What is Techno music?

[ZenPunkHippy]

techno is that crappy bleepy synth music all you synthdouches on this site are making

Yeah, well - the cool people stopped playing real instruments in like 1920 or something.

Suck on that!

[Shabdahbriah]

techno is that crappy bleepy synth music all you synthdouches on this site are making

Yeah, well - the cool people stopped playing real instruments in like 1920 or something.

Suck on that!

[ghettosynth]

I've had this since 1999 or so, when I first played it, my friend commented "now that's techno." Well, ok, it's labeled techno, I played it in house and acid trance sets as well.

[aciddose]

I would say the defining characteristic of "techno" for me at least is that it is excessively repetitive, usually a single bar which should encourage you to imagine some sort of repetitive process.


(most appropriate example ever.)

It also tends to use sounds chosen for their unique timbre.

Now how to we define something as "not techno" to make this more specific?

Generally no swing/groove or variation in tempo. That would likely be labelled house or other related genre.



Generally no reverb, no long sustains, no echos.

So I can only come up with three parts to this definition that seem to really make sense:

• No rate variation in the rhythm
• Extremely repetitive, single bar
• Focus on unique electronic timbres
• Generally limited ambiance if at all (not really valid, throw a reverb over a techno track, is it now no longer techno?)

I have heard a number of tracks that do have elements which last longer than a single bar. These are always samples though and usually the rest of the track has been layered over them, or vice-versa.

Can anyone come up with anything more to add to the definition or anything that should be removed?

Electronic genres don't really have complicated definitions anyway. What is D&B? Simply the 4Kick-4snare-8rest-8kick-4snare rhythm?

What about the genre that shall not be named? (Shall not as I can not remember what the hell is that stupid genre called?) What defines this scourge of a genre other than "wub wub wub wub" differentiated by it's use in other existing genres only by the limited memory of the scene?

[deastman]

Wow, some great examples posted. I'm flashing back to the early 90's! I don't think I really need to add anything further in terms of a definition, but I'm really enjoying the music. I didn't realize how long it had been since I had actually listened to some proper techno.

Despite the vocals and guitar, I would still throw some classic Underworld in there.

[mystran]

What about the genre that shall not be named? (Shall not as I can not remember what the hell is that stupid genre called?) What defines this scourge of a genre other than "wub wub wub wub" differentiated by it's use in other existing genres only by the limited memory of the scene?

So when you add swing to techno you get house? And when you add 303 you get acid techno? And when you add both you get acid house? But if only use 808 then it's just electro right? And then you remove the swing from acid house and you get acid right? Can someone help me take the step to acid tarnce, which apparently is distinct?

[ZenPunkHippy]

So when you add swing to techno you get house? And when you add 303 you get acid techno? And when you add both you get acid house? But if only use 808 then it's just electro right? And then you remove the swing from acid house and you get acid right? Can someone help me take the step to acid tarnce, which apparently is distinct?

All of the above + loads of delay and reverb

[raikard233]

Techno isn't only a genre, is like HipHop, a (Detroit's) subculture movement.

There are too many nuances in Techno to enclose it in a specified range of "production tecniques".

In the first 90's maybe you could recognize it more easily, you had two main spots, Detroit with Underground Resistance (read the manifesto) and Berlin with Tresor.
Listen to some old releases from them and you will have a first approach to what was techno in the early days.

Then, till today, the genre changed a lot (maybe not from an "unused to techno point of view"), got all his nuances, bpm changed and got a more wider range.

It's also funny to think about nowadays techno is getting a new revival from the past, from his early days, with producers making dark, industrial mood tracks, but with slower bpm and more elaborated rhytms than the early 90's.

To have a view of it you can listen to some CLR or Electric Deluxe releases, also from my fellows Cannibald Records and Trivmvirate Records that focus mainly into the dark techno territory.

Definitivelly techno changed a lot, it can be enclosed into a small pocket.
We had different "main waves" into the years:
-The early and mid 90's strong techno
-The 90's ending till first 2000's years with the so called "hardgroove & schranz techno"
-Then from 2003/2004 till 2009/2010 the "minimal techno"(time that personally i didn't like at all) thanks to Minus records - Richie Hawtin (He trasformed himself into a business & fashion machine... )
-2010 today, the return of the dark and industrial techno

Of course in this more than 20 years, were producers that didn't followed the main waves and like the name of an Oscar Mulero's release, Only dead fish go with the flow, they followed their path continuing to produce what they liked and not what the "main wave" of the year dictated.

I would like also to point out that the "digital revolution" (mp3, beatport, netlabels etc) brang a lot of new potentiality but also a lot of shit out.
When it was all produced in 12" vinyl, making a record was really expensive, so you released only the tracks that you tought were the best you did, thinking a lot over them. Without considering all the other costs.
Nowadays we haven't so much more filters, you can make a track and release it as Techno in no time.
Anyone can do it, so the techno nuances, could amplify even more, derailing people that don't know Techno roots.

To who said that Techno is digital, well, maybe today there are people making music exclusively with a computer, but back in the days all were produced using analog and digital hardware synthesizers, drum machines, groove boxes and akai samplers, anyway aren't the tools to make a techno track obviously.

Extra Tip:
From Detroit probably is Dopplereffekt (they don't have any interview, we have only speculation's about who is/they are), they did what could be seriously called "Electro" in the 90's and if you listen to two of their albums you can have a global view of what i mean with "you can't enclose in a small pocket".
- Gesamtkunstwerk
- Calabi-Yau Space

Of course, there is a lot more to say and discuss...

