If you were to ask someone 10 years ago what "EDM" is, more often than not they wouldn't know. Ask someone that same question today, you will find many people somewhat know what you are talking about.
EDM, or Electronic Dance Music is the music that has been on the rise for the past decade and recently has risen to the biggest it's ever been. Some of you may be asking, what exactly is Electronic Dance Music, and it's exactly what it sounds like it is. EDM is music produced on a DAW or Digital Audio Workspace that is produced using digital instruments. When people realize what EDM actually is many of them are very skeptical as to whether or not they appreciate it. When the term "Electronic Music" comes up the thing that pops into most peoples heads is the "Techno" or "House." This is true, these are two genres of music which are considered EDM, but this is where the misinterpretation comes in.
Many people have told me they don't like electronic music because "it is annoying" or "it is just weird sounds." Which is quite funny because last time I checked that is what music is, sounds. But at the same time, I can see where these people are coming from, they haven't seen the beauty behind electronic music. Many people often think electronic music is that generic 4x4 fist pumping music played in clubs. which for the past ten years you could argue that is true, but with the rise to what electronic music is today, it is more than just club music. Many artists have switched mindsets, instead of having the ability to make all these the weird sounds they could never make with instruments like a guitar, artists have started to see their ability to use every instrument and create music as a single purson. Famous EDM artists such as Zedd, and Porter Robinson took advantage of this fast.
Zedd produced the song "Clarity" originally as an electronic song. But with his musical knowledge and piano abilities he is able to preform acoustic versions live and even on David Letterman. As well, famous producer, Porter Robinson who coined his own genre called "Complextro" created the song "Language" which is even played in our very own Vancouver Canucks opening. You can also hear french Electronic music producer Madeon's song "Finale" being played after.
It's always interesting to see people's reactions after I show them one of these two songs. Most people are completely caught off guard, people who don't actually know what EDM is don't realize that this is actually what it is. Their opinion on the music after I show them "Clarity" or "Language" is generally positive.
With the huge rise in popularity of EDM music, as well as people finally seeing past the misinterpretations of the genre, we are merely in the beginning of this craze, it is just beginning to emerge as a mainstream genre and has started to be heard on the radio, festivals devoted to this genre are starting to sell out months in advance. According to the Spin Magazine, we are in the midst of a "new rave generation" and the new revolution of music has just begun.
1 comments:
I completely agree with Kyle. Many people think that electronic music is just a man and a computer with a button on the screen that says "make music." If it was that easy, why would many producers spend countless nights remaking and rerecording just to produce one short sound wave. The idea of mainstream music is a term you must really be careful of. There are people who say they don't like mainstream music and would rather listen to Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin. What they don't understand is, Floyd and Zeppelin used to be the mainstream back in it's time. Mainstream merely means what is popular in the main culture at the specific time. EDM is extremely difficult to record and produce, contrary to most belief. To produce that one "weird" sound, it takes a condenser mic, a creaky chair, and a whole lot of patience. After you are done recording, you have to fiddle with the ratios, filters, effects, and mix it all together. That "boom thud boom crack" is not as easy as it sounds. The reason why house music works is because there are precisely timed drops that work with body emotions. There are dynamics, climaxes and a ground solid foundation that keeps the audience moving and anticipating. EDM is a successful "new rave generation" and with more and more musically talented and trained producers, it just gets better and better.
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