Melodic house lives on lush chords, a plucky theme, a warm bassline and a groove that never gets too busy. We took apart four tracks inspired by Ben Böhmer, Klur, Fejká and Adriatique in Ableton Live and Serum 2. Here are the 13 sounds that carry them.
1. Distorted chords
A little grit gives your chords warmth and attitude without stacking more layers.
Key settings:
- Distortion is the character move, subtle enough that the chords stay soft
2. Pluck lead
A short, plucky lead answers the chords instead of fighting them. Chords plus pluck, and you already have your theme.
Key settings:
- Short envelope, notes placed in the gaps of the chord rhythm
3. Deep sustained bass
A basic shape plus one tweak makes it mix ready.
Key settings:
- Serum 2: moved wavetable position and a phase change in the wavetable editor
- Solid sidechain to the kick, no EQ needed
4. Held atmo drone
The glue of the track: one drone from start to finish, and you start writing from a chord instead of a blank canvas.
Key settings:
- Voicing over D: the fourth and the seventh (G and C) keep it open and airy
- Supersaw source, filtered, Chorus and Reverb, lows cut hard
5. Minimal but groovy drums
Shaker and hats are the base, something in the low mids fills it out.
Key settings:
- Perc loop with hits on the fourth 16th, the groove position
- Snap nudged slightly early so its transient lands just before the clap: clap = body, snap = top end
6. Big epic chords with layering
For that analog synth sound, layer complementary sounds, not similar ones.
Key settings:
- Filtered saw for the lower mids, an airier layer one octave up with unison
- Two extra pads play only the top voice of the chords (A, G#, E)
7. Vibe plucks with delay
A mellow, sine inspired sound that the processing pushes through the mix.
Key settings:
- Serum 2: one extra harmonic in the wavetable editor, LFO on coarse pitch for analog drift
- Long delay, Hyper/Dimension, Reverb and a multiband that brings out the attack
8. Distorted lead
Aggressive but nostalgic, ideal for something new in the breakdown.
Key settings:
- Heavy tube distortion, long reverb, Haas style delay, high end tamed
- Melody = the top voice of the chords from Sound 6, so the track stays cohesive
9. Toms for low end groove
Sustained basslines don't move much. Toms bring the movement back.
Key settings:
- Toms tuned to the key, annoying frequencies cut
- One tom note with a delay for a rolling low rumble
10. Punchy saw plucks for drops
Just a saw at first glance. The punch comes from a second oscillator, like on a kick.
Key settings:
- Osc B: sine two octaves down with a fast pitch envelope, filtered so you get punch, not sub
- A four bar theme over a fixed root, while the chords change underneath (D# minor, B major, G# minor, C# major)
11. LFO chords as a build up tool
They come in 16 bars before the break and take over in it.
Key settings:
- One mod wheel controls filter and LFO rate across the whole section
- The rate goes up, then back down, so the drop hits slower
12. Short notes with deep delay
A Ben Böhmer favourite: very short notes, lots of reverb and a deep delay behind them.
Key settings:
- Envelope follower ducks the delay while a note plays and brings it back in the gaps
- Three notes: the lowest follows the chords, the two on top change their interval and form the melody
13. Vocals
Use them sparingly or across the whole track. The key is variation.
Key settings:
- Backing vocals (pitched up 7 semitones or heavily processed) only in the drops
- Ahs and oohs drenched in reverb in between
Get the projects behind all 13 sounds
Every sound here comes from a project in the melodic house sound pack Sunset Vibes Vol. 2. Open the projects, solo each layer, and use the samples, Serum 2 presets and MIDI files for your own sunset tracks.
Watch the full breakdown
Hear all 13 sounds played, soloed and explained in context: Watch "13 Melodic House Sound Essentials" on YouTube.
FAQ
What sounds do you need for melodic house?
Layered chords, a short pluck theme, a sidechained sustained bass, minimal drums and an atmospheric drone.
How do I make melodic house chords sound bigger?
Layer sounds with different timbres and ranges, and give the top voice of your chords its own airy layer.
How do I keep a melodic house track cohesive?
Write your lead from the top voice of your chords. The chords tell you what to play on top.
Reference tracks
Typical reference tracks for this style are:
- Klur - Impossible
- Teho - Origins (Fejká Remix)
- Adriatique, Marino Canal - Home
- Ben Böhmer, Jonah - Caught Up in the Fire
