Deep House
House · 1985 · 115 to 125 BPM
In 1986, Larry Heard laid down the deep house formula with Can You Feel It: sustained, jazzy synthesizer chords, a supple bass line, discreet drums and a gentle melancholy. It is house built for listening as much as dancing, introspective and harmonically rich. New York and New Jersey dressed it in vocals, while Chicago kept it instrumental, and for forty years it has quietly run through everything tender in house music, shaping how producers everywhere treat chords and space.
16 reference tracks
- Mr. Fingers: Mystery of Love (1985)
- Mr. Fingers: Can You Feel It (1986)
- M1: Stars (Light mix) (1992)
- Progetto Tribale: Bongo Midi (1992)
- Moodymann: Black Mahogani (2004)
- Kerri Chandler: Bar A Thym (1998)
- Chaos In The CBD: Intimate Fantasy (2022)
- Hessian (6), LAR (2), Keepa: One Last Touch (2025)
- Chicane: The Sleepless Year / Freefall (Beatless Mixes) (2025)
- Open House & Placid Angels: Rainforest (1992)
- Zerb & Rita Ora: If It's Not Love (2026)
- Eric Luttrell: LOVE (2026)
- Kerri Chandler: On My Way
- Theo Parrish: Paradise Architects
- Modjo: Acknowledgement
- Theo Parrish: Heal Yourself And Move
At a glance
- Tempo: 115 to 125 BPM
- First appeared: around 1985
- Machines: Roland Juno-60, Roland Juno-106, Fender Rhodes, Roland TR-909, Roland SH-101
- The sound: Roland Juno-60 en nappes, Rhodes et accords septième, Roland TR-909 feutrée, Basse SH-101
- Labels: Alleviated Records, Prescription, Mule Musiq, Local Talk, Freerange, Guidance
- Key artists: Larry Heard, Ron Trent, Chez Damier, Kerri Chandler, Moodymann, Theo Parrish
Producing Deep House
Aim for 118 to 123 bpm, never faster, with moderate 54 to 56 percent swing on the hats, a straight kick, and chords sitting 10 to 20ms behind the beat, held over one or two bars. Build a muted 909: short kick decay, a soft clap or rim instead of snare, closed hats at low velocity, a quiet open hat on the offbeats. For bass, use an SH-101 style sawtooth, filtered around 200 to 400Hz with light glide, a melodic line with passing notes and sevenths like a jazz bassist. The heart is the chord: Juno voicings held over a slowly opening filter, answered by a Rhodes and a distant string pad, everything soft, never bright.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Deep House?
In 1986, Larry Heard laid down the deep house formula with Can You Feel It: sustained, jazzy synthesizer chords, a supple bass line, discreet drums and a gentle melancholy. It is house built for listening as much as dancing, introspective and harmonically rich. New York and New Jersey dressed it…
What tempo is Deep House played at?
Between 115 and 125 BPM.
Who are the key Deep House artists?
Larry Heard, Ron Trent, Chez Damier, Kerri Chandler, Moodymann, Theo Parrish.
