What is Considered House Music?

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that was developed in the 1980s. House music is characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and is often accompanied by synthesizers and drum machines.

Origins of House Music

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago in the 1980s. The term “house” refers to the style of music produced by the electronic music club culture. House music is characterized by a strong 4/4 beat, usually between 125 and 130 beats per minute.

Chicago

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that was created by club DJs in Chicago in the early 1980s. The style was developed from a combination of Black and Latino musical styles, including disco and funk, and it quickly became popular in clubs throughout the city. By the end of the decade, house music had spread to other parts of the United States and Europe, and it remains one of the most popular genres of dance music today.

Detroit

The first use of the term “house music” is attributed to DJ Ron Hardy, who is credited with naming the genre after a club he frequently played at called the Warehouse. The Warehouse was one of the first clubs to play this new type of music, which was a mix of disco and electronic music. The popularity of house music grew in the early 1980s, and it soon spread to other clubs in Chicago, New York, and London.

Characteristics of House Music

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago in the early 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive 4/4 beat and often contains samples from older songs. House music is often played in nightclubs, and its popularity has led to the development of other subgenres, such as techno and trance.

4/4 time signature

In music, the time signature is notated at the beginning of a song as a time symbol or stacked fractions, as in 4/4, 3/4, or 6/8. This immediately gives the listener a sense of what the meter or pulse of the music will be. The top number in the time signature stands for the number of beats per measure and the bottom number stands for the note value that receives one beat. For example, 4/4 time is also known as common time and is easy to recognize because it has four quarter notes per measure. This means that each measure has four beats, with each quarter note receiving one beat (see “How to Count rhythms”).

Some other examples of common time signatures are 2/2 (also called cut-time) and 3/4 (often used in waltzes). These examples have two and three quarter notes per measure respectively. To complicate things further, some meters have an irregular number of beats per measure. An example would be 5/4 which has five quarter notes per measure. This can often be confusing for beginners because we are so used to hearing music in regular meter

Use of synthesizers and drum machines

The use of synthesizers and drum machines is a defining characteristic of house music. House music is often based on four-on-the-floor beats, a simple and effective way to create a danceable rhythm. This 4/4 time signature was popularized by Disco music, and has been adopted by house producers. The Roland TR-808 drum machine was an important part of the development of house music, providing the signature drum sound. The Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer is also prominently used in early house tracks to create acid basslines.

Call and response vocals

In house music, call and response vocals are a common occurrence. This happens when the lead singer or rapper sings or says a line, and then the rest of the singers or rappers respond with another line. This can happen multiple times throughout a song, and it gives the song a sense of unity and cohesion. It also allows for different singers or rappers to take turns leading the song, which can add variety and interest.

Notable House Music Artists

House music is a genre of electronic music that originated in the 1980s in Chicago. The term is used to describe a variety of styles, including deep house, trance, and acid house. House music is sometimes also referred to as club music or dance music. Some notable house music artists include David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Avicii.

Frankie Knuckles

Frankie Knuckles, the godfather of house music, was a Chicago DJ who helped to define the genre in the 1980s. His style of mixing different tracks together (a technique known as sampling) was innovative and influential. He worked with many other artists to create new house tracks, including:

-Jamie Principle
-Marshall Jefferson
-Adonis
-Sleezy D

Frankie Knuckles tragically passed away in 2014, but his legacy lives on in the music he helped to create.

Marshall Jefferson

One of the most notable house music artists is Marshall Jefferson. He was born in Chicago in 1963 and is known as “The House Music pioneer”. Jefferson was a member of the group Eighties Ladies and also had a successful solo career. He has worked with many other notable house music artists including Frankie Knuckles, Maurice Fulton, and Satoshi Tomiie.

Larry Heard

Larry Heard, aka Mr. Fingers, is one of the originators of house music. His style is characterized by jazzy melodies, often based on piano or synth lines, ride cymbal-heavy percussion, and soulful vocals. His most iconic track is probably “Can You Feel It,” which has been sampled by everyone from Tupac to the Pet Shop Boys.

Popular House Music Songs

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in nightclubs by DJs such as Frankie Knuckles, Steve “Silk” Hurley, and Ron Hardy. House music quickly spread to other cities in the United States, and then to the rest of the world.

“Your Love” by Frankie Knuckles

Frankie Knuckles, the figurehead of house music, passed away yesterday at the age of 59. In his honor, we’re taking a look at one of his most famous tracks, “Your Love.” Released in 1987, “Your Love” is often cited as one of the first house records. The influence of Knuckles’ work can be heard in countless tracks over the last few decades.

“Can You Feel It” by Mr. Fingers

“Can You Feel It” by Mr. Fingers is a popular house music song that was released in 1986. The song became popular in clubs and on the radio, and is considered one of the classic house music songs. “Can You Feel It” features a repeated sample of a child saying “Can you feel it, can you feel it?”, which gives the song its catchy hook. The song also features aspoken word intro by Larry Heard, which added to the song’s mystique. “Can You Feel It” is considered a landmark house music song and is still played regularly in clubs today.

“Strings of Life” by Rhythim is Rhythim

“Strings of Life” by Rhythim is Rhythim, commonly referred to as “The House Music Anthem”, is a house music song released in 1987 by British producer Derrick May. The track was initially recorded in 1986 under the title “Nude Photo”, but was unreleased until 1987 when it was renamed and released on May’s own label, Transmat Records.

The song samples several elements from two tracks: “Jasmine Nights” by Electronic System and “The breakdown” by Marshall Jefferson. The drum machine pattern used in the track is often referred to as the “Majic Pageant Rhythm”, named after a Chicago nightclub where May often heard it played.