How To Make A Song Like Harry Styles (As It Was, Late Night Talking, Cinema) | Make Pop Music

In this video, Austin breaks down how to produce, write, and mix a record in the style of Harry Style's new album, Harry's House. The song that is created is a fun, upbeat, indie pop record similar to Harry's "As It Was", "Cinema", and "Late Night Talking." This video will break down how to write chord progressions for this style, how to program realistic vintage sounding drums and bass, how to layer synths to create simple but huge sounds, how to record, layer, and mix vocals for this genre, and how to tweak a mix to sound more warm and retro.
Check out all of our samples, presets, MIDI packs, courses, and more!
makepopmusic.com
Listen To Our Podcast!
rss.com/podcasts/thesoundtable/
Join Our Facebook Community - bit.ly/3nXYJe0
Follow us on Instagram: / makepopmusic
Follow us on TikTok: tinyurl.com/4k5c25vf
Subscribe to our KZbin channel for more content on all things pop music!
---
Listen to some of my work!
www.austinhull.com/
spoti.fi/2Sqs3gU
DAW / Program I Use:
new.steinberg.net/cubase​​​​​​
---
Follow Austin:
www.austinhull.com
/ austinhullmusic
/ austinhull23​​
www.tiktok.com/saucetinhull
---
Make Pop Music is the #1 resource for independent pop producers, writers, and artists. Thank you for being a subscriber!
My Gear:
DAW: Cubase 11 Pro
Desk: AZ Studio Workstations
Main Microphone: Lewitt LCT1040
Monitors: Focal Shape 65s with Focal Sub6
Interface: UAD Apollo Twin USB
MIDI Keyboard: M-Audio Code 61
Keyboards: Roland Juno DS88, Roland Juno 106, Arturia PolyBrute
Guitars: Fender American Professional Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Taylor 214 CE Plus
Preamps: Heritage Audio HA81A & Audient ASP800
Microphones: Advanced Audio 251, Slate ML-1, Shure SM7B, JZ BH-1, JZ V67, Lauten Audio LA-320, Lauten Audio LA-220, Lauten Audio LA-120, AKG P170, Sterling ST59
Camera: Panasonic G7
Lens: Rokinon 12mm f2
Camera Lights: Neewer LED Light Panels
Timestamps:
Preview 0:00
Intro 0:20
Finding The Key and Tempo 1:15
Finding The Verse Chord Progression 1:35
How Harry Uses Chords 1:57
Chord Progression With Movement 2:30
Main Chord Synth Sound 3:27
E Piano Key Layer 4:30
Main Kick And Snare 5:12
Adding Hat Loops 5:55
Main Bass Line 6:30
Mixing The Bass 6:52
Basic Structure Overview 7:32
Layering Percussion 7:54
Bass Tweaks 8:30
Lead Synth 8:52
Synth Pads and Extra Keys 9:30
Chorus Drums 10:57
Chorus Chord Progression 12:58
Chorus Bass 14:11
Extra Chorus Keys and Synths 15:02
Adding In Guitar 16:47
Verse Funky Guitar 17:01
Chorus Palm Mute Guitars 17:48
Chorus Funky Guitar 18:13
Adding Vocals 18:58
Vocal Layering For Harry's Style 19:15
Psychedelic Delay Throws 20:40
Stacking Harmonies On Phrases 21:32
Artificial High Melody 22:18
Phaser Vocals 23:18
Vocal Mixing Chain 24:05
Vocal Buss Processing 25:52
Drum Buss Processing 26:51
Synth Buss Processing 27:42
Master Buss Processing 28:19
Final Listen Through 30:44
Outro 31:56

[@alex-thelion]

Oh man been waiting for a video like this! Probably one of the only in-depth videos on actually producing a unique song suited for his style and not just a remake of something he already did. Awesome stuff Austin!

[@forgetmyhead2115]

harry's music always amazes me each time and i'm loving the sound of this album so much also thank you for the tutorial

[@EmmettFlo7]

Nice job with the lyrics! Using the food/drinks to add color definitely made it feel like a Harry Styles track!

[@PareshPahuja]

You are Brilliant Austin! Would love to see you do a similar video on Coldplay. Their transition from Rock to Pop has been quite interesting.

[@markredl8715]

I love how you easily explain how music is made. I prolly learned the most from you

[@Harrysound]

His music is better than the artists he’s imitating

[@angurishudesu]

Hey thanks for making these, I really appreciate and love learning from you!

[@chrisma465]

Thank you for your sharing!!!! Your tutorials always help me a lot

[@SchleimerComics]

Great video! I really like how we see the whole song made from scratch. It's sometimes confusing or intimidating to see all the tracks already at the beginning, this video helped me a lot

[@MusokeMSK]

Wow this came out so fine. Everything has its space - the arrangement is perfect 👍 and thank you for sharing your bus processing. I think that makes or brakes the mix.

