Reddit mentions: The best books about dance music

1. Accept the fact that if you want to be any good at making electronic music it will take a lot of practice, and studying. You will have to work in order to make anything of it, otherwise your music will be nothing more than a passing curiosity to friends and acquaintances, which isn't a bad thing but should give you an idea of what you actually want from your interest and what you're willing to put in.
   
   
2. Protect your ears. They're your greatest asset. Buy earplugs, carry them with you wherever you go, and wear them when you're in a situation involving loud noise.
   
   
3. Learn to play a musical instrument. It doesn't matter which one, although piano is popular because synthesizers are often available in a keyboard-package, but note there are synthesizers available in wind (blown) and string (plucked) instrument packages as well. Gaining a skill in playing an instrument will greatly assist you in developing a foundation for creating music.
   
   
4. Learn about VST's.
   
   
5. Investigate the available audio trackers and digital audio workstations in order to choose which you would prefer to make music with. Do not attempt to learn multiple programs at once, but rather master the use of one program at a time, and then branch out to other programs as needed in order to use them with one another. It's perfectly reasonable to begin with free software and move on to commercial software at a later time, and a great deal of free software is capable of professional results. Personally I would suggest you start with either MusE or Psycle, but whatever you choose be sure to take the time to read the manual.
   
   
6. Check out Synthesizers.com, a manufacturer of modular synthesizers. Do not start by buying a product from this website, as you'll need a fair bit of experience and money before you can invest in to a modular synthesizer. The product page for each module available for sale on this website however has a section for "usage and patch tips" which can give you a really good idea about each of the individual features commonly (and not so commonly) found on a synthesizer, how to use them, and what they're good for.
   
   
7. Read all of the Synth Secrets articles from SOS magazine freely available on their website. The articles are listed, from top to bottom, from the newest to oldest, so you should start with the first article at the bottom of this page and work your way up. You may tempted to skip articles, or start with the last, but as each article builds upon the previous article you'll get the most out of them by following them in the order they were released.
   
   
8. Check out Lypur's YouTube channel. It's got several videos concerning music theory. I realize that the videos focus on classical music theory, but electronic music isn't just about sound design, but the instrumentation as well. An underlying knowledge of music theory will greatly increase your ability to execute ideas and communicate them to others. You can expand upon your music theory knowledge even further by following this online course.
   
   
9. Read Rick Snowman's Dance Music Manual. While this book doesn't cover music theory, it does cover general techniques, broken down by various electronic genres. I’ve read this book and it is highly recommended.
   
   
10. Read The S.M.A.R.T. Guide to Mixing And Mastering Audio Recordings. You won't need to read this book until you've started to really put together songs, but when you have it will clearly illustrate to you how to mix your music, so that instruments sit well together in a song, and to master a recording so that it's ready to be released publically.
    

Books I have read that helped me, loosely in the order I read them:

• Practical Recording Techniques By Bartlett and Bartlett. This is a more "general case" audio recording text, about sound and recording. It's less focused on the EDM trope of people doing everything on their computers, as it talks a lot about outboard processing, microphones, and such, but I think that sort of thing is actually quite helpful to know.
  
  
• Welsh's Synthesizer Cookbook by Fred Welsh. This is an overview of subtractive synthesis which goes into quite useful depth on what's going on and what you can do with it, with lots of diagrams and such. In particular he goes over using oscilloscope and sepectrum analyzer plugins to see what's actually going on with your waveform. The second half of the book is a "cookbook" full of "recipes" that are basically presets written down on paper. If you're quite comfortable with synthesis you don't need much of what it has to offer, but I thought it was great.
  
  
• The Mixing Engineer's Handbook by Bobby Owsinski. This is all about mixing. I feel like a lot of what this book offers tends to come up online as a lot of it sounded familiar when I read it, but it's still a solid text.
  
  
• The Daily Adventures of Mixerman by Mixerman. This book is pure fucking comedy - it's a series of diary entries by a supposedly respectable mixer in LA, mixing the worst band he's ever seen. It's generally understood to be fictional, but it's very entertaining and it actually goes into a lot of detail about why certain audio decisions are made, and because of this serves as a surprisingly good primer on how such a studio is run. But mostly, it's hilarious. You can read a few chapters here.
  
  
• Zen and the Art of Mixing, also by Mixerman. This one isn't fiction, or funny, but it's the same author brain-dumping all about mixing, going into the depth that I wished he did in The Daily Adventures. If you already understand the technical tools in mixing, this book is all about what goes through his head when he's mixing, and I found it to be just incredibly helpful. The author is very opinionated about some things, but he makes this very obvious.
  
  
• The Dance Music Manual By Rick Snoman. This one comes up every time someone asks for a good book on dance music. I have only skimmed it, but from what I've gathered it's all about electronic styles and is aimed squarely at the sort of person who reads this sub. I really need to read through it entirely so I can say this for sure, but a number of people have told me if you want to learn dance music and only read one book, this would be a pretty good one.
  

Uh, no. I was giving you a very easily available example that people think differently from you.

Your main, uninformed point is that this group was created just to make money, is objectively bad, and doesn't care about music. That's false.

One member, Suga, is a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association. He has released a self-produced solo album that speaks of his mental illness and personal struggles with family and society. He said he writes approximately one song a day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Suga

Min Yoon-gi (Hangul: 민윤기; born March 9, 1993), better known by his stage names Suga and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Managed by Big Hit Entertainment, he debuted as a member of the South Korean pop idol group BTS in 2013. In 2016, he released his first solo mixtape, Agust D. The Korea Music Copyright Association attributes over 77 songs to Suga as a songwriter and producer, including Suran's "Wine", which won best Soul/R&B track of the year at the 2017 Melon Music Awards.[1] In January 2018, Suga was promoted to full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.[2]

Another member, Namjoon, has written dozens of songs, and he has released two self-produced solo albums. He was an underground rapper who admired NYC rappers before becoming the first member of BTS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_RM

Another member, Hoseok, has helped write multiple songs and released a self-produced album beloved by John Cena of all people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_J-Hope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy8WLVBuNmI

This is a list of all of BTS' awards and nominations. It will take you a while to scroll through it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_BTS

BTS has won awards from the Korean equivalent of the Grammy's, the Korean Music Awards, even though "idol" groups are never nominated for such awards.

