How to Write French House Songs

You want that bubbly, sweaty, hands in the air French house sound. You want filtered disco loops that sound like champagne and diesel. You want basslines that sit like a velvet couch and vocal chops that act like a hook on a leash. This guide gives you a road map that actually works whether you are in a bedroom studio or in a laundromat with a laptop and too many ideas.

Everything here is written for millennial and Gen Z producers who want results fast. Expect real life scenarios, plain language for every term and acronym, and step by step workflows you can use right now. We will cover tempo and groove, sample selection and chopping, filter automation, envelope shaping, drum programming, bass design, arrangement, mixing tips, legal stuff for samples, and a finishing checklist. Yes there will be vocal chops and talk about compression that does not require a PhD in sound.

What Is French House

French house is a style of house music that came out of France in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Think Daft Punk, Cassius, Étienne de Crécy, and Stardust. It borrows from disco, funk, and soul. Producers sample old records then manipulate them with filters, chopping, repetition, and heavy groove. The sound is warm, loop driven, and often playful. It sits between nostalgia and modern club energy.

Real life scenario

• You hear a thirty second disco loop on a secondhand vinyl at a flea market. You record it, pitch it down, filter it, add four on the floor and a bassline that repeats like a mantra. Two weeks later people are dancing so hard the DJ booth starts to smell like burnt coffee and glory.

Core Ingredients of a French House Track

French house is distinctive because of a small set of production choices that you can learn and then twist your own way. Here are the pillars.

• Sample based loops taken from disco, funk, soul, or vintage pop records. Producers chop and repeat these loops to make a new musical idea.
• Filter automation using low pass and high pass filters that open and close to create movement and tension.
• Groovy drums often with swing or humanization to feel alive and not robotic.
• Fat, warm basslines that lock with the kick and often use analog style synths or processed sampled bass.
• Vocal chops and stabs used as a melodic hook or rhythmic device.
• Saturation and compression to glue elements together and add vintage grit.

Tempo and Groove

French house usually sits between 115 and 125 BPM. That tempo is slow enough for a heavy groove and fast enough for a dance floor. Choose a BPM in that range and commit.

Groove is not only tempo. Groove is the relationship between the kick, the bass, and the sampled loop. If the loop is from an old disco record recorded slightly behind the beat you can either quantize it for tightness or keep the feel and move the drums to fit it. Both choices work. The key is to make the elements breathe together.

Swing and humanization

Swing is a timing adjustment that delays every second 16th or 8th note to create a loping rhythm. Most DAWs have a swing or groove setting. Use it lightly to make the hi hats and percussion feel less mechanical. Humanization means nudging velocities and timing slightly off the grid. Try nudging a hi hat by 4 to 12 milliseconds and lowering velocity for one in every three hits. Instant life.

Real life example

You make a drum loop and it sounds stiff. Put your snare slightly behind the beat and nudge the bass a few milliseconds ahead. The loop breathes and suddenly sounds like a band in a small sweaty bar instead of a drum machine in a sterile studio.

Sample Hunting and Legal Basics

Finding the right sample is the art. Using it legally is the adulting part. Two paths exist if you want to avoid lawsuits.

• Clear the sample which means you get permission from the rights holders. This is expensive and slow but safe for commercial release.
• Use a cleared or royalty free sample from a library that explicitly allows you to use loops in commercial music.
• Recreate the part by recording a cover of the original phrase or hiring a musician to play a similar groove. This removes the original sound recording rights but you still must be careful with composition rights if it is very similar.

Explain acronyms

• Copyright protects the recording and the composition. Recording rights belong to the owner of the specific recorded performance. Composition rights belong to the songwriter and publisher. Clearing both is required to use someone's original recording freely.

Real life scenario

You find a perfect loop on a dusty vinyl. You make a track and it starts to blow up on playlists. The label contacts you and asks for a share. You either sign a deal that gives them a cut or you reach out ahead of time and clear the sample. Do not assume small means invisible.

