Club Dance Stylistic Fingerprints

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IDENTIFY the dance music feature

IDENTIFY the Styles & Genres that uses this feature
DESCRIBE the dance music feature
say what the EFFECT of the dance music feature is

Feature

Style & Genre

Description

Effect in Dance Music

4-to-the-floor

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance

The Bass Drum plays on every beat of the bar in

4/4 time.

The Bass Drum gives a constant sense of the time

signature and tempo. It also provides drive and
momentum.

Classic Disco drum beat

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance

Bass drum plays on every beat of the bar.

The Bass Drum gives a constant sense of the time

signature and tempo. It also provides drive and
momentum.

Snare and / or claps on beats 2 & 4.

Off-beat quaver hi-hats.

Snare adds the classic back-beat emphasis to

beats 2 and 4, adding to the momentum provided
by the bass drum.
Off-beat quaver hi-hats provide further syncopated
rhythmic interest, by filling in the gaps between
beats 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Regular 4 bar / 8 bar phrases

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance,
Drum n Bass,
Garage, Dub
Step

A short musical idea that sounds complete (i.e. it

sounds like it has a beginning and an ending).
Often described as a musical sentence. In Disco,
it is most commonly the sung vocals that are
organised into 4 bar phrases (especially in the
chorus). In other styles of Club Dance, vocals,
synthesisers, drum machines, and samples can
perform the phrases.

The effect of regular, repetitive phrases is very

similar to the effect of Hooks and Riffs: to provide
something memorable and catchy, which gets
stuck in the listeners head. (See Hook / Riff / Motif).

Hook / Riff / Motif

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance,
Drum n Bass,
Garage, Dub Step

A short repetitive melodic or rhythmic pattern. Can

be sung or instrumental. In most modern club
dance styles it is very likely to be played by a
synthesizer.

Provides a catchy, memorable melody and / or

rhythm, which hooks the listener in. A German
phrase describes this well: Ohrwurm, meaning
Ear Worm!

Club Dance Stylistic Fingerprints

Counter Melodies

Disco

A second melody that plays in the background at

the same time as the main melody. In disco,
counter melodies are usually played by strings or
brass.

Creates contrast to the main melody. Also, provides

further embellishment for the main melody.

Loops

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

A short segment that is continually repeated

throughout a section or even sometimes the
entirety of a song. Loops can be 1, 2, 4 or
occasionally 8 bars in length.

The effect of regular, repetitive Loops is very

similar to the effect of Hooks and Riffs: to provide
something memorable and catchy, which gets
stuck in the listeners head. (See Hook / Riff / Motif).
Also, a Loop can provide the constant driving
momentum and foundation for a song.

Repetitive Chord Progressions

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

Chord Progressions in Club Dance are often very

repetitive, and also quite often made of simple and
bold chords (e.g. major and minor triads). A usual
chord progression will last for 4, or sometimes 8
bars.

A Chord Progression provides the harmony for a

song. A repetitive Chord Progression does the same
job as repetitive Loops (see Loops).

Gradually Evolving Textures (every 4 or 8

bars, or 16 bars)

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

Every 4 / 8 /16 bars a new musical feature is

introduce whilst at the same time existing musical
material is repeated. The new musical features are
introduced on either a current or a new instrument.

Keeps the piece sounding interesting and creates

development, whilst still maintaining repetition.

Samples

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

A short chunk of an existing recording of music or

sound. This can be a spoken phrase, a sung vocal
phrase, an instrumental melody, or a sound effect.
Sung vocal samples are common, especially in
earlier Club Dance styles such as House. Most
likely, samples will be used in a repetitive fashion.

Provides a catchy, memorable melody and / or

rhythm, which hooks the listener in. (See Hook /
Riff / Motif above).

Synthesisers & Drum Machines

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance,
Drum n Bass,
Garage, Dub
Step

Synthesisers and Drum Machines create electronic

sounds by combining simple sound waves. These
soundwaves are then manipulated to further sculpt
and transform the sound, e.g. through use of
filtering (removing certain parts of the sound),
changing the articulation of the sound (e.g. short
and spikey, or long and smooth), and through the
use of effects (see effects below).

