READ M.E专栏
为电子乐爱好者
引入更多具有专业性、前瞻性、艺术性
国内外电子音乐专业知识
新知识
新技术
将在这里与大家分享
READ M.E
For electronic music fans
Introduction of more professional, forward-looking, artistic
Domestic and foreign electronic music professional knowledge
New knowledge
New technology
Will share with you
本文内容经授权 欢迎关注公众号:近似于透明的深蓝
原文标题:一篇诚意慢慢的干货和我们精心制作的纪录短片:Techno究竟是什么鬼
今年开始做Masters of Underground这个项目,着力于电子乐与新媒体艺术,亚文化,以及把它当作是一种动觉冥想的工作坊,让人们通过跳舞回归身体逻辑。这些之前写过一篇《我们时代需要的是:一场以电子音乐为核心的地下文化新浪潮》。
其实Party本身只是一个线下体验,因为艺术和理论不能停留在文本,需要感受。然而这个项目更多地在介绍电子音乐以及新媒体艺术本身的干货,分享、传播知识与信息。每一次我们都破天荒地在派对开始之前做艺术家谈话,以及每次我和我的两个搭档们都会精心准备一部自己制作的纪录片。
上一期我们请来了中国最棒的Techno制作人之一的SHAO,并且放映了这部介绍Techno诞生与发展历史的5分钟的纪录片。5分钟的短片背后是我们三个人超过十几个小时的大量工作。
在这里,我自己的公号上,我也把这部片子分享给大家。并且附上来自我们MOU团队的Tom Homberger用极其优美的文字为大家写的一篇满满是干货的介绍Techno这种音乐的科普文。希望你们会喜欢:)
在此之前,先来一波强势硬广,这个周末是我们M.O.U的第三期,将会关注在underground的House音乐上。欢迎大家来现场感受,我们照例会有艺术家谈话以及一部关于House音乐的科普短片。
好吧,我们开始进入主题:
HERE WE GO
The Roots and development of TECHNO
Techno的起源与发展小史
Text : Tom Homberger
Translation: Vanessa Zheng
THE ROOTS OF TECHNO Pt.1
Techno的起源:第一部分
TECHNO.
This one single word has so many different meanings and understandings to so many different people. Dance. Music. Movement. Electronic Music. Festival. Lifestyle. Rave. Detroit. UK. Berlin. Underground.
这一个简单的词语对着各种不同的人有着各种不同的意义和理解:跳舞,音乐,运动,电子音乐,音乐节,生活方式,锐舞,底特律,英国,柏林,地下。
Even when you try to dig deep and Google it, there are almost too many different perspectives, opinions and stories about what Techno is, where it came from, who created it and who brought to what it is today.
甚至当你尝试去深究它的意义和搜索它的时候,它们几乎有着不同的关于“Techno到底是什么的视角、想法和故事--这种音乐从哪里来,是谁创造了它,是谁带着它走向了今天。
What created this massive movement?
是什么创造了这场声势浩大的运动?
To get a clearer picture, let’s get back and start with some fundamentals.
为了让大家能够得到一张更清晰的画面,让我们回到它最初的根源,从这里讲起。
Just like house music which is from Chicago, or many other music genres which birth is related to a specific place or time, Techno is associated with the city of Detroit in Michigan.
如同诞生于芝加哥的House音乐,以及其他很多诞生于一个特定时间与地点的音乐类型,Techno与美国底特律这座城市有着千丝万缕的联系。
Back in the early 80’s, pure electronic music wasn’t around yet. Small glimpses of it were popping up here and there in electronic and dance when artists like Yellow Magic Orchestra and Kraftwerk started using machine generated sounds and computerized beats.
回到80年代,纯粹的电子乐并没有真正意义上产生。一些有着电子音乐与舞曲雏形与影子的音乐开始隐约出现了苗头--如Yellow Magic Orchestra 以及 Kraftwerk这样的艺术家们开始运用鼓机以及电脑制作节拍。
德国前卫音乐团体Kraftwerk
The inspiration was there; the music world was just waiting for someone to start experimenting even further.
这些赋予了电子音乐以灵感与启迪,整个音乐世界只是在暗涌之中酝酿着,等待着一些人实验探索得更为深入。
It was at that time, that a trio of pioneers in Detroit began merging the sounds of synthpop and Italo-disco with funk. It was Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, who were just some high school friends whom went to dance parties where the music ranged from Kraftwerk to Parliament. Techno music pioneer Juan Atkins cites Alvine Toffler's “Future Shock” phrase "techno rebels" as inspiring him to use the word "techno" to describe the musical style he helped to create. In 1981 Atkins and Richard Davies, aka 3070, started releasing records as Cybotron.