Chopping and Processing Samples

Chopping is the process of cutting a longer recording into short slices you can rearrange. It allows you to create new loops and melodies from one phrase.

Workflow for chopping

1. Import the loop into your DAW at the correct tempo. If the sample is not the same tempo use warp or time stretch carefully so the groove stays intact.
2. Listen for hits and transients. Place markers at the start of each slice.
3. Slice into sections and rearrange to find a groove. Try repeating a small slice to create a new hook.
4. Pitch the slices up or down for color. Pitch changes can also alter the groove feel. One octave down adds weight. A fifth up adds brightness.
5. Process each slice with EQ, compression, and saturation to make it sit in the mix and to unify the tone.

Tips that matter

• Use high pass and low pass filters to remove mud and to create movement when automating the cutoff.
• Use transient shaping to make slice attacks sharper. This helps the sample cut through the drums.
• Saturate before filtering for a nice analog style grit. Or saturate after filtering to add sheen. Experiment.

Filter Automation and Movement

Filter automation is a hallmark of French house. The classic trick is a sweeping low pass filter that opens on the chorus or the drop and closes for build. This creates the classic "swoosh then reveal" sensation.

Types of filters and terms explained

• LPF means low pass filter. It lets low frequencies pass and removes high frequencies. Use it to make a sample sound muffled and then open it up.
• HPF means high pass filter. It does the opposite. It removes low frequencies and keeps highs.
• Resonance boosts frequencies near the cutoff. Add resonance for vowel like peaks but be careful because too much can sound harsh.
• LFO means low frequency oscillator. It modulates parameters like cutoff at a rhythmic speed. If you set an LFO to quarter notes you get a pulsing filter effect.

Practical automation ideas

• Automate a gentle LPF from closed to open across a 16 bar build. It creates anticipation while keeping energy contained.
• Use an LFO on filter cutoff synced to tempo for subtle pulsing during verses.
• Use step automation to chop the filter in a rhythmic pattern that becomes a percussive element.

Drums and Percussion That Groove

Drums in French house are not overly complex. The magic is in the sound choice and the feel.

Kick

Use a punchy kick with a clear transient and a controlled low end. Sidechain the bass and powerful elements to the kick so the energy does not get muddy.

Snare and clap

Layer claps and snares for body. Tape saturation or a little reverb in the pre delay can give the clap a room. Don’t drown the loop. The sample often carries the midrange and percussion should complement it.

Hi hats and shakers

Hi hats often play consistent patterns with swing. Use closed and open hats to create motion. A tambourine or shaker sample layered quietly can add groove without stealing focus from the sample.

Programming tips

• Use velocity differences to make patterns breathe.
• Add small ghost notes on the offbeat for forward motion.
• Keep the drums simple and let the sample and bassline carry the complexity.

Basslines That Lock With the Kick

A great French house bassline is simple, repetitive, and powerful. It often uses analog synths or sampled electric bass processed with compression and saturation.

Design tips

• Start with a sine or saw based patch and low pass filter to remove harshness.
• Sidechain the bass to the kick for rhythmic pumping. Sidechain means routing the kick to a compressor on the bass so the bass ducks when the kick hits.
• Use octave jumps or short slides to add interest without complicating the pattern.
• Compress to keep level consistent and add saturation to give harmonics that make the bass audible on small speakers.

Real life scenario

You have a bass that is too busy and a loop that fights it. Simplicity wins. Remove notes and make the bass play one strong root note that breathes. Add a tiny slide on the last beat of the bar. The groove locks and the dancers return to the floor.

Vocal Chops, Stabs, and Hooks

Vocal chops are the tiny bits of singing that become a melody. They are often pitched, repeated, and filtered. In French house the voice is treated like an instrument rather than a full lyric delivery.

How to make tasty vocal chops

1. Find a vocal phrase with a clear tonality.
2. Chop it into syllables or small vowels.
3. Tune the chops to your track key or leave them slightly off for character.
4. Apply formant shifting to change the perceived character without changing pitch drastically.
5. Use reverb and delay to create space. Keep delays tempo synced for rhythmic interest.

