Breakbeat

Breakbeat (also called breakbeats or breaks) is a term used to describe various subgenres of electronic music, generally characterized by the use of rhythmic patterns other than 4/4 (as opposed to the steady beat of house). These rhythms are usually syncopated and polyrhythmic.

History

Origin: the break in early hip hop

In the 1970s, hip hop began to take its final form thanks to DJs' use of breaks. The break is the section of a funk or jazz song where the music "breaks" ("break" in English) to let the rhythm section play without accompaniment. The DJ used the break as a rhythmic base for hip hop songs, allowing the MCs to rap over it. DJs like Kool DJ Herc would play the same record on two turntables, causing the selected break to play repeatedly alternating between the two vinyls (letting one play while playing the second back to the break start point). Grandmaster Flash perfected this technique by marking the break start positions with a crayon and placing his hands on the vinyl. In this way, he managed to repeat the breaks without noticing the change and without touching the arms of the turntables.This style was copied and improved by other pioneering hip hop DJs in the 70s, such as Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Wizard Theodore. The style became extremely popular in clubs and dance halls, because the breakbeat (literally translated as "rhythm of the break") was the perfect complement for breakdancers to show off their skills.

The Amen break, a drum roll or break taken from the song "Amen, Brother" by the soul group The Winstons is widely considered to be the most used break in history. This break was first used by the group Mantronix on their song "King of the Beats", and has been used ever since. used in thousands of songs. Other popular breaks are the "Funky Drummer" by James Brown, and "Think (About It) by Lyn Collins.

Birth of breakbeat as a style

In the early 1990s, acid house musicians and producers began to introduce breaks into their productions. This is how hardcore breakbeat, also known as rave music, was born. Subsequently, the hardcore scene split into two subgenres, jungle on the one hand, and happy hardcore on the other.

A new style was born around 1992, called "jungalistic hardcore" characterized by its ever-changing, dance-inducing drum patterns and trance-like state that used to be prevalent at raves where the rhythm was based on 4/4 patterns. Since then, a multitude of electronic dance music genres have been structured on structures that do not use the four-on-the-floor typical of house or techno, but instead are based on the use of breaks. Among those later breakbeat subgenres are styles like big beat and nu skool breaks.

In Spain: Southern Breakbeat

In Spain since the mid-90s and early 2000s, breakbeat is a massive social movement, especially in the southern part of the country, Andalusia.

Great person responsible for the propagation of the "broken rhythm" in Andalusia it was the public radio station of the autonomous community Canal Sur Radio and Canal Fiesta known at that time as "Formula 1" where the program "Mundo Evassion" or "Evassion Planet" which was presented by Dani Moreno.

Sampled Breakbeats

With the advent of digital sampling and computer music editing, creating breakbeats has become much easier. Now, instead of cutting and manipulating sections of a recording, or constantly rewinding two records at the same time, there are computer programs used to cut, paste, and loop breaks infinitely. In addition, digital effects can be added to the rhythms, such as filters, reverbs, reverse, time stretching, and pitch shifting.

Legal issues

With the rise in popularity of breakbeat music and the advent of digital samplers, some companies began selling "breakbeat packs" with the stated goal of helping artists create breakbeats. A CD with a breakbeat kit would contain samples taken from different artists and songs, often without the permission of the authors of the original pieces or even their knowledge. An example of this is the case of Amen break, for the use of which the group The Winstons has not received royalties.

Broken beat

Breakbeat (or funky breakbeat) can also refer to the music practiced by some groups when playing funk and soul with a special emphasis on elements made popular in hip hop and breakbeat later. This sound is characterized by its slow tempos (80-110 bpms) and organic rhythms.