Step-by-Step Guide to Producing Drum and Bass Like Sub Focus, A.M.C, and Delta Heavy
Drum and Bass is a genre known for its high-energy beats, deep basslines, and intricate sound design, captivating listeners on dancefloors worldwide. In this guide, we’ll break down the essential steps to producing a professional-quality D&B track in the style of Sub Focus, A.M.C, and Delta Heavy.

Drum and Bass (D&B) is a high-energy genre that emerged in the early '90s in the UK, evolving from jungle music and rave culture. Characterized by rapid breakbeats, deep basslines, and intricate sound design, it has grown into a global phenomenon with various subgenres like jump-up, liquid, neurofunk, and dancefloor D&B. In 2024, the genre saw massive success, with Sub Focus, A.M.C, and Delta Heavy ranking as the top-selling artists, dominating charts and festival lineups worldwide.
Sub Focus, in particular, has continued to push the boundaries of D&B, blending it with house influences in collaborations like “Go Back (feat. Julia Church)” with John Summit. These artists are known for their powerful basslines, cinematic soundscapes, and tightly crafted percussion, setting the standard for modern D&B production. In this guide, we’ll break down the essential steps to creating a professional-quality D&B track in their signature style.
Step 1: Setting Up Your Project
Start by setting your DAW’s tempo to 174 BPM, the sweet spot for dancefloor D&B. Select a 44.1kHz sample rate with a 24-bit depth for high-quality sound production.
Recommended Tools:
- DAW: Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, or Cubase
- Sample Packs (Loopcloud):
- Plugins (Plugin Boutique):
- Serum (for bass design)
- FabFilter Pro-Q 4 (for EQ)
- OTT (for multiband compression)
Step 2: Crafting the Drums
D&B drums need to be crisp and punchy. Layering breakbeats with one-shot drum samples is key.
1. Breakbeat Layering:
- Start with a classic breakbeat.
- Chop the breakbeat and rearrange it to fit a clean 2-step D&B rhythm.
- EQ out unwanted frequencies and add saturation for warmth.
2. One-Shot Drums:
- Select a snappy snare and place it on beats 2 and 4.
- Use a tight, punchy kick on beats 1 and the “and” of beat 3.
- Add hi-hats and ghost snares for groove variation.
- Use transient shaping to sharpen each drum hit.
Processing Tips:
- Use parallel compression to enhance punch.
- Apply subtle reverb to hats and ghost snares.
- Use a sidechain compressor on the drums to keep the mix clean.
Step 3: Designing the Bass
The bassline is the backbone of a D&B track. Modern D&B often combines multiple bass layers for depth.
1. Sub Bass:
- Create a pure sine wave sub using Serum or Massive.
- Keep it mono and set a low-pass filter at 80Hz.
- Sidechain the sub to the kick to avoid frequency clashing.
2. Mid-Range Bass:
- Use a saw wave or FM synthesis to create aggressive mid-bass textures.
- Apply distortion (e.g., Trash) and modulate with an LFO.
- Layer multiple bass patches to add width and movement.
3. Reese Bass:
- Detune two saw waves slightly for a classic reese bass sound.
- Use an LFO filter sweep to create a dynamic feel.
Step 4: Crafting the Leads and Pads
D&B tracks often use atmospheric pads, cinematic leads, and arpeggios to add melodic interest.
1. Atmospheric Pads:
- Use Omnisphere or Serum for wide ambient pads.
- Apply reverb and delay for a spacious feel.
2. Synth Leads:
- Use portamento glide to create smooth note transitions.
- Choose sharp plucks or rave stabs for energy.
- Automate filter cutoff for movement.
3. Arpeggios:
- Use triplet timing or syncopation for unique rhythms.
- Layer arps with different synths to enhance depth.



Step 5: Sound FX and Transitions
FX elements help build energy and smooth transitions.
1. Risers & Impacts:
- Use white noise sweeps and pitch risers.
- Add reversed crashes to enhance drop impact.
2. Vocal Samples:
- Find chopped vocal phrases in sample packs.
- Process with reverb, delay, and distortion.
3. Glitches & Fills:
- Use glitch plugins like Glitch or Effectrix 2.
- Create drum fills using stuttered percussion.
Step 6: Arrangement and Structure
Most D&B tracks follow a similar structure:
- Intro (0:00 - 0:45): Pads, arps, and risers introduce the atmosphere.
- Build-up (0:45 - 1:00): Drums and bass start filtering in.
- Drop (1:00 - 2:00): Full drums and bass kick in.
- Breakdown (2:00 - 2:30): Stripped back, adding melodic elements.
- Second Drop (2:30 - 3:30): Introduces variation.
- Outro (3:30 - 4:00): Elements fade out gradually.
Use automation to keep the track evolving.
Step 7: Mixing and Mastering
1. Mixing:
- Use high-pass filters to remove unwanted lows.
- Ensure the kick and bass don’t clash by sidechaining.
- Pan percussion and synths to create space.
2. Mastering:
- Use Ozone 10 for a final polish.
- Apply gentle compression for cohesion.
- Use limiting to maximize loudness without distortion.
By following these steps, you can create a high-energy drum and bass track in the style of Sub Focus, A.M.C, and Delta Heavy. Keep experimenting with sound design and arrangement to develop your unique signature style.
Happy producing!