Korean Music Awards
The Korean Music Awards is an annual music awards show established in 2004 that honors music artists for excellence in music based on the recommendations of a panel of judges consisting of industry professionals. BTS are the first Korean pop group to receive the grand prize for Musician of the Year. BTS have received 4 awards from 11 nominations.

BTS' success and music is considered so remarkable that a music critic has released a book reviewing every song by the group. They have dozens of songs.
https://www.amazon.com/BTS-Review-Comprehensive-Look-Music-ebook/dp/B07QJZ1WFZ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bts+the+review+english&qid=1555356319&s=books&sr=1-1

Below is a speech by the founder of BTS' management company, BigHit. He speaks of his determination to create a new company to focus on music and quality rather than deal with the corruption and mediocrity in the existing industry at the time.

https://doyoubangtan.wordpress.com/2019/02/26/bang-pds-graduation-address-at-seoul-university/

You basically need to do two things: 1) start analyzing music that you like, both its form and function (harmony, for instance), and 2) start to study the art and science of mixing. Get a good book on the subject like Mix Smart or even The Dance Music Manual and start studying.

Mixing your tracks well can turn a okay song into a serious floor-shaker simply by virtue of significantly increasing its production quality. A simple tune that sounds amazing can have a huge emotional impact on the listener, and so much the better if the music is really well written to begin with.

This, of course, is where the analysis comes in. Try to identify why you like the tracks that you like. Is it the way the songs build? Then replicate the form of the song. Is it the way the harmony makes you feel? Then learn how to play that harmony and try to understand what's happening from a theoretical point. In my opinion, you should take it upon yourself to learn basic music theory at the minimum, but if you have a good ear you probably don't need to fret about it too much. Producers that can read and write music aren't too common (the really good ones almost always do, though).

For a while, you'll probably just sound like the producers that you like, but eventually you'll begin to internalize what you've learned and your "voice" will develop. It a natural progression as an artist to mimic your heroes — don't fight it.

If you're going to dump tens of thousands of dollars into a degree, it's usually a good idea to put it towards a degree that will help you pay it back. Unfortunately, music production is likely not going to be that for you. In electronic music production especially, nobody really "hires" you to produce music. You spend years honing your craft and, if you work really freakin' hard and are lucky, somebody will notice you, sign you.... and you still likely won't make any money off of it unless you explode into super stardom like Deadmau5, Tiesto, etc.

You're also not likely to find a public school that has anything like EDM production, so it'll be a private school... and that shit will be expensive.

Save your money and teach music production to yourself via YouTube and practice, practice, practice. Seriously, YouTube is a goldmine for music production knowledge. There's also a great subreddit, /r/edmproduction.

There are some programs that might be worth it, though. I've got a friend taking the 6-8 month (I can't remember exactly) Dubspot program for Logic, and his reports to me say that it's worth every penny... but only if you put more into it than just showing up to class and doing the assignments. There are also schools like SAE that do 6-8 week courses in different topics of music production. A friend of mine did their Intro EDM Production one (I don't remember the exact name), and it was totally worth it. What they have to teach you is nothing that can't be learned off of YouTube, but some people really benefit from having a structured learning environment like that to get them started... especially for things like music production that have such a steep learning curve. It's also much, much more affordable than a "degree" from a college. Pricey (around $2K, maybe?), but still way more doable.

Obviously the Dubspot and SAE stuff aren't available to you for the in-person classes unless you're willing to move from your hometown, but they also have online stuff that may be worth it. In the end, do a lot of research before spending your money.

EDIT: Also, check this book out: the Dance Music Manual. The specific technologies they mention are a bit outdated, but the techniques described are just as spot on now as they were 15 years ago. It's also not specific to any tool, technology, or digital audio workstation, which makes it ridiculously useful to you whichever route you end up taking software/hardware wise.

1. Buy a DAW -- I like Ableton Live
   
   
2. Learn Your DAW with no specific music preference in mind. -- Check out www.linda.com for a great starter course on ableton.
   
   
3. You like electro house, so buy this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240521072/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details -- This is a great introduction to electro house music. It goes great with Ableton and will teach you how to create your own synths, and understand all the tools all proper DAWs come with (compressor, EQ, synths, programming your own synths, composition, etc etc). Will make you a lot less afraid of Ableton.
   
   
4. Move into more specific tutorials on sites like www.sonicacademy.com
   
   
5. Scour youtube for tutorials for your favorite sounds
   
   
6. Buy VSTs you like (I would die without Massive)
   
   
7. ???
   
   
8. Profit.
   
   
   Also, make sure to inject your own playing around in your DAW between every step. Your biggest hurdle will be becoming comfortable with the software you choose because they are HUGE.
   
   
   ps; If you pirate something, please buy it before you release a song. Don't be a leech.

Well, I'm sitting here loading 23 dvd's of my new sample library, so I have some time to write :)

First of all I'm going to cite ITB gain staging honestly in digital you don't have to gain stage unless your effects plugins have an assumed range... slate (which does make input level assumptions) really hammered this home to me on the first project I did.

Gain staging is boring and takes a bit of time (and you have to revisit it if of you put in lots of piano or fortissimo sections after you set it initially), but it makes the mix go a lot faster. It also solves the issue of "crap this VST patch is way loud!"


I use live, so track routing may be specific to that.

