View source for Acid techno

{{Short description|Music genre}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = Acid techno
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist|[[Acid house]]|[[techno]]|[[trance music|trance]]|[[hardcore techno|hardcore]]}}
| cultural_origins  = Late 1980s, UK and US

| regional_scenes   = {{hlist|Germany|United Kingdom|United States}}

}}

'''Acid techno''', sometimes known generally as "'''[[acid (electronic music)|acid]]'''", is a genre of [[techno]] that was derived from [[acid house]] and developed in Europe in the late 1980s to early 1990s. It saw younger artists apply the "squelching" synthesizer sound of [[Chicago]] acid house to harder-edged techno material.<ref name="ReferenceA">[{{AllMusic|class=explore|id=style/d2895|pure_url=yes}} Acid Techno]", ''[[Allmusic]]'', Macrovision Corporation, retrieved 22 November 2009</ref>

==Characteristics==
The acid style was obtained largely through [[Roland Corporation|Roland]] instruments, most prominently the [[TB-303]] bass synthesizer.<ref name="rbma"/> The term ''Acid'' specifically refers to the harsh "acidic" squelching sound of the Roland 303.<ref name="rbma"/><ref name="Nash">Nash, Rob (2009) "[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5597864.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000 Techno: Encyclopedia of Modern Music]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}", ''The Sunday Times Culture's Encyclopedia of Modern Music'', 1 February 2009, retrieved 22 November 2009</ref> The acid sound is achieved by turning up the filter [[resonance]] and turning down the [[cutoff frequency]] parameters of the synthesizer, along with programming the 303's accent, slide, and octave parameters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cant |first1=Tim |title=What is acid house? How to make a euphoric acid house track |url=https://blog.native-instruments.com/acid-house/ |website=Native Instruments |access-date=29 December 2024}}</ref>

In addition to acid records imported from the US, the style was influenced by sources such as [[hardcore techno|hardcore]], German [[trance music|trance]], and  [[Belgian techno|Belgian rave]] music.<ref name="rbma">{{cite web |last1=Sword |first1=Harry |title=When Techno Met Punk: London's Acid Techno Underground of the '90s |url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2016/06/london-acid-techno-feature |website=[[Red Bull Music Academy]] |access-date=18 August 2019}}</ref>

==History==
Early exponents of the style included [[Richie Hawtin]] (aka Plastikman), [[Aphex Twin]], [[Dave Clarke (DJ)|Dave Clarke]], [[Hardfloor]], solarquest, and Damon Wilde.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Other mainstays included London acts such as Liberators, Henry Cullen (aka D.A.V.E. The Drummer), Guy McAffer (aka The Geezer), and DDR.<ref name="rbma"/> In London, the acid techno scene developed via illegal network of parties; the 1997 compilation ''It's Not Intelligent…And It's Not From Detroit…But It's F**king 'Avin It'' was subtitled "The Sound of London's Acid Techno Underground" and helped to solidify the genre in the underground consciousness.<ref name="rbma"/> In recent years, Acid Techno had a comeback with artists of the younger generation such as [[Regal (musician)|Regal]] or Boston 168 releasing critically acclaimed Acid music and bringing the sound to big stages.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://djmag.com/content/dj-mag-podcast-96-regal |title=DJ Mag Podcast 96: Regal |last=Murray |first=Eoin |publisher= |date=June 14, 2018 |website=DJ Mag |access-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref>

[[Image:TB-303.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Roland TB-303]] bass synthesizer provided the electronic squelch sounds often heard in acid tracks.]]

== See also ==
*[[Breakbeat#Acid breaks|Acid breaks]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111010052735/http://www.oldschoolbutgoodschool.com/category/acid/ Old School Acid Techno], Some Old School Acid Techno tracks
* [http://www.acidtechno.co.uk AcidTechno.co.uk], Acid Techno.co.uk
* [http://www.acidtekno.com Acid Tekno], Acid Magazine
{{Techno music-footer}}
{{psychedelic music}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Acid Techno}}
[[Category:20th-century music genres]]
[[Category:Techno genres]]