Mainstream hardcore: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Musical subgenre of hardcore techno}} |
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{{For|other meanings of gabber|gabber (disambiguation)}} |
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{{Unreferenced|date=May 2023}} |
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'''Gabber''', '''gabba''', or '''[[hardcore dance music|hardcore]]''', is a style of [[electronic music]] and a subgenre of [[hardcore techno]]. "Gabber" literally means buddy or friend. Although in the late 1980's a house variant from [[Detroit]] first reached [[Amsterdam]], the [[Netherlands]] it were the producers and DJ's from [[Rotterdam]] who evolved it to a harder house variant wich we today know as "Gabber" style or "Hardcore". Tough house-productions from [[Frankfurt]]'s [[Marc Acardipane]] were quite alike to the Rotterdam style it was the populairity of this music in Holland wich made Rotterdam the cradle of Hardcore Gabber. |
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{{Infobox music genre |
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==Origins== |
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| name = Mainstream hardcore |
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===The origins of the gabber sound=== |
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| stylistic_origins = [[Early hardcore]] |
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In general the track ''[[We Have Arrived (song)|We Have Arrived]]'' ([[1990]]) by [[Mescalinum United]] is considered to be the first gabber track. Hardcore/gabber music is a fusion of techno and [[Industrial music|industrial]] with a dark, aggressive atmosphere. One of the first Dutch gabber tracks was [[Rotterdam Termination Source]]'s ''[[Poing (song)|Poing]]'' ([[1992]]) which became a major hit. The record shop [[Midtown (music retailer)|Midtown]] in [[Rotterdam]] is one of the shrines of gabber music, while the Rotterdam based club Parkzicht was the birthplace of the whole gabber culture. In the early to mid nineties a clear gabber fashion took form. Between 1993 and 1998 loads of gabber fans dressed in (multiple, layered) [[Australian (brand)|Australian]] and [[Cavello]] [[tracksuit]]s, [[Nike Air Max]] sport shoes (with punctured air chambers), [[bomber jacket]]s, and the majority of the male gabbers had shaven heads. Female fans often shaved the sides and back of their head and wore their hair in a pony tail. Later, in 1999 and beyond, their clothing style more and more changed and brands like [[Fred Perry]], [[Lonsdale (brand)|Lonsdale]] and [[Ben Sherman]] were added to their outfits. Nevertheless, in most other countries around the world, no dresscode is associated with gabber, and this "training-suit/londsdale" code is actually mocked. Even in Holland, the trend, which culminated in the [[Happy Hardcore]] age, is disappearing. |
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| cultural_origins = Early 1990s, Netherlands ([[Rotterdam]]) |
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| subgenres = |
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| fusiongenres = [[Free tekno|Tekno]], [[breakcore]] |
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| regional_scenes = [[Netherlands]], [[Germany]], [[Belgium]], [[Italy]] |
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| other_topics = [[Hardcore (electronic dance music genre)|Hardcore]] |
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}} |
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'''Mainstream hardcore''', '''mainstyle''' or '''nu style gabber''' is a subgenre of [[Hardcore (electronic dance music genre)|hardcore techno]]. The essence of mainstream hardcore sound is a [[Distortion (music)|distorted]] [[bass drum]] sound, overdriven to the point where it becomes clipped into a distorted [[square wave]] and makes a recognizably melodic tone. |
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The style began in the late [[1980s]], but some claim that it was diluted in 1995 by [[happy hardcore]] and, for hardcore fans, by commercialisation which resulted in a younger crowd being attracted to the scene. The commercial organisation [[ID&T]] helped a lot in making the music popular by organising parties (most notable are the [[Thunderdome (music festival)|Thunderdome]] parties) and selling merchandise. After the airing of what were felt by many hardcore fans as humiliating video clips, notably ''[[Hakke en Zage (song)|Hakke en Zage]]'' ([[1996]]) by [[Gabber Piet]], some gabbers felt they were being made fun of. The name gabber is somewhat less used these days to describe this music style, specially due to this stigma created in the mid 1990s. Many would now prefer to call the style 'hardcore'. After surviving underground for a number of years, in [[2002]] the style regained some popularity in the [[Netherlands]], although the sound is more mature, darker and industrial. Around the world, it never lost its original grip, and music was evolving and creating new subgenres and approaches, from [[Digital Hardcore]] to [[Breakcore]], from [[Noisecore]] to [[Speedcore]]. Labels like Ant-Zen, Hands and other industrial/experimental ones use many hardcore/gabber elements and come close to what nowadays is called darkcore. It was as if the "happy hardcore period" was ignored, and gabber kept evolving from the oldskool times, maintaining the original industrial harshness with a broad variety of talented artists. |
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| ⚫ | Often the Roland Alpha [[Roland Juno-106|Juno]] or the kick from a [[Roland TR-909]] was used to create this sound. Mainstream hardcore tracks typically include [[sampling (music)|samples]] and synthesized melodies with the typical tempo ranging from 165 to 180 [[Beats per minute|bpm]]. Violence, drugs and profanity are common themes in mainstream hardcore, perceptible through its samples and lyrics, often screamed, [[pitch shift]]ed, or distorted. |
