENOUGH FOR THE LISTENER TO FOLLOW.
TRY TRANSPOSING THE VOCAL DOWN A FEW SEMITONES, THEN ADJUST THE FORMANT SEPARATELY IF YOUR SOFTWARE ALLOWS IT. PITCH CHANGES THE MUSICAL NOTE; FORMANT CONTROL CHANGES THE APPARENT SIZE OR CHARACTER OF THE VOICE. EXTREME SETTINGS CAN SOUND ARTIFICIAL, SO COMPARE THE PROCESSED VERSION WITH THE ORIGINAL.
USE A LINE THAT STILL FEELS COMPLETE WHEN REPEATED OR CHOPPED INTO A SHORTER HOOK.
MAKE SURE THE TRANSPOSED VOCAL SITS IN KEY BEFORE BUILDING THE BASS AND CHORDS AROUND IT.
PITCHING DOWN ADDS WEIGHT, BUT REMOVE MUD IF THE VOICE BEGINS TO CROWD THE BASS.
USE SHORT DELAY THROWS OR REVERB TAILS AT THE END OF PHRASES INSTEAD OF WASHING THE WHOLE VOCAL.
2. WRITE THE OFFBEAT BASS.
THE CHARACTERISTIC SLAP-HOUSE MOVEMENT OFTEN COMES FROM SHORT BASS NOTES PLACED BETWEEN THE FOUR KICKS. BEGIN WITH THE ROOT NOTE OF EACH CHORD, KEEP THE NOTES TIGHT, THEN ADD A SMALL RHYTHMIC OR PITCH CHANGE AT THE END OF THE PHRASE.
DESIGN A BASS THAT SLAPS WITHOUT CLICKING.
USE A PUNCHY SYNTH PATCH WITH A FAST ATTACK, SHORT DECAY AND CONTROLLED RELEASE. LAYERING A MID-BASS CHARACTER WITH A CLEAN SUB CAN WORK WELL, BUT CHECK THEIR PHASE AND TUNING. IF THE NOTE CLICKS, SOFTEN THE ATTACK SLIGHTLY OR MOVE THE SAMPLE START AWAY FROM AN ABRUPT WAVEFORM POSITION.
SIDECHAIN THE BASS TO THE KICK OR SHAPE ITS VOLUME MANUALLY. THE GOAL IS A CLEAR EXCHANGE: KICK FIRST, BASS ANSWER SECOND. A LONG BASS RELEASE CAN BLUR THAT RHYTHM AND REDUCE IMPACT.
3. KEEP THE CHORDS SIMPLE.
CHOOSE A MINOR-KEY PROGRESSION THAT SUPPORTS THE VOCAL WITHOUT COMPETING WITH IT. DARK PIANO, MUTED PLUCKS OR FILTERED SYNTH CHORDS CAN ESTABLISH THE HARMONY IN THE BREAKDOWN. IN THE DROP, REDUCE THE CHORD LAYER OR TURN IT INTO SHORT STABS SO THE BASS REMAINS THE MAIN EVENT.
4. BUILD THE DRUM GROOVE.
PLACE A SOLID KICK ON EVERY QUARTER NOTE, THEN ADD A CLAP OR SNARE ON BEATS TWO AND FOUR. CLOSED HATS CAN MARK THE OFFBEATS OR ADD A SHORTER TOP RHYTHM, WHILE QUIET PERCUSSION CREATES MOVEMENT AROUND THE MAIN PATTERN.
CHOOSE A KICK WITH A DEFINED TRANSIENT AND A TAIL THAT FITS THE KEY AND TEMPO. THE KICK DOES NOT NEED TO BE EXTREMELY LONG WHEN THE BASS ARRIVES IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT. SHORTENING ONE OR BOTH SOUNDS CAN CREATE MORE POWER THAN SIMPLY TURNING THEM UP.
5. CREATE A TIGHT BUILD.
THE BUILD SHOULD MAKE THE DROP FEEL HEAVIER WITHOUT BECOMING BUSIER THAN NECESSARY. FILTER THE VOCAL OR CHORDS, REMOVE THE FULL LOW END, INCREASE THE SNARE RHYTHM AND USE ONE CLEAR RISER. A SHORT SILENCE OR VOCAL PICKUP BEFORE THE DOWNBEAT CAN CREATE MORE ANTICIPATION THAN ANOTHER LAYER OF NOISE.
WHEN THE DROP ARRIVES, RETURN THE KICK AND BASS TOGETHER WITH THE MOST RECOGNISABLE PART OF THE VOCAL. INTRODUCE A SMALL VARIATION AFTER FOUR OR EIGHT BARS SO THE SECOND HALF DEVELOPS WITHOUT LOSING THE HOOK.
6. MIX FOR LOW-END CLARITY.
CHECK THE KICK AND BASS TOGETHER BEFORE POLISHING THE REST OF THE TRACK. HIGH-PASS VOCALS, EFFECTS AND MUSICAL LAYERS THAT DO NOT NEED SUB FREQUENCIES. KEEP THE DEEPEST LOW END MONO, THEN USE WIDTH IN THE VOCAL EFFECTS, CHORDS AND TOP PERCUSSION.
REFERENCE AT MATCHED LOUDNESS AND TAKE REGULAR BREAKS. A MIX THAT SOUNDS POWERFUL ONLY BECAUSE IT IS LOUDER CAN HIDE BALANCE PROBLEMS. LEAVE FINAL LOUDNESS FOR THE MASTERING STAGE.
A QUICK SLAP-HOUSE CHECKLIST.
- THE VOCAL HOOK IS SHORT AND EASY TO REMEMBER
- THE PITCHED VOCAL REMAINS MUSICAL AND CLEAR
- THE KICK AND BASS TAKE TURNS IN THE GROOVE
- THE BASS NOTES END BEFORE THEY CREATE MUD
- THE SUB STAYS FOCUSED NEAR THE CENTRE
- THE CHORDS SUPPORT RATHER THAN COVER THE BASS
- THE BUILD CREATES A CLEAR CONTRAST WITH THE DROP
- THE SECOND PHRASE ADDS A USEFUL VARIATION
TURN THE GROOVE INTO YOUR OWN CLUB TRACK.
WATCH MORE ODESA MUSIC-PRODUCTION TUTORIALS, THEN EXPLORE THE FREE SAMPLE PACK FOR DRUMS, LOOPS, EFFECTS, VOCALS AND MUSICAL SOUNDS TO USE IN YOUR NEXT PROJECT.