20 Best Plugins For Making House (Progressive, Deep & More)

This article will discuss the best House Plugins for all its subgenres, including Progressive, Deep, Tech, and Minimal. 

House music originated in Chicago during the early 1980s. Emerging within the city’s underground club scene, it found inspiration from disco, funk, and soul music, particularly as disco’s popularity waned in the late 1970s. Pioneering DJs such as Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy played pivotal roles in shaping the genre, with the name “house” stemming from Knuckles’ residency at “The Warehouse” nightclub.

House music’s defining characteristics, like the 4/4 beat, drum machines, and synthesizers, gained prominence as the genre developed in the mid to late 1980s. The concept of sampling and remixing existing tracks became a hallmark of house music, facilitated by the use of early samplers and production technology.

In 2023, the genre has been injected into popular culture and is recognized by the masses. Today, its production is based on virtual instruments and plugins and can be easily produced in the box. Hence, we have created a comprehensive list of the tools you need to create this dynamic genre.

This list includes everything from mellower and soulful sounds for deep house, techno’s minimalistic grooves, evolving melodies for progressive house, hypnotic TB-303 basslines for Acid house, lighter and tropical textures for tropical house, and more.

House vs Techno vs Trance: What’s the Main Difference?

House, Techno, and Trance are distinct subgenres within electronic dance music (EDM), each with its own sonic and structural characteristics. House music is known for its rhythmic 4/4 beat, synthesized melodies, and groove-oriented feel, often incorporating vocal hooks.

Techno, on the other hand, has a minimalistic style of synths and industrial textures. It lacks the melodic elements of the house, focusing on intricate percussion patterns and hypnotic rhythms. Next, Trance is defined by its hypnotic melodies, euphoric build-ups, and progressive structure.

It aims to create a transcendent experience, often featuring extended breakdowns and climactic drops. Trance’s focus on emotional progression sets it apart from the other two genres. While all three genres share common electronic elements, their distinct beats, melodic approaches, and atmospheres give each a unique place in the diverse landscape of electronic music.

Aspect	House	Techno	Trance
Beat Structure	4/4	4/4	4/4
Tempo (BPM)	120-130	120-140	130-150
Melodies	Synthesized, vocal hooks	Minimal to none	Lush, emotive
Percussion	Groove-oriented	Industrial, driving	Supporting, rhythmic
Atmosphere	Energetic, soulful	Minimal, industrial	Uplifting, euphoric
Build-ups	Often subtle	Minimal transitions	Extended, climactic
Sound Texture	Varied and dynamic	Percussion-focused	Ethereal, immersive
Subgenres	Deep House, Tech House, Progressive House, etc, Acid House, French House, Electro House, Tropical House & More	Acid Techno, Detroit Techno, Minimal Techno, Industrial & More	Uplifting Trance, Vocal Trance, Progressive Trance, Hard Trance, Dream Trance & More
Influential DJs	Frankie Knuckles, Derrick Carter, Larry Levan	Jeff Mills, Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Nina Kraviz	Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, Above & Beyond, Tiesto, FerryCorsten

Why is House Music so Popular, Especially in Europe?

House music’s popularity in Europe and the rest of the world can be attributed to a confluence of cultural, social, and musical factors. The continent’s history of embracing diverse musical genres and fostering cultural exchange created a receptive environment for its emergence.

Europe’s thriving club culture, which encourages communal experiences and a sense of unity, provided an ideal platform for house music’s infectious rhythms and uplifting melodies. The rise of rave culture in the late 1980s and early 1990s further accelerated its popularity, as raves offered inclusive spaces for people to connect with the genre.

Innovative European DJs and producers like Sasha, John Digweed, and Carl Cox not only championed House but also contributed to its evolution by infusing their unique interpretations. Major electronic music festivals and radio exposure amplified its reach, while cities like Ibiza and Berlin became iconic hubs for house music’s evolution.

With its emphasis on unity, inclusivity, and danceability, house music resonated deeply with European youth culture, cementing its enduring popularity in the region. Now, let’s take a look at the best plugins for house music.

20 Best Plugins For House Music in 2023 (Progressive, Deep & Tech & Minimal)

1. ujam Usynth Drive (Free House-Specialized Synth)

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We dare when say that this is the most House-specialized plugin up to date. What’s best is that it’s totally free and provides great value.

It’s a simple-looking plugin with an intuitive interface but has excellent functionalities under the hood. The synthesizer section packs wavetable, virtual analog, FM, multi-sample synth engines, modulators like multi-mode filters, a 5-stage envelope, LFOs, a modulation matrix, and more.

Drive is great for creating House music but has good sound design options for pop, RnB, funk, retro, and many dance genres.

Key Features:

• Easy to use
  The plugin is designed to be used by anyone, whether a beginner or a professional. It has about a hundred presets split into categories like Keys, Leads, Plucks, Pads, and Effects. However, the plugin is not as easy as it looks, but the complexity doesn’t appear in the workflow, as it stays in the synth design only.
• Simple synthesis workflow
  Usynth Drive has a synthesizer section, which two knobs can control: Dark/Bright and Fast/Slow knob. Further, there are knobs like Calm Down, Scream, and More Sub. You can change the presets for the synth window by using arrows and a dice, by which you can select anything from bass sounds to pad sounds.
• Sequencer Engine
  The switchable sequencer allows you to adjust the rate between quarter and 1/32nd note. You can also sync it to the BPM and key and select various patterns. Further, you can adjust the note length, swing, octave shifts, and pattern length.
• Finisher section
  Finisher is a multi-effects section that consists of 60 different effect combinations that you can set at every instance of the knob. Every Finisher preset is a different configuration of different effect modules.
• Generative functions
  All sections consist of the Surprise button, symbolized by the Dice icon. You get fresh Sequencer and Finisher ideas and presets when you click on them.
• Under-the-hood functionality
  The knobs/controllers that appear very simple from the outside have complex functionalities hiding behind them. For example, the bright/dark knob helps you adjust the harmonic content to get even harmonics at the bright end and odd harmonics at the dark end.
• Detailed editing
  Drive lets you go in-depth with your sound design by adjusting the mix of effects like a multi-band compressor, transient, chorus, and focus EQ in Finisher. You can set the intensity of the Surprise switch to range from small to big. In addition, you can adjust the delays, spreads (stereo imaging), reverb (ambiance/stadium), etc.

Compatibility:

Drive is available in AU, AAX, and VST 2 plugin formats and requires a minimum of macOS Catalina (10.15) or Windows 10 operating systems, 8 GB of RAM, and 1.23 GB of hard disk space.

Summary:

Ujam has created a great synthesizer with high-quality sounds, presets, and effects that just works for House. The plugin is easy to start with and has a simple workflow with a user-friendly GUI. The bass sounds are fat, punchy, warm, and sounds analog. The pad sounds are lush, spacious, and wide.

2. UAD Moog Minimoog (For Analog Bass)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Are you looking for that meaty bassline for your House tune? This little synth can give you all you need through many presets with great diversity and easy to use interface.

