Detroit techno originated in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1980s. Rejecting the Motown origins that R&B and soul were founded on, Detroit techno used analog synthesizers and drum machines, specifically the Roland TR-909, and drew inspiration from the automobile assembly line by using robotic voices, repeating hooks and metallic clicks. Peaking in the late 1980s, popular artists like Derrick May, Keven Saunderson and Chez Damier hit big in the European rave scene. Detroit techno is known for its elegantly restrained futuristic mixed with funk sound.
Acid techno came out of Chicago in the early 1990s and was created almost as a subset to house music being played in Chicago. Acid techno is created by a Roland TB-303 for bass and lead sounds, and the TR-909 for percussion. After manually adjusting control knobs on the Roland instruments, the acid sound is produced by setting control knobs on the Roland instruments to extreme limits and by tweaking, where producers would manually adjust the knobs during live recordings.
Most of the early players in the acid house scene had originally been part of the punk scene, has a distinct London sound, and has a less repetitive sound than most other forms of techno.
Unlike acid techno, minimal techno focuses on repetition. With the rise of techno in the 1990s, new styles and genres were being created, leaving behind the funk and soul infused techno sound that originated in Detroit. Created by German producers Basic Channel, minimal techno shied away from the increasing tempos. Minimal techno is a very raw sound: drums, funk and bass lines in repetition. Popular artists include Daniel Bell, Basic Channel and Tech Star.