Tip on phrasing

Repeat a single chop as a motif and change the last repeat for a twist. Example motif: oh oh oh oh ba. The last ba can be pitched or filtered to create tension then release.

Arrangement and Song Form

French house tracks often revolve around loop evolution. The arrangement is all about changing the loop through automation and adding or subtracting elements at the right time.

Common structure you can steal

• Intro with filtered loop and percussion. This sets mood and tempo.
• First drop when the filter opens and the kick enters fully.
• Verse where the loop is thin and elements are removed to create space.
• Build with filter automation and risers leading to the main drop.
• Main drop or chorus where the loop, bass, and full drums are present.
• Breakdown to create contrast and reintroduce new vocal chops or synths.
• Final drop with extra energy or variation like a harmony or extra percussion.

Arrangement map you can use right now

1. 00:00 to 00:30 Intro with filtered loop and kick only.
2. 00:30 to 01:00 Add bass and hi hats. Slightly open the filter.
3. 01:00 to 01:30 Full drums and main hook. Let it breathe for a bar or two.
4. 01:30 to 02:00 Breakdown. Remove drums and add a new chop or riser.
5. 02:00 to 02:40 Main drop again with extra percussion or harmonic layer.
6. 02:40 to 03:30 Variation and final run through of the hook. End with a filtered fade or DJ friendly outro.

Mixing Tricks That Keep the Soul

You can over mix and kill the groove. The goal is to make each part audible and keep the warmth. Here are safe bets.

• EQ Remove frequency collisions. Give the sample the midrange it needs. Cut unnecessary lows from the sample if the bass and kick need space.
• Sidechain Use sidechain compression to make the kick talk. This is important for the bass and pads.
• Saturation Add saturation to the sample and drum buss for warmth. Use tape emulation or tube saturation for vintage flavor.
• Bus compression Use gentle compression on the drum bus to glue percussion together.
• Reverb and delay Use short plate reverbs for drums and longer tails for vocal chops. Keep reverb pre delay small so the groove stays tight.

Explain acronyms

• EQ means equalizer. It adjusts frequency levels.
• LUFS stands for Loudness Units relative to Full Scale. It measures perceived loudness. For streaming it is useful to keep this in mind when mastering.
• RMS measures average power. It is less useful than LUFS for streaming but still commonly referenced in mixing.

Sonic Details That Make Tracks Sound Expensive

These little things add premium gloss without spending hours on one sound.

• Layer a subtle vinyl crackle under the sample for vintage character. Keep it low and in the high mids so it is felt more than heard.
• Add a transient designer on the drum buss to tighten or soften attacks.
• Automate small pitch bends on vocal chops for human flavor.
• Use parallel compression on the drum buss for punch while keeping dynamics.

Finishing Touches and Mastering Prep

Before you master, make sure the mix has headroom. Export your file at the highest bit depth your DAW supports and leave at least 6 dB of headroom. A good mastering engineer or a decent mastering plugin will appreciate that.

Quick checklist

• Reference tracks in the same genre to check tonal balance and loudness.
• Check mono compatibility to avoid phase cancellations on club rigs.
• Listen on small speakers and headphones to ensure bass is readable.
• Export stems if you plan to send to collaborators or a mastering engineer.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Here are the traps producers fall into and the fix you can do in under an hour.

• Over filtered chorus The filter is meant for drama not hiding. If the chorus loses life when the filter opens, boost presence around 2 to 4 kHz and add a subtle top end saturator.
• Busy samples If your sample competes with the vocal chop or bass, carve space with EQ or sidechain the competing element out on key notes.
• Too much reverb If the track becomes muddy, reduce reverb decay and increase high frequency roll off on the reverb send.
• No groove If the drums feel stiff, add swing or nudge specific hits off grid. Sometimes moving the bass by a few milliseconds fixes the whole tune.