The plugin has been created with plenty of research to emulate the classic circuitry and rigorous modeling to precisely capture the module-to-module coupling and impedance, to re-create the authentic analog sound of the original Minimoog as a soft-synth.

It has three oscillators, each with six different basic analog waveforms to choose from, along with a volume knob in the mixer window. Overall, the interface and the signal flow, like the hardware, are simple and easy to use.

Key Features:

• Analog filters
  The plugin allows you to set the cutoff frequency, filter emphasis (resonance), and contour amount (mix) of the filter, and the filter sound warm, vintage, and analog. It’s modeled from a VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) and the filter response has been programmed accordingly.
• Software additions
  UAD has added flexible velocity sensitivity and additional modulation features like a separate LFO, modulation amount, and modulation mix sources. These features are not present in the hardware version.
• Expansive Presets
  The presets are classified and organized in terms of Genre, Type, and Description, and there is a huge variety of presets you can choose from, which fit a lot of different genres and styles. That makes the sound selection process easier, especially for composers and new music producers.

Compatibility:

The plugin requires a macOS 10.15 Catalina, 11 Big Sur, or 12 Monterey, and is available with the UAD Spark in AAX, AU, VST3, and LUNA plugin formats.  Now, also available on Windows 10 or more.

Summary:

The harmonic content you get from the External Input Volume can increase the quality of the audio and add the required punch, warmness, and spark to the sound. It’s a great plugin for creating vintage, analog-sounding retro synth-pop music and even EDM and modern pop.

Gone are the days where Analog synths would only bring the “heat” to your tracks. Yes, they are still a thing, but software is just getting close to it. Add some vibes to your House tracks, with great variety of presets, you can find it helpful and functional, doesn’t matter which subgenre of House you are in. Though, to be 100% sure, you can check out the Free version first.

Related Reading:

Top 20 Moog Synth Emulation Plugins 2023 (+ 3 FREE Synths)

3. Native Instruments Feel It (Kontakt Library for 90s House)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Native Instruments Feel It is part of the Play Series and offers a rich palette of classic House sounds.

It has an array of meticulously sampled chords, keys, and bass sounds from some of the most iconic synths in the history of house music.  With its authentic samples and creative possibilities, Feel It lets you channel the energy and nostalgia of the 90s house era while exploring new directions in contemporary music production.

It features rich chords, pulsating keys, and resonating basslines in 120 total sounds (40+ wavetables, 70+ multi-samples) to create tracks that pay homage to the genre’s roots while embracing the future of electronic music.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Controls
  Feel It places plenty of sonic controls at your fingertips. The Cutoff and Resonance knobs allow precision shaping of the sound’s tonal characteristics. The Choral control manipulates the delay times of chorus voices, introducing a sense of spatial depth. The Delay Time and Delay Mix parameters provide versatile delay effects. The Randomize function adds an element of unpredictability, fostering creativity and exploration.
• FX Window
  You get an FX window in the plugin that allows you to sculpt your sound further with a variety of effects modules. You can apply six effects together on a sound, with effects ranging from Reverb, Chorus, Rotator, etc. In addition, you get two parallel EQs and many controls to manipulate those effects,
• SEQ Tab
  The SEQ tab is a gateway to dynamic and evolving patterns. With sixteen steps of velocity and pitch, controls like Rate, Latch, Swing, retrigger, etc., and six MACRO controls, it provides animation and modulation capabilities, enabling you to infuse movement and variation into your sound.
• Authentic Sound Sources
  You get 150 versatile presets. This compilation encompasses various sounds, ranging from timeless pianos, resonant organs, impactful stabs, deep basses to evocative soulful pads. That ensures that your compositions resonate with the classic 90s house vibe, adding a touch of nostalgia and authenticity.
• MACROS Tab
  The MACROS tab offers macro control over multiple parameters, allowing for efficient sound sculpting and real-time automation. This capability streamlines your workflow while enabling intricate sound design.

Compatibility:

The plugin is compatible with free Kontakt or Kontakt 7 or higher versions. Native Instruments has confirmed full compatibility with macOS 11 (Big Sur) for the latest versions of their products, including FEEL IT. They also conduct compatibility tests with Windows versions, with current products working smoothly on Windows 11.

Summary:

With comprehensive controls, an FX window, a SEQ tab, and a MACROS tab, it delivers authenticity and creative possibilities. The plugin’s 150 presets and 120+ unique sounds give you a wide pallette for exploring 90s Dance/House music.

4. IK Multimedia T-Racks Bus Compressor (VCA/Bus Comp)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

IK Multimedia T-Racks Bus Compressor is inspired by the mix bus VCA-type compressor from a renowned British mixing console of the ’80s, with added enhancements.

It is a module within the T-RackS CS “Custom Shop” Mixing and Mastering Plug-In Collection. The compressor is known for its transparent and character-enhancing qualities, particularly suitable for drums and bass. It offers high-quality oversampling, precise digital processing, and versatility within the T-RackS CS Standalone application and as a plugin.

The T-Racks Bus Compressor is favored for its ability to deliver polished, professional sound across genres like House, Pop, Hip-Hop, and more. Sonically, it is also known for its ability to add punch and power to tracks or full mixes, with a focus on achieving commercial loudness while maintaining dynamics.

Key Features:

• Side-chain 
  The Sidechain Hi-pass filter in the plugin allows you to avoid the undesirable low-end pumping effect that can result from high ratio and low threshold configurations. Despite being a fresh feature, it aligns with the original unit’s design, featuring predefined values and curves. Four frequency choices—60, 150, 250, and 500 Hz—are available, enabling focused adjustment on the lower frequencies and low-mids.
• Mid-Side Processing
  This T-Racks enhancement introduces another dimension to this highly sought-after bus compressor. Operating in Mid-Side mode facilitates distinct compressions for each channel. By toggling the switch below the prominent RESET button, you can establish independent settings for each channel. You can also compress it in L/R or multi-mono modes.
• Gritty sonic characteristics
  Also developed as a new addition, this feature amplifies the plugin’s inherent character to emphasize harmonic distortion. It operates subtly but aims to replicate the behavior of imperfectly calibrated hardware—a quality sought after in specific scenarios.
• Versatile and modern-sounding
  T-Racks suit a wide array of musical genres and excels even with delicate styles like Acoustic or Classical. It successfully marries the original unit’s sonic attributes with contemporary adaptability, substantially expanding its potential applications.
• “Gluing” effect
  Accurate measurements from individual components to compression curves, soft knee response, and detection circuitry have been applied on this compressor behind the scenes. That ensures an exact replication that imparts a sense of unity to mixes, often recognized as the “glue effect.” This effect harmoniously blends each instrument, transforming mixed tracks into a cohesive musical composition.
  That ensures that all synths, drums, bass, etc., in your house mixes sound cohesive with each other and individually.
• Attractive interface
  The black-greyish skin of the compressor gives the right feel. Other than that, it has a dB meter, LUFS scale, Peak, RMS, and Direct Reduction readings, and L/R stereo volume scale for monitoring the plugin. Lastly, with parameters like Ratio, Attack, Release, Threshold, Makeup gain, Sidechain hi-pass, and Grit button, you can easily tweak things around and set the effect as per your liking.

