Music genres are far more than just categories – they are living histories of culture, technology, and human creativity. In this guide, we introduce you to three fantastic tools that make it possible to explore the complex universe of music visually and interactively.
📚 Related Articles
This article is a gateway to the world of music. Dive deeper into specific genres with our other articles:
Why Understand Music Genres?
As a music producer or DJ, understanding genres isn't about putting music in boxes – it's about understanding why music sounds the way it does. When you know a genre tree, you can:
- Find new artists and sources of inspiration by following genre connections
- Understand the musical building blocks (tempo, harmonies, sounds) that define a genre
- Create more authentic tracks by knowing a genre's historical context
- Mix more fluidly as a DJ by understanding which genres "speak to each other"
The Three Great Genre Tools
1. Musicmap – The Visual Family Tree
Musicmap is the result of over seven years of research and attempts to create the ultimate family tree of popular music. With over 200 sources and 234 main genres, it provides an overview from the 1880s to today.
The genius of Musicmap is its visual approach: genres are color-coded into "super-genres" (e.g., Electronic Dance Music, Rock, Jazz), and you can see the connections between them with arrows showing primary and secondary influences.
Try this: Zoom in on the "Jamaican" super-genre and follow the arrows from reggae and dub to drum & bass and dubstep. You'll see exactly the connections we describe in our article series about dub.
2. Every Noise at Once – Algorithmic Discovery
Every Noise at Once was created by Glenn McDonald, former "Data Alchemist" at Spotify. It visualizes over 6,000 genres based on Spotify's listening data.
The map places genres along two axes: horizontally from "more mechanical/electronic" to "more organic/acoustic," and vertically from "more atmospheric/quiet" to "more energetic/hard." You can click on any genre to hear an example.
Tip: Use the "scan" function to listen through hundreds of genres in just a few minutes – it's the fastest way to expand your musical horizons!
Recommended Reading
Glenn McDonald has written the book "You Have Not Yet Heard Your Favourite Song" about how streaming has changed music. The book provides a fascinating insight into how algorithms shape our musical discoveries.
3. Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music – The Entertaining Historian
Ishkur's Guide is legendary in electronic music circles. Since 1999, Kenneth John Taylor (aka Ishkur) has documented electronic music history with 153 subgenres and over 800 sound samples.
What makes Ishkur's Guide unique are the humorous and often controversial descriptions of each genre. Taylor has strong opinions, and while you don't always agree, it's entertaining and educational to read his perspectives.
Start here: Click on "House" and explore the branches to Chicago House, Acid House, Deep House, and beyond. Then follow how UK Garage splits off and eventually becomes dubstep.
The Four Chords: Music Theory in Practice
Before we move on to actual music theory, there's an important point about genres and harmonies: much popular music shares the same chord progressions.
In 2011, the comedy band The Axis of Awesome made a viral video called "4 Chords," demonstrating that dozens of popular songs use exactly the same four chords: I-V-vi-IV (in C major: C-G-Am-F).
🎬 Watch the Video
The Axis of Awesome – 4 Chords – An entertaining demonstration of how "Let It Be," "No Woman No Cry," "With or Without You," and many more share the same chord progression.
This isn't proof that music is "unoriginal" – rather, it shows that there are some harmonic formulas that just work. The reason I-V-vi-IV sounds good is music theory: the relationship between chord functions and how they create tension and resolution.
From Genres to Technique: What Defines a Sound?
Genres are defined by more than just chords. Here are the most important elements:
Tempo (BPM)
- Hip-hop: 85-115 BPM
- House: 120-130 BPM
- Techno: 125-150 BPM
- Drum & Bass: 160-180 BPM
- Dubstep: 140 BPM (halftime feel)
Drum Patterns
Kick placement is crucial. House and techno use "four-on-the-floor" (kick on every quarter note), while hip-hop and dubstep often have more scattered, syncopated kicks. Jungle and drum & bass use sped-up breakbeats, often based on classic funk breaks like the Amen Break.
Bass Sounds and Frequency Range
Dub and reggae laid the foundation for the deep bass that we describe in our article about sound systems. This tradition continues in dubstep (wobble bass), drum & bass (reese bass), and UK bass music in general.
Production Techniques
Dub introduced delay, reverb, and dub sirens as creative effects – techniques that are still central to modern electronic music. Read more about dub's influence on modern production in our article about dub's modern legacy.
How to Use the Tools as a Producer
- Find your genre's roots: Use Musicmap to find the genres that have inspired your favorite music. Listen to the original material.
- Expand your palette: Use Every Noise at Once to find genres close to your preferred style but that you don't know yet.
- Understand the context: Read the genre descriptions in Ishkur's Guide to understand the cultural and technological context.
- Analyze the chords: Use Hooktheory to see chord progressions in your favorite songs.
Next Step: Music Theory for Producers
Now that you have the tools to explore genres, the next step is to understand the basic music theory that makes it all hang together. In our next article, we cover exactly the theory you actually need as a producer – nothing more, nothing less.
Ready to Learn More?
At Rumkraft, we cover music theory and genre history in our production courses. We believe that understanding music's roots makes you a better producer.
See our courses →Stay updated
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Ras 'Kata' Kjærbo
Ras Kjærbo is an Ableton Certified Trainer and one of the driving forces behind Rumkraft. He teaches Ableton Live and music production, and is passionate about sharing his knowledge on everything from sound design to live performance techniques.
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