Everything About
House Music

The definitive guide to genres, terminology, history, and culture of house — from disco house to deep house.

đŸŽĩ Explore genres 📖 Glossary
🎧 Core genres

The three pillars of house

Each of these genres is a distinct universe with its own history, sound, and philosophy.

đŸ•ē

Disco House

Origins: Mid-1990s as a reaction to cold techno sounds. Combines the groove of 70s disco with modern rhythms and production.

Key features: live strings, horns, vocal samples, funk bass, filters, energetic tempo (120–128 BPM).

Pioneers: Daft Punk, Bob Sinclar, Dimitri from Paris.

📀

Classic House

Origins: Chicago, mid-1980s. Foundation — four-on-the-floor, drum machines (TR-808, TR-909), and deep bass.

Key features: piano riffs, organ, gospel-style vocals, minimal arrangements, groove.

Pioneers: Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, Larry Heard, Adonis.

🌊

Deep House

Origins: Late 1980s — early 1990s (Chicago, New York). Slower tempo (120–125 BPM), atmospheric, emotional.

Key features: dense sub-bass, atmospheric pads, jazz chords, long transitions, meditative groove.

Pioneers: Larry Heard (Mr. Fingers), Kerri Chandler, Masters at Work.

📖 Terminology

House music glossary

Over 30 key concepts to help you understand the genre deeper.

Four-on-the-floor
A rhythmic pattern where the kick drum hits on every quarter note. The foundation of house music.
Rhythm
Filter sweep
A gradual change of the filter cutoff frequency (usually low-pass), creating a "rising" or "falling" effect.
Sound design
Sidechain compression
Compression synchronized with the kick drum — the bass or pad is ducked on each kick hit, creating a "breathing" effect. A hallmark of house.
Production
Piano riff
A short repeated piano phrase — the signature of Classic House (e.g., "Your Love" by Frankie Knuckles).
Instruments
Dub mix
A mix without main vocals or with minimal vocals, focusing on rhythm, effects, and instrumental parts. Often used for remixes.
Arrangement
Acid bass
A bass sound created with a resonant filter and distortion on a synthesizer (e.g., TB-303). Popular in late 80s acid house.
Synthesis
TR-808 / TR-909
Legendary Roland drum machines. 808 — for deep boom-bass, 909 — for punchy kick and snare. The backbone of classic house rhythm sections.
Equipment
TB-303
Roland bass synthesizer, famous for its "acid" sound. Its distinctive squelchy timbre spawned a whole subgenre.
Equipment
Vocal chops
Short vocal samples cut into rhythmic fragments, used as rhythmic elements or melodic hooks. Popular in disco house.
Sampling
Groove
The overall feel of rhythmic movement, a sense of "swing." In house, achieved through swing, drum offsets, and interplay between bass and kick.
Rhythm
Chicago house
The original style born in Chicago in the mid-80s. Minimalist, using drum machines and simple but memorable melodies.
History
French house
The French branch of disco house (Daft Punk, Stardust). Characterized by filtering, funk samples, and a tight, compressed sound.
Regional
Garage house
A New York subgenre, more soul- and jazz-oriented, often with gospel vocals. Associated with the Paradise Garage club.
Regional
Soulful house
A direction emphasizing emotional vocals, live instruments, and deep lyrics. Close to deep house but with brighter melodies.
Style
Progressive house
A more epic and melodic subgenre, with long build-ups and complex structures. Originated in the early 90s in the UK.
Style
Filter house
A style using heavy filtering (usually low-pass) as a primary technique. Peak popularity — late 90s (Daft Punk, Cassius).
Sound design
Microhouse
A minimalist, experimental subgenre focusing on micro-rhythms, glitches, and detailed sound design.
Experimental
Breakbeat
A rhythmic structure where syncopated breaks are used instead of four-on-the-floor. Not used in pure form in house, but influences some substyles.
Rhythm
Remix
An alternative version of a track made by another producer. In house culture, remixes are essential — they often become more famous than the original.
Culture
Bassline
The foundational bass part that defines harmony and groove. In house, the bassline is often synthesized and syncopated with the kick.
Instruments
Drop
The moment of maximum sonic density after a build-up. In house, the drop is usually less aggressive than in electro house, but still energetic.
Arrangement
Jazz chords
Using extended chords (7ths, 9ths) to create harmonic richness. Characteristic of deep house.
Harmony
Pad
A long, smooth synthesizer sound that creates atmosphere. Often used in deep house and progressive house.
Timbre
Stab
A short, sharp chord or sound used as a rhythmic or harmonic accent. Common in classic house (piano stabs).
Timbre
Sampling
Using fragments of other recordings (vocals, melody, rhythm) in a new composition. The foundation of disco house and many other styles.
Production
Swing
A slight offset of percussion (usually hi-hats) relative to a strict grid, giving the rhythm a "human" groove and bounce.
Rhythm
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
The number of beats per minute — the tempo. House typically ranges from 118 to 128 BPM. Disco house can be faster (up to 130), deep house slower (115–122).
General
Crate digger
A DJ or collector who actively searches for rare vinyl records in stores ("crates") for use in sets or for sampling.
Culture
Edit
A shortened or extended version of a track where the producer changes the structure, adds or removes sections. Often done for club use.
Arrangement
DJ set
A live performance by a DJ consisting of a continuous mix of tracks. In house culture, the set is the primary form of presenting music.
Performance
Vinyl
A vinyl record — the traditional medium for house music. Many producers and DJs value analog warmth and the tactility of vinyl.
Format
Compressor
An audio processor that reduces dynamic range. In house, it's heavily used for "gluing" the mix together and creating a dense, loud sound.
Production
Reverb
Artificial creation of spatial depth. Used to create atmosphere, especially in deep house.
Effects
Delay
An audio effect that repeats sound. Often applied to vocals, synths, and percussion to create space.
Effects
📝 Articles

Educational content

History, technology, people — everything that shapes house culture.

📜
June 15, 2026

Birth of house: Chicago, 1985

How a whole genre grew out of underground parties in Chicago warehouses. The story of the Warehouse club and Frankie Knuckles.

Read more →
🎹
June 10, 2026

Drum machines that changed house

TR-808, TR-909, TB-303 and other legendary instruments that defined the sound of generations.

Read more →
🎤
June 5, 2026

Vocals in house: from gospel to disco diva

How church choirs, soul, and disco influenced the vocal style of house music. Breakdown of key tracks.

Read more →
🌍
May 28, 2026

How house conquered the world: Europe, Asia, Latin America

The journey of the genre across continents — local scenes and their contribution to global culture.

Read more →
🎧
May 20, 2026

DJing in house: techniques and culture

From beatmatching to modern controllerism — how DJs build sets and create atmosphere.

Read more →
đŸ’ŋ
May 15, 2026

Vinyl vs digital: the eternal debate in house

Why many producers still choose analog sound, and how digital technology has changed production.

Read more →
ℹī¸ About

House Guide — an encyclopedia for everyone

We create a free reference guide to house music for beginners and professionals alike.

Our mission

Make knowledge about house music accessible to everyone. We collect and structure information about genres, history, techniques, and culture so that you can understand and appreciate this amazing world more deeply.

Who this site is for

For aspiring DJs, producers, music students, and anyone who wants to understand the terms, styles, and evolution of house. Content is regularly updated with input from experts.