HOW TO BECOME A DISCO HOUSE PRODUCER (literally)

 HOW TO BECOME A DISCO HOUSE PRODUCER (literally)

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE!!! How are you tonight? I'm sorry that it has been a long time since this blog was even a thing. I really need to be on it even more... anyways, since 2026 is the year that disco house revival would hit an all-time high, I really want to give advice to someone who really loves this music and wants to become a full-time disco house producer. I am DJ Supernick, and today I am going to be your instructor. If you are a first-time producer and think it is the best time to start producing music I want to clarify you that making music could take time and talent. I will walk through some of the strategies that I have learned with many producers who use Ableton or FL Studio (I use Ableton so that is the case). Not only do I have strategies to give you, but these strategies can and will actually help you.

THE POINT IS...

Teaching yourself or being taught by someone who is already an amateur/professional producer at the stake of this can get real if you are really looking forward to giving your first song. You need a minimum of a year of learning the principles of disco house music compositions and background (unless if you are a very fast learner). If you already know how to get to the point just make sure to download Ableton, FL Studio, BandLabs, or anything you could find. Just as you found the program you downloaded, the main thing you are going to see is either a demo project/live set or simply nothing/blank page. I highly encourage you to start off with a simple drum loop. In case your drum loop sounds bad, keep experimenting your sound, or get some sample packs or something (I use Vengeance Essential House packs).

(drum loop and sample)

SAMPLES

I do not own most of the samples that I use. They are simply a tribute to the genres I love and enjoy. Examples include Italo disco, Hi-NRG, disco, R&B, soul, etc. You have to be aware that sampling could be a deal depending on the artist and how popular their songs are. If you are skeptic of picking samples, try this website. Or if you are afraid of being copyright stricken, just simply use pre-recorded samples here. The less popular, the better your sampling goes. I prefer to use least popular/forgotten songs from the 1970s or 1980s like Bobby Sax - Caribbean Disco (1976). In other cases, I use MIDIs and soundbites.

MELODY

The melodies are what you come up with by humming or imagining it. Like samples, melodies can use a bit of importance. To do this, use a MIDI preset like an FM Piano. I don't really have a MIDI connector from my keyboard to the computer, so what now? Anyways, most programs have instrument and/or preset MIDIs to program your melodies. It has to be catchy, memorable, and most importantly, auditorily appealing to your song.

MASTERING/MIXING

Don't get me wrong, mastering is quite difficult for some people. That also applies to mixing, in which your drums could sound loud or your other instruments. You have to listen to your project/song many times and find some mastering issues. Remove high peaks using the limiter (between -6dB and -3dB ot provide headroom for mastering). Perform a subtractive EQ with high-pass filter below 30Hz to remove unwanted, muddy frequencies. Use a glue compressor if you want to make the sound better (use low ratio between 1.5 and 2). If you are satisfied with the sound, save your project file and export your track to an audio file (WAV/MP3).

FEELING TIRED? TAKE A REST!

Most disco house producers could stay up for hours trying to finish a track for someone or for themselves. It doesn't matter how bored you get when you are trying your hardest to figure out how your song should sound like. If you are feeling tired, take a 10-to-20-minute break. That way, your mind could be refreshed, and you could continue your project as long as you need to, just to be sure you are doing what is right. I hope you enjoy this step-to-step guide on how to become a disco house producer, and I am so happy to teach you the basics behind the entire thing. Like I said, it takes time, talent, and patience. If you're like me and get stuck, just remember what I said. I hope you have a great rest of your night. PEACE & LUV Y'ALL.