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===Nu style gabber=== |
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==History== |
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[[File:Angerfist.jpg|thumb|225px|left|[[Angerfist]], one of the most famous [[Disc jockey|DJs]] of mainstream hardcore.]] |
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| ⚫ | The mainstream hardcore sound derives from [[early hardcore]] (still called ''gabber'' at the time). In the late 1990s, early hardcore became less popular than [[Hardstyle]]. After surviving underground for a number of years, in 2002 [[Gabber]] regained some popularity in the Netherlands, although the sound is more mature, darker, and [[Industrial music|industrial]]. Some producers started embracing a slower style characterized by a deeper, harder bass drum that typically had a longer envelope than was possible in the traditional, faster style. In this aspect, this new form of gabber obviously cannot be considered less powerful than its precursor. This newer sound was referred to as "New Style" or "Mainstream" and as the tempo got slower and slower it began to become similar to [[Chicago hard house]]. Many hardcore enthusiasts hated Chicago hard house and the [[Nightclub|club]] scene it typified, and frequently DJs would be booed by one group of fans and cheered for by another at the same party, depending on the tempo and style of music they were playing. This is similar to the rivalry and mutual dislike that surfaced earlier between fans of "regular" hardcore and happy hardcore. Eventually the two styles met in the middle, and most gabber today is produced in a range of 160-180 bpm. This style is typically a bit slower than the Rotterdam style of the mid-1990s. |
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{{Clear}} |
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==Style== |
==Style== |
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| ⚫ | Mainstream hardcore is characterized by its bass drum sound. Essentially, it comes from taking a normal synthesized bass drum and over-driving it heavily. The approximately sinusoidal sample starts to clip into a square wave with a falling pitch. This results in a number of effects: the frequency spectrum spreads out, thus achieving a louder, more aggressive sound. It also changes the amplitude envelope of the sound by increasing the sustain. Due to the distortion, the drum also develops a melodic tone. It is not uncommon for the bass drum pattern to change pitch throughout the song to follow the bass line. Many tracks rely on a clean, detuned [[supersaw]] lead, similar to [[uplifting trance]] and can therefore sound "happy". |
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[[Image:Mgreen.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Matt Green]] is large in the underground gabber and [[breakcore]] scene.]] |
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The second frequently used component of gabber tracks is the "[[hoover sound|hoover]]", a patch of the [[Roland Alpha Juno]] synthesizer. A "hoover" is typically a distorted, grainy, sweeping sound which, when played on a low key, can create a dark and brooding bassline. Alternatively, when played at higher pitches, the hoover becomes an aggressive, shrieking lead. Faster gabba tracks often apply extremely fast hoover-patterns - gapping (changing the volume rapidly between the maximum and silence) is often used. Common elements also include guitar riffing (often done live at gabber parties) and [[MC]]ing (more often than not also distorted). |
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<!--Only add labels with Wikipedia articles showing they are mainstream hardcore labels. Add new labels in alphabetical order--> |
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The aforementioned two subgenres of gabber differ in essentially one thing: the tempo. |
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*[[ID&T]] |
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* '''Oldskool gabber''', staying true to its mentality, defines "hardness" in speed; tracks rarely go under 160 BPM, and bassdrum rolls often go up to a speed where the beats themselves are hardly distinguishable from each other. |
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* '''Nuskool gabber''', however, slows the speed down to 150 BPM, but extends the length of the bassdrum so the bass-frequency resonance keeps on longer. (In this aspect, "nugabber" obviously cannot be considered less powerful than its precursor, although slower hardcore is often less energetic.) A typical style is one best made known by [[Rotterdam Terror Corps]]: the beats are divided into triplets and all hoover notes are played in a short, [[staccato]]-like fashion, giving the song a march-like feel. |
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==Misconceptions== |
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The gabber scene is often associated with the use of [[amphetamines]], [[ecstasy (drug)|ecstasy]], [[ketamine]] and other drugs. |
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A misconception about gabber is that it is 'primitive' music. The style (somewhat limited by the fans' taste) evolved into a creative genre, in which complex [[rhythm]]ic and [[melody|melodic]] combinations became more common. More recent gabber music has included melodies and drums that are overlayed with various effects, which adds richness to the music. Gabber wants to grow into a more serious music genre, in which producers are encouraged to experiment. This is largely because of the limited characteristics of hardcore, which force artists to approach several different music styles to create memorable music. |
