House music rarely deviates from its standard 4/4 rhythm, which indicates that there are four beats per measure, with quarter notes receiving one beat each. According to musicradar.com, the basic formula for house rhythm production is to put the kick (or bass drum sound) dead on each beat during each measure. However, it is also important to incorporate other percussion textures and styles into your 4/4 rhythms. Try using drum roll quantization plug-ins, which allow you to seamlessly sync up incredibly fast and complex beats with your basic, backing rhythm pattern. Listening to live drummers is a great way to learn about where to place drum breaks and fills.
According to sonictransfer.com, many house music artists utilize a particular plug-in tool in the production process known as a side chain compressor. The side chain compressor allows artists to set up an audio track so that its volume is controlled by another audio track. So, as one track's volume begins to increase (for example, a track with a synthesized horn sound on it), another track's volume will simultaneously decrease (for example, a track with a synthesized piano sound on it). This generates a very distinguishable and frequently used sound in house music known as "suction," "breathing" or a "push, pull."
Panning your audio tracks means that you are assigning them specific locations within the realm of stereo sound. In house music, this means that you can position different synthesized sounds so that they come out of the speakers or your headphones in different locations. For example, you can position a flute track so that it comes out more predominantly on the left, while you can position a bass track so that it comes out more predominantly on the right. With more advanced panning plug-ins, you can even place sounds to the front and back, and have tracks alternate their panning locations. According to musicradar.com, with house music it is vital to vary or spread out the panning locations of your drum tracks. Otherwise, all of the drum sounds---coming out of one location---will sound crowded and indistinguishable from one another.