Go behind the scenes in this 26-minute Start to Finish Afro & Melodic House masterclass inspired by HotLap (Episode 1 of our From Start to Finish series in Ableton Live).
Every single drum loop, vocal stem, string/piano layer, and Serum 2 preset used in this 26-minute session comes from MAGNIFIED 2 – Afro & Melodic House Sample Pack. Follow the exact timestamped workflow below—from the pitch-bent dual bassline to vocal chopping and the custom reverse-reverb lead uplifter trick.
What you will learn
1. Drums & Dual Pitch-Bent Bassline (00:36–08:09 | BS – Weird & BS – Rumble)
We build the low-end groove from scratch in the first eight minutes of the session:
• Kick & Tom Foundation (00:36): A punchy kick paired with a syncopated tom loop immediately sets the tempo and swing.
• Two-Layer Bass & Pitch-Bend Trick (01:45): We stack Serum 2 presets BS – Weird and BS – Rumble. To get that signature HotLap elastic low-end glide, we automate the MIDI Pitch Bend envelope at the end of the bass phrase.
• Expanded Drum Groove (04:35): We complete the rhythm section by adding a shaker loop, 2 hat loops, a cowbell loop, a short clap fill, and a subtle white noise texture loop.
2. Layered Leads, Plucks, Strings, Piano & Vocals (08:09–17:30)
Once the groove is locked, we construct the emotional melodic world:
• First Pluck & Ambience (08:09–09:25): We introduce Serum 2 pluck preset PL – Drip, followed by a texture loop and 2 deep atmosphere loops.
• 2-Layer Main Lead + Strings & Piano (11:17): The main hook stacks Serum 2 presets LD – Mirage and LD – Voltage in unison, reinforced underneath by warm strings and piano chords.
• Studio Vocal (12:37) & Stab Details (15:19): We drop in a real studio vocal kit from MAGNIFIED 2, then punctuate the turnarounds with 2 impacts, stab pluck preset PL – Echo, and a short drum fill.
3. Subtractive Breakdown Arrangement & Vocal Chopping (17:30–22:27)
At 17:30, we transition from loop creation into full track arrangement and breakdown design:
• Kick Low-Cut & Extra Breakdown Atmospheres: We strip back the percussion, use Ableton Auto Filter to cut the low end out of the kick during the transition, and introduce 2 additional breakdown atmosphere loops to widen the space.
• Custom Vocal Chopping (18:16): Watch step-by-step how we slice and rearrange syllables from the studio vocal stem to create a rhythmic, ear-catching vocal chop hook that carries the second half of the breakdown.
4. Pre-Drop Automation & Reverse-Reverb Lead Uplifter Trick (22:27–26:42)
In the final section (22:27–26:42), we engineer a seamless, goosebump-inducing build-up into the main drop:
• Filter & Reverb Automation: We automate filter cutoffs and reverb throws across the drums, kick, and PL – Drip pluck to build tension.
• The Reverse-Reverb Uplifter Trick: We solo the first note of the main lead (LD – Mirage + LD – Voltage), drench it in a long reverb tail, resample/freeze it to audio, and reverse the audio clip—creating a custom harmonic pre-drop uplifter that swells directly into the first note of the drop!
Get the sounds and complete project
Every sound, vocal stem, and Serum 2 preset (BS – Weird, BS – Rumble, PL – Drip, LD – Mirage, LD – Voltage, PL – Echo) comes from MAGNIFIED 2, and this exact project file is included for Ableton Live, FL Studio, and Logic Pro.
Explore MAGNIFIED 2:
Explore MAGNIFIED 2 – Afro & Melodic House Sample Pack →Get MAGNIFIED 1 & 2 Complete Bundle (Save 40%) →
Inside MAGNIFIED 2
• 4 Full DAW Project Files for Ableton Live, FL Studio & Logic Pro (including this exact HotLap track)
• 4 Construction Kits with Stems, MIDI & 36 Custom Serum 2 Presets
• Presets Used: BS – Weird, BS – Rumble, PL – Drip, LD – Mirage, LD – Voltage, PL – Echo
• 4 Real Studio-Recorded Vocal Kits (Dry & Wet) + Strings, Pianos & Atmosphere Loops
• Complete Drum & Percussion Library, Cowbells, Clap Fills, Impacts & Risers
Want to open this exact 26-minute session in your DAW? Grab MAGNIFIED 2 today, or unlock all 11 Tuniwave packs in The Everything Bundle (€119).