22 thoughts on “How To Make An 80’s Disco Groove”

    1. when I see criticism take a bitter tone like this instead of a constructive tone (e.g. ‘sounds good! maybe work on building a stronger groove’) the main thing it tells me is that the commenter is very insecure in their own accomplishments.

      a smart artist quickly learns to ignore those people.

      1. Here’s some constructive critique:

        The parts are mostly pretty solid. The biggest problem is how they’re sitting together.

        Lose the reverb on the drums. All of it. Disco may be prehistoric but that doesn’t mean we played it in caves.

        The trident comping part should be played an octave higher.

        The trident resonant synth lead has so much resonance that the fundamental is lost. Back off on that, or the treble, or something. Also dial back the reverb on that part. Maybe even consider a sound that is more brass, less synth.

        The guitar part is decent but it needs to sing more. It could benefit from a wah pedal, or a phaser, or a chorus, or something.

        Double every snare hit with a clap.

        Consider upping the tempo just a little.

        Presto. Disco.

    2. It’s juicy. Not so sloppy. Disco was full of expression over mechanical beats. You must have a brain that has to hear quantised beats. This demo, imperfect as it is, has soul.

  2. The article is called “How To Make An 80’s Disco Groove”. My only question is, WHY???? Wasn’t surviving Disco the first time enough already???

    1. Haha…you know there’s a lot of new music today that is pretty much just disco? Think Italo Disco and bands such as Daft Punk, etc. etc. so clearly there is an interest in it. I’ve never stopped loving disco from when it first came out.

  6. wasn’t disco the 70’s???
    was synthesizers the 80’s?

    and are you going for the good disco or the cop out like the “”Ethel Merman sings disco”” album?

    or do you just want to make another “”I will survive”” you tube joke video ?

  8. Remember this always most hardware and software synths are fake, they use fake oscillators , wavetables, and other supposed sound synthesis techniques etc which are only prerecorded samples, thats all the filters, mods etc etc, and all sound editing are real thats true, but the sound source is samples. There are only a few retro synths which have use real oscillators and sound synthesis techniques like the dx7. This is the big secret of the century, lots of guys have been ripping your money believe it or not.

  9. By the way there is absolutely nothing wrong with this guy, he is making great music. i will also like to thank synthopia who always publishes good stuff but please teveal the truth about most hardware and software synth ( software synths OMG these are the fakest)

  16. wow. a bunch of synthesizer enthusiasts that don’t know anything about Italo Disco. what do you guys do with your synthesizers anyway? just curious because Italo is pretty integral in the story of electronic music and a huge influence on House, Electro, Synthpop, Techno, Industrial, etc.

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