Electronic Music | An introdcution

Electronic Music:

The standard way of thinking about music has it that it is an important aspect of any culture and socialization. Although there is major difference in music genres from culture to culture, we all can say that music is an important part of our lives. Not only it is soothing, but it also creates individuality in individuals depending on the genre of music they like and accept. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,”Music provides entertainment and distraction from problems and serves as a way to relieve tension and boredom. Some studies have reported that adolescents use popular music to deal with loneliness and to take control of their emotional status or mood”. Music is a great way to escape the reality and create a sense of serenity in an individual. For many years we have shifted in music rhythms and productions. Classical music and other older genres are currently overlapped by the modern day rap, hip-hop, and dance and electronic music. In our modern day society, electronic music a large role on providing the listeners with great beats and rhythm but also provides to the listeners to go to an electrifying extent. Electronic music is not only part of the rave scene but musicians of different genres of music around the word produce the same beats by using the turn tables and electronic instruments. With the new and improved technologies and instruments, music is produced electronically with some bass guitars and drums, but no matter what instruments the musicians use, the production of music greatly provides the listeners with imagination. From different instrument usage, music is a great way to relieve stress and express emotions. Electronic music not only provides the listeners with a sense of emotion, but also creates imagination in individuals and serves as an inspiration to many other artists in the use of electronics.

Music cannot be considered a single sound, but it is a set of beats and rhythm that create pleasure to listener’s ears. Electronic music is an art, an art that is created by using electronic instruments such as turn tables. The main aspect of electronic music is that it provokes happiness to the listeners. Electronic music has different sub groups such as: Techno, Dubstep, Indie, House Tech, Trance and Dance but it does not matter to the listeners which to choose, they all produce the safe effect: create a sense of emotion in listeners. According to Leonard Meyer, “And finally, listeners, past and present, have reported with remarkable consistency that music does arouse feelings and emotion in them” (12). In other words, we as humans are full of emotion and express them in our daily lives. As electronic music played in clubs and social events, individuals feel happiness therefore undergo the state of excitement and then begin rhythmic practices such as dancing. And of course, any type of music that the listeners decide to listen will experience emotion. Usually at large social performances by highly respected artists, individuals decide to wear neon colors that bring happiness to the performance. Electronic music provides the listeners with emotions due to different beats and rhythm that the audience follows. Some may decide to focus their attention on certain beat that attract their attention, however as a whole, electronic music is upbeat and surprising.

Imagination is a huge process in which an individual paints a mental picture in learning styles. In a math class for instance, one may paint a mental picture of formulas to help one study, however when it is needed one must reflect back at that memory to retrieve the information. Due to the high intensity and upbeat rhythm, imagination is decided upon the individual. Some electronic musicians such as Tiesto or Armin Van Buren often use beats and rhythm that use nature sounds so therefore the listener may imagine that he or she is in a nature setting. Throughout the electronic beats that the electronic music provides, a message is conveyed. According to Leonard Meyer, “On the contrary, the musical theory and practice of many different cultures in many different epochs indicate that music can and does convey referential meaning” (3). Some music has meanings that are people can relate to. For instance, Eminem has been rapping about the meaning in his life however some genres are turning toward explicit lyrics. Electronic music however is a set of beats that convey different messages to different individuals. People have the freedom to decide on the meaning of electronic music and what impact it has on their thoughts and imaginations. Thoughts, imaginations and reflections flow through listener’s minds and an escape from reality occurs. As a result, electronic music provides the listener with many options on the relation of the meaning he or she decides to create.

Our society has numerous bands that have progressed from using electric and acoustic guitars, drums and other instrument to using electronic computers and turn tables to produce new beats. Modern day artists produce their music in studios with a set of turn tables and electronic sets. More and more hip hop artist are turning toward electronic elements into their music which becomes more upbeat. The song “Feel It” by Three 6 Mafia and Sean Kingston for instance, is a great example of artists using electronic beats. Tiesto, one of the well known DJ’s creates the songs beats to which Three 6 Mafia raps to. Similarly, in dance clubs, DJ’s take ordinary hip hop songs and add a beat of electronic music for more pleasurable sounds and allow the audience to dance to. In Freedman’s view, “Which brings us full circle to the original point—namely, that electronica’s rise isn’t just a trend. Rather, the influence of electronic elements into all forms of music seems to indicate a real turning point, a change in ideals brought on by the increased availability and affordability of computer-based music-creating programs”. Our generation has greatly become more and more technologically advanced in many aspects of daily lives. Technological advancement not only has made our healthcare, entertainment and communication better, but it also has changed the music industry. Electronic music has a major impact on different genres. Although the new technologies have a big impact on the music industries, electronic music has influenced artists to use upbeat music.

As a result, an individual has the freedom to decide to listen to electronic music or not, he or she may hear electronic aspects in different songs that are heard on the radio. As I have shown, electronic music provides more than just beats and rhythm to the listeners but also allows them to find inner imagination. Electronic music has progressed from being underground to the modern day popular culture which is attracting more listeners and allows them to experience a sense of enjoyment. Once a listener hears a single electronic music song, he or she will fall in love and would want to listen more. There are numerous DJ’s for a listener to choose from such as: ATB, Above and Beyond, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren and Marcus Schulz and they will provide the first time listener with a sense of excitement and surely will not disappoint them.

Works- Cited

Meyer, Leonard B., Emotion and Meaning in Music.Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.

Fuld, Gilbert G., Mulligan, Deborah A., and Brown, Ari. “Impact of Music in Children and Young Adults”. American Academy of Pediatrics 124 (2009): 9.

Freedman, Pete. “Electronic Music Moves It’s Way Into Other Genres.” The Dallas Observer 19 November 2009. Web. 13 March 2010.