How to make Deep Melodic House Like Anjunadeep | Live Electronic Music Tutorial 339

How to Make Deep Melodic House Like Anjunadeep — Layered Bass, Lush Pads & Serum Leads

In this Live Electronic Music Tutorial, Mikas builds a deep melodic house track in the Anjunadeep style entirely in real time. Instead of starting from a blank session, he reopens an existing WeMakeDanceMusic template (the “froggy, chuggy” idea from a previous episode), strips out the old melodic parts, keeps the drum groove, bumps the BPM, and writes something brand new on top. It’s a practical look at how a finished template becomes a launchpad for a fresh idea, using rich, textured synths like Serum and the Arturia CS-80 V.

What you’ll learn

• How to repurpose a finished template as a starting point for a new track
• Stacking three bass layers (low, mid and high) into one cohesive low end
• Recording a lush background pad for depth and movement
• Adding processed drum and percussion layers for groove
• Programming a plucked synth to drive rhythm without dominating the mix
• Using VCO and filter automation to create revolving, accelerating effects
• Recording an expressive top lead with Serum

1. Start from a template, not a blank page

Mikas opens a previous template, deletes all the old MIDI melodic parts, and keeps only the drum beat before raising the tempo. The point is that everything that already worked — the groove, the routing, the effects chains — is still in place, so he can simply play keys and start building. He frames this as one of the best ways to use a template: begin from something that already sounds hot and sits together well, then take it somewhere new.

2. Layer three basslines into one low end

He selects all three bass tracks and arm-records them together. There’s a low sub bass, a slightly higher bass, and a bass that sits even higher up the scale. Played individually each is thin, but stacked together they form a full, satisfying low end. He also notices an echo on one layer and decides to keep it — trusting the instinct that the part already feels right.

3. Balance the drums against the bass

Before going further, Mikas pulls the drums down a touch so the bass has room to breathe. He flags a too-loud snare caused by an audio-interface gain issue rather than the mix itself, and disables a “safe headroom” feature so he can manage gain staging manually.

4. Record a background pad for depth

Next he records a pad to add atmosphere underneath the groove. He pulls some of the mid-lows out so it doesn’t clutter the bass, quantizes the part, and adds extra reverb plus the existing delay to push it back in the mix. The goal is something dynamic and slightly evolving in the background, so the track never feels static.

5. Add processed drum and percussion layers

Mikas brings in extra percussion hits and processed drum layers, lining them up carefully on the grid so they lock with the existing snare and groove. He experiments with heavier effects on some of these — big echoes and filtered movement — using them sparingly so they add interest without overwhelming the rhythm.

6. Compose a plucked synth to drive the rhythm

To push the track forward he programs a short plucked sequence. He tweaks the synth’s VCF (filter) and envelope to taste, then deliberately tucks it back in the mix. As he puts it, this isn’t a lead — it’s a pluck whose only job is to drive the rhythm and keep momentum, so it stays supporting rather than upfront.

7. Use VCO automation for a revolving, accelerating effect

Using the Arturia CS-80 V, Mikas takes the root key of the bass and stretches it into an ultra-long note. He then automates the sub-frequency / VCO parameter so the oscillators feel like they’re accelerating, creating a revolving, siren-like effect. He cleans up leftover residual volume automation, then rides a send (and the volume) so the sound starts mellow and low before opening up into a dramatic sweep at the drop.

8. Record the top lead with Serum

For the main lead, Mikas turns to Serum and digs through its lead presets, choosing a granular, expressive sound. He lengthens the note so he has time to perform and adjust, then adds Unison, tweaks the oscillator, and explores the built-in reverb and FX. Because Serum’s sounds are already refined, he leaves most of the heavy lifting to the preset, pulling it back in the mix and cutting it tightly so the lead feels magical rather than cluttered. The result is a floaty, melodic reinterpretation of the original idea.

Get the project file: Want to build along in Logic Pro, Ableton, or FL Studio? Grab the deep melodic house template used in this session. Download the template →