What is Tech House?

 

Tech house is a music genre that sits somewhere between techno and house, but also draws influences from Chicago house, Detroit techno, dub, minimal techno, electro house, and America’s West Coast house music scene. During the 1990’s in the UK clubland music quickly develop and mutated. The rave scene rapidly morphed into hardcore due to the increasing tempos, pulsating rhythms and the “mentalist” aesthetic. In addition, the early 1990’s saw birth of the super-club such as Ministry of Sound and Cream which dominated the English club scene where new music styles such as ‘handbag’ and ‘uplifting’ house, which can be considered to be a more of a lightweight take on the traditional house template. In response to these trends tech house developed as a raw alternative that rejected both the mentalism and high-octane euphoria of rave, and the commercial sounds of mainstream house.

 

Aesthetics of Tech-house 

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To compose music in the vein of tech house, I delved into Beatport’s top 20 tech house tracks of 2023, meticulously analysing their characteristics and drawing correlations to inform my creative process. The data obtained from this analysis provided invaluable insights into the defining aesthetics of tech house.

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A predominant finding was that 14 out of 20 (70%) tech house tracks were composed in a minor key, with A minor emerging as the most prevalent choice, featured in 5 out of 20 tracks (25%). The tempo across these tracks averaged at 128 BPM, ranging from 124 to 130 BPM, reflecting the genre's fondness for energetic rhythms.

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Vocals played a significant role in tech house compositions, appearing in 18 out of 20 tracks (90%). These vocals often comprised phrases spanning one, two, or four bars in length, with two-bar phrases being the most common, observed in 9 out of 18 tracks (50%). Additionally, vocal chops were a prevalent feature, present in 11 out of 18 tracks (61%).

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The song structures predominantly followed an ABAC pattern, with instruments being introduced or removed at regular intervals, typically every 8 or 16 bars. Noteworthy production techniques included the strategic use of effects such as reverbs, which dynamically expanded during choruses and contracted during verses. Filters were adeptly manipulated to gradually open or close, building tension leading up to drops, accompanied by FX samples that ascended in pitch, adding dynamic movement to compositions.

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Drum arrangements in tech house commonly employed 909 drum machines, particularly for the kick, sustaining a four-to-the-floor rhythm pattern. Snare or clap accents typically punctuated the second and fourth beats, while additional layers of complex percussion were often incorporated to enhance groove and rhythmic complexity. Armed with these findings, I embarked on the creation of my tech house composition, drawing upon the genre's signature elements to craft a dynamic and immersive sonic experience.

 

Description 

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For "Move Your Body," I chose to work within the Eb minor mode, aligning with the common tempo of 128 BPM. Crafting a two-bar chord progression (Ebm, Db major, Ab minor), I established a foundation for the composition. To enhance the song's progression, I implemented a strategic pitch modulation: during the introduction (bars 1-12), the chord progression was rendered in a lower register, gradually building anticipation. As the first chorus commenced (bar 13), I transposed the pitch up an octave, heightening the sense of elevation and excitement upon the chorus's arrival.

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The vocal elements were pivotal, featuring a four-bar phrase crafted within a minor pentatonic scale—a nod to the genre's eclectic influences from blues, funk, and jazz. To infuse dynamic variation, I incorporated vocal chops, manipulating the vocals to create distinct rhythmic patterns, notably showcased from bars 29 to 37.

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For vocal recording, I employed a Neumann U87 large-diaphragm condenser microphone, positioning the vocalist approximately 6 inches away within an acoustically treated vocal booth. To mitigate potential issues such as popping or sibilance—caused by air blasts from certain consonant sounds—I utilised a pop shield. Furthermore, to address sibilance in post-production, I applied a de-esser to the vocal channel, employing its frequency-selective compression capabilities to refine the vocal tone and ensure clarity in the mix (Runstein and Huber, 2010).

 

On an effects bus dedicated to vocals, I implemented a series of processing techniques including equalization, compression, and stereo delay, carefully adjusting the parameters to imbue the vocals with a sense of spaciousness and ambiance. Additionally, to augment the vocal presence and clarity, I recorded two additional vocal takes, each treated with distinct equalisation settings, and panned them 45 degrees to the left and right of the lead vocals, enriching the vocal texture and widening the stereo image.

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Drawing inspiration from Ferreira, P. (2008), whose insights delve into the symbiotic relationship between the performer (DJ), the audience, and the dance floor—urging individuals to "move your feet to the rhythm of the beat"—I crafted lyrical content that encapsulates the essence of this energetic and celebratory theme, aligning with the vibrant atmosphere often associated with dance music.

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In sculpting the bass elements, my aim was to achieve a deep yet pristine sound. To accomplish this, I employed a layered approach, blending three distinct bass tones. For the foundational sub-bass, I utilised a sine wave with precise low-pass filtering to focus on frequencies below 30 Hz while implementing a high-pass filter to attenuate frequencies above 80 Hz. Recognising the pivotal role of sub-bass frequencies—particularly in genres like tech house and electronic house—in eliciting a visceral bodily response and driving dance floor movement, I meticulously sculpted the sub-bass to deliver impactful low-end presence.

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To complement the sub-bass foundation, I introduced a second layer consisting of a square wave with frequency cuts at 80 Hz and 570 Hz, followed by a third layer featuring a saw wave with cuts at 570 Hz and 1000 Hz. Employing sidechain compression across all bass elements and the kick drum facilitated dynamic coherence within the mix, allowing the kick to assert its prominence while enhancing the overall rhythmic drive and groove.

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Subsequently, I bussed the three bass layers and employed a range of stock plugins—including exciters, sub-bass enhancers, and overdrive—to augment harmonic richness and depth. Leveraging auxiliary sends to create parallel processing chains, I applied aggressive compression techniques to the bass group, achieving a blend of clarity and weight that underpins the track's sonic foundation with authority and presence

 

Reflection 

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During the vocal recording process, I encountered several challenges related to the behaviour of the vocalist. There was a tendency for the vocalist to express a desire to deviate from the established melody, initially as a subconscious inclination to replicate the melody I had composed. However, the vocalist also sought to adhere to a melody they felt more comfortable with.

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In this situation, effective communication and collaboration was key to finding common ground and ensuring a cohesive outcome. I fostered an open dialogue with the vocalist and respectfully addressed their concerns and ideas, working together to strike a balance between honouring the original composition and allowing for artistic expression.

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Additionally, I was mindful of performance anxiety, which can significantly impact a performer's abilities (LeBlanc, et al, 1997). Therefore  it was imperative that I  provided a supportive and encouraging environment during the recording process. This helped alleviate any performance anxiety or hesitation that the vocalist may have  experience. I attempted to  foster a sense of trust and mutual respect between myself and the vocalist, to help empower the vocalist to explore their creativity while staying aligned with the overall vision for the project.