[@mikaelmbenga958]

Nothing short of amazing. Couldn’t tell this apart from Harry Styles if I tried.

[@jordancreel7174]

Been hoping for this one!

[@ASHGRG]

This is what we all needed♥ Thanks a lot Austin

[@rguez2332]

OMG I am actually a Neural DSP user and it feels great that a producer like you uses those quality plugins 🥰

[@corbinadler]

Showing those buss process was super helpful. Killer video my man!

[@SLNB2121]

You are sooooo talented, thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@vipulvishwas4960]

Why u so underrated❤️❤️We Love u 🔥🔥want to see u on big platform❤️❤️MUCH LOVE AUSTIN

[@zancole]

This is GOLD, thank you so much!

[@KLOVOrecords]

it's so freaking ffffng awesome great to find the tutorial of the song style you gonna produce next THANK YOU AUSTIN!!! like thank you! ☺

[@spliez1490]

This is awesome. Can you please give a tutorial on how to make a song like Ed Sheeran's Multiply album? Crisp acoustic guitar sounds - like a tutorial how to make songs like Nina, Don't, Runaway, Sing, Afterglow, etc.

[@floris7552]

Love videos like these! :)

[@HumanBeingWithFeelings]

This is very inspiring Austin. You're a ⭐

[@roque.]

your videos are really good dude! at times it feels like I am watching an AD for your packs.

[@MakePopMusic]

I won't ever forcefully put our products into a video, but if I use them then I'm definitely going to shout it out. I only used MPM stuff for like 30% of this one though.

[@dminach]

Wow, this is one of the best video on production I've ever seen, and the final song it's just incredible, it reminds me also the John Mayer "New Light" era, from a songwriting point of view. Well done Austin!

[@MakePopMusic]

New Light is a SMASH so I’m flattered! Thank you so much!

[@BreyerWhite]

great video my guy!

[@ebeyslough]

Wow that was amazing. Super insightful and helpful. Thanks!

[@user-wl8md1gk9f]

👆👆Thanks for watching and commenting I have something for you 🎁🎁👆

[@aarongoodnow6170]

Love the content! So great! All useful and helpful ideas... Fyi. B major is a "sharp key" The chord you called Dd- is actually called a C#- The chords are: Bmaj, C#min, D#min, Emaj, F#maj, G#min (& A#dim)

[@nukenoly8751]

Incredibly useful and a Pro Display of The beauty of Cubase

[@rick_amsterdam]

Great video! You're very talented 🤘😎🤘

[@metrixsoundsentertainment504]

Love your tutorials brother.

[@chickgaming3885]

This is great! Really helped me to create my own music, I would love a similar tutorial on a kind of daft punk dance electronic style

[@Squidaniel]

This is so good. I love that Sour Candy kit, I just got it a couple days ago. So versatile

[@MakePopMusic]

Thank you!

[@jorgeventura1854]

AMAZING!

[@malteschaller]

Great work!

[@realraven2000]

0:22 that taster is not bad - although generally Harry's lead vocal would be more focused (outside of the BVs) even in the chorus. I am looking forward to this tutorial, your stuff is fire! just finished the video, really nice work, keep doing it!! Btw do you have a mix assistant for processing and concentrate more on the writing or do you do everything yourself?

[@PASQUALEPROVENZANO]

It seems like Harry has meet John Mayer during “New Light”’s recording session. 😍😍😍 That’s cool!

[@blu_scuro]

i hit the like button first thing. guaranteed good content

[@JoshPeralesMusic]

Great video, dude!

[@kevinreed95]

I was hoping you’d do something like this, thanks!

[@ritersport8]

It is very nice! 💥💥💥

[@mariob.l6795]

Wow❤

[@f.m9519]

I really Like your Video😍 even If i did Not understand anything of the technical stuff, I still find the Video super informativ and fun to watch😅🥰

[@axldiego6145]

I'm currently a music student from the philippines and I really want to make music using this that different devices, but I'm stuggling to make those dream because I never had a chance to own any of those stuff specially laptop. But I'm here watching, because maybe someday when I own a device that I can use to produce beatiful music, I could make music with the knowledge I have gain from your videos.

[@LA610]

I liked the idea of three main vocals....the old synths sound great.

[@kevinpereira457]

You're too good!!

[@user-si2ld2fu6n]

amazing

[@brickwalltheatre3745]

Would love to see you make a video on something like The 1975s new song Happiness or their song robbers :D

[@Billcommaagain]

Hyped for this one, and I haven't even got past the ad haha

[@MakePopMusic]

Honestly, this one is a banger! One of my favorite videos in a longgg time.

[@Billcommaagain]

@@MakePopMusic I've been hoping for this one for a while! Gonna jump straight into the DAW once I'm done watching

[@mariocastellanos4494]

My guy you are talented! How long have you been doing this?

