Hardstyle

History and character

Hardstyle emerged between the late 1990s and the early 2000s across the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, from the meeting of techno, new beat and hardcore (with hard house and hard trance as close influences). Wikipedia stresses that the exact origin cannot be pinned down precisely. The German DJ Scot Project, tied to hard trance, is cited as a major influence on the "reverse bass". Around 2002 the main Dutch labels were Fusion Records (DJ Zany) and Scantraxx (Dov Elkabas); the organizer Q-dance produces Qlubtempo (2000, Zaandam, the first event described as hardstyle), Qlimax (from 2000–2001, mostly at the GelreDome in Arnhem, about 30,000 people per edition; ended in 2024 over costs and quality) and Defqon.1 (since 2003 in Biddinghuizen, four days in late June, the longest-running hardstyle festival still active). Italy has an important historical scene (Italian artists and labels are often cited by fans, but were not verified here).

The distinctive element is the kick: heavily overdriven, "tuned" so as to form the bass line, with the reverse bass (a distorted offbeat bass inside the same beat) in the early phase and screeches (dissonant synths) in early and raw. The modern sound adds synth melodies, distortion and vocal samples. From the 2010s two main currents are defined: euphoric hardstyle (from about 2010) with emotional melodies and heavy use of kick pitch-shifting, and rawstyle (also from about 2010), darker, with little or no melody and many screeches, drawing on mainstream hardcore, gabber and early hardstyle. There is also dubstyle (early 2010s), a fusion with dubstep.

Reference artists: Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Noisecontrollers, Brennan Heart, Showtek (hardstyle phase), Zatox, Technoboy, The Prophet, Coone, Da Tweekaz, D-Block & S-te-Fan, Sub Zero Project, Ran-D, Radical Redemption, Phuture Noize, Sound Rush, Warface. Big events: Defqon.1, Qlimax, Decibel, Intents, Hard Bass. "Blame It on the Music" (Headhunterz & Wildstylez, 2009), "Lose My Mind" (Brennan Heart & Wildstylez, 2012) and "Dragonborn" (Headhunterz, 2012, built on the Skyrim theme) are emblematic euphoric titles.

Scales and keys

Hardstyle is minor: Aeolian for euphoric loops, harmonic minor for the epic, Phrygian and chromaticism for the raw. The kick itself is tuned to the tonic. Examples in F# minor (kick with tail on F#1 = 46.25 Hz, widely used) and G minor.

Natural minor (Aeolian)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. T S T T S T T.
• On F#: F# G# A B C# D E.
• Characteristic notes: b6 (D) and b7 (E).
• Chords: i F#m, ii° G#°, III A, iv Bm, v C#m, VI D, VII E. Sevenths: F#m7, G#m7b5, Amaj7, Bm7, C#m7, Dmaj7, E7.
• Use: the basis of euphoric: i–VI–III–VII (F#m–D–A–E), VI–VII–i, supersaw leads with octave leaps and b6–5 descents.
• Listening example: the euphoric climaxes of Headhunterz and Wildstylez.
• Common mistakes: melodies that use notes outside the kick's note (the kick tail is a note: the melody must harmonize with it).

Harmonic minor

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7. T S T T S T½ S.
• On F#: F# G# A B C# D E# (E# = F).
• Characteristic note: the leading tone E# and the augmented second D–E#: epic, "neoclassical".
• Chords: i F#m, ii° G#°, III+ A+, iv Bm, V C#, VI D, vii° E#°.
• Use: epic leads and V–i cadences in the climax; trance arpeggios.
• Listening example: "Dragonborn" (Headhunterz, 2012), built on the epic Skyrim theme.

Phrygian

• Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. S T T T S T T.
• On F#: F# G A B C# D E.
• Characteristic note: b2 (G).
• Chords: i F#m, bII G, III A, iv Bm, v° C#°, VI D, vii Em.
• Use: rawstyle and early: screeches and semitone cells; pitched kick that falls by a semitone.

Dorian (brighter euphoric)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7. On G: G A Bb C D E F. Chords: i Gm, ii Am, III Bb, IV C, v Dm, #vi° E°, VII F.
• Use: major IV as an emotional opening in the breakdowns.

Major ("happy" euphoric)

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. On A: A B C# D E F# G#. Chords: I A, ii Bm, iii C#m, IV D, V E, vi F#m, vii° G#°.
• Use: "positive" breakdowns and climaxes, IV–V–vi.

How to choose

• Euphoric: Aeolian with harmonic V in the climax.
• Epic: harmonic minor.
• Raw: Phrygian and chromaticism, almost no harmony.
• Rule: choose the tonic for the kick (F–A, 43–55 Hz tail) and write the melody in the same key.