Source (either audio, or instrument) -> sonalksis freeg to bring source to -18db RMS -> slate vtm -> slate vcc channel -> (optional side chain compression) -> (optional instrument compression, like to make a snare sound different)-> (optional effects like reverb or eq) -> output routed to a bus or group


bus or group -> slate vcc bus -> compressor for that instrument type / group (like FG-Grey for drums, FG-Red for synths) -> hybrid static/dynamic EQ here (which is really a mutliband compressor/expander)

bus or group always also goes to a dummy track (with no output) that has an instance of MMultiAnalyzer on it (for finding collisions and/or relative loudness of the groups). I do this on a dummy track so you can see the level after the output of the groups or bus's fader, ie, what the level is going into the master channel.

when mixing I first set the loudness within a group, and the ride the faders/automate levels among groups to balance the mix.

master chain
freeG-> slate vtm -> slate vcc -> MAutoDynamicEQ -> compressor 1 (usually slate fg-mu) set to barely move the needle off of -1db -> compressor 2 (usually fg-red) -> very fast compressor (built in or stillwell the rocket) at 1.5 ratio ~-9db to -12db threshold (for the fast stuff, think of it as the knee before the limiter) -> ozone (limiting and dithering only, with no gain and -0.30 for target) -> MLoudnessAnalyzer (for LUFS EBU R128 loudness for final mix check)

So to answer your question, since I almost always do my main compression via glue / bus compression on a group or bus, I would eq on the individual channel, before the compressor, if I considered it "part of changing the noise of that instrument." Compression for "make it fit in the mix and make it louder" is always handled on a bus, and The Glue compressor as well as VBC are really good for that -- a lot of people don't seem to know that's what "the glue" is made for.

Also, yes, that's three compressors in a row on the master chain. The reason is for the reaction speed differences, and coloration.

I don't use a limiter for the final gain stage, it's just there to prevent clipping. I try not to let the limiter hit more than 1.5 or 2db -- at 3db or more it's definitely hurting the mix even with IRC III or Elephant

I think you can see this all in action on a project here:

https://blend.io/project/540cfff496123d1970002907

Books I can't recommend enough:

Bob Katz
Mike Senior
Rick Snoman


TL;DR There's more than one way to do it, but after I read some books I tried a new way (to me) that I used on my most recent project and thought it was great for producing a nice loud (but not sausage) master.

My PC is high end though, on my older pc I couldn't run all this stuff at the same time.

FL Studio is a great start in my opinion. If you've already put 10 hours in, and are making some cool sounds that you feel good about, you've already overcome one of the largest obstacles!

One way to take it to the next level is to try to re-create a song you like, or part of it, in FL Studio. Take for example this section of your first link. You could roughly recreate that in FL Studio without too much pain. Just don't give up until you get the sound you're looking for. Maybe start with the drum parts, figure out the 1,2,3,4's of it, and try to put that into a loop in FL. Then bust out the synthesizer for the saws on top of the drums. You said you don't have much synth experience, so layering some saws over your drums and tweaking things until it sounds correct would be a great exercise.

For MIDI gear, a small keyboard would be great for experimenting and learning. Maybe get one with some pads and knobs that you can map to your sweet FL saws that you were layering? I'd say skip the drum machine for now, you can do all of that sequencing in FL and 1000x better IMO. However drum pads are nice, where you can bang out patterns and fills using your hands. You could try something like the MPK25 USB controller which has keys, pads, and knobs all in one.

The main thing is to really sit down and learn. You've already got good software and the passion, that's all you need. A small midi keyboard or controller might help you get started, but don't get lost in different devices, plugins, etc. as they will just slow down your learning as they provide instant gratification while you miss out on learning the fundamentals. Books can be helpful as well, I'd recommend the Dance Music Manual. Don't lose your passion, practice or study every day. Read and watch videos! Ask questions!

Simon Reynolds' "Generation Ecstasy" is the big one about 90's dance music. It was like required raver reading back in the day. Big focus on UK hardcore/early jungle.
http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Ecstasy-World-Techno-Culture/dp/0415923735/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8


Co-sign "Last Night a DJ saved my life" also a really good one.
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-DJ-Saved-Life/dp/0802146104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350101&sr=1-1&keywords=last+night+a+dj+saved+my+life


Dan Sicko's "Techno Rebels" is great one with a big focus on the early detroit techno scene
http://www.amazon.com/Techno-Rebels-Renegades-Electronic-Painted/dp/0814334385/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350046&sr=1-1&keywords=techno+rebels


Kai Fikentscher "You better work" is a great one about the early NYC dance scene. The loft, the paradise garage etc.
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Work-Underground-Dance-Music/dp/0819564044/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350247&sr=1-1&keywords=you+better+work


Mireille Silcott "Rave America" is an awesome one about the 90's US rave scene. Big focus on Midwest hardcore/hard techno. Also has a super early interview with Tommie Sunshine before he became a DJ.
http://www.amazon.com/Rave-America-New-School-Dancescapes/dp/1550223836/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350330&sr=1-1&keywords=rave+america


Brian Belle-Fortune "All Crews" is a good one about the UK 90's D&B
scene.
http://www.amazon.com/All-Crews-Journeys-Through-Culture-ebook/dp/B00HJ6SPPU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350448&sr=1-1&keywords=all+crews

If you're into digging for old dance records. There's a series of books called "the rough guide" that was distributed by Penguin that are basically little mini-encyclopedias of 90's dance artists/releases. I found them REALLY helpful back in the day before the internet was a thing.