Compatibility:

The T-Rack Bus Compressor is available as a 64-bit VST2, VST3, AAX, and AU plugin for Windows 7 and up and macOS 10.9 or newer.

Summary:

Having Y-Rack on your House songs’ master bus or individual buses will give you a polished tone and clean dynamics. House genre requires very detailed dynamic processing, which requires impact without compromising the organic dynamics of the song. T-Racks help you achieve exactly that. You can also use it on drums to achieve punchy yet warm drums.

Next, with four different tabs, you can compare different compressor settings. You can reset the compressor to default settings by using the “Reset” button and use its preset collection as a good starting point.

5. Arturia Acid V NEW* (303 Machine For Acid House)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Arturia’s Acid V is specifically tailored for sequencing and arpeggiation, particularly catering to the dynamic patterns and basslines synonymous with Acid House.

Functioning as a faithful emulation of the legendary TB-303, Acid V boasts an intuitive interface complete with scale-oriented pattern sequencing and comprehensive arpeggiation controls. It’s purpose-built for crafting edgy bass tones, incorporating signature elements like razor-sharp filter sweeps and intense saturation. This interface is designed to mirror the iconic 303 hardware while offering adaptability for modern production needs.

Additionally, featuring three versatile multi-mode function generators, four FX slots, and a diverse selection of 17 FX options such as Pitch-Shift Delay, Super Unison, and Multiband Compressor, Acid V opens the door to limitless modulation possibilities.

Key Features:

• Subsonic Resonance
  The software includes a versatile sub-oscillator with a 2-octave span and waveform variations, including square and triangle. Vibrato capabilities range from subtle detuning to audibly impactful audio-rate modulation. This enriches bass and synth sounds by adding depth, warmth, and character.
• Versatile Distortion
  Renowned for its close connection to distortion, Acid V offers an array of 14 distortion algorithms catering to diverse tonal textures.
• Enhanced Sequencing
  Acid V showcases an advanced polymetric sequencer and arpeggiator capable of accommodating up to 64 steps. It incorporates features like slide, accent, and octave shifting. Notably, this sequencer operates with both speed and musicality, allowing patterns to be exported to MIDI for use with other instruments and clips.
• Scales and Transformation
  The plugin introduces effortless sequence transformation through Transmutation, facilitating the rapid generation of novel patterns. Acid V includes thoughtfully curated musical scales tailored for contemporary styles, elevating musical adaptability.
• Rich Preset Library
  The software boasts a collection of over 150 factory presets, many of which are great for House, spanning from classic basslines to experimentally modulated tones. This resource serves as a wellspring of inspiration for various production styles.
• Embedded Learning Resources
  Interactive tutorials are seamlessly integrated into the application, guiding users through every facet of the instrument. These tutorials cover parameter controls and insights from expert sound designers, fostering a deeper understanding of Acid V’s capabilities.
• Comprehensive Effects
  With the ability to apply up to four effects simultaneously, chosen from a diverse selection of 17 FX, including parametric EQ, Bitcrusher, delay, and multi-flanger effects, the plugin provides extensive sonic manipulation options.
• Advanced Modulation
  You can draw your own modulation curves and apply them to different parameters, resulting in personalized and intricate sound modulation.
• Robust Sequencing Abilities
  Acid V offers an expansive sequencing experience, featuring a dedicated panel for scale-based pattern generation and polymetric controls, facilitating the creation of diverse musical sequences.

Compatibility:

Acid V is compatible with Windows 10+ (64-bit) and Mac OS 10.13+ systems. It requires a minimum of 4GB RAM, a 4-core CPU, and GPU support. The plugin operates as a Standalone VST, AAX, Audio Unit, and NKS (64-bit DAWs) and is streamlined with ASC for easy installation and updates.

Summary:

Arturia’s track record in emulating hardware synths shines through in Acid V. This plugin captures the essence of the classic TB-303 for creating Acid House while infusing it with modern sound design and manipulation capabilities. From crafting deeper synths and basslines with a sub-oscillator layer to utilizing a range of distortion types for intricate sonic shaping, Acid V is an exceptional software instrument for Acid music production.

Leveraging its FX and modulation tools, producers can elevate ordinary basslines into expansive stereo soundscapes and transform resonant rave melodies into textured industrial tones.

6. Baby Audio TAIP (Ez To Use Saturation)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

This is that “instant gratification” type of plugin for House. There are not features at the first glance but that’s just exactly that you need to add the grind and color without too much overthinking. 

TAIP by Baby Audio is a revolutionary tape emulator that you can use as onboard parallel processing and has a super cool and re-scalable user interface with three different skins for your comfortability. In addition, the plugin has a few controls that give us enough flexibility and different sounds but not too many to be confusing.

The two futuristic wheels are a drive input that conducts the signal into the tape to get more distortion and saturation and output control to compensate for the level increase caused by the distortion and saturation.

You can link both of these controls with the drive auto-gain, and you have a mix slider, which is interesting for letting you blend with the dry signal for flanging effects when using the wear control.

This plugin does an incredible job when recreating the compression effect and non-linearities from tape machines and offers you some sliders that you can use to add some of these effects.

Key Features:

• Tape flanger
  Add a natural flanging effect by sliding the wear control, and set up the amount of flanger on your signal with the mix knob. This is not an aggressive flanger effect but rather a subtle one that’s very flexible and brings a captivating color to your sound.
• Glue compression
  The glue slide adds a smooth glue compression effect that can be very beneficial if you add this plugin to an aux bus, onboard or parallel. This compression-like effect it’s outstandingly good for drums because it accentuates the transients in a way that doesn’t go too far but still makes it snappier.
• Hi-shape and Lo-shape
  These two slides bring a solution to high and low-frequency distortion by giving you only two separate slides instead of the usual tape formula and bias controls. With these filters, you can control the distortion on each end of the spectrum, adding or cutting from left to right.
• Dual model
  Baby Audio introduces the original approach to tape saturation that they took for this plugin, emulating not one but two tape machines in cascade, applying half of the gain to each. It’s a fascinating trait, and it can be super helpful to enrich a guitar tone or bring a nice ring and tightness to a drum bus.

Compatibility:

Baby Audio’s TAIP is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.7 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

TAIP is a revolutionary and rare tape emulator that delivers a smooth sound, it’s extremely flexible, and introduces new and interesting sounds to your pallet. It’s an just easy-to-use plugin,  and every one of its functions is very tastefully distributed across the graphic interface. If you are into House and looking to add some color, check this one out.

