How to Make Tech House in Ableton: Step by Step
By Omar Meho, 4 November 2026
Tech house is all about groove: tight drums, a bassline that rolls and a hook that sticks. Here's the order I build it in Ableton.
1. Set the tempo
Most tech house sits between 124 and 128 BPM. I usually start at 126.
2. Build the drums
- A punchy kick on every beat.
- A clap or snare on 2 and 4.
- Closed hats on the off beat, with a little swing.
- Shakers and percussion to fill the gaps.
- Group the drums and add light bus compression.
3. Write a rolling bassline
Keep it simple and rhythmic. Short notes, mostly one or two pitches, playing around the kick. Sidechain it to the kick so they don't fight. My house bassline guide goes deeper, and the free MIDI packs give you patterns to start from.
4. Add a hook
A chopped vocal, a short stab or a quirky synth line. Repetition is the point. Change it slightly every 8 or 16 bars to keep it moving.
5. Arrange it for DJs
- Intro: 16 to 32 bars of drums for mixing in.
- Build: bring in the bass and hook.
- Breakdown: drop the kick, tease the hook.
- Drop: everything back in.
- Outro: strip back to drums for mixing out.
6. Mix and check
Keep the kick and bass clean in mono, leave headroom on the master and compare your track to a tech house record you love at the same volume.