I thought I would shed some light for the n00b's. :D

Cultural origins: mid-1980s, Detroit, Michigan, USA; later Germany, France, UK

Typical instruments: Keyboard, Synthesizer, Drum machine, Sequencer, Sampler

Mainstream popularity: Moderate, largely in late-1980s and 1990s Europe, more popular in places like Eastern Europe and Brazil currently

Derivative forms: IDM, Trance, Jungle
Subgenres: Acid, Ambient, Minimal, Wonky
Fusion genres: Microhouse, Ghettotech, Tech house, Tech trance
Regional scenes: Detroit Techno, Nortec, Schranz, Yorkshire Bleeps and Bass,

Techno features an overwhelming feeling of percussive, synthetic sounds, studio effects used as principal instrumentation, and, usually, a regular, 4/4 beat usually with a tempo of 130–140, sometimes faster, but rarely slower. Some techno compositions have strong melodies and bass lines, but these features are not as essential to techno as they are to other dance genres, and it is not uncommon for techno compositions to deemphasize or omit them. Techno is also very DJ-friendly, being mainly instrumental, and produced with the intention of being incorporated into continuous DJ sets wherein different compositions are played with very long, synchronized segues. Although several other dance music genres can be described in such terms, techno has a distinct sound that aficionados can pick out very easily.

Founding Detroit artists:
The "originators" (The Bellville Three and associates), also known as the "first wave":

Derrick May
Juan Atkins (with Richard "3070" Davis, as Cybotron)
Kevin Saunderson

Noted European artists:
Adam Beyer
Aphex Twin
Akzidenz Grotesk
Anthony Rother
Booka Shade
Chris Liebing
Dominik Eulberg
Kraftwerk
Laurent Garnier
LFO
Loco Dice
Luciano
Matthew Dear
Pan sonic
Quince
Ricardo Villalobos
Sven Väth
Vitalic

FilmographyHigh Tech Soul
Catalog No.: PLX-029 Label: Plexifilm Released: 09/19/06 Director: Gary Bredow Length: 64 minutes Year: 2006

Summary: HIGH TECH SOUL is the first documentary to tackle the deep roots of techno music alongside the cultural history of Detroit, its birthplace. HIGH TECH SOUL focuses on the creators of the genre -- Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson -- and looks at the relationships and personal struggles behind the music. Artists like Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Eddie Fowlkes and a host of others explain why techno, with its abrasive tones and resonating basslines, could not have come from anywhere but Detroit.

ALL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techno)

I research alot of things, figured this would be a good post for anyone just now getting into the scene.

Nice post, and very informative! Just one thing though: I wouldn't really consider Cybotron as techno. They were heavily influenced by Kraftwerk yes, but their style always seemed more "funk" for lack of a better description. Either way, still a very nice article.

I think this could be the single most informative post on the forum! lol :fruit:

Thanks. Im a newb in Techno

I'm all about the FUNK baby, I cant help it, not a child of disco, but I must say anything "funk" turned me towards techno as it is now. :)

mmmmmm Matthew Dear (http://www.matthewdear.com/), something about that name just makes me :omg:

Nice article from Stylus (http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/matthew-dear/asa-breed.htm)

I think this could be the single most informative post on the forum! lol :fruit:

I would likely agree :thumbs:

I can only state to expect more. I am a research junkie true and true. I cant help it, I like knowing that my mind is put to good use and not just going to rot away. :)

I am sure I cant wait just like the rest. I have issues trying to stay on one topic at a time, and it seems I bounce around alot. Will be looking forward to reading anything you have found. I don't have the patiences to look myself. :(

Good summary of the wikipedia post. Perhaps for your next lecture, you could compare the various forums, such as trance vs house vs main line techno.

Do you mean forums or forms? :)

I think I want to help out and post somethings that may help new people for the forums. Give me abit of time and I will put something together today. :)

Very nice. Thank you.

although i would disagree some, but as a mainstream i guess 80's is about right. I think there were a lot of artists out there doing it in the late 70's that arent considered mainstream techno but were techno for their day, such as Yaz (or Yazoo for the english crowd).

Some go back as fair as the late 60's that I have read about recently. A good bit of glam rock from the mid 70's inspired alot of the tech peeps we see now. I love how from one thing can come another, just like they say, music revolves. :)