Dance music

Dance music is a specific category of musical composition. It is created to facilitate or accompany dancing. This music can be a complete, standalone piece. It can also be just one part of a larger musical arrangement. People experience dance music in two major ways. They can listen to live performances by musicians. They can also listen to recorded versions of the music. For many civilizations, rhythmic music is a cherished tradition. People use dynamic movements to synchronize with percussion. Instruments like drums, bells, and rattles help create these rhythms. These musical traditions express cultural identity and social cohesion. They also hold deep spiritual significance for many people.

There are different ways to classify dance music. Folk dance music accompanies traditional, cultural dances. In the United States, old-time music is used for square dances and contra dances. Historical or classical dance music is another major category. Modern popular dance music emerged from Western ballroom and social dance music. This popular style changed significantly during the 20th century. It moved from formal ballrooms into public dance halls. This shift allowed the working class to enjoy dance music more easily. Today, electronic dance music, or EDM, is a dominant global style. It is played in nightclubs, at radio stations, and at large raves.

Dance music has a very long history. We can see evidence of music and dance on Ancient Greek vases. The earliest Western dance music we can reproduce includes medieval dances. These include carols and the Estampie. These dances are nearly as old as Western staff-based music notation. During the Renaissance, music was written for specific instruments. Musicians played the lute, viol, tabor, pipe, and sackbut. In the Baroque period, noble court dances were the primary style. Examples include the French courante, sarabande, minuet, and gigue. These dances were often organized into collections called dance suites.

As musical eras changed, so did the dances. In the classical music era, the minuet became very common. It was often used as a third movement in symphonies and string quartets. In this setting, the music did not always accompany actual dancing. The waltz also appeared during the classical era. The minuet eventually evolved into the scherzo, which means "joke." The scherzo is a faster-paced version of the minuet. During the romantic music period, many nationalistic dance forms rose to prominence. These included the barcarolle, mazurka, ecossaise, ballade, and polonaise. This era also saw the growth of ballet and opera.

Popular dance music saw huge shifts in the 1900s. In the 1920s, dance music became enormously popular. Jazz music became the standard in nightclubs. This music featured large orchestras with complex arrangements. The fox-trot was a very popular dance during this time. In the 1930s, the Swing era arrived in America. The 1950s were defined by the rise of rock and roll. By the late 1960s, soul and R&B music became popular. During this same time, Dominican and Cuban New Yorkers created salsa. This style stemmed from the Latin music genre of salsa.

Disco emerged as a major genre in the early 1970s. It combines elements of funk, soul, pop, and salsa. Disco became a massive public craze by the mid-to-late 1970s. The word "disco" even became a synonym for dance music. One famous hit was "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer. This song was a notable fully synthesized disco track. By the late 1970s, electronic dance music began to develop. This new style used electronic instruments like synthesizers. Techniques like sampling and segueing from disco influenced new genres. These techniques helped create trance, techno, and house music.

Modern electronic dance music relies on technology. It is typically composed using computers and synthesizers. It rarely uses physical, acoustic instruments. Instead, producers use analogue and digital electronic sounds. Most EDM uses a steady 4/4 beat. The MIDI protocol was essential for this development. MIDI allows computers, samplers, and drum machines to interact. This protocol ensures all sounds are in full synchronization. Many modern producers were originally trained in classical music. They transitioned from classical training to the electronic medium.

Electronic dance music contains many complex subgenres. House music has many branches, such as acid house and deep house. There is also afro house and tech house. Drum & bass is another large category. It includes styles like liquid funk and neurofunk. UK garage is a third major group. It features subgenres like speed garage and dubstep. Some styles are very fast and upbeat. These include techno, trance, and hardcore. Other styles are much slower. These include downtempo, chillout, and nu jazz. This variety shows how dance music continues to evolve.