Related Reading:

Top 12 Saturation Plugins (Best Mixing & Mastering Tools)

7. ujam Beatmaker HYPE (EDM/House Drums)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

We included this plugin in our EDM list long time ago, but its Drums are just great for House and it’s subgenres as well.

The HYPE plugin, similar to the EDEN 2, provides a fresh taste of EDM and Progressive House samples. The plugin is centered around large-sounding drums and heavy kick thumps. UJAM Beatmaker is focused on providing you with a plugin that can help you rival the sound of famous EDM producers.

The plugin features 50 presets that fit into the Progressive house and EDM genre. It also lets you tweak the same options and has additional features such as the Riser knob and the Midi-based sample controls, which we will explain below.

Key Features:

• Riser knob
  A Rising section is vital for making a massive drop after the chorus. To achieve this, you would typically have to apply 3 or 4 different automation. HYPE solved this problem by giving you a Riser knob that you can automate, which features a combination of a high-pass filter, delay, and reverb.
• Midi-Based Samples
  HYPE made each drum loop in a MIDI format to allow full-on customization of your drum section. In this format, you can freely change every sound you don’t like by deleting them, tweaking their velocity, and stereo panning.
• Micro-Timing
  The Micro-Timing feature is a great addon that allows you to fine-tune the timing of your drum loops. Choose between 3-speed settings that will enable you to set the drums at half-time, average speed, or double-time. You can also use the Swing slider to incorporate some groove in your drums.
• 20 Drum Styles
  The main feature for producers is the 20 different Drum styles available for you to explore. These styles range from Beachball, designed for lighter chill tracks, while Clapdome has a darker sound and is best for underground tracks. Each style is divided into 23 song parts that you can draw out in the MIDI section.

Compatibility:

Hype is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.11 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST, AU 2, and AAX formats.

Summary:

UJAM Beatmaker made a great tool for festival music such EDM and House. With its easy-to-use interface, and simple controls, with the bonus of extensive sound customization, it can quickly become a must-have plugin in your arsenal.

If you don’t believe, go and try it first.

Related Reading:

Top 15 Plugins For Techno, House, Electro, Tech House, UK Garage

8. Matt Tytel Vital (Alternative to Serum)

More Info & Download (Paid Version Available)

Vital’s synthesizer brings spectral oscillator warping to add new life to your wavetables. If you are after a synth plugin for House, look no further. Vital got you covered with many features.

Acting directly on a waveform’s harmonics, this technology can create drastically different tones and shapes from a signal source. Thanks to this simple tool that creates endless possibilities, what was already incredibly customizable became even more so.

If you want to import your samples to create a wavetable, Vital’s pitch-splice and vocode converter are two great and easy add-ons to get even more specific on your sound design.

You can also develop wavetables from scratch via the built-in wavetable generator or even directly from the text!

Key Features:

• • Excellent oscillators
    These oscillators have a shallow low noise floor and a sharp cut-off at Nyquist for almost no aliasing, creating the cleanest sounds with the best quality possible. “Nyquist” means that each periodic signal should be periodically sampled at a rate twice the size of your audio signal. So, to overcome this, a higher quality sampling is sought after on synths like Vital – and a cut-off might be the simplest tool you’d ever need.
  • Microtonality at its best
    This synth can load .tun, .scl, and .kbd files – which can alter and configure how the tuning will perform – and play in a microtonal setting without any trouble. A brand new tuning system can unlock new possibilities regarding how the samples perform. This expands how you’ll play notes and frequencies and how to sample and interact with one another via the oscillators.
  • Key-tracked LFOs
    It’s possible to create key-tracked bass lines with this LFO setting, combining it with an audio-rate modulation and using your LFO as an oscillator modulation source. This enables you to instantly automate certain modulation parameters in relation to whatever notes are being played.
  • MPE support
    If you have a ROLI keyboard, a Linnstrument, or other MPE-compatible gear, Vital offers full support and control. This way, you can add more expression to your sound and use dynamics as you’re used to.
  • Audio-rate modulation
    The audio modulator kicks in when you have an audio signal or a parameter being varied and brings much more personality to your tones.  The variations can be tracked down and edited in the most creative ways possible. The signal whose waveform is used to trigger is modulated accordingly, with extreme precision and character.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for mac OS 10.12 or higher, Windows 10 or higher, and Ubuntu Linux 18.04 or higher. All 64-bit only, with OpenGL 3 or higher. It comes in VST, AU, and LV2 plugin formats.

Summary:

Vital brings a different wavetable synth than most, especially regarding creating new sounds. Though, this doesn’t mean they are “wrong” for the House. Most allow you to develop wavetables based on audio files, but this is probably the only one on this list that can handle microtonality, text input, and effects like vocoder and pitch-splice. The warping oscillator ensures that each harmonic will be shaped to your desire, and this is truly unique to find in a synthesizer.

Since Vital is very  flexible synth that one can compare to Serum, you can make great House vibes just with a FREE version of this plugin.

9. ujam Finisher BOOST (Transition Tool)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Finisher BOOST by ujam is a plugin for creating transitions, risers, impacts, and adding more tension & hype between your sections.

For example, you’re moving from a verse to a chorus and need more spice to your song. You can add the plugin to the mix bus or any instrument to create a buildup from the chorus. It will manipulate your sound to create an interesting rhythm and add excitement and drama to your song. Similarly, you can use the plugin to create interesting impact sounds in your House arrangements, so a drop or a particular phrase in the song has more impact.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive effects suite
  You get a comprehensive effects suite, allowing you to access various creative options to enhance your audio. These versatile modes include delays, reverbs, modulation effects, pitch shifting, and more. With 60 distinct modes, you can experiment with combinations and find the perfect sound that suits your House productions.
• Presets
  BOOST has over 200 carefully designed, many of which are great for House music. These presets provide an excellent starting point for you who want to find a suitable effect setting for your project quickly. They can also serve as inspiration for creating custom presets. The presets can be easily browsed and selected, making it simple to find the right sound without spending too much time tweaking the parameters.
• Various Modes
  Various modes like Loop Control, Intuitive Flip Button, and Vari Controls offer high customization and creative control. Loop Control enables the creation of rhythmic patterns and textures by manipulating the loop length, while the Intuitive Flip Button inverts specific parameters for instant sound variations. Custom-tailored Vari Controls provide a deeper level of customization for each effect mode, ranging from modulation intensity adjustments to altering reverb depth or delay feedback, thus enhancing users’ creative freedom.
• Seamless DAW Integration and Customizable Automation
  The plugin offers a seamless connection with your digital audio workstation (DAW), allowing you to synchronize it with your DAW’s grid. You can choose from various phrase lengths, such as 2, 4, or 8 measures, and decide which beat achieves the highest intensity. This feature simplifies the process, allowing you to manually adjust the Finisher knob position within your DAW for further customization and control over your sound.

Compatibility:

The plugin is highly compatible with various platforms and digital audio workstations (DAWs) due to its native support for Apple Silicon and availability in multiple formats. These formats include VST3, VST2, AAX, and AU, ensuring that the plugin can be used with a wide range of DAWs such as Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, FL Studio, and many others.

