House and Techno are among the most widely popular genres of electronic music. Both styles boast extensive histories with numerous subgenres to choose from.
House music developed as a result of DJs remixing older disco and soul recordings by adding deeper basslines and drum beat patterns created by drum machines. It often follows a four-on-the-floor rhythm with snare hits occurring every other beat within each four count bar.
Origins
EDM can be an expansive and diverse genre, making it easy to feel overwhelmed by all the evolving trends and subgenres that emerge every so often. While keeping up with every sound can be impossible, some fundamental distinctions can help make sense of it all; one such distinction is house music originating in Chicago’s underground scene during the 1980s characterized by four-on-the-floor kick drum beat and heavy emphasis on offbeat percussion, along with synth bass as its foundational sound source.
Frankie Knuckles of Chicago DJ fame is widely considered the father of house music. At that time, other DJs experimented with editing and extending existing disco records on tape before adding in a drum machine (originally designed as a sequencer that allowed musicians to create rhythms that could be repeated) for an original sound that has since come to be known as house music.
One key milestone in the rise of electronic music was Roland TR-808 Synthesizer’s introduction, an 8-voice drum machine featuring polyphonic pads enabling users to simultaneously play different melodies and rhythms, further stimulating innovation within dance music. This spurred creative experimentation.
In the early 2000s, numerous artists pushed boundaries and broadened the sonic scope of house music. Notable examples include Skrillex, Avicii and Calvin Harris who managed to incorporate rock and other genres into their productions to demonstrate genre-defying music that helped transform public perception of electronic music.
At this same time, an underground music movement known as Deep House began sweeping across Europe and Japan, led by artists such as Dixon, Henrik Schwarz, Ame and others who created labels which helped foster an emerging musical culture. Their productions often blurred techno and house genres; tracks like “Iron Glance” and “Rej” would soon become globally popular tracks.
After this came an unprecedented period of crossover success for artists like Justice and Eric Prydz – their tracks like ‘Cross’ and ‘Yeah Yeah’ charting strongly on US charts as well as growing rapidly internationally. This represented a renewed US interest in electronic dance music while Australia saw significant expansion as well.
Styles
Though their origins differ, these genres share many similar traits. For example, both have four-on-the-floor beats typically at 130 BPM. They both also include synthesized music and vocals but differ in terms of how these components are utilized; techno tends to use more distorted sounds while house utilizes gated sounds.
Electro-house music straddles the line between house and trance. It typically features a 4/4 beat with some syncopation or variations and weird, dark, edgy or noisy synths; additional elements often include looped sounds muffled to make way for bass or treble increases; artists such as Tiefschwarz or Blackstrobe are good representatives of this subgenre.
Both genres possess distinct sounds that are easily recognizable, making for great dancing music. But there’s one key distinction that may be difficult for newcomers to electronic dance music to recognize: house has more human characteristics while techno is more computerized/robotic in feel.
An effective way to identify this distinction lies in listening to artists associated with each genre – for instance, Skrillex and Avicii are two renowned EDM producers who have broken boundaries and extended its potential sonic spectrum.
Notable artists include Diplo, KURA and Dutch DJ Wiwek who has become synonymous with Jungle Terror, which emerged in 2010. Jungle Terror is an intoxicating blend of house, grime, drum ‘n’ bass rhythms with vocal cuts and animal noises; its chaotic mix is further distinguished by animal sounds such as vocal cuts. Although still relatively young in terms of popularity it has already earned itself a name as an exciting party track due to its pulsating bass and high-tempo beat drops which serve to get audiences moving – it makes an exciting alternative when used alongside mainstream EDM.
Characteristics
Techno, trance and house music each possess unique traits that set it apart. You’ll find these genres all around the globe and bring people together with their pulsating beats. Recognizing these differences is important as knowing which music best complements an event or party is key to selecting suitable tunes for any given situation.
Techno and house are both based on four-on-the-floor disco grooves; however, they differ significantly in their harmonic dynamism, density and use of basslines. While both have a steady beat that pulses along, house has more emphasis on melody than techno does.
Many people mistakenly use the term “techno” to refer to any electronic dance music that features dark tones with powerful beat elements; however, this definition is far too simplistic. Techno is actually much more diverse due to the various subgenres such as acid techno and hard techno that exist today.
House music has its origins in disco music; however, its exact birth is difficult to pinpoint due to various contributing factors. After disco started to lose popularity DJ’s began experimenting with drum machines and mixing techniques to develop new musical genres that led to house’s birth.
Chicago house music evolved out of these experiments, using samples of old disco songs for its base and offering more soulful sounds compared to Detroit techno’s dark and synthetic approach.
Both genres possess their own distinctive melodic structures, with trance typically employing minor keys for emotional manipulation (as opposed to major keys that tend to sound happier and require tension), while house music tends to put less emphasis on kick drum samples or synthesization altogether.
As the electronic music industry expands and matures, it’s inspiring to witness how different artists are pushing the envelope with their sound design. From Porter Robinson’s glitchy sounds to Skrillex’s intricate basslines, these artists are revolutionizing musical landscapes with their groundbreaking works; not just songs but cultural touchstones that will shape its future generations later on.
Influences
Electronic music offers something for every type of listener – be it the mesmerizing beats of trance or soulful allure of house – making this genre one of the most accessible music forms around. Exploring its various subgenres offers musical delight for EDM enthusiasts while showing its adaptability and capacity for innovation.
Many consider rock and roll to be the root of electronic dance music. Rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Beatles pioneered the use of electronic instruments and machines in music production by using keyboards and guitar synthesizers during early recordings.
In the 1960s, hip hop was an emerging form of musical expression. Characterized by fast-paced rhymes combined with diverse sounds and instrumentation, its popularity spread like wildfire. Hip hop artists would make use of turntables to chop up old tracks into new compositions for live performance. Electro music was developed later during this era from influences derived from hip hop and German synthpop beats; its distinctive sound relied heavily on synthesizers like Roland TR-808 drum machines to produce its distinctive sound; its success further increased due to bands like Ultravox, Depeche Mode and New Order bands becoming mainstream performers within these genres.
As this music flourished, it quickly found a home within European club culture, making an impactful statement at all-night warehouse parties across Europe. Meanwhile, US audiences took notice after French electronic duo Justice released their album Cross in 2007. Their unique mix of rock and indie influences resonated strongly with American listeners while sparking further trends such as minimal house and “Electronicore”, or hybrid metal/electronic elements.
Trance, progressive house, acid house and techno are among the most beloved genres of electronic dance music today. These genres can often be heard being performed at clubs by professional DJs; and can also be heard being streamed or played over radio stations worldwide.