Jumpstyle Music Guide: 3 Characteristics of Jumpstyle Music

Jumpstyle is a subgenre of electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in Belgium in the late 1990s. It derives from related electronic music genres like hardstyle, gabber, hardcore techno, hard house, hard dance, and industrial.

Like many forms of electronic dance music, jumpstyle is propelled by a steady four-on-the-floor pulse, and tempos tend to range between 140 and 150 beats per minute (BPM). Some jumpstyle dance producers favor the Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer to create these beats. This closely aligns with the tempos of dubstep and hard house music. At its slowest tempos, jumpstyle roughly aligns with those of electro house music.

The jumpstyle dance music genre tends to be characterized by three core elements.

1. 1. Steady four-on-the-floor beats: The jumpstyle dance sound is built on a foundation of four-on-the-floor quarter note pulses typically played between 140 and 150 BPM. The Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer tends to be the drum machine of choice for jumpstyle producers.
2. 2. Close connection to other EDM genres: Most jumpstyle music is a Belgian and Dutch variation on other hardstyle dance music of the late 1990s and early 2000s. These include gabber, tech trance, hardcore techno, and Mákina. Traces of relatively old school styles like industrial and jungle can also be heard in jumpstyle.
3. 3. A dance style inspired by martial arts: Many jumpstyle raves feature a distinctive dance style inspired by martial arts. The core moves involve jumping and toe-tapping, and flourishes involve different sorts of kicks and rotations. Basic jump dancing is called old school. More advanced versions are called hardjump, sidejump, freestyle, OwnStyle, StarStyle, and TekStyle. Jumpstyle dance performed in pairs is sometimes called duojump.

Jumpstyle music first emerged in Belgium in 1997 as a derivative of gabber and hardcore techno. Although it quickly spread to neighboring Holland, it failed to catch on in other parts of the world. Then, in the early-to-mid 2000s, jumpstyle made a comeback thanks to music videos for songs like "Jumping All Over the World" and "The Question Is What Is The Question?" by the German outfit Scooter.

Jumpstyle's 2000s revival showcased new acts like Jeckyll & Hyde, Patrick Jumpen, DJ Coone, Sheffield Jumpers, and DJ Porny. Many of these acts were played and promoted by the JumpStation.FM radio station. While no longer a dominant EDM subgenre, jumpstyle lives on via streaming playlists and in select raves throughout Europe, Australia, and the Americas.

Three jumpstyle artists helped define the genre and made it stand out in the broader landscape of electronic music.

1. 1. Scooter: German dance music combo Scooter brought jumpstyle to wide audiences with its music videos for "The Question Is What Is The Question?" and "Jumping All Over the World."
2. 2. Patrick Jumpen: Dutch artist Patrick Jumpen enjoyed dance hits with tracks like "The Secret" and "The Holiday."
3. 3. Jeckyll & Hyde: In 2007, Dutch producer Maarten Vorwerk, recording under the name Jeckyll & Hyde, reached the peak of his country's Top 40 charts with his jumpstyle instrumental "Freefall."

Become a better musician with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Armin van Buuren, St. Vincent, deadmau5, Usher, Timbaland, Sheila E., Tom Morello, and more.