Hardstyle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
This article or section has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
Hardstyle
Stylistic origins Hard Trance, Gabber, UK Hard House, Jumpstyle
Cultural origins The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland
Typical instruments software synthesizers, Sequencer, Sampler, Audio filter
Regional scenes
The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, Italy, Malaysia, Spain

Hardstyle is a music genre mixing influences from trance, hardcore and rave music. It is a subgenre of Hard Dance Music. The average time is between 140 and 160 bpm (beats per minute), however, hardstyle DJ's are known to use their own time beat.

The hardstyle sound typically consists of various musical elements: an almost "heavy" sounding kick, bearing uniqueness, intense reverse basslines and adrenaline-rushing melodies, which often take place at the middle of the song. It bears some similarities to Hard Trance, but still upholds a unique sound. Many hardcore - artists also produce hardstyle tracks.

Contents

[edit] History

Hardstyle originated from Hard Trance, Gabber and rave music with influences from Hard House and jumpstyle. The place of origin is believed to be the Netherlands[citation needed], where the first hardstyle events started near the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000. One person accredited in the development of the style is Dana van Dreven.[citation needed]

[edit] The Present

Hardstyle is mainly produced in the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, but more and more producers from other countries have also discovered this sound. In 1992 the style started becoming popular in several countries in the world, including: Belgium, Poland, Estonia, Denmark, Australia, South Africa and United Kingdom. However In the Netherlands, United States, Spain and Germany trance is more popular. A large hardstyle movement started in Spain anno 2007. Among others Madrid Hardstyle Movement and Jewel of The Crown represent the Spanish artists. Hardstyle started out as Hardhouse (fast hardhouse from United Kingdom) and was mixed with Oldstyle as a combination. This went on to create the sound we hear today. Examples are builder- hardbeatmarket.

The English sound was very popular in the Netherlands for a short time, but it soon appeared that the Dutch public preferred a harder bassline. Artists like Dana, Pavo & The Prophet combined the English sound with new productions. This sound also gained some popularity in Germany, where it was picked up by German label Tracid Traxxx (who defined their own sound more like a combination of trance and acid), and later also Blutonium Records and Resident E Recordings.

Afterwards, hardstyle-productions briefly came to Italy, which also started the German alternative sounds. After this, the new hardstyle went directly at the Dutch public. Q-Dance organised a monthly event in the Hemkade (nowadays known as the North Sea Venue) under the name Qlubtempo, an event which could be called the melting pot of the Hardstyle. Nowadays hardstyle events are very common in Dutch clubs. Artists who had never performed in the Netherlands were flown over to bring the new sound to the people. Artists such as Technoboy, Super Marco May and Gary D acquired a large reputation in the Netherlands this way.

[edit] Notable Hardstyle Related Events

[edit] Notable Hardstyle Artists

[edit] Notable Hardstyle Labels

[edit] See also

[edit] Radios

[edit] Communities

[edit] References

v • d • e
Trance
Other electronic music genres
v • d • e
Hard Dance
Other electronic music genres
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardstyle"
Personal tools