How to Write Hardstyle Songs

You want a track that punches faces and hugs skulls at the same time. You want a kick so massive it makes the neighbor check for structural damage. You want a melody that makes people throw their hands up as if oxygen is optional. Hardstyle is angry and emotional, precise and super dramatic. It lives where squealing synths meet trampling low end. This guide gives you everything from kick surgery to arrangement maps that make dancers rage properly.

Everything here is aimed at hungry producers who want tracks that work in clubs and on mainstages. You will find practical workflows, vocal and synth tricks, mixing checklists, and examples you can steal immediately. We will define jargon so you never nod like you know what a word means while secretly Googling it in the bathroom. By the end you will have a recipe for finishing hardstyle songs that feel professional and dangerous.

What Is Hardstyle

Hardstyle is an electronic dance music style that blends hard kicks, pounding bass, dramatic melodies, and heavy use of distortion and compression. It started in the late 1990s and evolved into multiple flavors. Traditional hardstyle tends to sit around 140 to 150 beats per minute. Rawstyle often pushes the energy with more aggressive kicks and can sit slightly faster, sometimes toward 150 to 165 beats per minute.

Important terms

• BPM means beats per minute. It tells you how fast the song is. A higher BPM feels faster and more urgent.
• Kick means the main percussion hit that defines the low end and the hit you feel in your chest. In hardstyle the kick is often heavily processed and tuned.
• Reverse bass means a bass sound that hits before the kick and fills the low mid frequencies. It often creates the rolling hardstyle feel.
• Sidechain is an audio mixing technique where one signal, often the kick, controls the volume of another so the kick cuts through cleanly.
• Portamento means the glide effect that lets a synth slide between notes. It helps create the screaming lead vibe.

Choose Your Hardstyle Flavor

Hardstyle is a family with cousins who fight at family dinners. Pick your flavor before you start. Your decisions about tempo, kick design, melody density, and arrangement depend on this choice.

• Anthemic euphoric hardstyle is melodic, emotional, and built for mainstages. Expect big supersaw stacks, long leads with portamento, and nostalgic chord progressions.
• Raw hardstyle is aggressive and metallic. Expect harsh distortions, pitched percussion, and complex rhythms in the kick and bass.
• Hardsound or old school keeps it classic. Simple melodies, hard kicks with less processing, and early rave vibe.

Tempo and Groove

Pick the BPM first. If you want festival sing alongs and singing, 140 to 150 BPM is a reliable range. For rawer energy push toward 150 to 165 BPM. Faster BPM makes fills feel more urgent so your arrangement pacing must reflect that. Always set your project tempo before sound design so pitch envelopes and LFO rates remain in sync with musical timing.

Kick Design 101

If your kick sucks your song will suck no matter how pretty your melody is. The kick is both instrument and weapon. Think of it like a layered sandwich. Each layer has a job. Build it in order and do not skip steps.

Kick layers and roles

• Click and transient provide the attack that cuts through. This is the snap you hear above the mix. Use short samples or transient shaping to make the first 5 to 15 milliseconds punch.
• Mid punch is where the rhythm lives. This layer may have harmonic content. Use processed acoustic kick or synthesized mid layer. Tune it to the song key so it does not clash with the melody.
• Low sub provides the chest hit. This is a sine or low sine like tone that supports the weight. Keep it mono and phase aligned with the click.
• Body or distortion gives attitude. Use saturation, waveshaping, or amp simulation to create grit. Distortion adds harmonics so the kick remains audible on small speakers.

Practical kick design workflow

1. Start with a clean transient sample. Crop to remove extra air and tune if necessary.
2. Create a low sine sub and write a short pitch envelope to add movement. Hardstyle often uses short pitch drops on the kick to give that gnarly thing where it screams into the low.
3. Add a mid layer for thump. Use an EQ to carve space for the sub and for the click. Sidechain the mid layer lightly to the click if needed to keep the attack clear.
4. Bus these layers to a single channel. Use multiband distortion or parallel distortion to add character without destroying the sub. Keep the lowest band cleaner and distort the mid and top bands more.
5. Glue with compression and a transient shaper. Use a limiter to control peaks and then resample at the project tempo if you want consistent playback.

Real life scenario

You are in a tiny bedroom at 2 a.m. and the bass feels weak. Instead of turning everything up, check the phase relation between your sub and click. Flip the phase on one layer and listen. You will often find instant improvement. If the low end still feels muddy, pull a couple of dB out of the mid layer from 200 to 400 Hertz.

