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Define Purist Techno
- Thread starter ViShiS*
- Start date
^^^ haha!
personally, I define 'purist' as people unwilling to seek out new influences. When you get narrowminded, stagnation results - no progression or evolution. The purists have already whittled techno down to it's basic elements. It's been done, people are already known for it and there's no more road to travel in that direction. 'Techno' has always been a blanket terminology for a constantly progressing form of music - it evolved from other forms of music through the opportunities that technology provided and will continue to evolve through newer technology and by reassimilating other aspects of other music styles. THAT is what's so great about it....it can always stay fresh.
Basically, 'purist techno' is the exploration of rhythms through technology (note that I didn't say melodies or tonalities or other elements that you'd add on top of a rhythm to create a song). It's the most basic element that makes people dance - like a modern twist on tribal music, except now we aren't limited to a set of drums and can create all sorts of rhythmic elements electronically or by sampling.
Purism got too noodley - it became a forum for people to stroke their chins and have chit chat back and forth about how much trickier their method of sample creation was compared to another. It became snobbish, like some form of aristocratic clique (hence term 'techno snob'). Too much noodling instead of the real reason it was explored - to grasp those basic elements of rhythm structure that get people to DANCE. Music should be a physical, emotional AND a mental release, not just a school for the electronically gifted.
That's why purist mentality is dead.
Same with other genres - it's all getting so locked into this 'magic formula' of what makes their music work, that they've stopped pushing boundaries and evolving. FORMULA = DEATH!
[End Rant]
@m.
fuck genres
personally, I define 'purist' as people unwilling to seek out new influences. When you get narrowminded, stagnation results - no progression or evolution. The purists have already whittled techno down to it's basic elements. It's been done, people are already known for it and there's no more road to travel in that direction. 'Techno' has always been a blanket terminology for a constantly progressing form of music - it evolved from other forms of music through the opportunities that technology provided and will continue to evolve through newer technology and by reassimilating other aspects of other music styles. THAT is what's so great about it....it can always stay fresh.
Basically, 'purist techno' is the exploration of rhythms through technology (note that I didn't say melodies or tonalities or other elements that you'd add on top of a rhythm to create a song). It's the most basic element that makes people dance - like a modern twist on tribal music, except now we aren't limited to a set of drums and can create all sorts of rhythmic elements electronically or by sampling.
Purism got too noodley - it became a forum for people to stroke their chins and have chit chat back and forth about how much trickier their method of sample creation was compared to another. It became snobbish, like some form of aristocratic clique (hence term 'techno snob'). Too much noodling instead of the real reason it was explored - to grasp those basic elements of rhythm structure that get people to DANCE. Music should be a physical, emotional AND a mental release, not just a school for the electronically gifted.
That's why purist mentality is dead.
Same with other genres - it's all getting so locked into this 'magic formula' of what makes their music work, that they've stopped pushing boundaries and evolving. FORMULA = DEATH!
[End Rant]
@m.
fuck genres
hmm, good points @m and I totally see where you're coming from. I wouldn't call myself a techno purist, although I do prefer a lot of purist techno to some of the other shades in the techno spectrum. I see purist techno as more of a hommage to the detroit sound - not necessarily by detroit artists but possesing that original spirit - than a preference towards the academic european stuff that is most often associated with purist techno.
I lump music by people with styles a varied as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Justin Berkovi, Maurizio, Thomas Brinkmann, Hawtin, Speedy J, Aux 88, Adult, Rob Hood, Lekebusch, Kit Clayton, Laurnet Garnier, and b12 into the purist catagory. Lots of room to travel, and no sign of an impending end to innovation.
I'm not aginst checking everything out and I'll listen to anything that catches my ear, I just find that more often than not the music I end up putting on falls into the purist techno camp.
<-Not a techno purist. Actually listening to some post rock right now.
I lump music by people with styles a varied as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Justin Berkovi, Maurizio, Thomas Brinkmann, Hawtin, Speedy J, Aux 88, Adult, Rob Hood, Lekebusch, Kit Clayton, Laurnet Garnier, and b12 into the purist catagory. Lots of room to travel, and no sign of an impending end to innovation.
I'm not aginst checking everything out and I'll listen to anything that catches my ear, I just find that more often than not the music I end up putting on falls into the purist techno camp.
<-Not a techno purist. Actually listening to some post rock right now.
In the beginning the word 'techno' was used to describe the new sound of Detroit.
This encompassed what we know today to be electro, techno, trance, house and everything in between (what in '96 was coined electronica and then deservedly bashed by everyone who was anyone and then some at the time).
So if you want to be a techno purist, your going to have to listen to electronic music and only electronic music, it doesn't matter what genre, because its all techno.
If you refuse to believe that trance is techno, than we call you techno ignorant, and beat you with 909's and blind you with the shiny baldness of our headz.
[odd]?[io]
[proud owner of trance tapes by several big name techno dj's]
This encompassed what we know today to be electro, techno, trance, house and everything in between (what in '96 was coined electronica and then deservedly bashed by everyone who was anyone and then some at the time).
So if you want to be a techno purist, your going to have to listen to electronic music and only electronic music, it doesn't matter what genre, because its all techno.
If you refuse to believe that trance is techno, than we call you techno ignorant, and beat you with 909's and blind you with the shiny baldness of our headz.
