The Secrets of House Music Production: A Reference Manual from Sample Magic

The biggest name in dance sample libraries brings you the essential guide to producing cutting-edge house music. After four years producing award-winning sample collections, Sample Magic share the secrets of house music production in this 144-page full-colour book packed with hundreds of walkthroughs, hints, tips and insights from some of the biggest names in the industry. All parts of the production process are covered, including: making beats, drum sounds, basslines, structure, instrumentals, FX, mixing, vocals, mastering, remixes, programming ideas and more. Every style of house is covered, from minimal to tribal, electro to progressive, soulful to jackin'. In-depth tutorials reveal the tricks of the pros, with step-by-step tutorials using Logic, Cubase and Ableton. A bonus CD includes 500+MB of exclusive samples to get you started. Written by Marc Adamo (DJ Magazine, Future Music) with contributions from Wolfgang Gartner, Way Out West,

Most dance producers hone their craft through a combination of listening, reading and many hours of painstaking trial and error in the studio. Sample Magic's new book, The Secrets of House Music Production, offers house producers a way to bypass all that, with a guide that unmasks many techniques used by he pros.

Spread across 144 pages, the book covers all styles of house, from electro and fidget to minimal, soulful and progressive, and features illustrated walkthroughs using Logic, Cubase, Ableton and a variety of other softwares.

Written by Marc Adamo, the text is easy to read but packed with intricate details, giving you the feeling that you're being allowed unprecedented access to a world of programming secrets.

The chapters move through essential topics such as making beats and basslines and adding instruments, vocals and FX, but also touch on song structure, synthesis, mixing and mastering. There are also tips from big name producers and a bonus 500MB CD featuring 500MB of 24-bit WAVs taken from Sample Magic's excellent sample libraries.

The illustrations and walkthroughs really are fantastic, showing precise settings for instruments and plug-ins, plus suggested MIDI arrangements for beats, basslines and chords in different styles.

The only down-sides are the slightly thin cover and the fact that there are no audio files on the disc to reference the topics discussed in each chapter. These niggles aside, this is a great book that is essential reading for any house producers who want to fast-track their progress and get hundreds of tips in one place. Although the walkthroughs lean mainly towards making house music in Logic and Ableton, there are plenty of techniques relevant to all genres of electronic music.

Verdict: A superb book stuffed with intricate walkthroughs, illustrations and techniques. Essential reading.

MusicTech Choice Award --MusicTech Magazine Feb 2010