Summary:

House music requires dynamic buildups, tension creation and release, risers, impacts, and more exciting elements. Finisher BOOST by UJAM is a versatile plugin that provides all of that. It offers a comprehensive suite of 60 effects modes, including delays, reverbs, modulation effects, and pitch shifting, catering to various genres and styles.

With over 200 presets, users can quickly find the right sound and gain inspiration for custom settings. The plugin features Loop Control, an Intuitive Flip Button, and Vari Controls, providing users with high customization and creative control. Seamless DAW integration and flexible automation make it easy to synchronize the plugin with your DAW’s grid and manually adjust the Finisher knob for further sound customization.

10. DS Audio TANTRA 2 (Rhytmic Multi FX)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Reshape any sound source and make it a fresh rhythmic piece with DS Audio TANTRA 2.

Having a dry sound or a lifeless synth is the struggle of many producers who want to achieve mesmerizing and catchy rhythms, especially in House production, which requires wet and exciting elements. That’s when multi-effect plugin TANTRA 2 comes into action by providing effects and modulators that help you create sub-patterns in your rhythms and interesting layered sounds that give soul to the core parts of your project.

Its interface employs a 3D GPU engine to create fluid and eye-catching animations, which gives a better idea of what’s going on with your audio and helps you make more creative changes.

Key Features:

• Rhythmic pattern
  The heart of TANTRA 2 relies on its Modulator section found in the center of the interface. This section comes with eight different Modulators that generates 32-step envelopes with adjustable shape. Each Modulator comes with a “Speed” knob to determine the period of each of the 32 steps, a “Tremolo” knob to modulate the output volume by the generated envelope, and a “Pan Flip” knob for controlling the output panning. All modulations are summed to create complex tremolo and panning effects, bringing the required momentum to your House songs.
• Modulation modes
  The modulations made on the Modulator section can be worked in two different modes. First, in the “Curve” mode, you can set up 64 nodes connected by curves with adjustable slopes. Then, the “Steps” mode works similarly, but you are limited to a series of steps or squared waveforms with adjustable width and level.
• Effect layers
  To create those House-style sonic atmospheres like Stimming and Dixon, the plugin provides two layers of six effects, including filter, distortion, delay, lofi, flanger, and glitch that respond to modulations. You have standard controls for adjusting the balance between wet and dry signal, bypass effect, and randomize parameters within the chosen effect. Down in the master section, you can adjust the gain of each layer, and these can be set to work in serial mode or parallel mode.
• Final touch
  Moving to the master section, you’ll have a three-band equalizer to adjust minor things on the low, mid, and high-frequency content. At the left, you’ll find the Reverb section, where you can adjust the reverb’s size, decay, and amount of the low-pass and high-pass filtering applied to the feedback. You’ll have a mix-ready and absorbing sound with all these mixing tools.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.

Summary:

Modulations are a vital part of most electronic music genres, and especially for Psytrance, the bass can benefit from these Modulators provided by TANTRA 2. The versatility of the modulators for creating complex modulations allows you to craft unique House-based patterns and effect layers that will flip your project entirely.

Some instruments that need decay might work better with the “Curve” mode, but since the modulations are summed, you could combine two or more modulators with different operation modes to create unique textures for your sounds.

Related Reading:

Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance

11. iZotope Neutron 4 (Electronic Music Channel Strip)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

iZotope Neutron 4 is a comprehensive mixing tool suite offering various improvements and additions to previous versions.

Electronic music, especially genres, depend a lot on the mixing-mastering and sonic quality of the song. Neutron is the perfect tool to achieve high-quality sonics in your House productions. The plugin features an Assistant View that provides an easy-to-use and intuitive interface for beginners to change a channel’s sound. Additionally, it includes an Unmask module that allows for easy separation of different sounds and an Exciter module that features new distortion signal mashers.

Key Features:

13. FabFilter Pro-Q 3 (Flexible EQ)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Pro-Q3 has become a default for many engineers and producers worldwide due to its precise EQ and smooth usability.

Renowned plugin developer FabFilter offers high sound quality and preciseness in its signature EQ module with 24 frequency bands and a wide dynamic range. The filter curves are displayed in front of the unique built-in spectrum analyzer, allowing total flexibility in processing any frequency adjustment. Additionally, it provides one of the most fluid and innovative interfaces without increasing CPU load or generating additional latency.

Pro-Q 3 has a great visual interface that interprets resonances and gives you suggestions. That can help you clean up and mix your heavy House mixes better.

Key Features:

• Dynamic filters
  By clicking and dragging somewhere on the spectrum analyzer, you can add a new filter with its respective controls for frequency, gain, and Q factor, plus a solo button for deeper analysis. In the same controls’ display, you can choose between bell, notch, high/low shelf, high/low cut, bandpass, tilt shelf, flat tilt filter shapes and assign that filter to either the mid-channel or the side channels.
  
• Ergonomic
  The smooth animation of the full real-time spectrum displayed in the middle is very eye-pleasing and makes analysis more accessible. Also, the curve shapes of every filter you place are shown with different colors depending on the channel assignment, meaning that the mid-channel EQ curve will have a different color than the side channel. Also, the interface is fully resizable, with optional full-screen mode.
• EQ Match
  Suppose you have an external audio reference, and you want your audio source to match its EQ. In that case, you can use the EQ match algorithm to refer your mixes better with other House songs, allowing you to take an external signal so FabFilter Pro-Q3 can automatically match the spectrum of that signal. Once the reference is loaded and you hit the EQ match option, you can select up to 24 bands for the EQ curve obtained from the analysis.
• Spectrum grab
  Sometimes you see some annoying peaks in the spectrum that need to be addressed, so you need to place a filter to lower those peaks. Pro-Q3 makes this process very straightforward with its Spectrum grab feature, where you can grab one of the peaks in the display and drag it where you want. Once done this, you can modify its gain, frequency, and Q factor if needed.
• Correction assistant
  FabFilter Pro-Q3’s collision detection is one of a kind since it helps you detect which frequencies create conflict when working with two different sources sharing similar frequency content like the bass and the kick drum. To do this, you need to load Pro-Q3 in both channels and activate this option with the sources you require fixing so you can see both spectrums overlapped.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows XP or higher and macOS 10.10 or higher, 32-bit and 64-bit for Windows, and 64-bit only for macOS. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.

Summary:

Nowadays, you see many House producers and engineers, including Martin Garrix, choosing FabFilter Pro-Q3 as their go-to EQ plugin, and they have reasons to do so. The most outstanding asset about this plugin is the wide variety of analysis tools and transparent output that leads to very accurate frequency response and superb sound quality.

Also, the Mid/Side processing workflow on Pro-Q3 is one of the most pleasing to work with, proving it’s a flexible and impressive equalizer for mixing and mastering purposes while also being friendly for beginners’ usage.