在那个时间,一个底特律的音乐先锋三人组开始结合了合成效果器的声音和Italo-disco以及放克音乐。他们是Juan Atkins, Derrick May以及Kevin Saunderson--一些高中生小伙伴在他们去过的那些从Kraftwerk放到Parliament的舞会派对上受到了启发。Techno先锋Juan Atkins受到了Alvine Toffler的“Future Shock”里的俗语“Techno 叛逆”的启发,用“Techno"这个词语去形容这种他们创造的音乐风格。1981年Atkins以及Richard Davies(aka 3070)开始用Cybotron的名字发行唱片。
Techno was born.
Techno诞生了。
THE ROOTS OF TECHNO Pt.2
Techno的起源:第二部分
The original early 80’s techno sound drew heavily from its funk and soul music roots to create characteristically intense grooves and percussive basslines. Early pioneers of the genre melded the beat-centric styles of their Motown predecessors with the music technology of the time.
原创的80年代的Techno音色受到它根源上的放克以及黑人灵感的影响颇深,塑造了一种性格鲜明的音乐风格,有着紧凑的律动以及充满节奏感的低音。早期这种音乐的先锋们用当时的音乐技术融合了他们Motown(摩城音乐)前辈以节拍为核心的风格。
Around the same time, the infant hip-hop community picked up elements of Kraftwerk’s music, thanks to DJs like Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, and created electro. Electro relied heavily on synthesized beats and computery vocoder voices. In 1982, Afrika Bambaataa took the melody from Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express,” combined it with the distinctive beat from Kraftwerk’s “Numbers,” and composed the anthem “Planet Rock.” Electro spawned the idea of the funky computer. MCs rapped over its beats, and breakdancers formed a new culture in the cities where electro reigned.
差不多同一时期,襁褓中的嘻哈音乐团队选取了Kraftwerk音乐中的一些元素,感谢有如Afrika Bambaataa以及Grandmaster Flash这样的DJ们,创造了电气音乐(Electro),它是如此依赖于合成器节拍和电脑合成音频。在1982年Afrika Bambaataa运用了Kraftwerk“Trans-Europe Express”中的旋律,把它与Kraftwerk “Numbers”中富有识别性的节奏融合在一起,创作了一首赞歌“Planet Rock”,电气音乐是放克电脑音乐的产物。饶舌艺术家跟着节拍说唱,和Break舞者们一起在在电气音乐诞生的城市里塑造了一种新的文化。
In Chicago and New York, house music was taking a similar path. Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, and other DJs were spinning synthesizer-driven dance music and creating their own edits and mixes. Before long, Chicago radio caught on with the Hot Mix 5 on WBMX, and locals began creating their own tracks to play.
在芝加哥和纽约,house音乐也走了一条相似的路, Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy和其他的DJ们用合成器舞曲创造了他们自己的混音版本。之前很长一段时间,芝加哥电台在WBMX上让Hot Mix 5变得流行,本地人在这股风潮之下也开始创作他们自己的音乐。
In merging the sensibilities of soul music, funk, house music, and electro, with a European synth-pop aesthetic, the early producers pushed dance music into previously unexplored territory.
融合了灵感的敏感,放克,house音乐和电气音乐,加上欧洲合成器流行音乐的美学,早期的制作人将舞曲推向了一个最初的未曾被探索的领地。
The resulting style came to exert an influence on widely differing genres of electronic music yet it also managed to maintain its identity as a genre in its own right; one which is commonly referred to as "Detroit techno". The sound was refined even further, and given added sophistication, with the addition of jazz tinged colors.
这样的风格广泛地影响了不同的电子音乐,同时又让这种音乐保持了自己独树一帜的特色--这种被普遍称为“底特律Techno"的风格。这种声音在爵士乐音色的加入下继续提炼,变得更为成熟。
Techno, electro, and house were made possible by new, inexpensive technology. The Roland TR-808, a programmable drum machine released in late 1980, formed the distinctive sound for the entire electro genre and was used in countless early techno and house tracks. 1981’s Roland TB-303 mini-keyboard was used to create squelchy basslines once people discovered the weird sounds that emerged from a little knob twiddling. Samplers and sequencers also became commonplace.
Techno,electro和house在新的、成本低廉的技术发展中拥有着无限可能性,Roland TR-808鼓机在80年代末期诞生,它为电子音乐不同类型塑造了识别性的音色,在无数早期的Techno和house中被广泛运用。1981年出产的Roland TB-303迷你键盘被运用于制造搓盘效果的低音--人们在扭动揉搓中发现了这种奇怪的声音。采样器与音序器也同时变得开始流行。
TECHNO IN EUROPE
Techno在欧洲
In the late eighties and early nineties, something odd happened. Techno and house, which had failed to gain mainstream success in the United States, became a huge phenomenon in Europe—especially in Great Britain. In fact, the term techno was popularized by Virgin Records’ seminal UK compilation Techno! The New Dance Sound Of Detroit.