Creative Exercises to Get French House Ideas Fast

These exercises are time boxed so you cannot overthink. The goal is to produce ideas you can later refine.

Five minute sample flip

1. Load one disco loop into your DAW.
2. Set tempo to 120 BPM.
3. Chop the loop into sections and rearrange for five minutes only.
4. Pick the best two bar phrase and loop it. Add a kick and clap. Done. You have a starting point.

Ten minute filter workout

1. Take your loop and set an LPF with resonance.
2. Automate the cutoff for the next ten minutes to create evolving patterns. Record automation into a new clip if your DAW supports it.
3. Pick the automation that creates the best tension curve and use it in your arrangement.

Collab scratch

Send a short 16 bar loop to a friend and ask them to add one element only. It could be a hi hat, a bass stab, or a vocal chop. Collabs break your bubble and give you ideas faster than hours alone.

Tools and Plugins Often Used in French House

There is no required gear. However these tools are common and provide quick results.

• DAW means digital audio workstation. Examples: Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro. Pick one and learn it well.
• Simpler or Sampler instruments for quick chops.
• Filter plugins with musical resonance. Many DAWs have native filters that work well.
• Saturation plugins like Decapitator, Kramer Tape, or free options like Softube Saturation Knob.
• Compressor with sidechain capability. Most compressors do this. Look for look ahead and release settings you can sync to tempo.
• Delay and reverb with tempo sync for rhythmic space.

Real Life Case Study

Producer Sam finds an old vinyl at a thrift store. There is a four bar phrase with a horn stab and a vocal ad lib. Sam records the sample, chops the vocal into a short syllable, and loops the horn stab. The kick is a clean 909 style sample. Sam sidechains a warm Moog style bass to the kick and automates an LPF to open over the chorus. Sam adds a vinyl crackle low in the mix and uses parallel compression on the drums. The track goes to a local DJ who plays it at a bar night. People react. The next week a label reaches out with a sample clearance request. Sam clears the sample with a negotiated split and releases the track on streaming services. The track gets playlisted and becomes a small hit. The steps were simple. The execution was intentional.

Action Plan You Can Use Today

1. Find a single loop to build around. Use a royalty free library if you want to skip clearance work.
2. Set your BPM between 115 and 125.
3. Chop the loop into small pieces and create a two bar hook.
4. Program a simple drum pattern and add swing or humanize timing.
5. Create a bassline that locks with the kick and sidechain it for movement.
6. Add vocal chops and process them with pitch and filter automation.
7. Arrange by adding and removing elements across 16 bar blocks and automate a filter for tension.
8. Mix with EQ, saturation, and gentle compression and leave headroom for mastering.

Frequently Asked Questions

What BPM is best for French house

French house usually sits between 115 and 125 beats per minute. That range supports a heavy groove while keeping movement on the dance floor. If you want more chill energy choose the lower end. For faster club impact go higher.

Do I have to sample vinyl to make French house

No. Sampling vinyl is classic and gives tone and texture. You can use cleared sample libraries or recreate parts with modern instruments. The essence is in the treatment such as chopping, filtering, and groove rather than the source medium.

How do I avoid legal issues when sampling

Clear the sample by getting permission from the recording owner and the songwriter. Use royalty free samples or recreate the performance yourself. If you cannot clear a sample then do not release it commercially without proper clearance.

What plugins are essential for this genre

There are no essential plugins. Useful tools include a sampler for chops, a good low pass and high pass filter, saturation for warmth, a compressor with sidechain, and delay and reverb that sync to tempo. Most DAWs provide capable native tools.

How important is the filter sweep

Very important. Filter sweeps are a signature sound. They create tension and release. Use them tastefully and pair them with arranging choices so the sweep highlights a change rather than hides poor structure.

Can I sing live vocals over French house

Yes. Many producers blend live vocals with chops to create contrast. Live vocals can be treated with reverb, delay, and subtle pitch correction. Keep them in a range that complements the sampled loop.

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