=Causeway Performing Arts= GCSE Music AoS 3: Dance Music (Vol. 8) Club Dance. in conjunction with

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1 =Causeway Performing Arts= GCSE Music AoS 3: Dance Music (Vol. 8) Club Dance in conjunction with

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3 CLUB DANCE BACKGROUND Discotheques (or nightclubs) have continued to expand and evolve since the 1960s. The impact of technology on the music industry has helped to create new genres and dance styles that have grown out of disco music. In the 1980s and 90s genres such as House, Techno, Trance, Garage and Drum ʻnʼ Bass emerged and gained popularity in nightclubs. All of these styles are a form of electronic dance music. The impact of music technology It was the developments in music technology during the 1970s that really led to the creation of electronic dance music. A number of disco songs had already made use of synthesisers and drum machines. Mixing and editing techniques had been employed by DJs and producers such as Tom Moulton. Club-dance musicians simply built on this technology, combining electronic sounds with live instruments and vocals, by making use of samplers, synthesisers, sequencers and drum machines. To begin with these machines were bulky, heavy and expensive, but as improvements were made they became cheaper and more compact, making electronic music much easier to produce. The technique of remixing became very important to club dance. In a remix a DJ takes elements of a previously released song, extending and reworking them to form a new composition. For example, they might loop the beat from one songand overlay the chord progression from another - perhaps adding a riff from yet another song on top. Those overlaid elements can be brought in and out of the piece, and musical ideas from many different songs might be included in the remix. DJs would often use these techniques to extend the length of a song to 10 or more minutes, keeping the dancers on the dance floor while still creating constant variety in the music. These extended mixes became so popular that they were released on records themselves - Gloria Gaynorʼs Never can say goodbye features a continuous 19-minute mix (by Tom Moulton) of three of her hit singles. House and Acid House House was the first style of electronic music to become prominent in the night clubs. It developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the discotheques of Chicago before spreading to New York, Detroit and Europe. The name is thought to have come from the Chicago club called The Warehouse, where the DJ Frankie Knuckles introduced house records. Other significant night clubs where house music was played included The Loft in New York and The Haçienda in Manchester. Later developments led to the new genre of acid house, which often uses samples and spoken-word vocals in place of singing, and is known for its focus on ʻsquelchyʼ electronic sounds. Originating in Chicago and London, acid house was more minimal and repetitive than house music, aiming to create a hypnotic and trance-like feel. Prominent artists of acid house include 808 State and The Shamen.

4 Techno Techno developed in Detroit during the second half of the 1980s out of a number of genres including disco, electro and funk. Itʼs creation is credited to three school friends known as ʻThe Belleville Threeʼ, who started experimenting with synthesiser-based music and released a number of records together. Juan Atkins in particular became a leading figure in Techno music, with influential singles such as Techno City and No UFOs. In the late 1980s techno was introduced to Europe and became especially popular in the UK. The German group Kraftwerk (formed in the early 1970s) had a huge influence on techno music and other electronic genres. To begin with, the band consisted of two classically trained students who were interested in experimental music and strongly influenced by the electronic compositions of Stockhausen. At first they recorded live instruments and then modified and distorted the sound, but with advancements in technology they started to produce their own electronic sounds, using devices such as synthesisers and drum machines. Drum and bass Drum and bass developed during the early 1990s from acid house. As technology became more sophisticated musicians could manipulate beats and loops more easily. This style emphasises complex and syncopated beats with strong bass lines. Prominent musicians include Goldie, Ronnie Size and Pendulum. Another variation of drum and bass is jungle. Garage US garage is a house and techno influenced style that developed in the Paradise Garage club in New York. It was also influenced by Gospel and Soul music. UK garage developed out of this, as US garage was played at faster tempo to appeal to drum and bass audiences in the UK. Garage musicians include The Artful Dodger and So Solid Crew. Trance Developing out of acid house, trance music features slower tempos and has a greater focus on melodic lines. DJ Tiësto, Paul Oakenfold and Sasha are three prominent musicians who have contributed to tranceʼs development. Ambient Ambient music has a stronger focus on timbre and atmospheric feel. Much longer track lengths and more unusual samples are distinguishing features of this style. Ambient musicians include The Orb and Tetsu Inoue.