[@EmmettFlo7]

Could you explain what you were doing with that multi-band compressor on the vocal bus?

[@adamparkinson8700]

Love the content Austin! Wondering if you can share what software you are using to screen record Cubase? Thanks again!

[@MakePopMusic]

OBS to record the screen and Voicemeeter to get the audio from Cubase to OBS! :D Then we run a camera with a lav mic that captures the video and audio of me. Miranda takes the OBS file and my camera file, matches them, and then cuts my lav mic when there is playback so there isn't any doubling or room noise or anything :D

[@seanmadi]

Love these videos! Can someone explain to me why he does some EQ with Pro-Q 3, but then different EQ in the native channel settings (both at the same time)? I'd really like to learn that.

[@MakePopMusic]

Sometimes I just don't want to load another Pro-Q when I just need some broad strokes EQ at a different point in the process.

[@ChristianDamian]

Now we need a Harry Styles ballad lol

[@mcguitar]

Hey Austin, great stuff. Love your contents, always a great inspiration! I’m a logic pro x user, can I use your drum kits and other sounds with logic plugins? Thanks a lot. Cheers from Italy

[@ProdRKB]

Logic pro user right here, I bought the MPM Sour Candy Kit and it works great on logic! Anyway ,check the description of whatever you wanna buy on their site just to be sure

[@mcguitar]

@@ProdRKB thanks man, I appreciate your comment! Did you import the kit in drum machine designer or sampler? I’m a professional guitar player and I’m pretty new at producing music, can you get those amazing Serum sounds with Alchemy? Thanks a lot!

[@ProdRKB]

@@mcguitar serum presets are only for serum, so you gotta buy serum to use those. Talking about the drumkit, once you buy it you get all the indications and tutorials you need to make everything work in logic.

[@mcguitar]

@@ProdRKB thanks a lot!!! 👌

[@ProdRKB]

@@mcguitar you're welcome!

[@yup5197]

I do love these series of ur videos more. and please do upload a video about how to make a song like Chase Atlantic cos i have never found a good video about that and there aren't that much video you can find about Chase Atlantic music style so I want you to do it plzzzzz :)

[@forgetmyhead2115]

i second this or like the neighbourhood style would be really nice too

[@yup5197]

@@forgetmyhead2115 oh yeah. thank you for mentioning that. I really enjoy The Neighborhood songs. So Austin,now you have two options to choose. I hope you make the video lol

[@dratuagreg]

youre amazing man, would love to make a song together one day

[@TheJoeyJennings]

I don't have that preset in Analog Lab or Cs-80. It must be from a preset pack, any idea where it came from? It sounds great

[@MakePopMusic]

Maybe you just need to update. I don’t have any extra expansions!

[@alainpatry]

Great happy G-rated catchy tune! QUESTION: Did you compose/arrange/produce with your master chain active from the start (ex: compressor and eq on, etc), or did you build and activate your chain at the end of the process?

[@MakePopMusic]

Turn on my main master template about half way through the process! And add to it as needed. Also, not so G rated. It’s about doing coke and having sex in the desert, in traditional Harry fashion 😂

[@alainpatry]

@@MakePopMusic 🤣

[@mengwu1391]

hi Austin,have you heard of The Marías? they produced so beautiful songs，can you make a tutorial on their style songs？

[@luqmanography]

Yesss 2in

[@rion14k]

I WANT THIS OUT PLZZZ BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@Flyinomoplata]

I'm trying to find out, but what program are you using? And should I look into getting a Mac or would Pro Tools on Windows be good?

[@MakePopMusic]

Using Cubase 12! I'm on Windows but it also works on Mac. I would avoid Pro Tools at all cost.

[@TheSingingCelebrant]

Dude I'm no sycophant but was awesome

[@KailashBeats]

Is this song on spotify?

[@GayaShoval]

Can you do how to produce like Dua lipa self titled album cus I love it sooo much

[@MinaJoksimovicc]

Can you do something like Naika, Rosalia or Ckay?

[@newtboy4141]

Guys, help me please, how much quieter should the doubles be in relation to the main vocal?

[@MakePopMusic]

It’s all preference. Use your ears 😁

[@newtboy4141]

@@MakePopMusic Thank You!

[@pinacolada2386]

Great tutorial!! Could you please do a(nother) 'How to make a song like' video for Charlie Puth? The guy released so many great songs recently and a tutorial will be much appreciated! Thank you!!

[@MakePopMusic]

We have a course coming in October and his new releases MAY be one of the references for the course project 😉

[@adummperson]

can you maybe do something by Taylor Swift, reputation album?

