The Different Types of Electronic Music

A comprehensive guide to the different types of electronic music, from dubstep to techno to house.

Introduction

In recent years, electronic music has become one of the most popular genres in the world. There are many different sub-genres of electronic music, each with its own unique sound and style. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most popular types of electronic music.

##Heading: House Music
##Expansion:
House music is a type of electronic dance music that originated in the 1980s. It is characterized by a 4/4 time signature, deep basslines, and syncopated rhythms. House music is often based around samples from other songs or sections of songs. The original house tracks were often created by DJs using turntables and mixing equipment.

##Heading: Techno Music
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Techno is a type of electronic dance music that emerged in the mid-1980s. It is characterized by a fast tempo, repetitive beats, and often futuristic or dystopian lyrics. Techno is often based around synthesizers and drum machines. The first techno tracks were produced by Detroit-based producers such as Juan Atkins and Derrick May.

##Heading: Trance Music
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Trance is a type of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by soaring melodies, progressive structures, and hypnotic rhythms. Trance tracks often build up slowly over several minutes before reaching a climax. The first trance tracks were produced by German producers such as Oliver Lieb and Andre Tanneberger.

##Heading: Drum & Bass Music
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Drum & bass is a type of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1990s from England. It is characterized by fast breakbeats, often between 150 and 180 beats per minute, and heavy basslines. Drum & bass tracks often include samples from other genres such as hip hop, soul, and reggae. The first drum & bass tracks were produced by artists such as Goldie and LTJ Bukem.

House

House music is a genre of electronic music that originated in the 1980s. It is characterized by a four-on-the-floor beat and often features a synthesizer or electronic drum machine.

Origins

The origins of electronic music can be traced back to the early 20th century, when composers such as Edgar Varèse and Boris Blacher began experimenting with new instruments and sound-making devices. In the 1950s, composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez began incorporating electronics into their music, while in the 1960s a new generation of musicians, including Richard Strauss, Frank Zappa, and Ennio Morricone, began experimenting with electronic music. In the 1970s and 1980s, a number of important developments took place in electronic music, including the emergence of punk rock and hip hop. In the 1990s and 2000s, electronic music became increasingly popular, with a number of subgenres developing, including trance, techno, house, drum and bass, dubstep, and grime.

Key Characteristics

Electronic dance music is a genre of music that is often played in clubs and festivals. It is made up of various subgenres, which each have their own key characteristics.

The four main subgenres of electronic dance music are house, techno, trance, and dubstep. House music is characterized by its deep bass lines, close-knit hi-hat patterns, and soulful vocal samples. Techno music is known for its fast tempo, industrial-sounding percussion, and dark atmosphere. Trance music is defined by its driving beats, sweeping melodies, and uplifting feels. Dubstep is characterized by its heavy bass line

Notable Subgenres

Since the early 2010s, house music has become more experimental and incorporating elements from other genres, resulting in subgenres such astech house, deep house, future house and trap.

Electro house: A genre of house music that fuses elements of Dutch house with electro and big room.

Progressive house: A subgenre of house that was developed in the late 1980s, characterized by a slower tempo and mainstream appeal.

Tech house: A subgenre of deep house that fuses elements of techno with deep house.

Techno

Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and often has a industrial, robotic or futuristic sound.

Origins

The origins of electronic music are difficult to trace, as it is a form of music that has evolved and morphed over the years with technology. However, there are certain key elements that can be traced back to its beginnings. One of the earliest examples of electronic music was created by Leon Theremin in the 1920s. This instrument, called the theremin, allowed players to create sound by gesturing in the air with their hands. This was achieved by sending an electrical current through metal rods that were placed near each other, which would then create sound waves.

The next major development in electronic music came in the form of the synthesizer. This instrument was first developed in the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that it began to be used in popular music. The first synthesizers were large and cumbersome, making them difficult to use in a live setting. However, over time they became smaller and more portable, which made them more accessible to musicians.

The 1970s saw the rise of electronic dance music (EDM), which emerged from 1970s disco culture. This new genre made use of synthesizers and drum machines to create a sound that was designed for dancing. EDM quickly gained popularity throughout Europe and North America, eventually giving rise to subgenres like house music and techno in the 1980s.

Today, electronic music has become one of the most popular genres in the world, with artists like Skrillex and Calvin Harris topping charts around the globe.

Key Characteristics

There are four primary elements that make up techno music:

1.Repetitive 4/4 beats
2.Percussive loops
3.Synthesizers
4.Samplers

Techno is known for its heavy use of 4/4 beats, which are often produced by drum machines. These beats are then reinforced by percussive loops and synthesizers. Samplers are also often used to create new sounds and effects.

Notable Subgenres

techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid-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 and Chicago house are the two most common and are considered to be the foundation upon which other subgenres have been built.

Detroit techno is characterized by a hard, driving sound with heavy basslines and minimalistic melodies. The earliest Detroit techno tracks were created by DJs and producers who were influenced by the sound of early Chicago house music. One of the most notable early Detroit techno DJs and producers was Juan Atkins, who is often credited as being the first person to create techno music.

Chicago house is a related style of electronic dance music that emerged out of the city of Chicago, Illinois in the United States in the mid-1980s. House music is characterized by a 4/4 time signature, repetitious basslines, drum machines, and synthesizers. Unlike Detroit techno, which has a heavy focus on melody, Chicago house focuses more on rhythm and groove. Early Chicago house tracks were often created using drum machines such as the Roland TR-808 or 909, and later on samplers such as the Akai MPC60.

Drum and Bass

Drum and Bass is a type of electronic music that emerged in the mid-1990s. It is characterized by fast breakbeats, often with complex syncopated patterns, and heavy basslines.

Origins

The origins of Drum and Bass can be traced back to the early 1990s in the UK. At that time, a new type of Electronic Dance Music was evolving, which combined elements of Hip Hop, Techno, Reggae and Dub. This new sound quickly gained popularity in the underground club scene, and soon emerged into the mainstream.

Drum and Bass is characterized by its fast tempo (usually 160-180 beats per minute), deep basslines, syncopated drum patterns and often complex or amen-based breakbeats. The genre evolved out of the breakbeat hardcore (or jungle) style of the early 1990s.

Early Drum and Bass was often skeletal in arrangement, with simple drum loops, minimal percussion and sparse basslines. As the genre progressed, however, producers began to add more layers and elements, resulting in a more complex sound. Today, Drum and Bass has evolved into a highly produced and diverse style of music, with SUB-GENRES that include: Hardcore Drum and Bass, Neurofunk, Techstep, Breakcore, Hardstep, Darkstep and Liquid Funk.

Key Characteristics

Drum and bass is a type of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by fast breakbeats (typically between 160 and 180 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines. Drum and bass often incorporates elements of other genres, such as hip hop, dub, reggae, and jungle.

Notable Subgenres

There are various types of Electronic music but the main four genres are House, Trance, Drum & Bass and Dubstep. Each genre has undergone various changes since they first originated in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. In this article we will take a look at each genre in more depth and explore the different subgenres that have emerged from them.

Notable subgenres of each genre:

House: Chicago house, techno house, acid house, tribal house, deep house, hard House

Trance: Uplifting trance, Goa trance, Melbourne bounce, psytrance

Drum & Bass: Neurofunk, techstep, liquid funk, darkstep , jump up

Dubstep: Brostep, wonky

Conclusion

In conclusion, electronic music comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be mellow and relaxing, or it can be high-energy and pumping. It can be simple and straightforward, or it can be complex and layered. No matter what your taste, there’s an electronic music style out there for you.