First 20 minutes of class

 

History and Overview

French house music is a subgenre of electronic dance music (EDM) that emerged in the late 1990s and became particularly influential in the global music scene. It is characterized by its distinct blend of funky, disco-influenced rhythms and melodies with modern electronic production techniques. Here are some key features of the French house music style:

1. Disco and Funk Influences: French house draws heavily from the disco and funk music of the 1970s and 1980s. It often incorporates catchy basslines, groovy rhythms, and samples from classic disco tracks.

2. Filtered Effects: One of the signature elements of French house is the use of filter effects, particularly the "French touch" filter, which involves applying filters to the music to create a distinctive sound with a "wah-wah" or "swooshing" effect.

3. Sampling: Producers of French house often sample old disco and funk records, chopping and reimagining these samples to create new and exciting tracks. This technique adds a nostalgic yet fresh feel to the music.

4. Vocals: French house tracks often feature chopped and manipulated vocal samples, adding a vocal element that contributes to the overall catchy and danceable quality of the music.

5. Pioneering Artists: French house gained international recognition through the work of artists such as Daft Punk, Stardust (a collaboration between Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk and Alan Braxe), and Cassius. These artists played a significant role in popularizing the genre.

6. Global Impact: The French house sound had a profound impact on the global electronic music scene and helped shape the evolution of EDM. It was particularly influential in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

7. Contemporary Relevance: While the peak of French house's popularity was in the late '90s and early 2000s, the genre continues to influence contemporary electronic music. Producers and DJs around the world still draw inspiration from its distinctive sound.

Overall, French house is known for its funky, disco-inspired grooves and its ability to get people on the dance floor. It remains a beloved subgenre within the broader electronic music landscape.

Check out the French House documentary HERE

 

The Art of Sampling

In this session, We'll explore 2 main approches to sampling disco and funk records:

• Audio Editing directly on the Arrangement View (Keyboard Shortcuts, Glitching, Resampling, Stretching Warp Modes and more)
• Using a Sampler to chop the sample (Slicing, Filtering, Converting to Drum Rack, Creating B sections and much more)

 

House Selector Kit

 

Selector Kits are a way to load multiple samples on one pad and cycle between them using a Macro. It's the best way to choose sounds in context and to quickly build a drum beat.

The House Selector kit is using samples from the Build and Drop live pack which is included in Ableton Suite.

The rack also included built-in FX like bus processing, rhythmic delay and distortion.

Don't forget to save the rack from the French House Ableton Project.

 

Groovy Basslines 

One of the key characteristic elements of French House is the funky baseline that is inspired by the old disco/funk/soul records. We'll explore techniques on how to use the original baselines of the sample and/or adding our own synth bass.

 

Custom French House Bass Instrument Rack

Included with the downloads is a custom production-ready layered Instrument rack, highly customizable and great sounding French Bass preset.

 

Arpeggiated Synth Guitar Melodies

 

Included in the session a custom Instrument Rack for that legendary synth guitar sound which can be found in Daft Punk - Aerodynamics.

 

What's Included with this session

• 2 hours of Ableton Certified Training Video
• 2 French House Ableton Projects
• French House Ableton Template
• French House Bass Instrument Rack
• Synth Guitar Rack
• Sample Pack
• House Selector Kit
• Style Overview PDF

 

 

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ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Yeuda Ben-Atar, a world renowned Ableton Certified Trainer, hails from Los Angeles, California. Originally from Israel, Yeuda’s passion for music led him to the United States, where he discovered his true calling with Ableton Live in 2007, embarking on a journey of mastery.

He approaches Ableton in a unique way; producing and performing with video game controllers under the moniker Side Brain.

One of Yeuda’s most remarkable qualities is his exceptional knowledge and speed, combined with his unparalleled ability to explain complex concepts in a simple and engaging manner.

With years of experience as a music production instructor and educator, Yeuda has contributed his expertise to prestigious institutions throughout the United States, including USC, UCLA, UCSD, Colburn Music School, Berkley School of Music, Cal Arts, NAMM, Skywalker Sounds, Bedrock LA, Sonos Studios, Sweetwater Headquarters, 1500 or Nothing studios, Grammy U, Pensado’s Place, Vintage King, Museum of Making Music, Lynda.com (now known as Linkedin Learning), and Perfect Circuit Audio, among many others.

His projects have included working with and teaching artists such as Timbaland, Ludacris, Lavel Kali(Beyonce, Drake) DJ Numark and Jurassic 5, Beck, Skrillex, Flying Lotus, Ed Sheeran, Rick Rubin, Giorgio Moroder, Simi, Bootie Brown (Pharcyde), Dave Pensado, Madison Mcferrin and countless others.