Tempo and genre

The style (or genre) of a piece of music is determined by a number of factors, including the types of sounds and patterns used, and also the tempo.

You probably have some idea about the genre of a song when you hear it, just based on your experiences as a music listener. Here are "typical" tempo ranges for a number of common genres:

• Dub: 60-90 bpm
• Hip-hop: 60-100 bpm
• House: 115-130 bpm
• Techno/trance: 120-140 bpm
• Dubstep: 135-145 bpm
• Drum and bass: 160-180 bpm

Try adjusting the tempo while this beat plays and listen to how it changes character, even if the pattern stays exactly the same.