Reverse Bass and How It Works With Kick

Reverse bass is a low frequency pattern that often sits before the kick impact. It creates the hardstyle bounce and helps fill the low mid spectrum. Some producers build the reverse bass from a saw wave with heavy low pass filtering and distortion. Others resample reverse bass from a synth and shape the envelope so it breathes under the kick.

Key tips

• Tune the reverse bass to the track key so it supports the melody and does not produce nasty comb filtering.
• Sidechain the reverse bass to the kick so the kick always arrives with maximum impact.
• Use envelope shaping to avoid conflicts with the sub. The reverse bass can have a longer tail but duck quickly when the kick hits.

Melody Writing for Hardstyle

Hardstyle melodies are often big, catchy, and dramatic. They use wide intervals, portamento, and long sustain in the lead. The melody must be singable by a crowd even if sung through autotune and giant reverb.

Melodic elements that work

• Hook means the short melodic motif repeated throughout the drop. It must be instantly recognizable.
• Counter melody is a smaller opposing line that supports the hook in higher or lower register.
• Chord stab is a short chord hit that accents rhythm and gives harmonic context.

Melody writing workflow

1. Hum a line over a two bar loop. Do this for five minutes without judgement. Record the best tries.
2. Pick the strongest motif and write it out. Keep one to three notes in the motif that repeat. Simplicity equals singability.
3. Create a call and response where the call is the hook and the response is a short riff or arpeggio.
4. Test the melody over the kick and reverse bass. If the melody clashes with the low end, move it up an octave or reduce low frequency content with a high pass filter.

Vocal melody tips

Adding a human voice can make a melody unforgettable. If you use a vocal line, keep it short and clip friendly. Use phrase repetition so the crowd can sing along. If you need lyrics, think in short declarative sentences. For euphoric tracks choose themes like triumph, escape, night, or the ritual of dancing.

Lead Sound Design

Lead design in hardstyle is where many producers throw everything at the wall and then claim it is intentional. There is a method to this glorious chaos.

Classic lead building blocks

• Detuned saw stacks for width. Stack multiple saw waves and detune slightly to create a rich pad like sound.
• FM or hard sync oscillators for metallic screeches. Frequency modulation, sometimes shortened to FM, means using one oscillator to modulate the frequency of another to create harmonics.
• Formant filtering or vowel shaping to create voice like textures.
• Portamento to create sliding notes that scream between pitches.

Design workflow

1. Start with a clean oscillator stack. Tune it to the key.
2. Add a unison voice count for width but keep it controllable with detune and stereo spread.
3. Create an LFO mapped to filter cutoff for movement. Sync LFO rate to the project tempo if needed for rhythmic wobble.
4. Use distortion in stages. Light saturation early for warmth. Heavy waveshaping later for grit. Use multiband distortion to keep the sub intact.
5. Finish with a transient enhancer and a carefully set reverb. Short pre delay helps the lead sit in front of the reverb so the attack stays sharp.

Arrangement and Energy Curve

Hardstyle arrangement lives around tension and release. You want the crowd to build anticipation and then explode when the drop hits. Structure matters and timing matters. A common track length is three to five minutes but focus on peaks not length.

Common structure

• Intro with buildable drums and atmosphere
• Verse or build where you introduce motifs and voices
• Breakdown to remove the kick and give melody space
• Build up with snare rolls, rises, and pitch ascents
• Drop or climax where the kick and reverse bass return with the full lead
• Mid section with variation
• Final build and climax often with extra elements and more intensity

Build techniques

• Use white noise risers and pitch automation to create a sense of rising tension.
• Increase tempo feel by shortening percussion patterns as the build approaches the drop.
• Automate the filter cutoff on the lead to open just before the drop to make it feel like the air has been cut and then released.

Fill, Percussion and Groove

Punchy percussion can make your track groove even if the kick is a tank. Use layered hats, shakers, and percussive taps to generate momentum. Offbeat open hats are a classic hardstyle choice. Add syncopated percussion for movement between hits.

Fills are your drama punctuation. Use tom fills, reverse cymbals, and pitched hits to signal transitions. Keep fills short and make sure they support the rhythm instead of stealing focus from the build or drop.

Vocals, Chops and Lyrics

Vocals make or break a hardstyle anthem. A single memorable phrase can carry an entire festival. You can write original lyrics, sample an acapella, or use a vocal chop as an instrument. If you use samples legally clear them or use royalty free sources then process them to match your sound.

