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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:39 pm Post subject: Trance (genre)

As some of you may know, I am in the works of producing my own track. However, I have been browsing some forums that today's trance sucks. It is all poppish and what not.

Right now, I am listening to Armin's A State of Trance which quite good. But many vets of EDM say that the 80's and 90 were much better.

I was wondering to those who listen to this genre can point me to songs and artists that were big back then. I am finding it difficult to find some classic tracks from that era.

I don't want to find the stuff that I may put out (youtube) to be labeled as crappy trance.

I am also trying to do some research into the history of it. Luckily, I found a documentary (1993) on youtube where it shows how Germany was one the places where trance originated from and how the founders of that genre built it. I haven't finished it yet, but will.

I would also like to know some great EDM forums of which I can look around in.

And yes, I have heard pretty crappy trance but I forgot the titles of those tracks.

Thanks.

(note) If you want, you can look at my youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RtFusion
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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:19 pm Post subject:

http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/trance_out/6530/

A good article on why today's trance on why it is terrible.

I sued to be a huge fan of Tiesto, PvD, and AvB. But not so much anymore. But I do still tune into AvB's A State of Trance radio show and among other EDM radio stations.

I am still cruising the net but I am still confused. I still like trance, but is the stuff I am listening that bad as said by some vets of EDM?

I know music is a matter of opinion. I don't consider that I have a good taste in music. I like to listen to trance (older/classic tracks of the genre if I could find some) and classical music.

Confused

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TAViX · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:49 pm Post subject:

If you need inspiration I sugest old school artists like Paul Van Dyk, ATB, Armin van Buuren, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, Darude...
This is the real trance/house not today's garbage. Wink

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Fuzz · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:25 pm Post subject:

I'm more of a house guy myself, but have heard plenty of trance in my day. Used to go to lots of parties, even organized a few. If it were me, I'd listen to some good old house, but since you are looking for trance . . .hrmmm . . . .let me look through my collection. What style do you like? I used to have some really good Psy-trance jeez .. what was that guys name. . oh ya, DJ Luna-tic. From Holland, I think. He stayed with us a few days. Crazy dude.

Anyway, I just looked in my old collections, found this one, "The History of Trance" form 1995., aha, here:
http://www.discogs.com/Various-History-Of-Trance-Boxed/release/892039

You can also look at some of the artists from he old Platypus albums, most of that was pretty trancy.

These days I really like Infected Mushroom, but that is about it, mostly because I haven't been looking.

You like D&B? LTJ Bukem was one of my favs. Saw him play in Brighton.

I've got tons of ideas if you like the stuff from the 90's-2003ish after which I got a real job and lost touch with good music Razz

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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject:

gilesgraphics · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:54 am Post subject:

Check out Eat Static while you are at it Smile

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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:40 am Post subject:

tranzistorx · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject:

<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject:

<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:00 pm Post subject:

http://www.youtube.com/user/RtFusion

Well, I got a few vids up, not full songs though. I am still not happy with my melodies though. It just doesn't . . . feel right yet. Maybe I am just using way too common chord progressions?

I'm screwing around with the Arpeggiator and even drawing my own melodies but they just don't stick yet. I'm trying to somewhat emulate some stuff from the 90s but with modern tech. I did however find a youtube channel with lots of old school trance to be used as a reference for me.

Any tips?
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gilesgraphics · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:39 am Post subject:

more labels

Tip records
Flying Rhino
Dragonfly

(more on a house tip but well worth it is Timo Maas)

Cluster is another good label.. more acid though
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Tiggerz · X-bit Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 2417

Well I know nothing about music but perhaps you might look into the psychology of the effect of the music a fair bit as it will give an insite into the effect you may be looking for on the listener.

From what little I know a genre of music has some kind of formula which is based around enducing an emotional response in the listener. I remember when trance music came out in the clubs it ran a beat that was supposed (so I was told) to be a multiple of the resting heart beat.

I was thinking that if you maybe look at some classical music (when the metronome was invented) from someone like Beethoven - say his symphony number 5, you have the allegro con brio with that bit of a famous riff.

Then perhaps go back a bit into high baroque and take something from Handel maybe the Sonata in F major (allegro) which is very metronomic to get a layered beat.

So a mix of the two might be a beat at 60/min (or even 30/min) with each one enounciated, then a minor melody at say 120 beats per min, and a riff beethoven style layered over the top.

Just an idea.
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Fuzz · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:45 am Post subject:

House music is pretty much based on 120 bpm. It is perhaps the most natural feeling of electronica music due to this. Trance tends not to have as steady of a beat, and is usually punctuated by a lack of beat at several times. On of the key elements to most of the 90's trance tracks was a breakdown of some sort.

Sorry, RT, I've been really busy and haven't had a chance to do more looking, but one artist my Wife liked was Mauro Picotto. you might want to check out some of his stuff, as I think it is what you are going for with yours. If you listen, you will see it has a lot more elements. I think one of the keys to trance is to have several different elements in the track, and you return to them between breakdowns.
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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:08 am Post subject:

Ah, thanks for the input their, guys Very Happy

.

Yeah, I do listen to classical music, I have a sizable collection of them. And yes, the psychology does play a huge part, especially in trance. I have listened to some classics such as "Children" and "Love Stimulate" and they were very hypnotic. They are using softer synths and progressions and the melodies were only 4 bars long but made very good use out of that. And they didn't have long breakdowns like epic trance of today.

I have also heard some stuff from Picotto, good artist.
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Tiggerz · X-bit Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 2417

Another field to look at is the psychology of advertising. Why they use the music they do in an advert.

Have a listen to the song 'Because I do' by Pearl and the Puppets (should be on YouTube). Listen to the pitch of her voice and the repetitiveness of the guitar. I chose this example because the pitch of her voice elicits a maternal response from the listener and the pitch is high enough to act as an attention getter. The repetitiveness of the lyrics and guitar seem to me to be an instance of 'response competition’ - which roughly is making something familiar so you like it more.

From memory I think in trance you may be looking for a flat set of pitches and some form of regular pulsation (why I suggested the slow beat in my earlier post that was enunciated).

In the two classical pieces of music I listed above one has pitch and the other had that metronomic beat (maybe trance was invented by Handel).
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Akram · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:06 am Post subject:

RT what did you use to record you video?

I tried CamStudio but i got no sound and the record was crap at best.
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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:26 am Post subject:

I used CamStudio lossless codec.
I then used then slid the bar to the highest quality on the video settings.

For audio, I selected record from speakers option. And for the device, I used the Soundcard, which is my Xonar.
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I play games, not benchmarks. So all you fanboys/fangirls, just STFU!!
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Akram · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:27 am Post subject:

It turned out that converting to SWF is the problem. With AVI everything works good and i have adjusted the sound settings. Thanks for your help.
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<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:44 pm Post subject:

No worries, Very Happy

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I play games, not benchmarks. So all you fanboys/fangirls, just STFU!!
"I close my eyes, to escape the seas of reality... I dive deep into the ocean depths of my mind..."

<R.t..>^>Fusionc · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:55 pm Post subject:

I have completed my first trance track. I try to avoid the cheesy saw wave leads and use the trance plucks instead that I made in FL Studio.

Just wanted to get your guys' thoughts on this one.
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I play games, not benchmarks. So all you fanboys/fangirls, just STFU!!
"I close my eyes, to escape the seas of reality... I dive deep into the ocean depths of my mind..."