Many of us will be familiar with the sounds of house and techno music. Often, it can be hard to distinguish between the two. Both of these genres are considered pillars of electronic dance music, so, what are some of the differences between the two?
Here are four factors that differ house music from techno.
History
House music originated in the late 1970’s to the early 1980’s and is associated with Chicago. DJ’s and music producers from Chicago’s underground club culture began altering disco songs to give them a more mechanical beat and deeper baseline. This experimental mixing and remixing gave a new life to the disco era. This genre soon expanded internationally to London before reaching American cities like New York and Detroit. It wasn’t long after, that this sound became a worldwide phenomenon.
Techno, on the other hand, originated in Detroit in the mid 1980’s. Techno was heavily influenced by futuristic and science fiction themes. Techno music in Detroit evolved from the meddling of Synthpop with genres such as house, electro and funk. By the early 1990’s, techno had evolved to Europe and techno sub genres such as acid and hardcore had developed.
Tempo
For the most part, techno is seen as being faster than house. Most, but not all, house beats start around 115 beats per minute (bpm) with techno tracks starting around 125 bpm. Unlike techno music, house has a smaller range and most of the time tracks only go up to 135 bpm. Often, techno can go all the way up to 150 bpm. There are definitely exceptions out there but if you are looking to distinguish a track between these two genres then looking into the tempo can be a good place to start.
Intensity
Taking influence from scientific and futuristic themes, techno has always been notably more serious. In the early ages of techno, pioneers would often take inspiration from futurist theorists like Alvin Toffler. House differs as it was often seen as more upbeat, resonating with the spirit of its disco origins. However, there are tracks out there which do prove that this isn’t always necessarily the case.
Popularity
It would seem that the main distinction between both of these genres comes down to a certain feeling that each one evokes. How you feel about techno or house comes down to an individual’s personal emotional response. Maybe one genre resonates with you better than the other.
There is no answer as to why one genre could be more popular than the other. If you like both equally then you are in luck as the subgenre Tech house emerged the two in the late 1980’s. This subgenre developed from combining the stylistic features of techno with house. If you are looking for some tracks to listen to from both genres, then Blanc are a central hub for House and Techno music tracks where you can continue to explore new and upcoming tracks in these genres. You’ll even have the opportunity to delve into the emergence of tracks from sub-genres like tech house.