Think outside the electronic box. EDM is a culture<\/h5>\n

Words by Turner Olson<\/em><\/p>\n

In the 1970s, the first wave of club dance music was born. Known as Euro dance, disco used a mix of funk, soul and jazz fused with electronic aspects. Its demand and popularity <\/span>that<\/span> came as clubs began employing disc jockeys.<\/span><\/p>\n

Close up of the software TraktorPro<\/p><\/div>\n

That demand has meant ample opportunity for up and coming DJs such as Minneapolis based Reese Gates, who goes by the stage name of Simba Katz.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDJing is all about knowing how to build up a crowd. I start with something smooth to get the people into it, then go to dubstep, which is what the people want,\u201d Gates said, \u201cI use a mix of trap and dubstep for a while and then I like to move into something faster like electric bass or drumstep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To get started, all you need is a controller or DJ board and a program such as FL Studio or Traktor Pro,\u201d said Gates, \u201cThe equipment can cost up to $2,000 altogether.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Once the gear is acquired, there is still the matter of learning how to use it. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost people don’t truly understand how hard music production is. They can sit there and tell me all producers are no-lives sitting on their laptops,\u201d said Illinois DJ Andy Kugach, whose producer name is STVX. \u201cBut if I ask them the about subtractive synthesis, they have no comment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For DJs, too, the process is more difficult than it might seem. On stage, the performer has to keep track of two running tracks while considering the overall flow of the set.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProducers put certain cues in their songs that are specifically to make it easier on the DJ,\u201d said Gates, \u201cEDM is encoded for the DJ. It\u2019s complex, and that\u2019s why people don\u2019t understand it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Graphic design of Andy Kugach’s producer name STVX. Photo courtesy of Andy Kugach.<\/p><\/div>\n

While the creative process in music production varies from artist to artist, Kugach prefers to start simple and build off of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll of my tracks started with just one element. Whether that is a vocal chop, synth, or kick, they all started with just one sound,\u201d said Kugach, \u201cFrom there, I dive into my head for what I want to come next.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The variety is part of the reason EDM music has continued to grow in popularity. EDM consists of a collection of more than 50 subgenres such as house, drum and bass, dubstep, trap, and hardstyle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am known around my area because I take speeches and past events and remake them into emotional EDM tracks,\u201d said Kugach, \u201cMy goal is to become known as the guy who does those type of remixes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gates and Kugach discovered EDM music at the beginning of a boom in the industry, which is continuing today.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the EDM bubble started in 2011\/12, it really went from being underground to mainstream. Now, even pop stars like Rihanna, Chris Brown, Katy Perry, and Flo Rida use EDM beats.\u201d Dan Green, director of 515 Alive Music Festival in Des Moines.<\/span><\/p>\n

EDM music has been popular on the coasts but has been a little slow to take hold in the Midwest. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think sites like SoundCloud are really pushing electronic music to the masses,\u201d said Green, \u201cThe community is very strong and very dedicated.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n[soundcloud url=”https:\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/users\/67543502″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” \/]\n

In the past year, U.S. streams have increased 33 percent to about 15 million plays.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are even EDM clubs at major universities. The University of Minnesota EDM Club hosts weekly meetings where members work on their DJing skills, make kandi (multicolored bead bracelets) and share music. They also sponsor EDM concerts on campus.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a club that offers camaraderie between those who enjoy EDM and its intricacies,\u201d said Lauren Nordvold, the club\u2019s public relations officer. \u201cWe hope to continue to be a place where EDM lovers can unite and share in their passions for music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

515 Alive Music Festival Director Dan Green. Photo courtesy of Dan Green.<\/p><\/div>\n

EDM music is growing around the world. There were 12 new entries in the 2017 version of DJ Mag\u2019s \u201cTop 100 Clubs<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span> Six entries were from Europe, four in Asia, one from South America and one in North America. <\/span><\/p>\n

Nordvold sees music festivals as instrumental in exposing new people to the genre. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMusic festivals have become hugely popular, and EDM music has become a staple of festivals,\u201d said Nordvold, \u201cThe more people attend music festivals, the more people are exposed to EDM and develop and appreciation for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

515 Alive Music Festival, for example, brings nationally known DJ\u2019s and huge crowds to Iowa, which is not traditionally a huge EDM market.<\/span><\/p>\n

The festival continues to grow with each passing year. 515 expanded to a two-day festival in 2015 and drew in more than 15,000 attendees from around the country last year. <\/span><\/p>\n

The festival will celebrate its 15th anniversary on August 18-19 at Water Works Park. The event has featured such names as ASAP Ferg and Machine Gun Kelly in addition to top EDM producers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe look for a variety of genres and styles. \u00a0We try to get a little bit of every type of electronic music and also incorporate hip-hop in,\u201d Green said, \u201cIowa does well with hip-hop, funk-bass, trap, dubstep and a little house\/techno.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Despite caution from people in the music business, Green thinks the industry will continue to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFestivals\u2019 attendance and income are still increasing every year along with the prices of the acts. \u00a0People say the bubble is about to burst, but I think that\u2019s just naysayers.\u201d Green said.<\/span><\/p>\n[soundcloud url=”https:\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/users\/102625371″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” \/]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Think outside the electronic box. EDM is a culture<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n