Does he really need an introduction? Mike Williams is a Dutch EDM producer. He’s huge in Future Bounce and Future House, and has made his mark on the genre with his unique way of putting it all together. 

How to Describe the Mike Williams’ Sound

His technique seems very detail-oriented. He starts with the melody and chords, making sure they are memorable. Then he moves onto the drums. He arranges the samples to get that energetic sound. Once those foundations are in place, he turns to the bassline. That’s where a lot of the magic happens. He then layers up multiple synth leads and adds effects for that textured sound. Finally, he mixes and masters it until it’s polished. 

Williams’s sound fits into the Future Bounce and Future House sub-genres. Though his music crosses sub-genres, you’ll see the distinction if you compare it to Progressive House, for instance. Let’s take a look at how Future Bounce compares to other EDM.

	Future Bounce	Future House	Progressive House
Tempo	Faster BPM 125-135	Slower BPM115 to 130	Mid-Range125 -132
Bassline	Prominent, bouncy	Less Prominent, smoother	Pronounced with a driving feel
Synth Lead	Bright, catchy, squishy	Warm, soulful, retro	Sweeping, atmospheric

Mike Williams’s take on Future Bounce and Future House draws from prominent basslines of the genre, with catchy synths but he does also move into Future House vibes. He’s more bounce than house, but more upbeat than sweepingly Progressive House. 

So, basically, Mike Williams’ has a unique bass-heavy sound that really gets you into his tracks. Do you want to know how he does it? It’s broken down here in 20 simple steps, but with some specifics on layers and mixing. 

Using FL Studio 20, and this handy tutorial, you’ll be able to see how Mike Williams gets that sound.

Follow These 20 Steps in FL Studio

1. First set the BPM to 126
2. Then make the melody
3. Listen to the Melody + Chords
4. Then make the drums
5. First add a kick
6. Add a Top-Kick for more punch
7. Add Pre-Shifted claps
8. Add Drop Claps
9. Add Fills and small FX to fill the gaps in the melody
10. Add Drum loops for the 2nd part of the drop
11. Add FX like downlifters 
12. Now listen to your full drum loop
13. Then make the leads – you’ll need to use a lot of layers to get the right sound
14. Use these layers: 

• Clicky layer
• Supersaw
• Dirty Saw
• Saw
• Supersaw 2
• Pluck
• Supersaw 3
• Supersaw 4
• Piano
• Vocal Lead
• Vocal Lead 2
• Random Lead
• Dance Saw
• Main Leads

15. Now, the chords. They’re just for support.
16. Use these layers:

• Piano
• Saw
• Pluck

17. Then listen to them together. 
18. Moving onto the Bass, which is really important if you want to sound like Mike Williams.
19. Use these sounds:

• Aggressive Bass. 
• Growly Bass
• Plucky Bass
• Use Effector for that specific sound that makes your bass stand out
• Electric Bass
• Brooks Bass
• Sub-bass
• Future Bass
• Plucky Bass

20. Then listen to the result!

Is There a Mike Williams Inspired Sample Pack?

Yes, there is! Elevation is the one in the tutorial. It’s an epic Future Bounce pack with 300 samples, 160 presets, and 5 professional FLPS. Pro tip: Use samples from an actual professional sample pack for that proper sound that’s easier to work with. Elevation is inspired by Mike Williams, Jay Eskar, Dirty Palm, Brooks, and more.

General Tips on Future Bounce Mike Williams’ Style

In an interview, Williams said he was inspired by other EDM artists as well as from bands like Coldplay. To make interesting music, you’ve got to learn from people and experiment, so in that same spirit, take these tips into the studio with you:

1. Listen to reference tracks so that you know where certain sounds and basslines fit in.
2. Make sure you’re using decent quality gear. Sometimes mixing is impossible when the sounds are all wrong.
3. Layer your sounds! Don’t hold back if you want to make Mike Williams inspired music!
4. Make a rich, infectious, prominent bassline.
5. Make a catchy vocal/synth lead.

The Final Note on Mike Williams’s Future Bounce

At a glance, you’ll see in those 20 steps that layers feature heavily, and the bassline is very prominent. Do the same when you’re in the studio. Mike Williams has played quite the role in shaping sub-genres of EDM and has influenced countless producers. Learning some of his tricks can also help you to shape your own sound. Have fun!