Name	Breakbeat
Bgcolor	silver
Color	black
Stylistic origins	Hip hop, Funk, Jazz, Electro, Electronic dance
Cultural origins	Late 1980s, United States and United Kingdom
Instruments	Synthesizer - Drum machine - Sequencer - Keyboard - Sampler - Laptop
Popularity	Early-1990s; United Kingdom in rave music scene, later late-1990s; with in Big beat scene and Some mainstream success in late 1990s United Kingdom as well as United States and Australia
Derivatives	Drum and bass - 2-step garage - 4-beat
Subgenrelist	List of electronic music genres
Subgenres	Acid breaks - Big beat - Breakcore - Broken beat - Funky breaks - Hardcore breaks - Nu skool breaks - Progressive breaks
Fusiongenres	Breakstep - breakbeat hardcore
Regional scenes	}}

Breakbeat (sometimes breakbeats or breaks) is a term used to describe a collection of sub-genres of electronic music, usually characterized by the use of a non-straightened 4/4 drum pattern (as opposed to the steady beat of house). These rhythms may be characterised by their intensive use of syncopation and polyrhythms.

History

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, hip-hop DJs (starting with Kool DJ Herc) began using several breaks (the part of a funk or jazz song in which the music "breaks" to let the rhythm section or soloist play unaccompanied) in a row to use as the rhythmic basis for hip-hop songs. Kool DJ Herc's breakbeat style was to play the same record on two turntables and play the break repeatedly by alternating between the two records (letting one play while spinning the second record back to the beginning of the break). This style was copied and improved upon by early hip hop DJs Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Wizard Theodore. This style was extremely popular in clubs and dance halls because the extended breakbeat was the perfect backdrop for breakdancers to show their skills.

The Amen Break, a drum break from The Winstons' song "Amen, Brother" is widely regarded as one of the most used breaks ever. This break was first used on "King of the Beats" by Mantronix, and has since been used in thousands of songs. Other popular breaks are from James Brown's "Funky Drummer" and "Give it Up or Turnit a Loose", The Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache", and Lyn Collins' "Think (About It)".

In the early 1990s, acid house artists and producers started using breakbeat samples in their music to create breakbeat hardcore, also known as rave music. The hardcore scene then diverged into sub-genres like jungle and drum and bass, which generally had a darker sound and focused more on complex sampled drum patterns. An example of this is Goldie's album ''Timeless''.

In 1992 a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out, trance-like state that the standard, steady 4/4 beats of house enabled.

In recent times, the term ''breakbeat'' has become synonymous with the many genres of breaks music which have become popular within the global dance music scene, including big beat, nu skool breaks and progressive breaks. DJs from a variety of genres, including house and techno, work breaks tracks into their sets. This may occur because the tempo of breaks tracks (ranging from 110 to 150 beats per minute) means they can be readily mixed with these genres, whereas the comparatively fast speed of jungle and drum and bass (160-180 bpm) may have restricted the utility of these subgenres to DJs playing slower-tempo music. Some artists well known for breakbeat include NAPT, DJ Icey, Stanton Warriors, Beat Assassins, Pendulum, Krafty Kuts, The Freestylers, DJ Loopy, Soul Of Man, Deekline And Wizard, The Breakfastaz, Ctrl Z, DJ Sharaz, Freq Nasty, Annie Nightingale, Plump DJ's and avant-garde performance troupe Lucent Dossier Experience.

Breakbeats are used in many hip hop, rap, jungle, and hardcore songs, and can also be heard in other music, from popular music to background music in car and jean commercials on the radio or TV. One of the largest Breaks nights north of London is Milton Keynes lead Beatcheck, set up in 2006.

Sampled breakbeats

With the advent of digital sampling and music editing on the computer, breakbeats have become much easier to create and use. Now, instead of cutting and splicing tape sections or constantly backspinning 2 records at the same time, a computer program can be used to cut, paste, and loop breakbeats endlessly. Digital effects like filters, reverb, reversing, time stretching, and pitch shifting can be added to the beat, and even to individual sounds by themselves. Individual instruments from within a breakbeat can be sampled one by one and combined with others, to build new breakbeat patterns from the ground up. The advantage of sampled breakbeats over a drum machine is that the sampled breakbeats sound like a real live drummer is playing them, which was initially true.

Legal issues

With the rise in popularity of breakbeat music and the advent of digital samplers, enterprising companies started selling "breakbeat packages" for the express purpose of helping artists create breakbeats. A breakbeat kit CD would contain many breakbeat samples from different songs and artists, often without the artist's permission or even knowledge. One example of this is the Amen Break. The original song is by The Winstons, who hold the copyright. However, a company named Zero G released a "jungle construction kit" containing an exact copy of the Amen break, slightly sped up, to which Zero G claims copyright. The Winstons have not received any royalties for use of the Amen break.

Broken beat

Breakbeat (or ''funky breakbeat'' or broken beat) may also refer to the music of bands who play funk and soul music with an emphasis on the elements that became popular in hip-hop and later breaks-based music. This sound is characterized by slower tempos (80-110 bpm) and organic, "human" rhythms. It is sometimes differentiated by the term "broken beat".