[ghettosynth]

Techno isn't only a genre, is like HipHop, a (Detroit's) subculture movement.

There are too many nuances in Techno to enclose it in a specified range of "production tecniques".

In the first 90's maybe you could recognize it more easily, you had two main spots, Detroit with Underground Resistance (read the manifesto) and Berlin with Tresor.
Listen to some old releases from them and you will have a first approach to what was techno in the early days.

Then, till today, the genre changed a lot (maybe not from an "unused to techno point of view"), got all his nuances, bpm changed and got a more wider range.

It's also funny to think about nowadays techno is getting a new revival from the past, from his early days, with producers making dark, industrial mood tracks, but with slower bpm and more elaborated rhytms than the early 90's.

To have a view of it you can listen to some CLR or Electric Deluxe releases, also from my fellows Cannibald Records and Trivmvirate Records that focus mainly into the dark techno territory.

Definitivelly techno changed a lot, it can be enclosed into a small pocket.
We had different "main waves" into the years:
-The early and mid 90's strong techno
-The 90's ending till first 2000's years with the so called "hardgroove & schranz techno"
-Then from 2003/2004 till 2009/2010 the "minimal techno"(time that personally i didn't like at all) thanks to Minus records - Richie Hawtin (He trasformed himself into a business & fashion machine... )
-2010 today, the return of the dark and industrial techno

Of course in this more than 20 years, were producers that didn't followed the main waves and like the name of an Oscar Mulero's release, Only dead fish go with the flow, they followed their path continuing to produce what they liked and not what the "main wave" of the year dictated.

I would like also to point out that the "digital revolution" (mp3, beatport, netlabels etc) brang a lot of new potentiality but also a lot of shit out.
When it was all produced in 12" vinyl, making a record was really expensive, so you released only the tracks that you tought were the best you did, thinking a lot over them. Without considering all the other costs.
Nowadays we haven't so much more filters, you can make a track and release it as Techno in no time.
Anyone can do it, so the techno nuances, could amplify even more, derailing people that don't know Techno roots.

To who said that Techno is digital, well, maybe today there are people making music exclusively with a computer, but back in the days all were produced using analog and digital hardware synthesizers, drum machines, groove boxes and akai samplers, anyway aren't the tools to make a techno track obviously.

Extra Tip:
From Detroit probably is Dopplereffekt (they don't have any interview, we have only speculation's about who is/they are), they did what could be seriously called "Electro" in the 90's and if you listen to two of their albums you can have a global view of what i mean with "you can't enclose in a small pocket".
- Gesamtkunstwerk
- Calabi-Yau Space

Of course, there is a lot more to say and discuss...

So, your post is very informative, but, the vast majority of what you describe still fits within the definitions that have been given. We can, in fact, broadly characterize techno just as easily as we can broadly characterize hip hop, there will be exceptions, but for the most part, the labels apply.

Gotta love Hawtin. Even if you don't like him, the fact that everyone else does means that it's going to be a good party.

[ghettosynth]

So when you add swing to techno you get house? And when you add 303 you get acid techno? And when you add both you get acid house? But if only use 808 then it's just electro right? And then you remove the swing from acid house and you get acid right? Can someone help me take the step to acid tarnce, which apparently is distinct?

All of the above + loads of delay and reverb

And some distortion on the 303, oh, and a sample that says "acid" (hip understated version) or "aceeeed" (obvious kiddy version).

[ZenPunkHippy]

And some distortion on the 303, oh, and a sample that says "acid" (hip understated version) or "aceeeed" (obvious kiddy version).

PLUR

Acid Trance fills in the rhythmic gaps of techno with dense, flowing riffs, creating a slower rhythm that weaves and evolves throughout the track. A skilful DJ will blend the tracks together to for a single, coherent piece of music that lasts for several hours.

Hmm ... why do I get the feeling we've been here before?

Peace,
Andy.

[The_Hidden_Goose]

If you listen to the pioneers like Derrick May, Juan Atkins & Kevin Saunderson who started the whole "techno" thing in Detroit, you'll hear a lot of different kinds of sounds. Alot of it would get called house or electro if made today.

I kinda think of tech house, minimal tech, trance, dub techno, acid house, etc...as just subgenres of a catch-all "techno" genre. Mainly because there were things being played that sounded like most of the above (maybe not trance so much, but not that far removed) in the orginal warehouse parties in Detroit.

But you could argue that techno is a subgenre of house, which came before it in Chicago.

And then you could argue that house was a subgenre of disco.

And they're all just copying Kraftwerk.

Aggghhh...my head hurts!

[ghettosynth]

And some distortion on the 303, oh, and a sample that says "acid" (hip understated version) or "aceeeed" (obvious kiddy version).

PLUR

Acid Trance fills in the rhythmic gaps of techno with dense, flowing riffs, creating a slower rhythm that weaves and evolves throughout the track. A skilful DJ will blend the tracks together to for a single, coherent piece of music that lasts for several hours.

Hmm ... why do I get the feeling we've been here before?

Peace,
Andy.

We have, let's just listen to some tracks. Oh yeah, still got this one.



I played this a few times, it's part of my "guilty pleasure" acid trance and progressive house collection.

This one's a favorite even today.

[kmonkey]

Truly it is this:




turned in to this:

[kmonkey]

Haha can you imagine something as this:



turned in to this:



Awesome