Vocal processing tips

• Pitch correct subtly to keep the human quality.
• Add formant shifts for dramatic character.
• Duplicate vocals, detune one and pan to create width.
• Use gated reverb or short plate with pre delay to keep the vocal present in fast sections.

Mixing Checklist for Hardstyle

Mixing hardstyle requires balancing extreme elements. The goal is a huge sounding kick and sub while preserving clarity for leads and vocals. Here is a checklist you can use on every track.

1. Gain staging: Make sure your individual channels are not clipping. Headroom matters more than loudness at early stages.
2. Phase check: Keep your low end mono and phase aligned. Use a phase meter or flip phase on layers to find the strongest sum.
3. High pass everything that does not need sub. This removes mud and creates space for your sub.
4. Multiband compression on the master bus can glue the track but use gentle settings. Hard limiting early will kill dynamics.
5. Boost presence with tasteful saturation then control with gentle EQ cuts for any harsh resonances created by distortion.
6. Reference your track against an industry standard hardstyle track. A/B listening is invaluable.

Mastering Notes

Mastering for hardstyle focuses on perceived loudness and clarity. Most artists will send a high quality stereo mix to a mastering engineer. If you master yourself keep modest expectations and follow these tips.

• Leave at least 3 to 6 dB of headroom on the sum before mastering.
• Use a transparent limiter with look ahead. Tweak attack and release to preserve transient punch.
• A final multiband stereo imager can widen upper mids and keep low end solidly mono.
• Check your master on small speakers and headphones to confirm that the kick translates.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Kick takes all the attention. Fix by carving a little space for the lead with EQ and by sidechaining the lead subtly to the kick.
• Leads are too wet. Fix with a shorter reverb or use send returns so you control the wet to dry ratio easily.
• No energy difference between sections. Fix by automation. Mute or thin elements in the breakdown then add layers into the drop for impact.
• Low end is muddy. Fix by tightening the kick envelope, cleaning reverse bass with transient shaping, and high passing non low end elements.
• Vocals not emotional. Fix by recording multiple takes, comping the best phrase, and adding character with small pitch variation and subtle delay.

Production Workflow That Actually Finishes Tracks

Finishing songs is the hardest part of producing. Here is a repeatable workflow that keeps you moving toward release.

1. Sketch a core idea in 30 minutes. Pick a tempo and make a two bar loop with a kick and a lead or a chord.
2. Develop the hook. Make it repeatable and playable with just a few notes. Lock it before you build the full arrangement.
3. Create the kick. Spend a focused hour here. The rest of the production will be easier once the kick sounds right.
4. Build the breakdown and the first drop. Do not overproduce beyond the first drop until you know the energy works live.
5. Mix as you go. Use simple templates for routing and bussing so you do not waste time on technical setup.
6. Get feedback from one producer and two listeners who are not producers. Ask what moment they remember. Fix one thing based on feedback and then move on.
7. Master or send to a mastering engineer. Release when you can imagine people going crazy to it in a club.

Arrangement Templates You Can Steal

Anthem template

• 0:00 Intro atmosphere with percussion loop
• 0:30 Build with vocal phrase and snare rises
• 1:00 Breakdown with full melody and no kick
• 1:30 Build up with white noise riser and snare roll
• 1:45 Drop with full kick reverse bass and lead
• 2:30 Middle break with variation
• 3:00 Climax with an extra harmony and final big drop

Raw template

• 0:00 Intro with distorted percussion
• 0:20 Short pre drop with harsh FX
• 0:40 First drop raw kick and screech lead
• 1:20 Breakdown with minimal elements
• 1:50 Build to even heavier raw drop
• 2:30 Final section with layered aggression

Real Life Example: From Bedroom Sketch to Festival Link Up

Scenario

You have two hours on a Sunday and need a demo. Open your DAW and set BPM to 150. Create a 4 bar loop. Pick a basic kick sample and a simple saw lead. Hum a hook for five minutes. Choose the best motif. Layer a sine sub under the kick and route both to a kick bus. Design a short pitch envelope on the kick to make it grab attention. Build a 16 bar breakdown with the lead and a soft pad. Automate a filter on the lead to open into the drop. Add a snare roll and a white noise riser. Drop in the full kick and reverse bass with the lead stacked. Export a rough demo as MP3 and send to a friend who plays sets at local clubs. If they say this makes people go wild, keep finishing. If they say it is missing teeth, go back and make the kick angrier or the lead more distinctive. This loop of test and change is how you get from sketch to stage.