Harmony

• Harmonic breakdowns: minor trance progressions (i–VI–III–VII, VI–VII–i) played by pads, piano, strings and supersaws; one chord per bar (at 150 BPM = 1.6 s) or per 2 bars.
• Kick section: harmony "in the kick": the kick tail is tuned to the tonic or follows the roots (kick pitched chord by chord in modern euphoric).
• Climax: supersaw lead with the full progression over the kick, often with major V (harmonic minor) at the end of the phrase.
• Anti-climax (especially raw): after the melodic breakdown, a drop without melody with screeches and kick.
• Voicing: very wide supersaws, chords across 3 octaves, epic choirs; in the drop no roots in the synths (the kick carries them).
• Modulations: rare; sometimes a semitone up in the last climax.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

• Four on the floor at 150 (148–155), straight grid, no swing.
• The long, distorted kick fills almost all the space between one quarter note and the next (at 150 BPM a quarter note = 400 ms: the kick tail lasts 250–380 ms).
• Reverse bass (early): one distorted bass hit on the offbeat after each kick.
• Kick roll and "kick pattern": variations such as eighth-note kicks on the last beats, "three-hit" kicks in the drops, syncopated patterns in raw.
• Breakdown in half time or without kick.

Drums

Convention: 16 sixteenth notes; quarter notes on 1, 5, 9, 13; offbeats on 3, 7, 11, 15. Reference rhythm r-hardstyle.

Role of the kick

• Sixteenths 1, 5, 9, 13. The hardstyle kick has three parts:
• Punch/attack (first 10–30 ms): click and transient, often a separate layer (909 kick or sample), 2–6 kHz.
• Crunch/body (20–100 ms): the distorted part, 100–500 Hz, rich in harmonics, with a falling pitch envelope.
• Tail (100–380 ms): tone tuned to the tonic (e.g. F#1 = 46.25 Hz or an octave up at 92.5 Hz as the main harmonic), distorted and filtered; it is the "bass".
• In modern euphoric the tail is pitched chord by chord (kick pitch-shifting).

Reverse bass (808 lane of r-hardstyle)

• Sixteenths 3, 7, 11, 15: one distorted bass hit on the offbeat, originally made by reversing the kick tail or with a synth; typical of early hardstyle (2000s).

Clap and snare

• Sixteenths 5 and 13: dry, bright clap, often with short reverb; sometimes absent in raw.

Hi-hat, ride and percussion

• Open hat on the offbeat (3, 7, 11, 15), ride in eighth or sixteenth notes in the climax, crash every 8 bars; minimal percussion.

Dynamics and groove

• Uniform velocities; all the dynamics are between sections (kick section vs. breakdown).

Interaction with bass and melody

• The kick is the bass: no separate bass underneath, or a light sub only in the breakdowns. Leads and pads are sidechained to the kick (or cut with volume shaping) so as not to lose impact.

How it changes by section

• Intro: kick and percussion or narration (spoken intro).
• Kick section: kick + clap + hat + lead/screech.
• Breakdown: no kick; pad, piano, vocal, strings.
• Build/anti-climax: kick roll (eighths → sixteenths), snare roll, riser.
• Climax: kick + full supersaw lead.

Fills and transitions

• Kick roll in eighth and sixteenth notes with rising pitch, snare roll, reverse kick, "kick drop" (one beat of silence and the kick returns with impact).

Sound choice

• Designed kicks (layers of punch + crunch + tail) and tuned; bright claps; long crashes.

Typical mistakes

• Kick not tuned to the key; tail too long overlapping the next kick (click and "mush"); clap too loud; too many elements below 200 Hz besides the kick.

Bass

• The kick is the bass: the tuned kick tail carries the fundamental; in modern euphoric it follows the chord roots (tail pitch automated).
• Reverse bass (early): distorted offbeat bass after each kick, tuned to the tonic.
• Sub in the breakdowns: long sine under pads and piano.
• Tuning: tonic between F1 and A1 (43.65–55 Hz); many kicks have the "perceived note" an octave above (87–110 Hz) thanks to distortion.
• Notes: tonic and roots; in raw, semitones and glissandi of the tail.

Harmonic instruments

• Layered supersaws (leads and climax chords), epic pads and strings in the breakdowns, piano in intros and breakdowns, choirs.
• Wide voicings in the mid-high register; in the climax the chords sit above 200 Hz so as not to touch the kick.

Melody and vocals

• Euphoric leads in trance style (supersaw) with phrases of 4–8 bars, octave and fifth leaps, use of the leading tone in the climax.
• Screech: distorted, dissonant synths (early and raw).
• Vocals: epic and spoken (spoken intro), sung female vocals in euphoric, MC in live sets.
• Choirs: epic choirs in the climaxes.
• Effects: big reverbs, dotted 1/4 delay, pitch-shift.