Related Reading:

Top 10 FabFilter Plugins For Mixing & Mastering 

14. Plugin Boutique Scaler 2 (Chord Progressions Tool)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

With its own set of built-in sounds and audio/midi chord detection, Scaler 2 is far more than your typical chord generator plugin.

Foremost, Scaler 2 is a chord generation plugin based on scale and genre. In addition to this, it has features such as modulation helper, adaptive midi phrases, chord detector, etc., to help you make chord progressions faster. The plugin comes with two versions to achieve integration with your DAW: an instrument plugin and a midi effect.

Suppose you’re a House producer and are not well-versed in music theory. With Scalr, you can still craft beautiful chord progressions. You first choose your scale, then there is a list of many genres and artists that you can choose from as the base. Once you have that set, it suggests chords that you either use directly or modify to taste. You can also use the many phrases, arpeggio patterns, and “expressions” to make the chords sound dynamic and live-performed.

Finally, if you remake or remix a song, which is common for House producers, Scaler 2 can simply help you detect the chords by feeding it an audio clip. Or, if you can’t figure out which chord you’re playing, let Scaler 2 do the job. In either case, the detection feature is quite impressive.

Key Features:

• Intuitive Interface
  The GUI of the plugin is convenient to use and doesn’t have a big learning curve. It is entirely resizable as well. You can easily drag and drop clips into and out from Scaler 2 to your DAW as well.
• Chord Detection
  Scaler 2 supports both audio and midi chord detection. This feature can be a huge time-saver when you’re remaking songs or studying a song for inspiration.
• A Huge Library
  There are over two thousand scales and modes in Scaler 2. And each can be modified with genre/artist presets further for an endless source of creativity. Furthermore, Scaler 2 also supports saving your presets and compositions too. There are read-made House-based chord progressions and House artists & songs in the library that you can utilize.
• Built-in Sounds
  The plugin comes with a sound engine featuring synth leads and pads to natural instruments. So, if you find yourself wondering what your new arpeggio pattern will sound like on some strings, Scaler 2 has you covered.
• Chord Expression
  This plugin also features professionally played patterns and phrases to help you nail the piano or the keys parts. The patterns change dynamically depending on the chords you use, so there is never a wrong note. Similarly, a feature called “Key Locking” can help you create melodies by locking the notes to the selected scale or chords.

Compatibility:

Scaler 2 is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.8 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

Sometimes, when you have a producer’s block, a source of inspiration is what you need, and Scaler 2 serves as one of the best. For example, if you feel your song sounds monotonous halfway through, this plugin can help you spice it up by modulating it to a new scale. We would highly recommend giving this one a try.

15. Xfer Records Serum (Flexible Wavetable Synth)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Xfer’s Serum needs no introduction to anyone involved in the audio industry.

It’s an advanced wavetable synthesizer first introduced in 2015 by Xfer, and it has changed the sound design game in electronic music production. It is capable of polyphonic or monophonic sound design; Serum is the perfect plugin for designing bass sounds due to its in-depth sound modulation options.

Many House artists/DJs/producers, including Martin Garrix, Joel Corry, etc., claim to use Serum. Some of the many features it offers are morphing oscillators, wavetable editing, a wild matrix panel with endless modulation possibilities, high-quality effects, and a user-friendly interface that feels visually alive and inviting.

Key Features:

• Powerful oscillators
  Serum offers two powerful oscillators that can be blended statically, in the traditional analog way, or by using harmonic/spectral morphing. In simpler words, they are capable of smooth, warm bass sounds or wild, digital sounds that would fit in naturally in any modern electronic genre. A third oscillator is meant for shaping the sub of your sound, but it can be transposed four octaves up or down, so it could easily be used for pretty much anything.
  With its wavetable workflow, the possibilities for sound design for the ever-evolving House music are endless, as you can create almost anything using wavetables.
  Lastly, the noise oscillator comes with a selection of organic textures and noise sounds you can layer with the other oscillators, but feel free to drag and drop in it any sound you want to use.
• No artifacts
  Wavetable synthesizers require digital resampling to produce different frequencies. This process usually creates artifacts, meaning unwanted frequencies that could potentially harm your mix. Serum’s carefully designed engine that utilizes ultra high-precision resampling keeps these artifacts at bay, making them inaudible, so you don’t have to worry about unwanted frequencies harming your mix or making your sounds feel “cheap.”
• Modulation with no limits
  With three envelopes and 4 LFOs at its disposal, Serum offers a myriad of modulation options, especially for pulsating synths and basslines used in the House genre. Each envelope and LFO can be mapped to pretty much any parameter by dragging and dropping it to whatever target you wish or through the powerful matrix panel. The easy-to-use graphic interface makes mapping parameters all the easier.
  Finally, four macro knobs, to which you can assign multiple parameters simultaneously, make performing with Serum very enjoyable. You can map the macro knobs on your midi keyboard and control various parameters with one knob. These mapping options will make your bass sounds feel alive and evolving rather than your everyday synth.
• Real-time wavetable manipulation
  The warp knob (which is labeled OFF when initializing Serum) is capable of AM, FM, RM, Oscillator Sync, and other ways of modulating your wavetable in real-time. The visual feedback you get from the wavetable panel makes understanding this process fun and easy.
• Endless list of filters
  Serum offers a wide range of filter types, from the classic lowpass and highpass to unique types like Comb, Ring mod, Flangers, and Phasers or French LPF. The sound sculpting possibilities are endless.
• High quality effects
  Serum comes with a 10-effects effect rack that works serially, meaning you can arrange the effects in the order you want. Effects placed at the bottom of the rack affect the ones above them. Each parameter of the effects can be modulated with the envelopes or LFOs, making sound design with serum more enjoyable. 

Compatibility:

Serum is available on Mac OS 10.11 and higher, 64-bit only (VST, AU, AAX) and Windows 7 and higher, 64-bit only (VST, AU, AAX).

Summary:

Serum is a highly detailed wavetable synthesizer that will give you back as much or as little you want it to give. The more time you spend with it, the more wild and unique results you can get. It comes with 450 presets and 144 wavetables, which is enough to get you started. In addition, you can also easily find many House-based preset libraries for the synth.   

The wide selection of filters, envelopes, LFOs, and effects makes it the perfect plugin to design any bass sound you can think of, whether you are a producer just starting or an experienced professional looking for more inspiration.

Related Reading:

Top 10 Modular Synth Plugins (+ 3 FREE VST Plugins)

16. Sonic Academy Kick 2 (Kickdrum Designer)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Create and shape the perfect kick drum with this multi-award-winning drum synthesizer.

The kick drum is one of the most important element in House productions, as it drives the entire arrangement. Hence, it’s highly important to have the right kick sound, dynamics, envelopes, and shapes, and Kick 2 helps you exactly with that. Since its first version release, Kick 2 has had many fantastic additions for designing the perfect kick drum. 

