In our previous post we looked at 10 hip-hop producers famed for having a distinct signature sound. In this post we turn our attention to EDM producers. We will examine what it is that gives these producers’ music an instantly recognisable character as well as the techniques and equipment used to achieve their signature sound.

1: Skrillex

  • Signature Sound: Skrillex single-handedly changed the landscape of EDM with his heavy “brostep” sound. He was instrumental in bringing the underground genre of Dubstep to the mainstream. Skrillex signature sound leans heavily on aggressive bass drops, robotic growls, and sharp synths. His ability to manipulate sound with techniques like pitch bending and time-stretching make his productions instantly recognizable. The sonic qualities of his mixes also set him apart from the competition, with a perfect balance of all frequencies. Skrillex’s subtle use of distortion and chopped-up vocals, especially in his remixes, also set him apart.
  • Techniques: Heavy use of distorted basslines, time-stretching vocals, pitch bending, aggressive sound design, and abrupt drops that shift between melodic and chaotic.
  • Signature Equipment: Ableton Live, Native Instruments Massive

2: Deadmau5

  • Signature Sound: Deadmau5 is recognised for his intricate and melodic progressive house tracks. His tracks have a minimalistic yet emotionally charged feel to them, setting him apart from others in the field. His signature lies in atmospheric layers, long builds and meticulously arranged synths. He manages to blend punchy kicks with sweeping pads to create immersive sonic environments. Deadmau5’s is known for his love and use of analog gear giving his tracks a fuller and more authentic sound.
  • Techniques: Long builds, use of clean, punchy kicks, melodic synths, and a focus on creating evolving soundscapes with slow transitions and detailed arrangements.
  • Signature Equipment: Moog Sub 37, Xfer Serum.

3: Flume

  • Signature Sound: Flume’s is highly regarded for his original and innovative approach to future bass and electronic experimentation. Known for glitchy percussion and melodic synths, Flume’s sound is complex yet accessible. His signature use of offbeat rhythms, abstract sound design, and heavy sidechain compression has influenced a generation of producers. Flume’s original approach values texture and ambience as much as melody. This gives his tracks a distinct emotional depth.
  • Techniques: Heavy sidechain compression, offbeat rhythms, Experimental synth design, and innovative use of vocal chopping to create texture and atmosphere.
  • Signature Equipment: Ableton Live, Native Instruments Massive

4: Avicii (RIP)

  • Signature Sound: Avicii, is regarded as one of the most influential EDM producers of all time. He was known for blending progressive house with elements of folk, pop and even bluegrass. His signature sound comprised of acoustic guitar elements, extremely catchy anthemic vocals, and huge climactic synth melodies. he was unique in the way he could merge genres, creating timeless anthems that resonate across generations.
  • Techniques: Major chord progressions, acoustic guitar riffs, uplifting melodies, and a fusion of electronic elements with live instruments to create emotionally charged anthems.
  • Signature Equipment: FL Studio, LennarDigital Sylenth1

5: Calvin Harris

  • Signature Sound: Calvin Harris is synonymous with his expert fusion of pop and EDM. His uplifting tracks are known for catchy synth-driven melodies, live instrumentation, and infectious vocal hooks. His productions often feature simple, repetitive melodies with bright synths and tight basslines. Even when Harris steps away from House music into other tempos and styles there is still a signature flavour to his productions. This serves as proof that his melodic compositions have a certain distinctive sound to them. The other important factor influencing Harris’s instantly recognisable sound is the way his songs are mixed. Played against almost any of his contemporaries in a club setting, Harris’s songs stand head and shoulders above. They somehow always exude clarity, punch and a perfect low-end frequency balance.
  • Techniques: Extremely catchy melodies, heavy use of layered vocals, bright synths, and organic-sounding instruments all mixed to perfection.
  • Signature Equipment: Logic Pro X, Spectrasonics Omnisphere

6: Zedd

  • Signature Sound: Zedd, specialises in the EDM domain of electro-house. His signature sound encompasses a blend of anthemic builds with rich orchestral elements. His productions are famed for their clean, punchy drums, crisp vocals, and richly layered synths. The thing that sets Zedd’s beats apart is his classical training. This is evident in the intricate harmonic progressions and detailed arrangements of his production. He skillfully combines the energy of EDM with pop sensibilities, making his tracks both chart-topping and dancefloor-friendly.
  • Techniques: Clean and precise drum programming, layering multiple synths for fullness, incorporating catchy vocal hooks, and cinematic builds and breaks.
  • Signature Equipment: Cubase, Native Instruments Kontakt

7: Marshmello

  • Signature Sound: Marshmello’s signature sound blends future bass with trap and pop It is characterized by bright, uplifting melodies and simple, effective chord progressions. He is also renowned for his use of heavily processed vocals to create earworms that are hard to banish. His clean, bubbly production style is designed for mainstream acceptance, with a focus on feel-good vibes.
  • Techniques: Clean, simple chord progressions, polished production, bouncy melodies, with vocal chops and straightforward beats.
  • Signature Equipment: Ableton Live, FL Studio

8: Diplo

  • Signature Sound: Diplo is a genre-bending producer who’s known for blending dancehall, trap, and moombahton with modern EDM elements. His productions, whether under his own name or as part of Major Lazer, are characterized by their rhythmic and percussive complexity. Diplo’s tracks are easily recognisable due to their mix of super heavy basslines, infectious rhythms, Original synth leads and cross-cultural sounds. This innovative approach makes him one of the most versatile and influential producers in EDM
  • Techniques: Versatile use of percussive elements, rhythmic diversity, blending genres like dancehall, trap, and moombahton, and a focus on creating energetic, bass-heavy beats while adopting various global flavours.
  • Signature Equipment: Ableton Live,

9: The Prodigy

  • Signature Sound: The Prodigy have a long history in EDM and are instantly recognisable for their aggressive, in-your-face sound. Much of their music is highly influenced by drum and bass and jungle but tends to be slightly slower in tempo. The raw energy and rebellious spirit of punk rock are heavily infused into The Prodigy’s music, with the late Keith Flint’s vocals amplifying this influence and adding to the band’s aggressive edge. The Prodigy rely heavily on sample content including breakbeats, sound fx, vocals and old music loops.
  • Techniques: The blending of aggressive breakbeats, distorted basslines, and vocal samples to create high-energy tracks. They often use harsh, syncopated rhythms, dramatic builds, and intense, gritty sound design. Their approach fuses rock and electronic music in a raw, rebellious way.
  • Signature Equipment: Roland W-30, Akai S950, Moog Sub Phatty

10: Martin Garrix

  • Signature Sound: Martin Garrix’s is a pioneer of the big room house sound. This particular strand of EDM is known for euphoric synths, massive drops, and simple yet anthemic structures. His hard-hitting beats and infectious melodies defined a new era in EDM by embracing high-energy buildups followed by explosive drops. This highly characteristic approach creates an adrenaline-fueled experience that give Garrix’s productions a unique sound.
  • Techniques: Euphoric drops, simple yet powerful drum patterns, hard-hitting synth leads, and straightforward song structures designed for massive crowd engagement.
  • Signature Equipment: FL Studio, Omnisphere