Acid Breaks

In electronic music, ''acid breaks'' is a fusion between breakbeat, acid, acid techno and other forms of Electronic dance music. Its drum line usually mimics most breakbeat music, lacking the distinctive kick drum of other forms of EDM.

One of the earliest synthesizers to be employed in acid music was the Roland TB-303, which makes use of resonant cutoff filters to emphasise the harmonics of the sound.

The first acid breaks track is credited to Zak Baney in 1987 for his track "Acid Break".

See also

Big beat

Breakdance

Breakbeat musicians

List of electronic music genres

References

Credited by the DJ List

Category:Electronic music genres

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name	Jojo Mayer
landscape	Yes
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Jojo Mayer
born	January 18, 1963Zurich, Switzerland
instrument	Drums
genre	Drum and Bass, Jazz, Jungle, Fusion
occupation	Musician
years active	1981–present
associated acts	Nerve, Screaming Headless Torsos, Intergalactic Maiden Ballet, John Medeski, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dizzy Gillespie, Nina Simone
website	/ Official website
notable instruments	Sonor Drum kit, Sabian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Vic Firth Drumsticks }}

Jojo Mayer (born 18 January 1963) is a highly acclaimed Swiss drummer born in Zurich and currently resides in New York City.

Mayer is the son of a touring musician and began his career as a drummer at an early age, receiving his first drum set at the age of two. Having taught himself throughout his childhood, he broke out into the professional music scene at the age of 18, joining the Monty Alexander group. Touring with the group launched him into the major jazz music scene, and he has played at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux, Nice, and Athens etc., which culminated with his gigging with jazz-greats such as Dizzy Gillespie and Nina Simone. Eventually, after playing with a great variety of artists, Mayer moved away from jazz and into Drum 'n' Bass electronica.

Jojo Mayer is known for bringing together jazz, drum and bass, jungle, and other influences. He is also famous for his ability to play the rhythms of programmed jungle drum 'n' bass music on acoustic drums, terming this technique "reverse engineering", a phrase borrowed from computing. He executes this approach using various methods such as the Heel-toe bass drum technique, the Moeller stroke, and the "pull-out" or "push-pull" accent which takes the beat on the rebound. Using these techniques, he can play beats at astonishing speeds. A few of his main influences are Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette and Buddy Rich.

He is the leader of live electronica trio Nerve, which he founded in 1997.

He played with the guitarist David Fiuczynski in the avant-garde pop rock band Screaming Headless Torsos and in the fusion jazz band, Intergalactic Maiden Ballet.

He ran the popular Prohibited Beatz live electronica party in NYC from 1996-2001.

Discography

With Intergalactic Maiden Ballet:

1992 - ''Square Dance''

1994 - ''Gulf''

With John Medeski:

1994 - ''Lunar Crush''

With Screaming Headless Torsos:

1995 - ''Screaming Headless Torsos''

With Harry Sokal:

1996 - ''Rave the Jazz! :live:''

Sulfur:

1998 - ''Delirium Tremens''

With Depart

2006 - ''Reloaded''

2008 - ''Mountain Messenger''

Jojo Mayer & Nerve:

2007 - ''Prohibited Beats''

2010 - ''EP1''

2010 - ''EP2''

2011 - ''EP3''

2011 - ''The Distance Between Zero And One''

Media

He was featured as the cover story of the January 2008 issue of Modern Drummer magazine. His DVD, ''Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer'', is a bestseller worldwide.

Jojo Mayer was interviewed by DrummerConnection.com - May 2010 - Jojo Mayer Interview by DrummerConnection.com

Jojo Mayer was interviewed by Linus Wyrsch on "The Jazz Hole" for breakthruradio.com in July 2010 - Jojo Mayer Interview by breakthruradio.com

Gear

Mayer is a long-time Sonor endorser who also uses Sabian cymbals and Vic Firth sticks. He helped Sonor design the Jungle kit and snare. He has also collaborated with Sabian to create two lines of cymbals, the Vault "Fierce" series, and the AAX "Omni" series. His Vault Fierce cymbals feature a raw, unlathed finish, and extensive hand hammering, while the Omnis are designed to function as both rides and crashes. Mayer usually uses birch Sonor drums in the following sizes:

14" and 13" Snare Drum

10" Tom Tom

14" Floor Tom

8" Tom to the right of the Floor Tom

20" or 18" Bass Drum

Sizes may vary primarily based on local drum availability.

For drumheads (all Evans):

14" Hybrid Coated

14" Hazy 300

12" G Plus Clear

12" G Plus Coated

12" Hydraulic Black

12" Hydraulic Glass

For cymbals, he's recently been using (all Sabian):

22" AAX Omni

18" Fierce Crash

18" AAX Omni

13" El Sabor Splash

13" HHX Evolution Top Hi Hat over 14" HHX Evolution Mini-China

10" Fierce Hi Hats

13" Fierce Hi Hats

10" Chopper

External links

Jojo Mayer’s homepage

Jojo Mayer's Nerve Info at Basitours

Myspace Page

JoJo Mayer Interview by DrummerConnection.com - 5 May 2010

References

Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Swiss musicians Category:Swiss drummers

de:Jojo Mayer fr:Jojo Mayer it:Jojo Mayer pl:Jojo Mayer ru:Майер, Джоджо sv:Jojo Mayer