What Classifies Techno Music?

Techno music is a type of electronic dance music that emerged in the 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive four on the floor beat and often has a fast tempo.

Origins

Techno is a genre of electronic music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid-to-late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno in reference to a specific genre of music was in 1988.

Early 1990s

In the early 1990s, a group of Detroit-based producers including Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, influenced by the Chicago house sound as well as by disco, George Clinton-style funk, and German electronic music (such as Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream), created what is now known as techno. These producers were known collectively as the Belleville Three, after the city in which they grew up.

Detroit

Techno music originated in Detroit in the early 1990s. The city was economically depressed at the time, and many young people turned to creating music as a form of self-expression. Techno music is characterized by its use of electronic instruments and its focus on rhythm. It has since evolved into a global phenomenon, with festivals and clubs dedicated to the genre popping up all over the world.

Characteristics

Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the mid-to-late 1980s. The first techno productions were characterized by fast, machine-like rhythms and futuristic synthesizer effects. Today, techno is a wide-ranging genre that can incorporate any number of different styles, including house, acid, and Detroit techno.

4/4 time

A lot of techno is made in 4/4 time, meaning that there are four quarter-note beats in every measure and that a crochet (or quarter note) gets one beat.

Repetition

Techno is characterized by a strong, insistent 4/4 beat often accompanied by hi-hat cymbals and synthesized bass and snare drum sounds. Like house music, it often features repetitive, sampled instrumental melodies played over a pulsing bass track. However, the melodies in techno are often more abstract, with less focus on vocal samples than in house music. The structure of techno tracks also tends to be more minimalistic than that of house tracks, with fewer changes and more repetition.

Electronic instruments

Techno is a type of electronic dance music that typically features a heavy bassline and synthesized melodies. The music is often repetitive and has a driving, danceable beat. Techno producers use a variety of electronic instruments to create their tracks, including drum machines, synthesizers and sequencers.

Sub-genres

Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the late 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive four on the floor beat and often has afast tempo. Techno is often used as a blanket term to describe a wide variety of electronic dance music, but there are many sub-genres of techno.

House

House is a genre of electronic music that was created by DJs and music producers in Chicago in the 1980s. House music is characterized by a four-on-the-floor drum beat, a strong piano melody, and synthesizer sounds. House music is usually played in clubs, bars, and festivals.

Trance

Trance is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by acamping, hypnotic, and often melodic sound, as well as by “trance-like” states of prolonged absorption in the music.

Trance can be purely instrumental, although vocals are more common. They are usually set to music with a 4/4 beat structure, with layered melodies and many effects. The tempo ranges from around 100 BPM to 150 BPM or more.

Trance is generally very melody-focused; the main characteristic that sets it apart from other genres is the presence of one or more “leitmotifs”, or main themes that are repeated throughout the piece. These leitmotifs can be distinguished from each other by their rhythm, pitch, or timbre.

Drum and Bass

Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated to D&B, DnB or D’n’B) is a genre and branch of electronic music characterised by fast breakbeats (typically between 160–180 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines, sampled sources, and synthesizers. The popularity of drum and bass at its commercial peak ran parallel to several other homegrown dance styles in the UK including big beat and hard house. Drum and bass incorporates a number of scenes and styles. A Jamal fan might prefer much faster tempos than a Shy FX fan, such as 150 drumbeats per minute (bpm) vs. 175 bpm.

Notable Artists

Techno music is a type of electronic dance music that emerged in the late 1980s. The term ‘techno’ is often used to refer to a wide range of electronic music genres, including house, drum and bass, and trance. Many techno artists use a range of electronic instruments and digital audio workstations to create their music.

Richie Hawtin

Richie Hawtin (born June 4, 1970) is a British-Canadian DJ, record producer and entrepreneur. A three-time DJ Magazine Top 100 winner, he was an influential figure in the techno scene in Detroit during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Since the mid-1990s hawtin has been based in Berlin.

Techno music is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States during the mid-to-late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno in reference to a specific genre of music was in 1988. Many styles of techno now exist, but Detroit techno is seen as the foundation upon which a number of subgenres have been built.

Jeff Mills

Jeff Mills (born June 18, 1963) is an American techno DJ and producer residing in Hong Kong. Mills is co-founder of the Detroit-based radio station WGPR, and founder of the record label Axis Records. He has performed under a number of pseudonyms, including The Wizard, Infinity, and Midnight Magic. Jeff Mills was born in Detroit on June 18, 1963.

Carl Cox

Carl Cox (born 29 July 1962) is a British techno DJ, house and trance producer. In the 1980s, Cox was a breakdancer before he began DJing. He has performed at nightclubs and festivals throughout the world and is known as one of the pioneers and leaders in the techno music genre, especially after his sets at rave parties in the UK during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He has released numerous albums and mix compilations, some of which have topped record charts.

Cox has been a three-time nominee for Grammy Awards for his work as a producer and DJ. In 1997, he won an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Dance Artist. He produces his own radio show The Revolution with Carl Cox, which airs on BBC Radio 1 on Wednesdays from 8pm–10pmGMT.