I've got the rough guides to house, techno & d&b. Here's a link to the house one. http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Guide-House-Music/dp/1858284325/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350616&sr=1-1&keywords=the+rough+guide+to+house

EDIT. Forgot to add. THE MANUAL by the KLF is fucking hilarious read & kind of an amazing historical artifact. It's like a $100 on amazon (Ugh, a friend borrowed my copy back in the day and never gave it back) but there's text/pdf versions floating around the web
http://www.amazon.com/Manual-How-Have-Number-Easy/dp/1899858652/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421350795&sr=1-1&keywords=KLF+the+manual

How did I get into it? I started as a DJ. Next logical step I suppose.



Advice/tips?



Read up. Here are some of my favorites, and I do recommend buying them as you will probably refer to them often.


This would be my top pick: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072


This is one on psychoacoustics, which I've found had some helpful knowledge: http://www.amazon.com/How-Music-Works-David-Byrne/dp/1938073533



And this is one on the history of electronic music, which I personally LOVED reading. Great information, and if you truly respect the scene as a whole, you should 100% read this: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-DJ-Saved-Life/dp/0802146104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419810859&sr=1-1&keywords=last+night+a+dj+saved+my+life



As far as software goes, they are all kind of a personal thing. Some offer things that others don't. My recommendation is to try before you buy, especially considering production software is expensive.




In addition, there is also a large choice of hardware you can use for production. You should look into getting a keyboard and some good monitor speakers at a bare minimum. If you stick with it, I would suggest you buy yourself a drum machine/step sequencer. My personal recommendation is Native Instruments 'Maschine.'



EDIT: A word.

This is a bit outdated but it's still useful from a historical perspective (came out in the early 2000s). The text comments might be a bit snarky but just listen to the music to get a feel for how sound has progressed.

There are a lot of rave documentaries from the last 20 years, a few of my favorites:

• Pump Up The Volume: The History of House Music
  
• Modulations: Cinema For Your Ear
  
• Better Living Through Circuitry
  
  There are a lot of genre-specific documentaries out there as well.
  
  If you're into reading:
  
  
• Altered State is a classic read on rave history
  
• Technomad is probably the most comprehensive (although wordy) academic overview of many different kinds of dance music cultures
  
  If you really get into the culture, you'll learn that there is more to it than just music. ofc the music is the most obvious unifying element to everything, and people who really don't dig the music won't keep going to shows, but within dance music culture A LOT of different perspectives exist. Hip-hop itself is a part of electronic music culture, so you probably already know what I'm talking about.
  
  For a local perspective: Australian Electronica: A Brief History
  
  
• /r/electronicmusic is a good place for ALL electronic music
  
• /r/aves is good for talking parties/events/festivals
  
  
  IMO many key historical points in EDM history revolve around technological advances (e.g. the invention of the phonograph; innovations in recorded sound - including tape, stereo, and digital recording; invention and adoption of analog/digital synthesizers). Although there are specific time periods where EDM culture "explodes" (e.g. around 1988-89 (in the UK), 1996-2001, and ~2008-present)

If you're trying to work towards a particular genre or styling of music I'd highly suggest hitting the books a bit. Experimenting in FL Studio will get you far, but after a certain point I found it helpful to read more about music theory and structure as it applies to the type of music you want to produce.

For example, recently I was struggling with a house remix I've been working on - because I don't usually make dance music. At someone else's recommendation I picked up this book and I've already learned so much that has helped me improve my music.

I'll also agree with another poster that picking a particular song (it helps if the song is in a genre you want to compose in, so you'll be able to keep your interest) and trying to recreate it is a great learning tool, but reading about how different types of music are typically constructed is also helpful.

Thanks!

Congratulations on getting into computer music! I would search on YouTube for instructional videos on using Cubase.

For composing, try coming up with a couple of chord progressions, the simpler the better, and then put them one after the other. Then put a melody on top of that. Then add whatever other accompaniment you feel like. Hell, even one chord progression is fine. My song Love Story from Chromatic T-Rex is just one four-chord progression repeated throughout the entire song.

Also check out the Dance Music Manual: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/

I haven't read it but I hear good things about it. :) Hope this helps!

I recommend looking into some books on production. There is so much more information crammed into the better books than you will find in a week's of searching forums and youtube tutorials. For books on mixing, I say you can't go wrong with Bobby Owinski's The Mixing Engineer's Handbook or Mike Senior's Mixing Secrets for the Small Studioand for general production I recommend Rick Snoman's Dance Music Manual just be sure to get the latest edition, it includes chapters that cover everything from basic theory the popular genres (trance, dubstep, DnB, Techno, House, and Ambient/Chillout), it covers the electronics and science of acoustics, MIDI, DAW's and everything that come's along with them (instruments, effects, samplers, etc) and promoting and distributing your music. I can't say enough about this book and what a great way it was for me to see the "big picture" of what was ahead of me when I was starting out.

1. It's already been said. I will say it again. Syntorial.
   
2. I'm sure that once this post circulates a little more, there will be more people making recommendations, but in the meantime, here's an article on 10 headphones that are good for music production. The keys are flat frequency response and comfort.
   
3. Also already been said, but Rick Snoman's Dance Music Manual is a good place to start regarding comprehensive coverage of the concepts you need to know. Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio is also good, as are Bobby Owsinski's books and Mixerman's books.

So this is what you learn:
-How to create an 808 Kick
-How to arrange a track
-How to create a "lush sparkling mix"
-How to use reverb
-How to create a build up
-Basic sound design
-How to use distortion and compression

NOPE. Not for $40.
For mixing: http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Senior/dp/0240815807/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427666706&sr=8-1&keywords=small+studio+mixing

Sound design, arranging, etc.: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427666724&sr=8-1&keywords=dance+music+manual

The first book I linked to is literally the bible of mixing. It's a truly great resource. The second is a great cursory overview of music theory, sound design, and several aspects of the big electronic genres: arrangements, keys, percussion. It even tells you settings for synthesizing kicks in each genre it covers.

