EDM sub-genre's seem redundant

[tokenasianguy]

Anyone else think this?

It seems like in EDM, someone will try to "coin" a new sub-genre with any little variation.

For instance, how many different kinds of house are there (rhetorical)?

Look at "alternative" for instance, it covers so many different sounds, and so many different styles, but it seems like within just the genre of house alone, anytime someone introduces a slightly different sound, they have to "coin" a new genre. And on that note, the term "alternative" was once a genre to describe something that was different from everything else. Now it's one of the most commercial genre's out there.

I remember back in the day, people I knew started using the term "progressive drum n bass" and where is it now?

For the sake of my own sanity (and for the sake of my music library) I've tried to keep the genre classification as minimal as possible.

It also seems like a way to express elitism as in "that's not minimal techno, that's microhouse".

I remember asking someone what the different was between "techno" and "tech-house", and one guy said "it's house, but with a techno sound", to which I replied, "if it has a techno sound, is it not techno?" The response was "no, it's house".

"But what makes it house and not techno?"

*blank stare*

Not to mention, I just read in a thread yesterday that there's a music purchasing site that has the genre "romantic techno".

Is this worthy of a facepalm or am I totally off?

[Jack Bastard]

It also seems like a way to express elitism as in "that's not minimal techno, that's microhouse".

Isn't microhouse that cut up and glitchy Akufen style stuff? It is different sounding to minimal.



See?

[Jack Bastard]

Also the difference between techno and tech house is generally in the timing and quantisation on the drums, tech house tends to have more 'swingy' drums whereas with techno the timing will be more straight down the line.

[Jester]

so called sub genres are just a marketing ploy.

[Jack Bastard]

so called sub genres are just a marketing ploy.

Ah yes, those cunning bastards at the Underground Dance Music Marketing Board strike again.



That's not to say they're all valid, Mixmag went through a big phase of just making shit up (Smash House anyone?), but in general there is a delineation between subgenres. Certainly between tech-house and techno for example.

[keeb]

Deep House vs. Electro House... case in point? Some sub-genres are pretty stupid and esoteric (seapunk?!?), but many (most even) are useful once you're familiar with the actual distinctions they're based on. Some distinctions, like Tech House vs. Techno, are a bit more finite... but still; when you're looking for music of a particular style, sub-genres are quite handy.

[Jack Bastard]

Deep House vs. Electro House... case in point? Some sub-genres are pretty stupid and esoteric (seapunk?!?), but many (most even) are useful once you're familiar with the actual distinctions they're based on.

Yeah, I don't think anyone could argue that electro house and deep house are identical or even similar, +1.

[Le Goat]

In the era of romantic techno etc I'd say that while sub genres have become ridiculous, they are definitely not redundant.

I think the purpose of sub genres, or even micro genres has changed subtly.

Genres used to exist to distinguish one style from another, to take an example from the eighties, the new electronic "house" or "techno" records from disco that people had been playing. As time has gone by house and techno have subdivided into garage, drum and bass, trance etc and these have divided themselves again and again. For example even psy which is a relatively niche subdivision of trance, could be divided into at least ten sub genres, each of which probably has its own styles within it, like fluffy morning prog or dark nighttime forest.

Here is the thing, now that the differences between different styles, each with their own genre title, have become more and more subtle, if a DJ were to go out and play just one of these sub styles all night, their set would probably be fairly predictable, lifeless and dull. However with a really good working knowledge of what constitutes different styles or subgenres, what sounds, tempos and structures typify them, a DJ can go out and effortlessly flow from one sound smoothly to another, using knowledge of sub genres to create natural bridges between styles that would not otherwise go together, allowing a broader range of music within one set, while keeping a cohesive feel to the flow. Also, sub genres can be pretty useful, within reason, when record shopping, cataloguing and tagging, when you are looking for a certain sound in a hurry.

TL;DR version - The divisions are all but meaningless now, but a working knowledge of sun genres can actually help you play a more, not less, varied set.







........do romantic techno parties have candles, wine and fireplaces, or is it more of a fetish thing?

[mygaff]

Anyone else think this?

It seems like in EDM, someone will try to "coin" a new sub-genre with any little variation.

For instance, how many different kinds of house are there (rhetorical)?

Look at "alternative" for instance, it covers so many different sounds, and so many different styles, but it seems like within just the genre of house alone, anytime someone introduces a slightly different sound, they have to "coin" a new genre. And on that note, the term "alternative" was once a genre to describe something that was different from everything else. Now it's one of the most commercial genre's out there.

I remember back in the day, people I knew started using the term "progressive drum n bass" and where is it now?

For the sake of my own sanity (and for the sake of my music library) I've tried to keep the genre classification as minimal as possible.

It also seems like a way to express elitism as in "that's not minimal techno, that's microhouse".

I remember asking someone what the different was between "techno" and "tech-house", and one guy said "it's house, but with a techno sound", to which I replied, "if it has a techno sound, is it not techno?" The response was "no, it's house".

"But what makes it house and not techno?"

*blank stare*

Not to mention, I just read in a thread yesterday that there's a music purchasing site that has the genre "romantic techno".

Is this worthy of a facepalm or am I totally off?

Good post mate... Very funny.

[djproben]

Also the difference between techno and tech house is generally in the timing and quantisation on the drums, tech house tends to have more 'swingy' drums whereas with techno the timing will be more straight down the line.

Huh? Both are generally 4 to the floor and 100% quantized; if anything I see more variation in techno than tech house, but even that isn't a way to distinguish the two as far as I can tell.

And is that Akufen stuff really its own genre? Seems like an interesting art project but I can't imagine anyone dancing to it, and I certainly can't imagine a club night built around that sound.