[odd]?[io]
[proud owner of trance tapes by several big name techno dj's]
Scorched Earth
TRIBE Member
Techno? Trance? House? It is all techno some places.
Yup it is true. What we call Techno, Trance, House, etc is all really known as techno. Talk to somebody in Europe, they will call Trance techno. To them the word techno applies to all forms of electronic music. To us techno is a superior form of music produced by a certain group of artists. We have made the segregation.
As for purist techno, this whole purist thing is bullshit. All of these so called purists end up standing around at parties stroking their chins while they should be dancing. I saw a guy at Ben Sims set @ Roxy Blu in September standing there with his arms crossed! What the FUCK? I couldn't stop dancing during that set while this guy didn't even look like he was enjoying himself. He didn't even belong there. I remember talking to people from Europe visiting Toronto at Turbo for Gaetano and they were saying, " Toronto is the only city where people don't DANCE to techno."
This whole PURIST attitude has killed some enthusiasm for music in our city and created a bunch of bitter snobby bastards who are only around to criticize. We should get a hold of ourselves and try to remember why we got into all of this in the first place, because we love the music, it is as simple as that.
Cheers,
Jake
Yup it is true. What we call Techno, Trance, House, etc is all really known as techno. Talk to somebody in Europe, they will call Trance techno. To them the word techno applies to all forms of electronic music. To us techno is a superior form of music produced by a certain group of artists. We have made the segregation.
As for purist techno, this whole purist thing is bullshit. All of these so called purists end up standing around at parties stroking their chins while they should be dancing. I saw a guy at Ben Sims set @ Roxy Blu in September standing there with his arms crossed! What the FUCK? I couldn't stop dancing during that set while this guy didn't even look like he was enjoying himself. He didn't even belong there. I remember talking to people from Europe visiting Toronto at Turbo for Gaetano and they were saying, " Toronto is the only city where people don't DANCE to techno."
This whole PURIST attitude has killed some enthusiasm for music in our city and created a bunch of bitter snobby bastards who are only around to criticize. We should get a hold of ourselves and try to remember why we got into all of this in the first place, because we love the music, it is as simple as that.
Cheers,
Jake
BigBadBaldy
TRIBE Member
Isn't it kinda like Amish Techno, where they only use wooden implements and horseshoes to beat out rhythms on freshly baked loaves of bread?
BBB.
WELL? IS IT?
BBB.
WELL? IS IT?
Tech_Head_Rob
TRIBE Member
while i am against the whole 'purist' and chin stroking thingy...
i would like to make the comment that my buddie across the hall from me whose favorite bands tend to be Dave Mathews, the Counting Crows etc. etc. regards my jungle, breaks, techno, house et al tapes as 'that damned techno music'.
and he's about as knowledgable about techno as i am about rocket science (that is to say... not a whole lot).
i really do think we need a new moniker because when i tell people that i like techno... 90% Technotronic's 'Pump pump the jam' comes into peoples minds (i've done a survey... that figure is accurate
). It doesn't help that techno isn't that easy to describe either, you either have to have a basic knowledge of what house sounds like for something to compare it to... otherwise people are just lost when i say "Uhhh, techno's more of a feeling than anything else. If you let me listen to something i'll tell you if its techno or not." Anyone versed in explaining what techno is to the common joe?
In the end techno is good... i enjoy it. Whether it be chillin' to when i'm blazed, or dancing up a storm in a hot sweaty club, you can always find techno to fit your mood.
peace
Rob
i would like to make the comment that my buddie across the hall from me whose favorite bands tend to be Dave Mathews, the Counting Crows etc. etc. regards my jungle, breaks, techno, house et al tapes as 'that damned techno music'.
and he's about as knowledgable about techno as i am about rocket science (that is to say... not a whole lot).
i really do think we need a new moniker because when i tell people that i like techno... 90% Technotronic's 'Pump pump the jam' comes into peoples minds (i've done a survey... that figure is accurate
). It doesn't help that techno isn't that easy to describe either, you either have to have a basic knowledge of what house sounds like for something to compare it to... otherwise people are just lost when i say "Uhhh, techno's more of a feeling than anything else. If you let me listen to something i'll tell you if its techno or not." Anyone versed in explaining what techno is to the common joe?In the end techno is good... i enjoy it. Whether it be chillin' to when i'm blazed, or dancing up a storm in a hot sweaty club, you can always find techno to fit your mood.
peace
Rob
Tech_Head_Rob
TRIBE Member
ps. i am listening to a Rob Acid set right now and enjoying it!
derek
TRIBE Member
It all depends on who you are and where you from...example, Green Velvet has stated that everthing in the electronic forum is House , and I sure most people consider most of his stuff techno.
The are snobs in all forums of music, the real problem arises when they forget that's all it is...music. If you like, you like.
Let's all just remember that it's also dance music, and we go out...DANCE.....
Peace,
Derek
The are snobs in all forums of music, the real problem arises when they forget that's all it is...music. If you like, you like.
Let's all just remember that it's also dance music, and we go out...DANCE.....
Peace,
Derek
Scorched Earth
TRIBE Member
Right on, that is exactly how I feel man. I couldn't agree more.
Cheers,
Jake