We are Raver 101, our goal is to educate the public on what it means to be a raver! From the history of rave culture, the many genres within rave culture, the community, customs, dances, fashion and more!

What is a rave?

A rave is a dance party or concert-like event featuring DJs that play electronic dance music (EDM) in private or public venues, warehouses, and clubs.

Subgenres

There are many different types of EDM subgenres played at raves, but the most well-known ones would be acid, industrial, techno, hardcore, jungle and dubstep. Acid: Uses TB-303 synths, bassline-driven with stylistic origins to raga and disco music. It has 120-130 beats per minute tempo, 4/4 time and four-on –the-floor kick drum pulse. Industrial: This is a subgenre of experimental music that gets combined with other genres such as rock, metal, and various electronic music genres. Electronic body music (EBM) is a subgenre of Industrial music that combines synth-punk with industrial and is tied to rave culture however fans refer to themselves as rivetheads rather than ravers. Sounds include commando-style vocals, repetitive basslines, 4/4 drum machine beats, and synths. Techno: Sounds include 4/4 beats, drum machine samples from Roland TR-808 and 909, synths, and a steady unrelenting rhythm that invokes a trance-like feeling. Hardcore: Has fast and intense bass drum tempo ranging from 160-200 BPM. Typically, one of the most intense subgenres within EDM. Jungle: Stems from breakbeat hardcore, includes stylistic influences of reggae and hip hop, has deep and gritty basslines, drum n’ bass spawned from jungle. Dubstep: An offshoot of UK Garage, it has multiple stylistic influences from dub, techno, and drum n’ bass. It has some vocals (which can include toasting and MC’ing), clipped samples, heavy bass lines, and reverb drum patterns.