Instruments

• Synthesized, distorted kicks (layers), clap, open hat, ride, crash; supersaw, pads, strings, piano, choirs; virtual analog synths for screech; spoken and sung vocals; cinematic FX.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• OP-Xa V — Supersaw lead: Wide unison and detune for euphoric leads and chords; open filter, release 300–500 ms; layer an octave above.
• Korg MS-20 V — Screech: Resonant high-pass and low-pass filters with drive at maximum, pitch envelope and fast LFO: early and raw screech.
• Mini V — Kick tail and reverse bass: Sine/triangle with fast pitch envelope (from +24/+36 semitones down to the tonic in 30–80 ms) and decay 300 ms, then external distortion: the basis of a kick tail or a reverse bass.
• Augmented Strings — Epic strings: Cinematic strings for intros and breakdowns.
• Augmented Voices — Epic choirs: Choirs for the euphoric climaxes.
• Piano V — Piano: Emotional breakdowns.

Song structure

Phrases of 8 and 16 bars; at 150 BPM 32 bars last 51 seconds. Typical length 4–5 minutes (radio edit 3:00–3:30).

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

• The kick dominates everything: it occupies the bass and low mids, the rest is sidechained or cut around it. Wide, bright leads, clear vocal in the breakdowns. Very high loudness.
• References: Headhunterz, Brennan Heart, Sub Zero Project, D-Block & S-te-Fan.

Kick

• Separate layers: punch (high-pass 200 Hz, +3 dB at 3–5 kHz), crunch (distortion: Fruity Blood Overdrive, Distructor, FabFilter Saturn; EQ −3 dB at 300–500 Hz if "boxy"), tail (low-passed at 1–3 kHz, tuned).
• Kick bus: EQ (high-pass 25 Hz, +2 dB at 50–60 Hz or on the fundamental), clipper (Kclip, Fruity Soft Clipper) 3–6 dB, no reverb, mono below 200 Hz.
• Check the phase between layers (align the transients).

Clap

• EQ: high-pass 250 Hz, +3 dB at 2–4 kHz; fast compression; short reverb (0.6–0.8 s) with filtered return.

Hi-hat and percussion

• High-pass 600 Hz; ride and hat lightly sidechained to the kick.

Bass (reverse bass / breakdown sub)

• Reverse bass: high-pass 40 Hz, distortion, mono; volume calibrated against the kick. Breakdown sub: mono sine.

Supersaw, pad, strings, piano

• Supersaw: high-pass 200–300 Hz in the climax (the kick occupies below), −2 dB at 2–3 kHz if they cover the vocal, 7–9 kHz de-esser, width 150%, sidechain/volume shaping from the kick (8–15 dB).
• Pad and strings: high-pass 250 Hz, long hall reverb.
• Piano: high-pass 60–80 Hz in the kick-less breakdowns.

Lead vocal and narration

• EQ: high-pass 100 Hz, −2 dB at 300 Hz, +3 dB at 3–5 kHz; serial compression (FET + opto, 6–8 dB total); de-esser; 2–3 s hall reverb in the breakdowns; dotted 1/4 delay.
• Narration: deep, compressed voice with big reverb and delay; often pitched −2/−3 semitones.

Backing vocals

• Epic choirs at −6/−9 dB, wide, with long reverb.

FX

• Risers, impacts, "kick drop": the impact must not exceed the kick in loudness.

Buses and groups

• Kick bus; Music bus with volume shaping from the kick; Vocal bus; FX bus.

Sidechain

• Kick → everything (supersaws, pads, choirs, reverbs). In FL Studio: Fruity Limiter in COMP mode with sidechain, Fruity Peak Controller, or Volume Shaper / LFOTool for precise shapes synced to 1/4.

Master

• Chain: light EQ → glue → clipper (2–4 dB) → limiter.
• Indicative targets (common practice): −5/−3 LUFS integrated for hardstyle festivals, among the loudest of all electronic music; short-term in the kick sections up to −3/−2; true peak −0.3 dBTP for club files, −1 for streaming.

Common mistakes

• Kick tail not tuned; too much distortion on the master (the kick loses definition); supersaws "stealing" space below 200 Hz; clap disappearing.

Reference tracks for the mix

• Headhunterz & Wildstylez — Blame It on the Music (2009); Brennan Heart & Wildstylez — Lose My Mind (2012); Headhunterz — Dragonborn (2012).

Reference listening

• Headhunterz & Wildstylez — Blame It on the Music (2009)
• Brennan Heart & Wildstylez — Lose My Mind (2012)
• Headhunterz — Dragonborn (2012)
• Ran-D — Zombie (2017)
• Ran-D — Hurricane (2018)