Electronic 80s takes an in depth look at the music and how it relates to today. The 80s was a big time for electronic music and we will determine how much of an impact it had on the world. In this blog, I will explore many different topics such as the pioneers of electronic music, the rise and fall of the computer era, and if electronic music was really that good.
In this first blog post, I will discuss my background and why I am qualified to write about this subject. My name is Tom Smith and I have been a DJ for over 20 years. My passion is music, especially electronic music. I have been lucky enough to meet a number of people who have influenced me throughout my career including Gary Numan, Depeche Mode, Carl Cox, Radiohead, New Order and many more.
I am an avid blogger who writes about my life experiences as they relate to music. If you would like to contact me please email me at tom@electronic80s.com
In retrospect, we now see that the 80s was a transitional period for electronic music. We can see the beginnings of what would later develop into electronic dance music. At the time, however, it didn’t seem like a big deal.
The real revolution of electronic music in the 80s took place with commercial synthesizers and drum machines. In the 70s and earlier, synthesizers were mostly giant self-contained instruments built by engineers, not musicians, and they were horribly awkward to play. The first commercial synth was the Minimoog in 1970. It was smaller than previous synths and could produce sounds which (though primitive by today’s standards) had never been heard before. And it was relatively cheap, so it was accessible to more people than previous synths.
In 1976 Oberheim released the DMX drum machine. The DMX worked by playing back samples of real drums at different pitches; this is still what most drum machines do today. In 1980 Yamaha introduced its DX7 synth, which used an entirely new method of sound synthesis called FM (frequency modulation). It was capable of producing very bright, harsh sounds that had been impossible before; among other things it made possible the “electric piano” sound used on many 80s records.
Electronic music is a blanket term, used today to describe a myriad of different sounds and sub genres. Although it’s origins can be traced back to the 50’s, the 80’s is often seen as a pivotal period in electronic music – with electronic artists such as Gary Numan and The Human League paving the way for the current wave of electronic dance music.
In this blog I hope to give an insight into how electronic music has evolved over time, how it has influenced other genres and why it still remains relevant today.
Electronic Music: A Brief History
Electronic music is music which employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means, and that produced using electronics only. Electromechanical instruments include mechanical elements, such as strings, hammers, and so on, and electric elements, such as magnetic pickups, power amplifiers and loudspeakers. Examples of electromechanical sound producing devices include the telharmonium, Hammond organ, and the electric guitar, which are typically made loud enough for performers and audiences to hear with an instrument amplifier and speaker cabinet. Pure electronic instruments do not have vibrating strings, hammers, or other sound-producing mechanisms. Devices such as the theremin, synthesizer, and computer can produce electronic sounds.
The first electronic devices for performing music were developed at the end of the 19th century; shortly afterward Italian futurists explored sounds that had not been considered musical. During the 1920s and 1930s, electronic instruments were introduced and the first compositions for electronic instruments were made. By the 1940s both hybrid (which combined electronic sound-producing devices with traditional acoustic instruments) and entirely electronic sound-producing devices were developed; electromechanical instruments such as
We are a group of music lovers who have been exploring the many different styles of electronic music produced over the decades. This blog is our effort to capture and document what we find, and to share our discoveries with the world.
We will post updates whenever we find something new, and will include references so you can learn more about what we found. Please keep in mind that we don’t always have time to research every item, so if you find something that doesn’t ring true, let us know.
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When you think of electronic music, what comes to mind? The latest hit by Swedish House Mafia? Or maybe Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”? Or perhaps the jubilant chords of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up”?
These days, it seems that the genre has evolved into a more mainstream sound. But did you know that artists like Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder and Jean-Michel Jarre laid the groundwork for today’s electronic music?
We’ve put together a brief history of electronic music, from its early beginnings to now, and where we see this genre going in the future.
In order to understand the impact that electronic music had on society in the 80s, we have to first look at how composers got their sounds. In the early 1900s, musicians began experimenting with electronic instruments such as Theremins, electronic organs and tape recorders. In 1929, Joseph Schillinger created one of the earliest forms of electronic music by manipulating a series of sine waves with his mathematical system. This was done manually with primitive equipment, so it wasn’t for several years until computer scientists began experimenting with digitizing sound.
Computers took over in the 60s
The next major developments came from pioneers like Max Mat
Electronic music has been around since the late 50s. The 80s were a time of growth and expansion for the genre, as well as a time when the genre expanded into many other forms and sub genres. The 70s can be attributed to the birth of modern electronic music, but it is the 80s where it really came into its own.
It was in this decade that electronic music began to mature and evolve in ways that would have a lasting effect on popular music for years to come. This was a pivotal moment for the genre, as it began to solidify its place in popular culture.
The 80s were also a time when electronic music began to cross over into other genres such as pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop. This gave birth to many different styles of electronic music that are still prominent today.