calix Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 I've noticed recently that this has been a very controvertial subject causing much discord amongst many members lately.As a Dj and aspiring producer I've also struggled to understand the differenciation b/w all forms of electronic music. What makes House House, Trance Trance, Techno Techno, etc.etc. especially when "fusion" has become the trend.Well I've created a theory to ease this perplexing matter:The ROOT / BEAT THEORY is as follows:All electronic music has a 'Grandfather' or Genre. This is the root from which a particular sound derived. (In our case I'll only discuss dance music on a 4/4 scale). Some examples of Genres and it's direct ancestors are as follows:1. HOUSE: Derived from Funk and RnB which gave rise to Disco and ultimately House. (IMPORTANT! It's beat is easy to define because it always incorporates the use of NATURAL DRUM SOUNDS i.e. kick drum, high hat, cymbals, claps, etc.) Even though these sounds are now reproduced with the help of computers they still sound like the real thing.2. ELECTRO / TECHNO: Derived from the experimental fusion of computers and machines to create music. (Here the beat is strictly unanimous with the ARTIFICIALLY CREATED DRUM SOUNDS drawn straight from machines like the infamous 303's and 808's).*In the modern ClubWorld these 2 'Grandfathers' remain the pillars of underground dance music. *Now here's the kicker* every other style is a descendant of one of these two. Also known as Sub-Genres.Sub-Genres are wonderful because they feed from creative minds bent on fusion.**REMEMBER**there are two types of beats 'natural and 'artificial'.Most clubbers are nowadays familiar with a new type of sub-genre called TRANCE. Trance by definition is Techno because it's backbone is an artificial beat. Shocking isn't it? Especially since so many have trouble telling the difference between some modern House (a la Digweed) from Trance.Take the nasty Trance version of 'Castles in the Sky' ,rid it of it's artificial beat until only the Acapella and Chorus remain and then add the natural beat from 'Reach' by 'Lil Mo Yin Yang and now you've got TA DA!....HOUSE. Got the Idea? Good.It's all in the beat...Now just to complicate matters more....House has taken on many new forms since it's creation. we now hear the terms 'progressive','tech','hard','lounge' used freely when describing House Music. And they are right. The last House word says it all. A House beat backbone with 'Techy' overlays (sounds like that Dominator track) is ultimately TECH-HOUSE. No matter what you lay over it's still true to it's kind.I love House so much because it can incorporate any kind of sample. From Jazz, to Rock, to Merengue, the House beat welcomes it all with open arms. It truly is the universal sound because it allows for fusion to occur randomly. The hard Techno sound does not.To prove my point, say you are spinning a Trance set and in the middle you decide to throw in some House track...you're done for.Now in the middle of your slammin' house set you go 'Trancy' no problemo.**House is universal**O.K., so then there's Drum N Bass...It's in a world of it's own because it's beat is totally unrecognizable. It could be House or Techno, you just wouldn't know. Therefore consider this a Genre not a Sub-Genre.As for Breaks, it's beat could be from either or and it's beat is recognizable only that it's 'Cut-up' making it the only sub-genre that can morph happily across the dividing line. Quite amazing if you ask me.So there you have it boy's and girl's, Calix's ROOT / BEAT THEORY.PEACE TO ALL> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treepwood Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 thanks for the lesson Chris, i hope this clears up a little of that little fandango that happened on kurtis's thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeacasta2 Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 Great post chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pod Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 Let us all watch the fur fly after Chris declares trance to be a sub-genre. I expect appearances from:SgtFurydjdekanand a word or two from Saleen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewthomas Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 how u gonna put electro n techno in the same catagoryi see how u can say it has same elements but bpm and layout of the tracks are totally differentide put electro in with breaks before technoand house is an offspring of freestyle n disco maybe butoh what about hip hip and rock cause they have as much effect on club music as anything elseanyway im gonna ignore this post cause its pretty much senseless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightstar01 Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 Originally posted by calix I love House so much because it can incorporate any kind of sample. From Jazz, to Rock, to Merengue, the House beat welcomes it all with open arms. It truly is the universal sound because it allows for fusion to occur randomly. The hard Techno sound does not.Good post Chris....I totally agree with ya on this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o0djfx0o Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 I agree with Calix that there are 2 fundamental types of dance music...but in my opinion they are just variations of straight and break beats.Everything else is just too damn complicated and nit-picky.If it sounds good, I think that's all that really matters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobeton Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 Originally posted by o0djfx0o I agree with Calix that there are 2 fundamental types of dance music...but in my opinion they are just variations of straight and break beats.Everything else is just too damn complicated and nit-picky.If it sounds good, I think that's all that really matters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digital7 Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 class dismissed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbflux Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 If there's one thing I won't argue with Chris about, it's Music. ....and I argue with him about everything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbflux Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 Originally posted by pod Let us all watch the fur fly after Chris declares trance to be a sub-genre. I expect appearances from:SgtFurydjdekanand a word or two from Saleen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james954 Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 electro existed several years before techno, but in the early years it was lumped in w/ hip hop mainly because of the vocal style. but if you trace it back, you'll see electro had a lot more in common w/ what later became techno... 808 baby. but it all came from disco. as far as drum and bass, it's just hyped up breaks. and breaks are just re-worked electro, and electro is just 808's programed w/ led zeppelin's john bonham in mind. (pre samplers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaos33 Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 Calix knows somewhat what he is talking about, but he is off on quite a few points. First off, if you are spinning a trance set and you drop a house track you are not done for. Hard trance and hard house can work well and many DJ's do it throughout a night. I'm sure Calix meant to say if someone was playing some type of epic trance and dropped a progressive track(house or trance) then it probably would not sound so good. However, if the DJ is good enough, he can take many different styles of house and trance and make it sound good. I think a lot of progressive house has a trancy edge anyways. I could go on forever with this topic, but I won't since everyone has their own opinion anyway and nothing really declares a genre anymore. If it's good PLAY IT. Tiesto... a trance DJ, will probably start the night off rather progressive. Some house and some trance. Then about an hour or two into his set he'll drop a major anthem and then he'll just go off. I'm fucking pissed I can't make it home this weekend. You guys have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treepwood Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 actually hip hop and rock both come from Jazz, and more than likely a lot of other styles too. We just don't know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james954 Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 disco came from rock, rock came from jazz and blues. fuck, beyond rock comes from is before my time. sounds good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treepwood Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 Shut up james u know nothing of music,btw how did u like the set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james954 Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 not yet, i just got the sopranos first season dvd's and i'm spending many an hour catching up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treepwood Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 Jameswhast up with changing the colors on the GU Board weekly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james954 Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 i put forth all the changes w/ forums etc. but it's still not 100% the way i want. but i just throw out ideas and such. they still have final say on the forums. the color changes i have none to do with. thats all GUHQ in the UK on that. personally i'm not fond of the red colors. it'll most likely be back monday. start complaining on the board. we listen over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbflux Posted August 15 Report Share Posted August 15 Originally posted by james954 not yet, i just got the sopranos first season dvd's and i'm spending many an hour catching up. You too, eh? I try not to remind Chris about that show... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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