[@Doo12159]

Please make like rudimentals

[@SergOMusic]

Please help me my friend, is it true that your sound is so big and natural because you are using sound card from UAD Apollo Twin USB, and an outdated card like Lexicon IO22 cannot make the same sound cause it does not have DSP? my old MacBook 2012 cannot do the same good sound even when I use the high qulity plugins. Better mixing and selecting better samples help, but software instruments sound bad. Should I get AD Apollo Twin USB and it will fix?

[@MakePopMusic]

New and high end sound cards definitely do help, but it's a marginal difference. In your case, I don't think the sound card is going to give you much of an upgrade in sound for Virtual Instruments. There weren't any UAD specific plugins in this entire video.

[@SergOMusic]

@@MakePopMusic thanks for the answer. Much obliged.

[@ElectricEddieDaus]

Hey Sounds Great..... But It seems like a lot of over processing at times. There was a one track where you used 1 EQ then a compressor then some other processing then another different EQ, then some more processing with other effects then again another but different, 3rd EQ. At one point you seem to take away some Lows and Mids only to add it back in later on with one of the other EQ's. Why not just go back and Re-EQ the first EQ or the second EQ after the processing and eliminate the 3rd EQ altogether??? Not sure why the repeativeness of some of the EQ Processing and some of the other Processes that seem to be redundant? I feel that sometime "Less is More" in a lot of cases... Less congestion. Although it does sound Excellent... I guess I just try to keep things fairly simple without using 15 different plugins on one track....Thx ElectricEddie...

[@MakePopMusic]

Yep. Removing or adding before compression to make sure the compressor hits how I want, then adding EQ later or more compression later to really shape and sculpt things how I want them. Signal flow and staging processing really can make a huge difference in a final track.

[@Henryslima]

Coldplay pleaseee

[@trapmoneyremy]

he fr said hold my beer omg

[@chinchila9623]

what chain did u use on the kick?

[@MakePopMusic]

Scooped some mids out with Pro-Q3, added some compression with Korneff Audio's Pawn Shop Comp, and I think maybeee a little saturation and clipping with Knock.

[@chinchila9623]

@@MakePopMusic amazing thank you! where do you get the clap samples from?

[@MakePopMusic]

The big clap is from our pack Nashville, and the loop is from Sour Candy!

[@Batman-hb9dh]

Could you do Michael Jackson next?

[@drewonemusic6966]

bro can you make a something like Huddy, Machine Gun Kelly, travis barker basically pop punk tutorial.

[@MakePopMusic]

We have! 😁

[@drewonemusic6966]

@@MakePopMusic A new tutorial. I have watched the previous one

[@eddiecarrizales]

Nice. Just fyi. If you’re in B. Then it’s C#m. Not Dbm. 4-2-1. Just a small theory thing.

[@MakePopMusic]

Fair enough! I was just relaying the same as the chord identifier so it didn’t confuse anyone.

[@eddiecarrizales]

@@MakePopMusic I gotchu fam. Good stuff nonetheless

[@iamaesthetic93]

Be honest, you did ghost writing on the album didn’t you? 👻🔥👨‍🍳

[@MakePopMusic]

I WISH!!

[@jitendradewangan9485]

How to make latin pop?

[@zayo255]

r u open 2 collaborating with other composers? u have some fuck’n good ideas

[@soulSaysHi]

BUT WHERE DA GROOVE AT??

[@kkzumi7520]

Why the video “How to make a song like Melanie Martinez” doesn’t are here ????

[@MakePopMusic]

We have one for that

[@MakePopMusic]

Watch the video with Bella Porch in the title! 😁

[@NoahPrince.2]

It was funny reading "As It Was, Late Night Talking, Cinema" in the title because literally NONE of those songs are alike lmaooo

[@MakePopMusic]

They all have a similar vibe and parameters though. They’re all the upbeat, full band records on the album.

[@wonderland2174]

Well ... now just imagine ... HOW COOL ... your song would sound, IF you would have recorded it with REAL musicians(!!) :) As I had to learn by myself ... you can not PRODUCE music - you can only MAKE music. And, music without (real) musicians - is not possible (unfortunately). Whenever you PRODUCE something (using software, quantisation, loops, samples, etc.) ... you lose all authentic vibes, all sole, all individual characteristics ... the whole things just becomes a sole less THING. But, I would not call it MUSIC anymore. Sorry for that. So, conclusion: On a computer you can waste a lot of time ... but the final results will never ever sound like a real piece of music.

[@MakePopMusic]

I played all the keys and guitar, and I could’ve played the drums and bass but they were programmed so this felt more accessible. Lolol literally over half of this arrangement is live tracked.

[@angurishudesu]

B major 4-4-2-1 4-5-1-4 Use 7ths

[@aarongoodnow6170]

Love the content! So great! All useful and helpful ideas... Fyi. B major is a "sharp key" The chord you called Dd- is actually called a C#- The chords are: Bmaj, C#min, D#min, Emaj, F#maj, G#min (& A#dim)