House song structure
A house track runs on its groove: a long intro of drums for DJs, the groove with the bass, a breakdown, a build-up into the main section, then an outro to mix out of. Sections are 16 or 32 bars.
124 BPM · 104 bars · 3:21
A house beat across all 104 bars, with a marker at each section, to change part by part. No account needed to start.
The song map
Section by section, at 124 BPM. Every section is in bars of four beats; at 124 BPM, 8 bars is about 15 seconds.
| Section | Bars | Starts |
|---|---|---|
| IntroOpens the song and sets its tempo, key and mood. | 16 | 0:00bar 1 |
| GrooveThe beat with the bass: what a house track runs on. | 16 | 0:31bar 17 |
| BreakdownParts drop out, in dance music; a heavy half-time section, in metal. | 16 | 1:02bar 33 |
| Build-upRaises the tension before a drop: rolls, risers, a filter opening. | 8 | 1:33bar 49 |
| DropThe full beat and bass after a build-up: dance music’s main section. | 32 | 1:48bar 57 |
| OutroEnds the song, winding it down. | 16 | 2:50bar 89 |
How house songs are built
The kick plays on every beat almost the whole way through, so the shape comes from parts entering and leaving: the bass, the chords, a vocal. The breakdown takes the kick away; its return is the track’s big moment.
A track made for DJs often has a 32-bar intro and outro; a radio edit shortens both.
The sounds, chords and tempos are on the House page.
Questions about house song structure
How long is a house intro?
16 to 32 bars of mostly drums: at 124 BPM, 16 bars is 31 seconds, 32 bars about 62 seconds.
How long is a house track?
This map is 104 bars, 3:21 at 124 BPM. Club mixes often run six minutes or more, with longer intros and outros.
Make a house song
The free editor opens on this map: a house beat across 104 bars, a marker at each section. Change any section part by part: mute the drums in the intro, add a melody, each part its own lane.
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