I started DJing first then have recently been doing some production. Here's my recommendation in priority order:

1. Get decent headphones. Spend most of your budget on this.
   
   
2. Don't buy tutorials or sample packs. There is more free stuff out there than he will ever possibly need. If you're going to spend money on learning material, buy the Dance Music Manual (2nd Edition). http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Techniques/dp/0240521072 It teaches you all of the foundations of EDM Production.
   
   
3. Pirate Ableton as you said. I use Reason but that's just because it's what I learned. Many many people use Ableton so there are more modern tutorials out there for it (in my experience) and there are a wealth of VSTs. If I had to start again I'd start with Ableton.
   
   
4. For DJ gear, stick with what he has and get some CDJs and a cheap 2 channel mixer when you have more money.
   
   Finally just a word of advice: stick with it, take your time and believe in yourself. Try to resist copying whatever is the most popular and make what you like the sound of. Find your sound and your DJing style. :)

A couple of key things that can make a difference here: finding songs that fit your personal taste, and reading informative translations.

With the lyrics, you can miss out on a lot if you don’t know the full context, meanings, wordplay, etc. For annotated translations that explain these things, I recommend Muish and Doolsetbangtan. There is more intricacy and depth to many of their lyrics than people often realize.

Speaking of their lyrics, if you’re interested in lyrical analysis and/or psychology, you can check out this podcast episode of Jungian analyst Murray Stein analyzing the translated lyrics of BTS’ most recent album Map of the Soul: Persona, which was inspired by his book about the theories of psychologist Carl Jung, also called Map of the Soul.

As for song recommendations, I suggest checking out this 25-song guide co-written by Kim Youngdae, a Korean music critic who knows their discography very well and wrote an extensive book analyzing their music. The guide includes a few sentences about each song’s style and content, so you can look through the list, see if anything catches your eye, and give it a listen. BTS’ discography is pretty diverse, so even if some songs aren't for you, you might find others that are. If not, of course that's okay too.

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions!

Yeah she's a raver too, but I think she's too uncoordinated to use gloves haha.
I found a new revamped edition of Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture on Amazon, and I think she will really enjoy it.

Thanks for your input!

If you're in to dance music, The Dance Music Manual is densely-packed, but still easy to read and fun.

Reason 101 has a "visual guide to the Reason Rack" that's really good. PM your address and you can have mine. The type is too small for my eyes to read.

Too wordy? Unlikely. Go directly to Simon Reynolds' Energy Flash, young man, and report back.

Here's my ten cents.

It's a well researched overview of the inherent tension that has long existed between people who want to bring electronic music to Black Rock City and people who would variously prefer there was a lot less of it.

Anyone who cites Adrian Roberts from Piss Clear as an academic source is OK by me.

The paragraph or two dissecting "douchebag" as a playa insult directed at EMD fans is, unfortunately, ludicrous.

I don't expect any reportage to be all-inclusive, and the Dancetronaut controversy is as good a place as any to illustrate that these tensions, rooted in the mid-90's have a modern-day equivalent, but I feel that time has passed the author by, and the lack of any mention (unless I missed it) of Robot Heart, and their aesthetic (more grounded in Burning Man than the relatively-mainstream, white-jumpsuited Dancetronauts by far, yet more divisive, in more nuanced and interesting ways) is a bit of a glaring omission.

Based on the mutual friends we apparently have on the Facebook, I'm making the broad assumption that the author is strong on psytrance, as a participant (name-checks the Blue Room, which was ground zero for me at Burning Man circa 1999) , but has relied too much on internet reporting of White Ocean and Dancetronauts, in his coverage of recent years, and failed to wrestle with the socio-cultural reverberations of the allegedly-elitist deep house beast.

Still, that said, a good read.

No problem, it's actually really common for people to ditch the distinction since in electronic music so many producers also dj and they may even have "Dj" in their name.

For production, I think the best place to start is with tutorials on youtube and a DAW (Digital Audio workstation) which is just a software client for making music. Also, if you are near a bookstore, try going there and reading this http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-techniques/dp/0240521072/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1310497354&sr=8-3. It is a great guide, and very thorough, but it's a bit pricey so I recommend reading it at a bookstore before you consider buying it. A lot of production is just finding your own way and style, but it is hard to overestimate the value of a good resource when you are starting out.

Also, try some good subreddits. There is /r/synthesizers, /r/edmproduction, and /r/Wearethemusicmakers. All of them are really receptive to questions, I find. Starting out you will probably have lots of questions, so don't be afraid to ask.

I didn't get to finish reading this because I could never find time but until I stopped I as really enjoying Energy Flash. It gives a pretty good coverage of the history mixed with the author's experiences.

How to make a noise is a great free ebook to start you off learning synthesis. The dance music manual is another great book with a section on ambient and chill-out

Haven't read Last Night..., but Simon Reynolds' Energy Flash was quite a nice overview for me. It's not short (around 550 pages) but a very good look at electronic music from the '70s to about 2006.

The Dance Music Manual is a great resource for this type of analysis of other genres:

http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/index.php/dance-music-manual-3rd-edition

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644

I don't think the book contains anything specific to progressive house. There's a DVD for it though. I have not watched it but I would trust it based on their other stuff:

http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/index.php/tutorials/genre-tutorials/progressive-house

The advice to just experiment isn't wrong but it also doesn't seem to acknowledge that you have to start by imitating something, and it helps to know what you're imitating. I think this is a good question.

ishkur's guide is the best entry point imo. if you can, I'd then suggest getting this book (http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Flash-Journey-Through-Culture/dp/1593764073)-- seriously the most comprehensive history of electronic music and rave culture out there. There are some cool genre specific documentaries on youtube which you can typically find just by searching some subgenre name + 'documentary'. Then the Dance Music Guide is a good reference for newer genres.

You might get a lot out of this book:

Rock The Dancefloor

My 2 cents on vinyl: skip it for now.

