Motorik
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Motorik is a term coined by music journalists to describe the 4/4 beat often used by some so-called "Krautrock" bands such as Neu! and Kraftwerk (promoting the official CD release of Neu!'s back-catalogue, Klaus Dinger stated he called it the "Apache beat").[1] The word "Motorik" means "motor skill" in German.
The name perhaps derives from the repetitive yet forward-flowing feel of the rhythm, which has been compared to the experience of motorway driving -- indeed, the motorik beat is utilized in one section of Kraftwerk's "Autobahn", a song designed to celebrate exactly this experience. While The Velvet Underground's influence on Krautrock is often mentioned, Mo Tucker's drumming has specifically been characterized as "proto-motorik."[2]
The motorik beat is in 4/4 time and of moderate pace. The pattern is repeated each bar throughout the song. A splash or crash cymbal is often hit at the beginning bar of a verse or chorus.
The song most frequently tagged as motorik by users of last.fm is Hallogallo by Neu!.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Klaus Dinger (2002). Interview with UK music magazine The Wire.
- ^ Chris Jones (21 June 2007). Review of "The Velvet Underground & Nico" for the BBC. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
- ^ http://www.last.fm/tag/motorik/tracks
