Once upon a time, selling out to pop radio was seen as shocking and dishonorable by rock musicians. While that might seem outdated now, artists leaving behind jungle, techno and IDM for singalong radio was seen as an act of betrayal by their audiences.
This pressure to conform led to the creation of genres like Punk Rock and Grunge as well as EDM and Synthpop music.
1. Electronica
Early electronic music utilized a wide array of sounds generated from various sources. These could be recorded through microphones or synthesizers, or created entirely from scratch using instruments (such as piano) played via electronic keyboard. Some early examples can be found among experimental works created in the 1950s and 60s by composers working at BBC Radiophonic Workshop (best known for realising Doctor Who theme in 1963 electronically), while Milton Babbitt later composed entirely using computer synthesizer.
Electronic musical instruments and software made their debut in the 1990s, revolutionising musical composition by giving composers greater control over sound production, giving rise to an explosion of electronic genres and styles. Composers could program sound electronically for playback back, giving them greater flexibility with regards to timbre control allowing them to explore many diverse musical genres simultaneously.
Dance-oriented electronic music genres include Drum & Bass, Techno and Trance – genres often distinguished by repetitive beat patterns and fast-paced melodies characterized by repetitive beat patterns or looped melody riffs – are popular. Many songs in these genres also contain storylines with an arc containing both an climax and conclusion often known as the plot arc; these tunes frequently incorporate textural, tonal or emotional shifts which take listeners on an emotional journey.
EDM (Electronic Dance Music) is an extremely expansive genre, and difficult to define precisely. It spans all sorts of musical genres used to get people dancing – from progressive or uplifting trance through hardcore psytrance, gabber and hardstyle techno genres as well as slower tempo styles such as downtempo and chillout.
On the other hand, there are also many artists who create electronic music specifically intended to be enjoyed while listening, rather than danced to. Genres such as Ambient Lounge and Chiptune may fall under electronica’s banner but tend to use subtler composition and sound effects than dance music and are more inspired by modern art and futurism than other forms of electronica.
2. Techno
Techno music emerged during the late 80s in Detroit, Michigan due to middle-class African American youths’ fascination with European electronic dance music. Techno’s glacial synthesizer melodies and brisk machine rhythms set it apart from its predecessor boogie which had more vocal-oriented melodies. Techno artists typically utilize drum machines, sequencers, synthesizers as well as ethnic musical elements and complex percussion patterns in order to produce its signature dark mechanical and industrial sound.
At its roots, techno was closely associated with rock music. Many of its pioneers hail from established rock projects and genres such as 1950s English skiffle, Kraftwerk krautrock, Silver Apples psychedelic rock, Yellow Magic Orchestra folk rock Brian Eno Roxy Music-style glam rock and Throbbing Gristle underground punk. Even today, most forms of techno can often be found within club scenes with musicians having backgrounds in other forms of rock or pop music.
Techno is distinguished from other electronic music by its intent to be danced to, typically featuring tempos between 120 to 150 beats per minute and featuring repetitive 4/4 kick drum patterns, electronic synthesizers and vocals delivered with deadpan monotone or through distortion effects or voice manipulation techniques such as vocoding and talkboxing.
Techno is characterized by repetitive beats combined with synthesizer sounds of various intensities and pitches, often using noise, reverberation or other effects for unique textures. Techno has given rise to subgenres like acid techno and hardcore techno; latter of these two has more aggressive beat patterns.
Techno is distinct in that it largely exists as an abstract genre, though some producers use it to explore artistic expression or connect more directly with dancers; clinical studies even demonstrate its impactful transformation of brain chemistry.
3. House
Rock music involves guitars, acoustic instruments and vocals primarily voiced by males with heavy manly tones. Subgenres of Rock include punk rock, emo-rock, goth-rock metal among many more. Rock is one of the oldest genres that has greatly impacted Electronica such as techno and house music over time.
Most early electronic music artists stemmed from rock projects or genres. Joe Meek emerged from the 1950s English skiffle craze; Kraftwerk from krautrock and psychedelic rock; Silver Apples were formed through glam rock; Yellow Magic Orchestra emerged through folk rock.
Synthesizers were widely utilized by rock musicians. One of the earliest groups to utilize Moog synthesizer was The Beatles. Later bands like Nine Inch Nails and Daft Punk began as traditional rock acts but experimented with their sound to form new musical genres.
These bands created the genre known as electro-rock, which describes a blend between rock and electronica music. These artists usually combine acoustic instruments with electric guitar distortion and synthesizer sounds for an outstanding sound; notable electro-rock bands include Pendulum, Ratatat and Celldweller.
Modern dance music genres, such as trance and progressive house, is an amalgam of rock and electronica influences. However, unlike rock music, modern dance genres tend to be played at clubs and feature radio-friendly vocals. Yet despite having more melodic sounds influenced by funk and disco via house music.
At present, it is difficult to predict whether rock music will ever completely fade out. While its social base has declined since its heyday, some young people continue to enjoy listening to it; rap and pop have begun replacing rock in terms of popularity; though how long this trend continues remains unknown due to generational differences; future generations might not understand or appreciate rock.
4. EDM
Modernly, EDM (electronic dance music) refers to any form of dance music characterized by electronic beats. This term encompasses many popular contemporary musical genres such as dubstep, trap, future bass, electro swing and trance music, among others. Genres typically associated with EDM include fast tempo tracks that feature upbeat melodies as well as heavy synth-heavy soundscapes.
EDM music can include both analog and digital sounds, with most coming from digital synthesizers. This allows producers to produce more complex and varied sounds than would ever be possible using only traditional acoustic instruments alone, while production times for EDM is often faster and more affordable.
Due to these reasons, EDM has quickly become the dominant form of contemporary dance music. With its rising popularity comes new strategies for reaching fans and keeping them coming back for more; such as massive festival stages with massive video walls and confetti cannons that help energize crowds while drawing focus back onto performers on stage.
The main challenge of genre music, though, lies in keeping listeners engaged and interested. While there are artists that do this successfully, it can sometimes be hard to do. For every teenager who finds their latest hit song from a popular artist compelling, two may dislike it while seven remain neutral or indifferent to it.
Producers must use their tools with great care and thought. While it may be tempting to get lost in all the exciting plugins and gadgets out there, it’s the basics that really make a mix great – for instance a well-executed hi-hat section can transform an average track into something truly captivating; playing around with open and closed hi-hats creates rhythmic sections which add depth and excitement. Careful attention to details separate even average producers from great ones!