Finishing Moves That Make Tracks Shine

• Add tiny humanizing imperfections. Slight timing shifts on hats or a real clap layered with a processed clap give life.
• Automate subtle pitch wobble or vibrato on long held lead notes for emotional effect.
• Create a short reversed tail on important vocal words to add drama into the drop.
• Use a short growl or down pitch riser under the last bar before the drop to sell weight.
• Do a final listening session in the car and on headphones. Fix anything that feels off across listening environments.

How to Collaborate and Get Signed to a Label

Hardstyle community values authenticity and energy. When you collaborate: trade stems not project files unless you trust the person. Keep stems organized and include a tempo marker and a short note about the kick tuning key. For labels prepare a clean two to three minute demo with a strong drop. Labels and DJs will sometimes only listen to the first minute so make the hook obvious early.

Networking tip

Play a small local event with your track and meet DJs. Nothing replaces people hearing your work in a club. Bring a USB with your demo and the stems. Ask for honest feedback and then ask if they would play a finished version. Real relationships move faster than cold submissions.

Practice Drills to Improve Fast

One hour kick mastery

Spend one hour designing 10 different kicks. Make each one usable. The goal is to train your ear on attack, sustain, and weight.

Twenty minute melody sprints

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Write three melody motifs. Keep the best and refine.

Mix down a drop in 45 minutes

Limit yourself to basic EQ, compression, and saturation. Force yourself to make the drop sit without over polishing.

Copyright and Sampling Basics

If you sample a vocal or audio from another track you must clear it with the rightsholder unless it is royalty free. Using unlicensed samples can get your track pulled from streaming platforms. For safety use sample packs that include clear licensing or negotiate clearance before release. If you are unsure, hire a music lawyer or a publishing agent to advise you.

FAQ

What tempo should my hardstyle song be

Most hardstyle sits between 140 and 150 BPM. Rawstyle can push faster, often toward 150 to 165 BPM. Pick a tempo that matches the vibe you want. Faster tempo increases urgency and can make fills feel more intense.

Should I design the kick before the melody

Both approaches work. Designing the kick first ensures your low end is locked in and helps tune melodic elements accordingly. Starting with a melody can lock the emotional center and then you design a kick that supports the melody. Try both methods and use whichever flow gets you to a finished drop faster.

How do I make my kick sound professional

Layer a clean click for attack, a mid layer for punch, a low sine for sub, and controlled distortion for character. Tune each layer to the key, phase align them, and use multiband distortion so you do not destroy the sub. Test on small speakers and in a car to confirm translation.

What plugins are essential for hardstyle

Synths with strong unison and FM capabilities are useful. Distortion and waveshaping plugins, multiband compressors, transient designers, and quality reverbs and delays are essential. Specific brand names matter less than learning the tools and how they affect sound.

How do I make my lead scream without muddying the mix

Use multiband distortion to add harmonics in upper bands while keeping the low end clean. High pass the lead to remove unnecessary low frequencies and place a short pre delay on reverb so the attack remains crisp. Automate presence with a slight boost in the upper mids during climaxes.

How long should a hardstyle track be

Most dance tracks finish between three and five minutes. Focus on energy peaks not length. Keep the first big drop within the first 90 seconds so DJs can preview the track quickly. Trim anything that does not add to the story or the energy curve.

Can I use vocal chops as an instrument

Absolutely. Chop a short vocal phrase, tune it to key, and play it like a synth. Use formant shifting and pitch envelopes to create unique textures. Vocal chops work great as rhythmic hooks or atmospheric layers.

How do I make my hardstyle track sound loud but not crushed

Keep dynamic contrast through arrangement. Use parallel compression to preserve transients while adding body. Limit carefully and prefer good transient preservation settings. Leave mastering to someone with fresh ears if you want maximum loudness without destroying the dynamic feel.

Get Contact Details of Music Industry Gatekeepers

Looking for an A&R, Manager or Record Label to skyrocket your music career?

Don’t wait to be discovered, take full control of your music career. Get access to the contact details of the gatekeepers of the music industry. We're talking email addresses, contact numbers, social media...

Packed with contact details for over 3,000 of the top Music Managers, A&Rs, Booking Agents & Record Label Executives.

Get exclusive access today, take control of your music journey and skyrocket your music career.

Unlock Instant Access