Synthesisers and Drum Machines give Club Dance

its instrumental character and sound. Bright and
buzzy synthesiser timbres can sound energetic and
exciting; smoother, warmer synthesiser sounds can
be relaxing as well as atmospheric.

Drum Machines are often programmed using a step

sequencer.

Club Dance Stylistic Fingerprints

Disco featured the use of synthesisers, but when
Drum Machines started to be blended with Disco
tracks by DJs in the late 1970s / early 1980s, this
was the birth of House music. (This was a
particularly common practice used by the DJs who
played at the Club The Warehouse in Chicago
during this time, and this is where House got its
name WareHouse).
Pitch Riser

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance,
Drum n Bass,
Garage, Dub
Step

A sound, usually created by a synth, that steadily

rises in pitch. (It is perhaps not as common in
Disco, but can sometimes still be heard, and is
more often than not played by the strings).

Add tension and intensity to a build up, climaxing in

its highest point at the drop.

Syncopated chords / melody / bass line

Disco, House,
Techno, Trance,
Drum n Bass,
Garage, Dub
Step

Chords / melody / bass line that use off-beat

rhythms (often with a mixture of on and off-beat).

Provide rhythmic variety and interest in contrast to

the straight on-beat bass and snare drum patterns.

Build Up

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

An increase in instrumental layers, sounds, and

dynamics, resulting in a climax (drop).

Creates intensity, anticipation, and excitement

(tension).

Micro Stop

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

A short amount of silence, usually found between

the build up and the drop.

Increases the effect of tension and release between

the build up and the drop.

The Drop

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

The thickest and heaviest part(s) of the structure,

containing some of the most important riffs /
melodies / musical ideas within the song (similar to
the chorus in pop music).

Creates satisfaction and further excitement after

the build up (release).

Break Down

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

A reduction in texture and volume, as well as

rhythmic complexity, usually excluding drums and
bass

Allows for space and contrast to the drop, and also

provides an opportunity to return to a build up

Club Dance Stylistic Fingerprints

Drum Ramp

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

An increase in drum hits (crotchets, quavers, semiquavers, and demi-semi quavers) usually lasting 4
or 8 bars, played on either the bass or snare drums

Add tension and intensity to a build up, climaxing in

its fastest note value at the drop

Reverb (Effect)

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

Makes the music sound as if it were being played in

a resonant space e.g. hall, corridor, theatre etc.

Provides atmosphere and a sense of spaciousness

in a mix. Helps the music to sound more cinematic,
as well as making the music sound larger, with
more impact.

Delay (Effect)

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

Creates and echo (not to be confused with Reverb!)

Adds an interesting texture, and combines well with

reverb to create the feeling of space (especially in
the breakdown).

Distortion (Effect)

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

Makes the music sound of an instrument rougher,

buzzier, fuzzier, and more aggressive.

Distortion can add further intensity to a synthesiser

sound, often pushing it further forwards in a mix
and grabbing the listeners attention.

Quantising (Production Technique)

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

The process of using sequencing software to fix the

accuracy of notes to a pre-determined grid.

The use of quantise makes dance music perfectly in

time, adding an almost robotic and certainly
enhancing the electronic nature of the music.

Panning (Production Technique)

House, Techno,
Trance, Drum n
Bass, Garage,
Dub Step

Panning can be used on a mixing console, or using

a Digital Audio Workstation software (DAW) such as
Logic pro, to move sounds to and from the left or
right speakers.

When instruments are panned hard left and right,

this can increase the sense of space and overall
feeling of size of a mix (i.e. making it sound wider).
Additionally, when instruments are moved from left
to right and vice versa, this creates movement
within a track as well as emphasising the stereo
field (i.e. the amount of space in a mix from left to
right). This creates further atmosphere and interest
for the listener.

Wobble Bass (Production Technique) TO DO

Club Dance Stylistic Fingerprints

Half Time TO DO

2-Step TO DO