The Music Theory Behind Trance?, anyone know anything about it Options

[Dstudnicky]

The best way to learn would just be to listen to trance music.

I don't know if you know much about classical style, but trance is an outgrowth of minimalism. If you want to check out some music like that without the electronics, listen to Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians."

But yeah, it's minimalism. If that's the sound you want to create, it is repetitious, but usually a chill-out repetitious that should be true to it's name. Unless it really is different from the classical variety. I'm not that confident on definitions for what trance, or most other electronic genres, really are.

[alixir]

It's an old trance trick, I'm sure most of the commercial trance producers don't have a musical inkling into what they're doing. I used to know that most went onto the internet, downloaded classical midi files and then re-arranged them to get professional sounding chords.

Secondly you need to go and use loads of presets off of most of the keyboards that are around today. Honestly, isn't it about time that people started making their own lead sounds for a change, it all sounds like the same keyboard to me! Also get yourself some nice 808/909 drum sounds and learn gating for pads to get those bits lead sounds and also an arpeggiator so you don't have to spend more than five minutes on a pattern.

Thirdly, forget trance and go and listen to Infected Mushroom and several other well thought out psytrance acts that actually put more than a days work into their tracks, experimenting with non conformist trance sounds and willie orbit style effects patching whilst still having room and time to add a little atmosphere.

That's the best way my friend! Although, trance used to be good around 93, at least all the tracks didn't sound like an anthem......

[boze]

amen!!

tell the truth, ,brother!!!

[slowintrepid]

oh yeah! well..........well............... well I have a cool avatar!!

no but seriously you are right, I know that trance takes little or no talent to produce. But like I said I'm fairly new to electronic music so I figured I'd goof around with something that's easy and that I know.

I'm not new to music in general though. and I do more like audio than Midi stuff anyways.

so I though goofing around with some trance would be cool.

[boze]

it's true: your avatar is the coolest thing ever

[jamester]

Trance, or any other style of music, is only as good as the people that make it.

It's dangerous to have a mindset that certain styles are "easy", or don't require any talent!

Making quality artwork (music or otherwise), requires talent and dedication. It matters not whether it's "real" music on instruments or electronic based.

For the record, I don't really like trance music.
I do like that avatar, though!

JAMES

[Synthetic]

what I have noticed is... if you try to get TOO CREATIVE with certain styles of electronic music... many listeners will note that is not true to the genre or should be in another sub-genre etc... its hard to be creative and to make something that is marketable too

and I do agree that avator is very ocol... simple animation but effective and interesting... slowintrepid... did you create that?

[Jaysee]

A few years ago I had a go at recording something along those lines, I played the result to a DJ I knew and he told me it was *TOO* interesting! So best keep it fairly simple, quantised, very repetitive, I suppose one has to bear in mind that the people listening to it in clubs often'arent quite themselves', so probably dont want some clever musician's harmonically adventurous magnum opus in 11/8 to distract them too much from their dancing:-) 'Course as a geriatric old fogy of 47 what the hell do I know? Keep true to your own direction musically, record music 'you' like rather than trying to pander to the tastes of dancers. (with apologies to any dancers out there, I am from a bygone age after all)

[carolcox]

Having read through the entire topic regarding the music theory behind trance, I thought I would add my bit for what it is worth!!!
I am very heavy into dance, trance, hardcore and anything to do with electronic music. I have been clubbing in Ibiza a few times and at the ripe old age of 49, so there is hope for you yet! I use Reason, Logic with Edirol midi and have come up with some interesting sounds and yes it is quite repepitive but it is the rawness of the beat. Trance usually starts off pretty mild and builds as the tune expands resulting in a life force of sound and beat. Rank One are a good one to listen to as it is a mix of dance and trance. Have you heard of Airwave which has a multitude of mixes from trance through to hardcore which gives you a perfect example of how trance works. To get the best sound, you really need a Moog keyboard which gives classic sounds for dance, trance. Hope this helps!
Carola

[dmrkh]

One of the most fascinating things about trance is its kinship to acidjazz. Its freeform nature builds/unfolds over more than the 4' it takes Britney to fellate,your ears.