How to make tech house drums
Tech house drums are simple on paper and all about the details: a kick that never stops, a clap on 2 and 4, hats that roll, and a few percussion hits in the right places. Here is how to build them, part by part.
Part by part
- Tempo: 124 to 128 BPM. 126 is a good start.
- Kick on every beat. Pick a short, punchy kick so the bass has room between the hits.
- Clap on beats 2 and 4, on top of the kick.
- Open hat on every offbeat, halfway between the kicks. This is the bounce.
- Closed hats on the sixteenths in between, leaving out the offbeats where the open hat plays.
- Swing the sixteenths 10 to 20 percent. The kick and clap stay on the beat; the hats move, and the groove appears.
- One or two percussion hits off the grid, like the sixteenth before beat 3. This is where tech house gets playful.
- A fill every fourth bar: drop the last kick, add a clap roll, or open the hats.
Hear exactly this, with real samples, in our tech house drum pattern, or let the beat generator write variations.
Sounds
Tech house uses tighter, drier sounds than classic house: short kicks, crisp claps, short closed hats and a lot of percussion. Avoid long reverbs on the drums; the groove needs space.
Mix tips
- Sidechain the bass to the kick so they never overlap.
- Keep kick and bass in mono below about 150 Hz.
- Turn the closed hats down more than you think. They are texture, not a lead.
- Vary the velocity of the hats for a played feel.
16 free tech house drums
Kicks, snares, claps, hi-hats, percussion and two loops from our RAW POWER pack, plus three guitar loops and five Serum 2 presets. Royalty-free.
Questions
What BPM is tech house?
Usually 124 to 128 BPM, most often 125 or 126.
How much swing does tech house use?
Around 10 to 20 percent on the sixteenths. The kick and clap stay straight; the hats in between carry the swing.
What is the difference between tech house and house drums?
Tech house uses tighter, shorter sounds and more percussion, closer to techno. House is often warmer, looser and swings more.
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