You might look at the Pioneer DDJ-SR Pro DJ Controller. Very solid unit that will last you a while. Portable and solid enough for real gigs. It runs Serato but a Traktor mapping is available too. This way, you can try both softwares out. NI units only work with Traktor so if you get one you're locked in to just the one software.

Mostly, just get some gear and start playing as soon as possible! Once you've started to learn what you want to do and what features you like/needs, you can make better informed decisions later on when you're ready to get more serious.

This book helped me improve with Reason a lot. The genre-specific sections are pretty dated now, but it is loaded with great advice on sound design, music theory, and mixing.

Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools, Toys, and Techniques https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240521072/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pV1dBb1P15E5N

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acid-House-Story-Luke-Bainbridge/dp/1780387342/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540247061&sr=1-2&keywords=acid+house

There's a fair few books interviewing people who were round at the time. In the comments there's quite alot of people who complain of it's focus on London, and lots of anecdotes from other lesser known scenes. May be worth contacting some of those people.

I did my final dissertation on acid house and the TB303 last year, good luck with yours :)

Books:

Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture

The Underground is Massive: How Electronic Dance Music Conquered America

Techno Rebels: The Renegades of Electronic Funk

Altered State: The Story of Ecstasy Culture and Acid House

All Crews: Journeys Through Jungle / Drum and Bass Culture

Keyboard Presents the Evolution of Electronic Dance Music

Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern Germany

Last Night a DJ Saved my Life

Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco

The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco, and The Culture of the Night

You are in luck because 2 weeks ago, the new edition of Dance Music Manual came out.

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

You can read the reviews for the previous edition here http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072/ref=pd_sim_b_7

It covers like all the bases to some extent. It does not teach you how to use a DAW though.

Also all the books (Music theory|Composition|Harmony) for computer musician by Michael Hewitt are pretty good if you have no music background.

Hey Bjeaurn,

I'm a struggling techno producer myself as well. The main source of learning will, I guess, always be already existing music. Listen carefully and try to understand what is going on in the tracks you listen to. How many instruments do you hear? What effects are there used when and where?

I cannot listen to any music without figuring out what is going on.

Also I'm reading these books at the moment. http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Edition/dp/0240521072
and
http://www.amazon.com/Ableton-Live-Power-Comprehensive-Guide/dp/1598639757

It's a really great help, you learn so much from it.

Also /r/edmproduction is a place you need to go.

And it's obviously important to just make music as much as you can. It's not something you are gifted to just do. You will have to put a lot of time in it.

I also want to be a DJ/Producer. My biggest goal in life would be to play at a festival like Ultra.

I suggest you start by learning as much as you can about your DAW, head over to /r/edmproduction if you haven't, watch many tutorials in Youtube (you'll learn a lot with just practice), and read this.

I've been playing around with electronic music for years, but only started taking it really seriously the past year. I've read a lot of books, and honestly, NOTHING has been more helpful to me than The dance music manual.

> BTW, that wiki song structure article is a mess

Agreed. I linked to that wiki article without even really looking. Personally, I like the following books that go into a lot more detail in regards to production and EDM:

• Music Theory for Computer Musicians
  
• Composition for Computer Musicians
  
• Harmony for Computer Musicians
  
• Dance Music Manual
  
• The Drummers Bible
  
• Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices, and Tools
  
• Making Music: 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers
  
  All the above are solid books.

Phil Morse's "Rock the Dancefloor" (though I swear I got a free PDF of the book from Digital DJ Tips at some point ... maybe it was just a sample?)

"Be the Difference Maker" ... this is more about emceeing than DJ technique, but still useful.

If you don't mind reading abunch there is a book covering alot of the main things about EDM. It had really improved my producing, it is little heavy reading though. :)

Link to book

You might be interested in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072

Really thorough and explains everything you need to know in order to get a solid grounding in producing dance music.

The same guys also have a series of video tutorials that you might find useful: http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/index.php/tutorials#fundamentals

Okay, in that case you should check out /r/Beatmatch and /r/edmproduction. I'd also recommend you look into this book, which covers everything you'll need to get started producing and then some.

Wait_What_Happened is right about electronic music being difficult to get into, since there are just so many different skills that you have to master, like how to program synths, EQ your sound, and compose music in the style you wish to produce. It's going to be incredibly frustrating at first, but the only way to get better is to keep practicing.

I recommend buying this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072

Limiters often introduce a bit of distortion since you're essentially folding the signal when it clips (or exceeds your threshold). Limiters are normally used to push the 'loudness' of a track (i.e. crank everything up, throw a limiter on it, voila it's louder and you don't have to worry about clipping). Honestly, using limiters has only limited myself. An amateur using a limiter will have trouble getting their tracks to sound right, since louder always sounds better in isolation, but doesn't necessarily mean it sounds better in the mix.

This book is just awesome to learn all that stuff!

Search for it in this subreddit, you'll find a copy of it if you can't afford to buy it

This one is a little broader in scope, but it's been one of my go to reference books for years. Even if you're not into EDM, the topics discussed can be applied to pretty much every genre of production.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240521072

This is a great book for getting started http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417712868&sr=1-5&keywords=music+production

Not a video, but this book was extremely helpful for me:

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412538316&sr=8-1&keywords=dance+music+manual

It costs 30$ as a paperback but it teaches you about Music theory basics, synth, fx, master, mixing basics and also gives you an overview of almost all current EDM genres.

I like to scan reviews by SOS, gearslutz, Keyboard mag and some of the EDM oriented site s like createdigitalmusic.com, attackmagazine.com to get clues about synth features: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may02/articles/rolandsh32.asp (they say the manual's not the greatest)

Also, from the sidebars of /r/synthesizers, /r/edmProduction etc:

http://www.amazon.com/Refining-Sound-Practical-Synthesis-Synthesizers/dp/0199922969

and http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/

Here's the book I started going through when I was trying to learn electronic music. I didn't make it very far (I was only learning electronic because I didn't have a guitar... then I got a guitar again), but from what I did get through it was a nice introduction to music theory, compressors and EQs, etc.