Featuring over 230 modern factory samples in a wide range of styles and a precise set of controls, Kick 2 comes with infinite possibilities to create a unique sample. Its outstanding performance with dynamic processors such as compressors, limiters, and equalizers, will get your kick drum to the next level.

Key Features:

• Click section
  This section has three different areas where you can load other kick drums, modify them and lastly combine them to create a whole new sample. Each click area comes with four unique controls: the “pitch” knob allows you to alter the tuning of the sound. Using both the “Length” and “Start” knobs, you can trim a more specific section of the sample. Lastly, with the filtering knob, you can cut off frequencies that you don’t want in your kick drum.
• Sub control
  The sub-control area is one of a kind, and I can’t emphasise its importance in House music. With this plugin, you can add harmonics to your kick drum and make it more unique. You have three simple controls in this section: first, you have a little squared display to adjust the harmonics’ level. Second, you have a “Pitch” knob to modify the tuning of your harmonics, and lastly, you have the “Harmonics” knob that allows you to determine how much harmonic content you want in your sample.
• Waveform display
  Sonic Academy added the waveform display with extended analysis parameters to get your kick drum design to another level to give you a precise tool. In this area, you have toggles to display the waveforms of the clicks or the sub that you set on the areas described above. That way, you can see all your sources plus the summed result as overlapped layers so you can monitor your desired kick envelope.
• Effects section
  Kick 2 comes with a full effects suite for adding more color and presence to your kick drums. It comes with a 4-band equalizer, a distortion module with three different types of distortion, a compressor optimized for kick drums, and a limiter. With all these settings, you can balance your kick so it won’t fight with other elements in your project.
• Exporting
  One of the most exciting features in Kick 2 is the render section. With just one click, you can quickly render the kick drum you design and then drag it into your project as a standalone sample, or export it to use it on an external plugin or device, for example, in a sampler.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows Vista or higher and macOS X 10.7 or higher, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

We can confirm that Kick 2 is a complete plugin that adapts to different workflows and genres, including House. With only its factory samples and the ability to combine them as you please, you have a whole world of possibilities to create any kick drum for all genres.

That way, Kick 2 proves that it has all the tools needed to add the color and presence your kick drum needs to stand out in the mix without adding external plugins that consume more of your computer resources and might slow down your session.

Related Readings:

Should Drums Be in Mono or Stereo? (Kick, Snare, Clap, and Percussions)

Drums & Percussions – History and Fascinating Facts

17. Moogerfooger MF-101S (Lowpass Filter)

More Info & Price

The Moogerfooger MF-101 Lowpass Filter is the emulation of the analog filter effect module by Moog.

It creates various dynamic and evolving sound effects and gives a warm tone that can add more depth, roundness, and warm characteristics to your bass and synth sounds. The “S” in MF-101S stands for “Stereo,” indicating that this version of the Moogerfooger Lowpass Filter offers stereo input and output capabilities, allowing for even more versatile sound processing.

You can use the plugin for smoother filter openings, movements, and sweeps used in house buildups and even drops. It comprised two modular functions: an authentic 4-pole Lowpass Filter and an envelope follower designed by Bob Moog’s engineering team.

Key Features:

• Analog Filter Magic
  The MF-101 offers a rich analog lowpass filter that’s perfect for sculpting the iconic warm and evolving sounds that define house music. Use it to craft smooth, sweeping filter transitions and add that touch of vintage character.
• Expressive Envelope Follower
  You can use the plugin to elevate your tracks with the envelope follower’s dynamic control. You can infuse your beats with pulsating rhythms as the filter sweeps in sync with your music’s groove, delivering a hypnotic and engaging energy.
• Cutoff Mastery
  The CUTOFF control’s eight-octave range lets you fine-tune the sweet spots where your basslines, chords, and leads shine, creating excitement and anticipation in your arrangements.
• Modular House Vibe
  You can integrate the MF-101’s modular functions to craft evolving filter modulations that build anticipation in your drops and breakdowns.
• Classic Flavor, Modern Twist
  With the MF-101S Lowpass Filter, you’re getting the best of both worlds: the classic analog mojo of the original, tailor-made for the modern music producer, so you can capture that timeless warmth while staying current. In addition, you also get a control voltage to sync the filter’s movements to your track’s tempo.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available in AAX, AU, and VST formats and is compatible with Windows and Mac.

Summary:

The reimagined MF-101S faithfully captures the original’s warm, dynamic characteristics. Its CV interconnectivity, stereo prowess, expanded features, multi-instance capability, and presets tailor the timeless Moogerfooger functionality to the contemporary digital creator.

The plugin retains the essence of CV interconnectivity, enabling cross-instance modulation in any DAW environment. With digital attenuverters and side-chain capabilities, they offer unparalleled sound design and control possibilities, effectively evolving with your audio tracks.

18. Wavesfactory Spectre (All-Round Hybrid Enhancer)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

A fantastic mix of enhancer and parametric EQ that will help you improve both individual tracks and masters is the Spectre plugin from Wavesfactory.

Wavesfactory is a company located on the beautiful island of Mallorca in Spain that creates great software for musicians and engineers. Their products include audio plugins and Kontakt libraries. Wavesfactory, in particular, has impressive solutions to help you create better music.

One of them is the Spectre plugin, which is a multi-band enhancer and saturator. It’s a powerful tool to work on improving the frequency spectrum. You will have ten saturation algorithms and high sound quality at your disposal that you can use to add excitement to different spectrums of your House mixes and productions.

Spectre also has a friendly and intuitive interface, which will be especially nice to work with. If you get a little confused about working precisely with the plugin, it’s no problem. Wavesfactory has prepared a large number of presets for you. All of them are divided by instruments, and there is a separate set – specifically for mastering. But let’s take a closer look at the main features this excellent plugin has in store for us.

Key Features:

• Color Your Signal
  You get an opportunity to color your signal as if you were using analog equipment and add the required warmth in your arrangements, especially for genres like House, which uses a lot of saw synths that can be piercy and sharp. The point is that the plugin affects the difference between the input signal and the signal that is processed by the equalizer, adding harmonic content.
• Five Different Bands
  You can add life to your music with five different bands. For example, try working with the leftmost one if you need to improve low-end information. You’ll intuitively understand how to work since everything here looks like a modern EQ.
• Choose a Saturation Algorithm
  It’s just amazing, but the plugin has as many as ten saturation algorithms. There are options such as Solid, Tube, Warm Tube, Tape, Digital, Rectify, Half Rectify, Bit, Diode, and Class B. Switch between them and listen to which one is right for you. 
• Use on Whatever You Want
  Thanks to the principle of the plugin, you can use it on any tracks that need more “brightness.” For example, it can be a single instrument or a sub-mix. Also, the plugin will be ideal for mastering and creating well-rounded House mixes.
• Excellent Sound Quality
  You don’t need to worry about the quality of the signal, even if the plugin’s settings are incredibly extreme. That’s because it uses 4x and 16x oversampling modes.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.7 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

Spectre by Wavesfactory is a plugin that helps to bring your tracks and masters to life. You will be able to add harmonic distortion thanks to 5 different bands. In addition, you’ll have a vast choice of saturation algorithms, which makes this software great for most genres, including House.