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In the early 1990s, gabber gained a following in the [[Neo-Fascism|neo-fascist]] rave scenes of [[Germany]] and the [[Midwestern United States|American Midwest]].<ref>Silcott, Mireille. ''Rave America: New School Dance Scapes''. (Toronto: ECW Press, 1999), 114-117.</ref> However, most gabber fans do not belong to the aforementioned groups, and many producers have released tracks that vocally speak out against racism. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[List of gabber artists]] |
* [[List of gabber artists]] |
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* [[Hakken]] |
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*Neophyte Records |
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*Offensive Records |
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*Megarave Records |
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*H2oh Recordings |
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*[[Mokum Records]] |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.thunderdome.web.pt Portuguese Hardcore Gabber Portal] Info on Hardcore and Thunderdome |
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*[http://www.geordiegabbamafia.org Geordie Gabba Mafia (Newcastle, UK)] Artists and DJ's from Newcastle (UK) Gabber scene. Run by DJ Smurf |
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{{Hardcore dance music-footer}} |
{{Hardcore dance music-footer}} |
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[[Category:Hardcore music genres]] |
[[Category:Hardcore music genres]] |
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[[Category:Dutch styles of music]] |
[[Category:Dutch styles of music]] |
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[[Category:Hardcore music]] |
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[[Category:Rotterdam]] |
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[[be-x-old:Габа]] |
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[[cs:Gabber]] |
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[[de:Gabber]] |
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[[es:Gabber (Hardcore)]] |
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[[eo:Ĥabrohaŭzo]] |
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[[fr:Gabber (musique)]] |
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[[it:Gabber]] |
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[[hu:Gabba]] |
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[[nl:Hardcore house]] |
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[[ja:ガバ (音楽)]] |
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[[pl:Gabber (muzyka)]] |
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[[ru:Gabber]] |
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[[sl:Gabber]] |
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[[fi:Gabber]] |
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[[sv:Gabber]] |
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Latest revision as of 01:44, 19 October 2024
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| Mainstream hardcore | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Early hardcore |
| Cultural origins | Early 1990s, Netherlands (Rotterdam) |
| Fusion genres | |
| Tekno, breakcore | |
| Regional scenes | |
| Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy | |
| Other topics | |
| Hardcore | |
Mainstream hardcore, mainstyle or nu style gabber is a subgenre of hardcore techno. The essence of mainstream hardcore sound is a distorted bass drum sound, overdriven to the point where it becomes clipped into a distorted square wave and makes a recognizably melodic tone.
Often the Roland Alpha Juno or the kick from a Roland TR-909 was used to create this sound. Mainstream hardcore tracks typically include samples and synthesized melodies with the typical tempo ranging from 165 to 180 bpm. Violence, drugs and profanity are common themes in mainstream hardcore, perceptible through its samples and lyrics, often screamed, pitch shifted, or distorted.
History
[edit]
The mainstream hardcore sound derives from early hardcore (still called gabber at the time). In the late 1990s, early hardcore became less popular than Hardstyle. After surviving underground for a number of years, in 2002 Gabber regained some popularity in the Netherlands, although the sound is more mature, darker, and industrial. Some producers started embracing a slower style characterized by a deeper, harder bass drum that typically had a longer envelope than was possible in the traditional, faster style. In this aspect, this new form of gabber obviously cannot be considered less powerful than its precursor. This newer sound was referred to as "New Style" or "Mainstream" and as the tempo got slower and slower it began to become similar to Chicago hard house. Many hardcore enthusiasts hated Chicago hard house and the club scene it typified, and frequently DJs would be booed by one group of fans and cheered for by another at the same party, depending on the tempo and style of music they were playing. This is similar to the rivalry and mutual dislike that surfaced earlier between fans of "regular" hardcore and happy hardcore. Eventually the two styles met in the middle, and most gabber today is produced in a range of 160-180 bpm. This style is typically a bit slower than the Rotterdam style of the mid-1990s.
Style
[edit]Mainstream hardcore is characterized by its bass drum sound. Essentially, it comes from taking a normal synthesized bass drum and over-driving it heavily. The approximately sinusoidal sample starts to clip into a square wave with a falling pitch. This results in a number of effects: the frequency spectrum spreads out, thus achieving a louder, more aggressive sound. It also changes the amplitude envelope of the sound by increasing the sustain. Due to the distortion, the drum also develops a melodic tone. It is not uncommon for the bass drum pattern to change pitch throughout the song to follow the bass line. Many tracks rely on a clean, detuned supersaw lead, similar to uplifting trance and can therefore sound "happy".