Berlin School of electronic music
Berlin School is a style of electronic music that developed in the mid- 1970s in Germany. The name was created by the main site of the representatives of this style - Berlin ( West).
Known representatives were resident in Berlin artists like Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream and Günter Schickert as well as bands such as Ash Ra Tempel ( Ashra ), Agitation Free with Lutz Ludwig Kramer, Manuel Göttsching or Michael Hoenig. The style is characterized by long pieces, repetitive, but it is continuously modified structures ( sequences) and strong solos. Main stylistic feature is the use of synthesizer sounds and Mellotronsounds. There are often programmed Sequenzermuster used on those solos and atmospheric sounds are improvised. The music is characterized by a high degree of spontaneous experimentation while playing, as well as by modulating the timbre, tone transpositions and the use of effects devices (mainly delays) in the metric Off. Günter Schickert has completely renounced the use of synthesizers and manipulated solely on the basis of guitar sounds effects or edited ( Samtvogel 1974).
Important for the development of the Berlin School of electronic music is led by the Swiss composer Thomas Kessler Electronic Beat Studio Berlin in Pfalzburger road. Here rehearsed various groups such as Agitation Free, Ash Ra Tempel and Tangerine Dream at the beginning also.
Not an insignificant share of the sudden proliferation of synthesizers was the general interest in technology. After all, the events came thick and it hardly a month went by without spectacular developments in the field of synthesizers and also the home computer. Indicative of the importance of electronic music in Berlin was also the existence of a synthesizer school that could be glad to see strong demand. CYBORG - SYNTHESIS - BERLIN called the group of three musicians, two of which are in 15 - hour courses to interested parties explained the functions of the synthesizer. Around the same time, there were at the Sender Freies Berlin broadcast " The socket - Computer music Computer music ". Responsible editor was Wolfgang Layer, a sufficient musical knowledge through its well known and popular " radio man ". The hour-long programs were broadcast regularly. There new groups / musicians were presented in interviews, but also sent detailed device testing and general explanations for sound synthesis. Amazingly though, was that multiple computer programs for the C- 64 or the ZX81 has been transferred on the radio, you would be able to do more in any broadcasting station today. This means that up to eight minutes, a high-pitched noise (like the FAX ), with the only experts could do something. In the broadcast also frequently worked with CYBORG SYNTHESIS. Some of the reviews and an online synthesizer course can be found today online. It is typical of the music of the Berlin School, summarizes the use of more or less complex sequences consisting of only a few tones, are clearly identifiable as such. The sequences usually form tonal and rhythmic foundation for overlaid melodies. Very often one finds lengthy improvisations, even pieces of 20 minutes in length and more. You feel part of RAGAS recalls, although the electronic music is built much easier.
In contrast to Klaus Schulze Tangerine Dream left this style in the early 1980s and devoted himself more conventional melodic music division. In the early 1990s, the style flourished through artists such as Bernd Kistenmacher, Frank Klare, Mario Schönwälder, Thomas Fanger, Detlef Keller, Rainbow Serpent, Uwe Saher, Michael Brückner and more again. However, he ekes out a shadowy existence today and is not as popular as in the 1970s, by far.
Other successful artists are Radio Massacre International from England, Free System Project and Gert Emmens from the Netherlands and The Nightcrawlers from the U.S.. A less well-known artists of the Berlin School is Adelbert von Deyen ( Atmosphere, 1980).
The Berlin label Manikin Records and the Eifel Label SynGate offer a variety of artists, even today feel obliged the Berlin School.
Many developed from the Berlin School ideas were taken up in forms of music like trance and Goa trance.