5 What does the dance look like? At nightclubs dances are tightly packed as they move to the thumping rhythms of the music, enhanced by synchronised laser lighting and smoke machines. Similar to disco, dancers stay in one spot on the dance floor. Some club dance genres have specific moves and steps. For example, a popular house and dance move is ʻthe jackʼ. By moving the upper body forwards and backwards a rippling motion is created through the whole body. Most club dance is individual and improvised - certainly more so than disco, with its dance schools and popular dance sequences. MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Most club dance music will contain the following: Time signature on the understudy tempo A prominent use of electronic sounds A strong beat, emphasised by the drum and bass Short phrases and repetitive sections The following elements are common to house: Layered, complex drum kit patterns. As in disco music, there is often a snare drum or clap sound on the second and fourth beats of each bar A busy hi-hat rhythm in which the hi-hat is open on the quaver off beats A bass line that has a limited range, often falling within an octave Vocals, bass riffs and harmonies influenced by disco, soul and gospel music The inclusion of samples from jazz and blues (such a short trumpet melodies). Common features of techno include: A drum pattern in which the bass plays on beats 1 and 3, and the snare drum and beats 2 and 4 Futuristic lyrics and themes. Common features in drum and bass include Very fast tempos Frenetic and complex drum patterns An MC rapping over the music A strong bass line. Common features of garage include: Gospel and soul influences (if US garage) Fast tempos (if UK garage). Common features of trance and ambience include: Slower tempos A more chilled-out feel Drifting sense to the music without a clearly defined structure.

6 Performing ideas If you have skills in singing, rapping, beat boxing, DJ-ing or MC-ing, there are many ways in which you could perform a club-dance song, either on your own ot with others. You could download a backing track from the internet and add your own vocals over the top. Alternatively, you may wish to do a non-vocal performance, using technology to demonstrate your DJ skills in mixing, scratching, creating breaks, adding effects and so on. Composing ideas For a club-dance song try to create layered tracks with your own loops and beats. Be careful not to rely on other peoples loops already in GarageBand/Logic - you cannot claim credit for using someone elseʼs work. Explore the instrumental sounds you have available to create a deep bass riff and strong drum beat. You might want to start with the drum rhythms characteristic of disco music, building on these to create a more complex drum part. Remember that much club-dance music is made up of short, repeated phrases and ostinatos. Experiment with a one - or two bar bass guitar riff, keeping its range within an octave, such as the following:? 4 œ œ œ j œ œ J œ œ? 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ j This bass-guitar riff and drum kit part could be used as an introduction to the song, before any other instruments enter. Above this you might then want to add another riff for a high-pitched instrument:? 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ? 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ A repetitive, catchy vocal melody can be combined with this backing section. Although much club-dance music is built on repetition, it is also important to develop your ideas. You could gradually build up the texture of the music, adding a rhythm-guitar part and synthesised countermelodies. Drawing on house dance, you could introduce jazzinfluenced chords and melodies. You might want to create contrasts in the texture, taking some instruments out of the mix and then adding them back in. Can you use any effects such as reverb, panning or delay?

7 Listening ideas Listen to and compare as much club-dance music as you can. There are many tracks available on including many tracks listed in this study guide. As you listen to the music, think about the following points: Rhythm - is the music in ò? Is there a steady crotchet pulse? Are the second and fourth beats accented - an influence from disco music? Does the Hi-Hat play a constant quaver rhythm? Use of technology - can you work out if any effects are used in the music? Are the sounds obviously electronic? Melody - Is the melody made up short, repeated phrases? Does it show any jazz or blues influences if it is a house song? Riff - what riffs can you hear in the music? Can you work out if the bass riff falls within an octave? How many beats does each riff last for? Resources Interesting documentaries on club-dance music include the following: High tech Soul: the Creation of Techno Music (2006). This look at the origins of Detroit techno and the influence it had on modern dance music. Kraftwerk and the Electronic Revolution (2008). A review of the career and music of Kraftwerk. Rise: the story of Rave Outlaw Disco Donnie (2004). Disco Donnie was one of the most famous promoters of the New Orleans rave scene. This DVD looks at the man behind the parties and the music that influenced him. There are many club-dance songs on YouTube. A few examples include: So Solid Crew - 21 seconds (posted by SirCream) DJ Sasha: Fundacion (posted by bioengine74) The Orb - Blu room (posted by filexfx) Roni Size - Dirty Beats (posted by hardcoreraverlee) Test yourself 1. Where did house music originate? 2. How did electronic dance music develop out of disco? 3. What is the name of the influential German group? 4. What is a remix? What techniques might a DJ use to mix records? 5. Explain what ʻSamplingʼ and ʻSequencingʼ mean. 6. Give four features of club-dance music.