Related Readings:

Difference Between Active EQ, Passive EQ and Dynamic EQ

19. Robotic Bean Hand Clap Studio (Clap Designer)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Robotic Bean’s “Hand Clap Studio” is a virtual instrument that adds natural-sounding handclaps and snaps to your productions.

Captured by a professional percussionist at the legendary Atlantis Studio, the plugin offers high-quality handclap and snap samples. It provides full sound control, enabling you to customize the number of clappers, how they clap, and their positioning. It’s perfect for designing anthemic and stadium-style claps like House heavyweights like Avicci and Eric Prydz, which can elevate your sounds and make them huge.

Key Features:

• Versatile Clap Types
  With options like Basic, Bright, Soft, and Snap claps, you get different styles that give you different combinations of attack and release that you can use to create the iconic crisp and punchy claps synonymous with House music.
• Dynamic Realism
  The plugin’s 5 velocity layers and 13 round robins ensure that each clap sounds dynamic and natural. In addition, you can choose from Close, Room, and Echo Chamber microphones to achieve the desired spatial depth and ambiance characteristic of House.
• Custom Clapper Arrangement
  You can arrange up to eight clappers to craft intricate rhythms that define House music’s hugeness and festival nature. There’s also a Rhythm Xpander sequencer that lets you arrange claps in a sixteen-step sequence.
• Expressive parameters
  Hands Clap Studio lets you adjust parameters like Spread, Loudness, Strength, Pitch, etc. You also get an accent switch, which can be adjusted to Hard, Soft, and Mid. All these parameters let you create humanized, and more stadium-style House claps that sound huge and anthemic.
• Comprehensive effects
  To shape the claps further, you get compressor and EQ effects within the plugin that let you change your sound’s frequency balance and dynamics. In addition, there are echo or delay effects, with decay and level parameters.

Compatibility:

Available in AAX, AU, and VST plugin formats, Hands Clap Studio is compatible with most popular DAWs and works on Windows and Mac operating systems.

Summary:

Hands Clap Studio is great for crafting dynamic, expressive, engaging buildups and even verse & chorus clap patterns in your House productions. With House being highly groove-oriented and exciting in nature, this plugin can save you tonnes of automation and processing to get the same kind of expressiveness.

You can choose from versatile clap types—Basic, Bright, Soft, and Snap—to sculpt signature punch and character. With 5 velocity layers and 13 round robins, achieve dynamic realism. Tailor your spatial depth using Close, Room, and Echo Chamber microphones, evoking the immersive House atmosphere.

Shape intricate rhythms with up to 8 clappers and the Rhythm Xpander sequencer, channeling House’s pulsating energy. Overall, it’s worth having Hands Clap Studio in your arsenal.

20. Devious Machines Duck (Sidechain Tool)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

The Duck Machine by Devious audio is a great example of how seamless a process like volume automating can be. 

Automations are extremely important in House music production for adding movement, excitement, expression, and human-element to the song. The Duck Machine is a lightweight device that comes with a humble handful of parameter controls that will still give you generous amounts of options for automation. It may not offer you the widest range of modulation options. Still, it does handle the fundamentals very well. 

Key Features:

• Crossover Function
  This feature lets you control how much of your signal’s high and low frequencies are affected by your volume automation. There are separate gain knobs for the high and low-frequency ranges and a crossover control that selects the frequency bias.
• Trigger Control
  The trigger control on this plugin is stored in a seamless configuration box in the plugin’s bottom right-hand corner. You can select whether to have their automation triggered by external audio or midi input.  
• Smoothing Knob
  Volume automation can sometimes generate a series of pops or crackling sounds due to processing errors. Using the smooth knob can help to adjust the modulation algorithm to reduce and remove these intrusive sounds. 

Compatibility:

The Duck machine is available as a VST, AU, or AAX unit. It’s compatible with Windows 7 and up and Mac0s.10.12 and above.

Summary:

The most appealing thing about the Duck Machine is its size, which is a relief in the usually CPU-heavy sessions in House music. Despite its powerful processing capabilities, it is an incredibly lightweight device, and you can run many instances simultaneously. The envelope editor can be a bit inhibiting when creating off-grid slopes or curves, but this is not a massive obstacle for those who want to create simple, quantized phrasing in their envelopes. 

Related Reading:

7 Best Sidechain VST Plugins Xfer, Cableguys, Polyverse

Extra:

8. Orb Producer Suite 3 (Set of 4 AI-Driven Plugins)

More Info & Price

Orb Producer Suite 3 is a collection of four unique AI music plugins offered by Hexachords.

These plugins leverage artificial intelligence to generate infinite patterns, chord progressions, melodies, basslines, and arpeggios, assisting music composers, producers, and DJs explore new creative avenues. The suite is designed to inspire and support the creative process, providing innovative musical ideas for various genres, including House.

Key Features:

• Chords & Melody plugins
  Orb Producer Pro – Chords is a wavetable synth and also generates chord progressions, helping you build harmonically rich foundations for your tracks. On the other hand, the “Melodies” plugin focuses on creating melodies that can be a starting point or an addition to compositions. Since House is a genre that relies heavily on melodies and infectious chord progressions, these tools can be of great help in producing that.
• House-based Basslines & Arpeggios
  Designed for basslines, the “Bass” plugin utilizes AI to craft bass patterns that complement the other musical elements. You also get the “Arpeggio” plugin that generates intricate arpeggios, adding rhythmic and melodic complexity, which are integral to creating danceable productions.
• Numerous Presets
  The plugin consists of a wavetable synthesizer, where you’ll find an array of well-crafted presets of everything from pads to plucked to acoustic to percussive, curated by seasoned industry experts.
• AI-based parameters
  Producer Suite 3 consists of single-knob and easy-to-use AI-based parameters like Strong beat, Weak Beat, Off Beat, Reference Velocity, etc., to adjust the expressiveness of your sounds, making the workflow easier and more intuitive.
• Select Tonalities and Keys
  Within Orb Producer Suite, you can select everything from scales/keys to chord types (major, minor, sus, etc.) to chord intervals (7ths, 9ths, triads, etc.). 
• Other advanced features
  The plugin consists of a Polyrhythms engine, Block Sequencing, Block Linking for connecting musical blocks, and other features. Block linking allows you to effortlessly weave all your themes into a single, cohesive musical composition, ready for playback with just a click.

Compatibility:

Orb Producer Suite 3 is available in AU and VST plugin formats and is compatible with Windows and Mac.

Summary:

The Orb Suite is great for coming up with musical ideas and can be of great help if you’re not familiar with or are weak with music theory. House music requires a specific style of basslines, arpeggios, chord progressions, and melodies that this suite can help you create. Its AI-based workflow is intuitive, and the interface is easy to navigate.