Structural strategies

We’re not at the arrangement stage yet, but it’s still useful to have a loose idea about how your track will unravel over time. If you want your music to be played in clubs, you’ll need to create an arrangement that a DJ can work with, and the usual strategy is to use distinct sections; combining breakdowns, build-ups and drops in order to keep contrast, energy and impact as high as possible throughout the track.

First comes the intro, which normally works best at one to two minutes in length: that’s long enough to set the tone and build tension, while providing the DJ enough time to blend the track over the outro of the previous record. The intro is an exposition of the melodic and/or vocal themes of the track, where we tease the listener with a taste of what’s to come.

After this, it’s time for the drop! Send the crowd into a frenzy by dropping in the bassline and stripping back some of the introductory musical elements – less is often more, after all. This hard-hitting section can then be developed with the addition of extra percussion and musical/vocal layers as this core groove chugs along. Check out 242’s The Drop! cover feature for heaps of in-depth arrangement approaches and drop strategies.

The listener gets a well-earned breather as the drums and bass are filtered or removed for the main breakdown. The tension is then progressively increased with added musical elements and FX, building towards the second drop. Here, the track should reach fever pitch, using fresh elements and the further development of ideas from the first drop. Finally, by progressively removing sounds, the track will naturally wind down, providing the DJ with an uncluttered outro for mixing purposes.

This is just one particular blueprint for a generic house arrangement, of course – it’s up to you to replicate, modify or subvert tried-andtested formulas to design your own bespoke track structures.

“Keep the impact as high as possible throughout”