Where deep house comes from
Larry Heard’s late-1980s Chicago productions, such as "Can You Feel It", set the template by blending house rhythms with jazz harmony. The sound was later popularised in a more pop-friendly form during the 2010s.
What makes a track sound like deep house
- Warm, rounded low end
- Filter movement on chords
- Relaxed percussion
- Long, patient arrangements
Typical structure
Slow build over the first minute, long main groove, gentle breakdown and gradual fade.
Vocals in deep house
Deep house prefers soft, breathy vocals or short spoken phrases that blend into the pads. Ask for "a whispered vocal fragment" or "smooth, low-key male vocals" to keep the mood.
Prompting tips
Words like "late-night", "sunset" and "lounge" set the mood. Ask for "jazzy minor 9th chords" to keep the harmony deep.
Over-bright leads move it toward progressive house. Keep the top end soft.
Prompts to start from
Deep house at 120 BPM, warm sub bass, jazzy minor 9th chord stabs, soft shakers, sunset rooftop mood
Late-night deep house with a smoky saxophone, filtered chords and a hypnotic bassline
Minimal deep house for a fashion lookbook, soft kick, airy pad, a whispered vocal fragment and slow filter sweeps