在80年代晚期和90年代早期,一些奇怪的事情发生了。Techno和house音乐在美国尝试在主流世界获得成功失败,却在欧洲变成一种现象级的风潮--特别是在英国。事实上,Techno这个词语是在维京唱片的英国合集“Techno! 底特律新潮舞曲“之后变得广泛流行的。
Around 1990 raves began to appear near London. Most organizers of these large, illegal parties made their money dodging British licensing laws. Sometimes the location was a secret until the night of the event, and elaborate phone trees and rendezvous points were employed. Hundreds of ravers would descend simultaneously, making the parties more difficult to break up.
在90年代,锐舞运动开始在伦敦附近诞生。不计其数的主办方在那些巧妙避开大英律法的巨大的、非法的派对中赚得满钵。很多时候直到派对开始前,场地一直是保密的,他们通过电话通知临时集合地点。成千上万的锐舞者激情澎湃,让派对彻夜持续下去。
Though the genre took off in the US and received a good reception, Europe as a continent overwhelmingly took to the beat. It was at the Berlin ‘Love Parade’, in the late 90’s when this became evident. This concert was attended by over half a million people, all who were techno enthusiasts.
虽然这种风格脱胎于美国并且广受欢迎,欧洲却成为让这种节拍以排山倒海之势变成一场文化运动的大陆。90年代末期柏林的“爱的大游行”就是一个证据,几百万狂热的Techno死忠参与了这场以音乐与爱之名的大游行,整个城市变成了一场盛大的派对,人们在街头跳舞,高举着爱、和平、尊重与团结的口号与旗帜。
Techno was originally a high school party beat in Detroit, and the first reference to it by the press was Techno-pop. As it gained popularity, it then spread to become a club and disco beat which was taken well by the generation after the Second World War period. Today, Techno, as it has come to be known, is a worldwide phenomenon received by all age groups and it is still growing. It has also been incorporated into other music genres creating some very sensational music.
Techno起源于底特律的高中生派对上的节拍,它最初的相关报道上被称为是“Techno-pop"。它逐渐开始流行,迅速扩张,二战之后的一代人把它变成了地下俱乐部的中坚力量。今天Techno变得广泛为人所知道,成为一种全世界的文化现象,并为各种年龄的群体所接纳,一直持续生长。在此过程中不断融入其他音乐类型,成为一种不断在进化的音乐风格。
THE ROOTS OF TECHNO Pt.3
Techno的起源:第三部分
Stylistically, techno is generally repetitive instrumental music, often produced for use in a continuous DJ set. The central rhythmic component is most often in common time (4/4), where time is marked with a bass drum on each quarter note pulse, a backbeat played by snare or clap on the second and fourth pulses of the bar, and an open hi-hat sounding every second eighth note.
在风格上,Techno总体来说是一种重复性的合成器乐,通常被用在持续性的DJ set之中。它核心的节奏组成部分普通是4/4的节拍,时间与Bass drum(低音鼓点)标记于每个1/4音符的停顿之中,节拍重点在基调强节奏的二四拍上,每两个4拍有一个开放式的Hi-hat。
The tempo tends to vary between approximately 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm), depending on the style of techno. The creative use of music production technology, such as drum machines, synthesizers, and digital audio workstations, is viewed as an important aspect of the music's aesthetic.
它的速率在120到150bpm之间(Beats per minute),取决于Techno的具体风格类型。创造性地应用鼓机,合成器以及数字音乐工作站等等的制作技术也被看成是这种音乐美学的重要组成部分。
Many producers use retro electronic musical devices to create what they consider to be an authentic techno sound. Drum machines from the 1980s such as Roland's TR-808 and TR-909 are highly prized, and software emulations of such retro technology are popular among techno producers.
很多制作人运用复古的电子音乐设备创造被他们认为是原创的techno声音。从80年代生产的鼓机,如Roland's TR-808、TR-909被极为珍视,模拟仿真这些复古技术的软件也在techno制作人之间非常流行。
最后再来放一波现场的照片,大家感受一下:)不做摄影师很多年,为了M.O.U重操旧业拿起相机,就知道我有多拼了。
郑轶
策展人,新媒体艺术家。嬉皮风格的旅行者.从事影像创作(摄影&Video),Audiovisual arts(Visuals & DJ) 以及写作。曾游学欧洲多年,毕业于意大利博洛尼亚大学艺术管理专业,曾在奥地利维也纳从事Audiovisual arts.
热衷于研究社会学人类学心理学以及跨文化跨学科研究,致力于研究基于人类学萨满文化与认知神经科学的艺术治愈理论的研究。在各种大学里把理工科文科艺术科以及经济管理都学了一遍,是个书呆子气十足的技术宅,立志当一个呆萌的学霸。