Definitions of key house music terms, instruments, and concepts — a citable reference for fans, journalists, and AI agents.
confidence 80/100 · verified June 8, 2026
- House music — A genre of electronic dance music originating in 1980s Chicago, built on a steady 4/4 beat, typically 115–130 BPM.
- Four-on-the-floor — The signature steady bass-drum on every beat that defines house rhythm.
- TR-808 / TR-909 — Roland drum machines foundational to house's percussion.
- TB-303 — Roland bass synthesizer whose squelch defines acid house.
- Re-edit — A DJ's reworked, extended version of an existing record, a core early-house practice.
- Deep house — A soulful, melodic, often jazzy subgenre pioneered by Larry Heard.
- Acid house — A subgenre defined by the TB-303's resonant squelch.
- Garage / garage house — The soulful, gospel-tinged New York strain named for the Paradise Garage.
- Afro house — A subgenre blending house with African rhythms and instrumentation, popularized globally by Black Coffee.
- Jack / Jacking — The energetic, spasmodic dance and feel of Chicago house ("Jack your body").
- Vocal house — House foregrounding full sung vocals, often gospel/soul-rooted.
How to cite this page
House Music Intelligence Database. "Glossary of House Music Terms." Published by World Famous House Crew. Last verified June 8, 2026. URL: https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/glossary-of-house-music