I was scared of music theory before I started going through that book because it seemed scary, but the book made it pretty easy to pick up!

this book can help, it is helping me

This! I got the Dance Music Production one and it's fantastic

[Amazon] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376289177&sr=1-1&keywords=dance+music+production)

Rock The Dancefloor: The proven five-step formula for total DJing success https://www.amazon.com/dp/1781331987/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xfEKybTVPWF6C

Rick Snoman's Dance Music Manual

Also check out his Dvd courses, he's a brilliant teacher!
Learned more here, than 4 years of Youtube tutorials, reading articles, and lurking forums.

http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/

Read the ableton manual, seriously. Even though you know nothing right now, it will at least let you know the scope of the software. Read this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0415825644/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/190-8299723-7853348# I got a minor in music in college with an audio tech concentration, I've had hours of classes. This is the best beginner book I've ever read. It's not just for beginners, it's so all inclusive I can't believe how short it actually is. I would bet anything that it will answer every question you could possibly think of.

Also agree.

I've been producing for ~6-7 years and sound design is still my biggest challenge by a huge margin.

There are two approaches that work for me:

1. Investigate and tweak the hell out of simple synth patches to create your own sounds. In time you'll learn better how your favourite synths work, and you'll also learn how certain sounds are made
   
2. Use samples and stems from remix competitions. When you can't design or think up your own melodies/etc, remix packs can give a great platform to work with. You can learn a lot about production and structure this way too (I've found anyway).
   
   The Dance Music Manual helped me too. I still refer back to it when I'm stuck.
   
   1 year isn't long at all. There are some gifted individuals that seem to get it from the go, but usually it's a lot of work.
   
   Keep at it, and as Neutr4lNumb3r said, practice!

Also, you might want to read---> The Dance Music Manual and Last Night a Dj Saved My Life probably the two biggest jumps in knowledge in this genre you'll ever have.

I hear beattips is good.
https://www.amazon.com/BeatTips-Manual-Beatmaking-Tradition-Composer/dp/0989398609
this was a big help when I started
https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500536883&sr=1-1&keywords=music+theory+computer+musicians
and way beyond just music theory and beatmaking, but very informative
https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500536944&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=dancemusic+manual

Dance Music Manual, one of my favorite http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0240521072?vs=1

I just started reading Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools. toys and techniques I like it this far and he mentions in the beginning that most genres will be covered.

Foreword in the preview of the Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/David-Blot/dp/0316526177/ref=sr_1_2?__mk_es_US=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=the+song+of+the+machine&qid=1573430527&sr=8-2

A few purchases I made recently after few days of researching and asking for recommendations.

Mike Stavrou - Mixing With Your Mind

Rick Snoman - Dance Music Manual, 3rd Edition

Bob Katz - Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science

Bobby Owsinski - The Mixing Engineers Handbook: 4th Edition


Edit: ...and I just checked out the ableton book recommended by /u/NeiloMac and now it's on its way.

This is a solid book with a bit of theory and production.

give the dance music manual a read. it will teach you the fundamentals of what everything does regardless of what program you are using.

if you want to learn how to use ableton or FL studio, look up tutorials or read the manuals for the programs.

dance music making manual

I messaged above & beyond and one of the anjuna guys told me to get this, so its on my list.

Also, saving up for some CDJ 1000 MK3s, but that will just comprise of some christmas money & some savings.

https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467226987&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+snoman

Obligatory mention of the Dance Music Manual: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644

edit:/ the latest edition specifically goes more in depth on the "music theory" aspects of EDM production

https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-House-Music-Production/dp/0956446000

These books were invaluable to me:
https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=dimitridealen-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=6e883bdc057896253093f8e054c72c99&creativeASIN=0415825644

https://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Presents/dp/0240815807/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=dimitridealen-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=9e884653f74a627e4c84ece7550dfa1b&creativeASIN=0240815807

https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Audio-Science-Bob-Katz/dp/0240818962/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=dimitridealen-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=c808c7581697392d615117dd9b96ec07&creativeASIN=0240818962


https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Arranging-Orchestration/dp/1592576265/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=dimitridealen-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=e16959ecc585f52445a79cb70f6fc52c&creativeASIN=1592576265

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Art-Songwriting/dp/1615641033/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=dimitridealen-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=f587c782544a93ca1c853f973da25f0d&creativeASIN=1615641033

Music Theory for Computer Musicians & Dance Music Manual in books. You could use Musictheory.net to learn the basics.

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457134809&sr=8-1&keywords=dance+music+manual

Also the 'Dance Music Manual' by the same guys covers all the fundamentals

You should check out Oliver Wang's book on the subject, about the Filipino mobile crews in the Bay Area in the early 80s.

https://www.amazon.com/Legions-Boom-Filipino-Francisco-Refiguring/dp/0822358905

• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1435456726
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/128542087X
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Edition/dp/0240521072

http://www.audio-engineering-courses.co.uk/audio-mixing.php

http://www.vintagesynth.com/resources/glossary.php

http://www.markwhite.com/vsp/glossary.html

http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-center/glossary/

http://www.sequencer.de/synthaudio/synthesizer-basics.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/11435645/Glossary-of-Audio-Mixing-Terms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer

http://www.wannaplaymusic.com/get-started/keyboard-terminology

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448940494&sr=8-1&keywords=dance+music+manual

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0240521072?vs=1

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

Here is the desktop version of your link

Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio - http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Senior/dp/0240815807

Sound on Sound Synth Secrets - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm

Music Theory for Computer Musicians - http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034

Composition for Computer Musicians - http://www.amazon.com/Composition-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598638610

Harmony for Computer Musicians - http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1435456726/

Dance Music Manual - http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644

Also all of the manuals for whatever daw/vsts you have.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1598635034/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240521072/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Terrific book

Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture is the textbook for the electronic music class at my university.

