There are so many new music genres out there these days. It is very hard to keep track even how many music genres have been introduced up until now. However, with the synth wave music genre there is also an added complexity because there have been two very different and separate incarnations. The first one appeared in the late 1970s and was quite popular for almost a decade. The other one started in the 2000s and is continued.
In this article, we will distinguish what is the difference between the two forms of synthwave and how it all started. Let’s find out interesting details about synthwave below.
The Birth Of The Genre
Are you wondering what synthwave is and how it all started? Well, the initial phase of synthwave was known as synth-pop or electropunk. It was never really called synthwave originally at the beginning. To be more specific, it was called synth-pop, however, some experts also called it synth wave during that time. In this article, we will differentiate between the first wave being called synth wave and then the second incarnation being synth-pop.
What Is The Difference Between Synthwave And Synthpop Music?
More importantly, the initial phase of the synth-wave genre, widely known as synth-pop, was a kind of music that involved a lot of synths. It was mainly used for a sci-fi or action movie soundtrack. Artists also combined it with a sort of futuristic music form very often. This ultimately result in synthwave becoming a type of music that was best suited for video games and action films based on technology.
Synth-pop is original synth-based music and songs. On the other hand, synth-wave is kind of an unrecognized type of synthwave music that was more popular because of the changing landscape of technology. There were many emerging games and movies which dominated pop culture in the past.
Singers Who Initially Influenced the Genre
Are you wondering who are the singers which influenced the synth wave music scene? Well, there were many like Tangerine Dream, Brian Eno, Jean Michel Jarre, and Vangelis are some of the famous initial synth wave influencers from the ‘70s era. Along with many other retro gaming music composers such as Rob Hubbard and Matt Gray etc.
These singers come from music genres like jazz, classical, and prog rock. That is why they were not very popular in the mainstream music scene. These singers had a powerful sound that attracted new fans and created a whole new world of synthwave music.
So in the 70s and 80’s not many snthwave songs gained any significant popularity because pop culture was prevalent at that time.
What Equipment is Used in Synthwave Music Production
The actual driving force behind synthwave music is the element of surprise. Which is created by using a lot of synths. No matter it’s an original analog synthesizer or a VST (Virtual Studio Technology) which performs the replication of the old-school synth-wave sounds. Synthwave music typically features these particular sounds along with the synth drums. There are these particular Big and quite evil basslines that are typically found in synth-wave tracks which are due to the right analog gear or particularly juicy Virtual Studio Technology.
The Retro elements from old movies or video games are used frequently in the production of synth wave music. For example, creating certain familiar tropes. Mostly the synthwave music has a typically retro feel to it. This type of music uses modern production methods for updating the soundtracks that originally might have been more but can now be blown up to sound big for today’s harmonious global culture.
Unique Characteristics
Another unique element of the synthwave music genre of today is its “open source” nature. This allows creators of synthwave music to share different patches of work with other music creators for producing certain sounds. This allows the artist to be more creative and experiment with different themes that might suit the taste of the audience.
However, we can safely say that the synth-wave culture is a lot more than just a music genre. It is very deep-rooted and wrapped up in modern culture itself. The new and hip synthwave style art has become extremely popular. You can just drop by any music platform which features a visual outlet such as Instagram or Facebook, you will surely get to see a lot of synthwave-style artworks.
What is The Present New Synthwave Music form?
The present form of synth-wave music is significantly evolved and different from the past. The current synthwave music which is gaining massive popularity is different from the one that was popular in the 90s era. The modern synthwave began in the 2000s, and most tracks of synthwave are instrumental only. The present synthwave music is particularly used in games and movie soundtracks. It has a techno feel to it and various new artists are practicing synthwave new trends.
The new synth-wave music target mainstream listeners sometimes. However, generally modern synthwave is more popular with underground self-aware listeners. This music genre has a particular group of listeners who love old movies, video games, and the synth-pop culture of the past.
Conclusion
Synthwave is a form of electronic music that drives its sound inspirations from 1970s pop culture. Such as television, films, and video games of the past. It mostly utilizes analog synthesizers or lush pads that create a unique retro-futuristic sound. If you want to explore unique music or want to experience the nostalgia of the 70s. then synthwave will attract you as a listener. Many new artists are developing new synthwave music, and the genre is evolving more and more. You can find a ton of awesome tracks to listen to based on synthwave form of music.
