Drums are an integral component of electronic music tracks. Their rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment can transform an otherwise uninteresting tune into one that makes you want to move. Drums often accompany bass lines and chords in these sequences and can make all the difference between a dull song and something you want to dance along to.
2-step music features an aggressive house beat created with Roland 808 and 909 drum machines, synthesized tom-tom sounds, white noise swells and chord syncopation against the beat to create tension and groove.
Ambient
Ambient music stands apart from most genres by emphasizing texture, tone, and atmosphere rather than melodies and rhythms. The genre’s unique soundscape features synth pads, acoustic instruments, and natural sounds as its primary aural textures; precursors for modern ambient music include classical composer Erik Satie’s minimalist compositions as well as French engineer Pierre Schaeffer (the inventor of musique concrete) whose minimalist pieces served as precursors.
Brian Eno, an English musician best known as an ambient artist who made waves in the late ’80s by mixing ambient with house beats to form ambient techno, is one such ambient artist. Other examples of ambient techno include Dutch band Brainvoyager as well as electronic experimentalists Aphex Twin, B12, and Autechre.
For any track to have groove, a strong drum pattern must capture listener attention and keep them listening. Achieve this is achieved through experimentation with hi-hat variations that blend in with bass and snare drums while maintaining song tempo – creating an original pattern which gives each song its own distinctive sound and sets it apart from similar genre tracks. By including offbeat syncopations you can increase anticipation when the beat drops thereby further amplifying energy within your track.
Chillout
Chillout is the more chilled, calm & atmospheric musical genre compared to other electronic music styles. It also has a very slow tempo & is generally used for relaxing, yoga & meditation purposes. Some of the more common chillout music genres include ambient & its subgenres (ambient dub, ethno ambient) psybient (a combination of psychedelic trance and ambient) & modern classical music.
The genre originated in the late ’80s as acid house ruled clubs and recreational drugs were the norm for clubbers. It was named after the chill-out rooms that were added to clubs at this time where people could relax for a while, sip some water & recharge their batteries.
The beat of the song is played with a soft jazz drum kit or acoustic drums. The drum grooves & fills can be either straight or complex. For example, our drum playalong track Space Race is written around a rudiment based groove called Paradiddle Mania and features three distinct sections. This is a great way to practice different rhythms & build up your drumming skills.
Electronica
Artists using music production software and electronic equipment are now able to produce full orchestras without carrying around a full band with them, giving them greater artistic freedom while still having access to an extensive audience.
Electronica was first established when artists experimented with sampling. This involves taking pieces from pre-recorded music and placing them back into new songs through looping techniques; this led to electronica, which blends traditional rhythm and melody with digital technology.
One of the best examples of a drumless song is Armin van Buuren’s hit “Lights.” This track utilizes hi-hats and synthesizer to produce drum sounds; even without physical drummers present, its tempo remains extremely precise – a testament to drum machines which mimic real drum sounds with ease.
Annabelle Barwick’s track, “Nebula”, employs subtle yet repetitive modulations of warm analog synth notes that recall Boards of Canada, Sigur Ros, and Enya – similar in style but without their signature bass drum beat. Barwick’s vocals provide comforting comfort; however it would be impossible for listeners to perceive any sense of rhythm without an accompanying kick drum beat.
Electronic Dance Music (EDM)
Aphex Twin and Squarepusher were two artists producing experimental dance music during the early 2000s, labeled IDM (intelligent dance music) yet eventually moving toward EDM as it gained in popularity; EDM became widely used to describe club and dance music that wasn’t techno, acid house or rave music; instead more poppy stuff for mainstream festivals that looked similar but didn’t feature drug-free environments or DEA confiscations of water and beer supplies.
EDM songs offer a distinct rhythmic pulse, unlike IDM which tends to be very experimental in nature. Relying heavily on drum machines, synthesizers and loop pedals to produce its beats instead of live instrumentation and singing from vocalists; EDM typically boasts high and consistent tempos between 129-170 beats per minute.
Annabelle Barwick created an electronic track called “Nebula”, without any kick drum, that layers her vocals over a bass synth arpeggio to create a soothing choir that recalls Enya and Sigur Ros. The rhythm comes from digital consistency of an ostinato, and thus an interaction between human interpretations of rhythm and machine interpretations of it.
House
Big Room House (sometimes known as Progressive House ) has become immensely popular at dance festivals worldwide. This hybrid form fuses together various electronic genres into an uptempo house music style designed specifically to appeal to festival crowds; typically featuring an impressive bass drum and reverb-heavy lead for maximum hypnotic effect.
Deep House is a subgenre of house that blends jazz, classical, and other influences into its sound for an emotive experience. The typical beat per minute range for Deep House music is 120-130 BPM with more relaxed tones; synths and keyboard instruments like traditional pianos, harpsichords and celestas can all be found within this genre as well as chord progressions using shuffle beats instead of straight rhythms – distinguishing it from other house genres.
Breakbeat is a subgenre of drum and bass music characterized by sampled “break” drums from funk and soul records pitched up to a house beat, as well as having influences from disco music and sometimes featuring vocals. Although sometimes described as being without drums altogether, technically they still exist because the original track has been edited down with software to EQ out all but its drum tracks.
Techno
An effective beat can make or break a song, yet less is sometimes more. While it’s easy to get stuck into a cycle of four-on-the-floor kick drum beats for rhythmic drive, there are numerous creative approaches you can use instead to structure engaging beats that don’t rely on the standard downbeat; adding missed beats or polyrhythmic patterns into drum patterns adds groove and tension that elevates any track.
Slightly imperfect timing can give your beats an authentic sound. Instead of having every hi-hat hit precisely on time (which is possible using software drum loops), manually playing in each note with a velocity-sensitive MIDI pad may create more natural human groove that sounds much more authentic than robotically perfect drum beats.
Nils Frahm’s “Says” provides an outstanding example of subtle yet complex changes to tempo and rhythm without drumming at all. By playing each cymbal ostinato with different velocity settings, Frahm is able to create an interesting dialogue between human interpretations of rhythm and the steady beat of synth. As a result, his composition showcases there are various forms of drumming outside the typical four-on-the-floor kick drum.
Trap
Trap music has quickly become an influential genre for young people today. A subgenre of hip-hop and rap with influences from R&B and EDM, trap beats are usually made using a Roland TR-808 drum machine to give its distinctive sound; producers may employ triplet flow where three notes on one beat are played simultaneously creating an upbeat, catchy rhythm which listeners love; additionally these songs tend to feature heavily distorted and heavily reverberated beats to add another gritty dimension.
Trap music first gained mainstream acceptance when artists like T.I., Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane began using it in their music. Since then, many other artists from around the globe have adopted this genre; typically trap songs have an average tempo of 140 BPM.
One effective method to create more groove-oriented songs is adding missed beats in the rhythm pattern. This gives it an off-beat syncopation, which creates more natural and exciting listening experience. Producers may also utilize off-beat syncopation by including missed beats at the ends of bars or choruses; this practice is known as “building-up”, creating tension while drawing the listener towards further parts of a song.