Check out The Dance Music Manual and Dance Music Production

I havent read that and cant recommend it. I'm talking about this one by sample magic

Says house, is full of basic dance music skills, genre blahblah

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-House-Music-Production/dp/0956446000&ved=2ahUKEwiy1Mrgg9zjAhVOQEEAHSHQCVMQFjALegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0aS45rqN_S_ECB4lSZiEXm

DO NOT GIVE UP


if you enjoy the process of doing music, and like what you are doing, continue with it. i think you should read some technical resources, to get a better understanding on how things work and how they related with each other.

I highly recoment [this book] (http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034), and [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072). You can find booth on torrent, but buy if you can. they tottally worth the price.

one thing i read from a skrillex interview: "everyone starts making shit music. continue making bad music until they start to sound good"

You missed a Rick Snoman's Dance Music Manual.

Missing Dance Music Manual - Rick Snoman

One of the most influential Berlin night clubs of the past 2 decades, which holds similar ideals today much like most of the well known clubs that were born around techno music in Germany:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berghain

The birthplace of House music in Chicago "The Warehouse was patronized primarily by gay black and Latino men":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warehouse_(nightclub)

Recommended books you can read to learn about the history of music:

https://www.amazon.com/Klang-Familie-Felix-Denk/dp/3738604294

https://www.amazon.com/Techno-Rebels-Renegades-Electronic-Painted/dp/0814334385

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-DJ-Saved-Life/dp/0802146104/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Flash-Journey-Through-Culture/dp/1593764073/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1593764073&pd_rd_r=S1TWN7HDAJJY3Z2QN4BG&pd_rd_w=Zk210&pd_rd_wg=Dqe5r&psc=1&refRID=S1TWN7HDAJJY3Z2QN4BG

https://www.amazon.com/Electrochoc-Laurent-Garnier/dp/1906615918

A snippet from the above book by Laurent Garnier regarding Detroit, the birthplace of Techno music:

"Like Manchester in the early 1800s, during the golden age of the British Industrial Revolution, Detroit also became the great American city of industry. Several thousand blue-collar workers came from all over the US to work at the Ford automobile plant, while the black workers were confined to the foundries.

In 1959 Motor Town gave birth to Motown, the cultural pride of the black community. Then the battle for civil rights broke out in the US, and in July 1967 Detroit experienced three days of bloody rioting. The white community fled to the suburbs and the ghetto grew bigger and bigger. And finally, in the 1980s, there was an explosion in drug abuse, especially of crack, in these same ghettos.

Detroit techno music tells the story of all of this hardship. And within this music one can feel the life force that refuses to be put down. Words are of no importance. Everything is expressed within a few notes, repeated ad infinitum. Detroit techno is made of metal, glass and steel. When you close your eyes you can hear, far off in the distance, then closer and closer, the echo of crying. Like in jazz and blues, Detroit techno transfigures suffering. This authenticity of spirit has no price.

'In 1981, a record – "Sharevari" – was released that would play a pivotal role in the history of Detroit techno. "Sharevari" is the very first techno record from Detroit, but as yet nobody had used the term "techno," it simply didn't exist.

Mike Banks, alias Mad Mike, is the true soul of Detroit techno. He is an urban guerrilla, a man haunted by the suffering of his city. Mike has chosen music to fight against the problems of daily life and takes his inspiration from the Afro-American struggle of the 1960s

Through his record label Underground Resistance, Mike Banks spreads a guerrilla philosophy whose targets are the major record labels, the American segregationist system, and despair in the ghetto.

Mad Mike pursues his causes – to get young people away from crime and drugs, to rally against the economic disaster that is Detroit – and music.

UR is the continuation of a long struggle and we chose existing technologies to make this struggle move forward. Through UR, we wanted to express everything through sound; no need for pictures. We were against everything you have to accept in order to be famous.

We were just coming out of the 80s, a time when many black artists had had their noses done or their skin whitened. Fuck that! If a guy doesn't know what you look like, he won't care, as long as he likes your music. It's Detroit and the whole black experience in America that gave birth to Underground Resistance.

We both had experience of deals with majors in which we had been swindled. That is where the name Underground Resistance came from. Literally, to create a resistance to the "overground."

What's really remarkable is that I have to go out of my way to explain and showcase all of this to you, when this is something that is known amongst most fanatics of electronic music.

Much like Germany had its own sub-culture tied to political movement, so did Chicago and Detroit.

It's like I'm talking to a person saying "The sky is blue" while said person refuses to look up and constantly spews things like "No! Wrong! Wrong! It's green! Prove it!"

Why do you think Punk Rock is named after a whole sub-culture, just out of pure coincidence? It's laughable that I have to explain such a simple concept to someone so ignorant. It's like you talk about things that are 100% obvious and make yourself the clown of the room while genuinely refusing to acknowledge it, it's very cringeworthy.

I'm going to block you now because you're a prime example of the kind of people /r/edm is filled with and why no electronic music fanatic actually wants to remotely even deal with people of your kind, you've demonstrated that point very well. It's laughable how you refuse to educate yourself in any way and then you come on these boards with a hostile attitude dismissing things that have been known for multiple decades because of how dense and ignorant you are, from people who have a much better understanding of what they are saying. Electronic music is 40 years old now, do you genuinely think that nobody has touched on these subjects beforehand? Have a look at the list I linked to you and do yourself a favor and stop being hostile with your replies as long as you remain ignorant, you're really embarrassing yourself and most other EDM listeners with your example.