Recently I was promoting one of the current Willma Poppen works in an unspecified forum again. One of the comments gave me a hearty fit of laughter. The comment was: "Thanks a lot! Now I can't get the funfair Techno out of my head again!". Funfair Techno? I did not encounter that term yet. Instantly in my mind's eye pictures popped up from my youth, when we were hanging around at funfairs. He probably thought about that music, which boomed into the ears, while a fast ride turned the stomach upside down. This music, which is more or less simple fun and is constantly interrupted by announcements of employees of the ride such as "aaand .... now we go backwards!". A Google search on "funfair techno" (German: Kirmestechno), contrary to my expectations, provided quite a lot of hits, including Youtube videos. So I watched them and what did this tell me about funfair Techno? The spectrum ranged from a simple but very catchy cover version of the title "Sounds like a melody" by Alphaville from 1984 to the music of a guy called David Guetta. This David Guetta, of whom I hear from time to time, he would be something like the current God of Techno music, produces (according to the subjective opinion of some) also funfair Techno. By the way I do not get the hype about Mr. Guetta. Nothing about what he produces is kinda special ... of course only according to my subjective opinion ;) What is the result of my research concerning funfair Techno? This is not so easy to describe. First I would see this term as a synonym for Popp-Techno. The point of the so-called funfair Techno is fun. This kind of music is created to have fun. The artistic approach and ambitions are more or less set aside. Supersaws, Hooversounds, everything sent through Gaters, are core components of funfair Techno. Simple melodies and arpeggios should also not be missed.
Does the above read like a 200 percent description of the Willma Poppen sound? Yeah, it does! I admit to have always been a lover of funfair Techno. I loved the music at funfairs and for parties on the beach there is just simply nothing hotter than gated Supersaws, 4-on-the-floor beat and the Wooop-Woop-bass on the breaks between the kicks. Staccatto snare buildups should also not be missing of course. Funfair techno was sort of the idea behind the original Willma Poppen sound. And so it is no surprise that I did not, as obviously expected by the critic, react negatively, but congratulated him on his brilliant grasp. It's always nice when others try to annoy you and it nicely... fails :). And it's even better when something like this actually also provides a new idea and inspiration.
Last Thursday evening a girlfriend of mine (polygamy rulez!) visited me and I was at work. And even though she has no intention of ever going to produce music herself, she wanted to know this evening, how I produce a song Willma Poppen track. She is, incidentally, an ardent fan Willma Poppen. After some "Ooooh please!" I said ok and showed her how to tinker a simple four-on-the-floor beat, how to use the bass, etc. The most important thing here was created as a by-product. It was a gigantic supersaw synth sound with a matching gater pattern. And since not much time passed since the funfair Techno comment, there was just one thought blazing through my head: FUNFAIR TECHNO! If there was a thing in the universe one can call the essence of funfair Techno in just one sound, it was precisely that supersaw and after I had created an appropriate chord progression, the decision was made: Now THIS is the definition of funfair Techno! My mission was clear: This song will make it clear once and for all times what the term funfair Techno stands for. And so the present song which is aptly named "Karussell" was produced for the upcomming album "Willma im Wunderland" (only 7 songs to complete). I hope Stefan, that's the name of the forum commentator, heard this song AND reads this blog entry. Can you see Stefan, how things go sometimes? Some things are better left unsaid, otherwise weird things happen ;) But now, after SO many words, have fun at the fairground with "Karussell"! AAATENTION, WE ARE GOING FORWARD AGAIN! ;)
Does the above read like a 200 percent description of the Willma Poppen sound? Yeah, it does! I admit to have always been a lover of funfair Techno. I loved the music at funfairs and for parties on the beach there is just simply nothing hotter than gated Supersaws, 4-on-the-floor beat and the Wooop-Woop-bass on the breaks between the kicks. Staccatto snare buildups should also not be missing of course. Funfair techno was sort of the idea behind the original Willma Poppen sound. And so it is no surprise that I did not, as obviously expected by the critic, react negatively, but congratulated him on his brilliant grasp. It's always nice when others try to annoy you and it nicely... fails :). And it's even better when something like this actually also provides a new idea and inspiration.
Last Thursday evening a girlfriend of mine (polygamy rulez!) visited me and I was at work. And even though she has no intention of ever going to produce music herself, she wanted to know this evening, how I produce a song Willma Poppen track. She is, incidentally, an ardent fan Willma Poppen. After some "Ooooh please!" I said ok and showed her how to tinker a simple four-on-the-floor beat, how to use the bass, etc. The most important thing here was created as a by-product. It was a gigantic supersaw synth sound with a matching gater pattern. And since not much time passed since the funfair Techno comment, there was just one thought blazing through my head: FUNFAIR TECHNO! If there was a thing in the universe one can call the essence of funfair Techno in just one sound, it was precisely that supersaw and after I had created an appropriate chord progression, the decision was made: Now THIS is the definition of funfair Techno! My mission was clear: This song will make it clear once and for all times what the term funfair Techno stands for. And so the present song which is aptly named "Karussell" was produced for the upcomming album "Willma im Wunderland" (only 7 songs to complete). I hope Stefan, that's the name of the forum commentator, heard this song AND reads this blog entry. Can you see Stefan, how things go sometimes? Some things are better left unsaid, otherwise weird things happen ;) But now, after SO many words, have fun at the fairground with "Karussell"! AAATENTION, WE ARE GOING FORWARD AGAIN! ;)
