Progressive trance is a popular sub-genre in trance music and contains elements of house, techno, and ambient music. Trance became more focused on the anthemic qualities and melodies, moving away from arpeggiated analog synth patterns. Acoustic elements and spacey pads became popular with compositions leaned towards incremental changes à la progressive structures. Progressive trance contains distinctive sounds in many tracks, such as unusual basslines or original synthesized sounds, which generally makes it more "catchy". Phrases are usually a power of two number of bars in most typical progressive trance tracks. Phrases usually begin with the introduction of a new or different melody or rhythm.
Compared to trance, the progressive wing is usually deeper and more abstract, featuring a lower average bpm (around 125-135 instead of 130-160) and a recurrent melodic structure. This structure is intuitively described as consisting of three major structural elements: (1) build-up; (2) climax; (3) break-down. These three structural elements are expressed either temporally or in their intensity, if not both. A 'build-up' sequence can sometimes last up to 3 or even 4 minutes. Subtle incremental/decremental acoustic variations (i.e., gradual addition/subtraction of instruments) anticipate the transition to each subsequent structural element of the track. The initial build-up and the final break-down are generally very similar, adding a feel of symmetry to the general structure of the melody. Furthermore, a progressive trance track is usually longer than a regular trance track, ranging in length from 5-6 to even 12-13 minutes.
Although there is a general and increasing tendency to associate progressive trance with progressive house (or vice-versa), virtually rendering these two sub-genres identical, there are however distinctive characteristics apart from the strong similitudes between them: progressive trance inherits from its parent genre (trance) a wider melodic flexibility, while progressive house is usually darker and more minimal.
Some of the most representative names that currently work (almost exclusively) in this sub-genre are Markus Schulz, Gabriel & Dresden, Andy Moor, Armin Van Buuren, Schiller and Paul Oakenfold.
It should be noted that 2006 - 2007 has been marked by fans as a very good years for Progressive Trance music, With numerous tracks appearing in the trance scene that have reached extremely high popularity. As well as the long running Dj, Armin Van Buuren, being crown as DJ Magazine's Worlds No.1# DJ.
Hard Trance, as the title suggests, blends traditional trance sounds and structure with harder elements more reminiscent of Acid and Techno. The tempo is generally increased to between 145 and 155 and the kick drum and bass is usually a focus for a clubbing audience.It originated in Germany in the early to mid-90's and is one of the earliest forms of trance
Charecterstics
The Hard Trance sound varies from classic trance with its emphasis on harder, often acid sounds. The beat is very strong, and the lead synths or pads are simpler, but still retain their melodic, "trance-like" nature. The "hoover" sound, so named, due to its "vacuum-like" drone, made famous by Human Resource in the early techno classic "Dominator," is used infrequently as of late, giving way to harsher lead melodies through synths or pads. Recently, a difference in production styles between the two stables of hard trance has developed, splitting the genre into what is commonly known as European hard trance, which can contain darker elements, and shares common production techniques with hardstyle such as the familiar off beat bassline and snappy snarerolls, which sets its roots in trance's heyday, with wide, epic synths and rolling, often "bubbling" basslines. Tempo varies from 140 to 145 beats per minute. Jones & Stephenson's track, "The First Rebirth" was one of the first hard trance tracks ever made, even though its bpm speed is actually that of hardcore music.
The precursor to Progressive Trance, Ambient Trance is a dreamy, hypnotic and intelligent style of trance, mostly German, that utilizes atmospheric pads, epic melodic progressions and occasionally symphonic arrangements. It is not to be confused with commercial, mainstream trance from artists such as ATB or Darude. At times borrowing elements from the earlier acid movement, such as rezzy 303 leads and minimal percussion, but based more on the spiritual experience that Goa Trance has since trademarked, Ambient Trance is an often-forgotten but extremely influential style that took rave music to a higher and more profound level. Sometimes called "Oldschool Trance" because it has since been left behind for the harder styles popular today.
Ambient Trance is not as much a specific genre as it is a period in the history of dance music's most notorious style. When The Orb and other early dance pioneers were mixing ambient records with current club-oriented sounds, many producers and DJs in the UK and Germany began taking notice. As early as 1990, German musician Harald Bluechel (aka Cosmic Baby) was experimenting with classical piano and synthesizer melodies contrasted against techno rhythms, and in 1993 released one of the most popular trance songs of all time, "Cafe del Mar" (under the pseudonym Energy 52) which is still being remixed today.
Perhaps the most prolific figure in trance, then and now, is Oliver Lieb. Recording under the aliases Paragliders, The Ambush, Spicelab and LSG, Lieb remixed almost every trance producer of note during the 90's and continues to do so today. His albums spanned entire genres, from tribal, ethnic fusion to spacey trance to rough and tough techno. Considered by many to be one of the gods of trance alongside Paul van Dyk, Lieb was a huge reason why the style remained powerful and important in dance cultures around the world.
As with all styles, Ambient Trance eventually morphed into something different and by the mid 90's, it was almost entirely abandoned for harder and more progressive sounds. However, a few producers of that time still remain today producing intelligent trance, among them Humate, Salt Tank, Lieb and Paul van Dyk, albeit in a more modern setting. But most fans of dance music will fondly remember the early and mid-90's as the "good old days" of trance, with some of the most beautiful and profound tracks produced during this time.
Psychedelic trance or psytrance is a form of electronic music characterized by hypnotic arrangements of synthetic rhythms and mesmerizing melodies. It first broke out into the mainstream in 1995 as the UK music press began to report on the exploding trend of Goa trance. Since then the genre has diversified immensely and now offers considerable variety in terms of mood, tempo, and style. Some examples include melodicfull on, dark ("darkpsy"), progressive, suomi, psybreaks (generally quite rare), and psybient or psychedelic downtempo.
The original Goa trance (or "old school") was often made with popular Modular synthesizers and hardware samplers, but modern psychedelic trance is typically made with VST and AU software sampler applications. The use of analog synthesizers for sound synthesis has given way to digital "virtual analog" instruments like the Nord Lead, Access Virus, Korg MS-2000, Roland JP-8000 and computer VST and AU plugins like Native Instruments Reaktor. These are usually controlled by MIDI sequencers within Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) applications. Emphasis is placed on purely synthesized timbres for programming and lead melodies. Tempos range across the spectrum depending on the style and approach of the individual producer although speeds between 140 and 150 BPM are common.
Style
Psychedelic trance has a distinctive, speedy sound. High BPMs (generally between 120 and 150 BPM) tend to be faster than other forms of trance or techno music. Psychedelic trance uses strong bass beats that pound constant throughout the song, and overlays the bass with varying rhythms using drums and other synthesized instruments. Psychedelic trance tracks tend to be 8-12 minutes long. This gives the music time to develop slowly, building up to a climax before breaking back down to rebuild again. Layering is used to great effect in Psychedelic trance, with new musical ideas being added on at regular intervals, often every 4 or 8 bars. This buildup will happen till a climax is reached, and then the song will break down and start a new rhythmic pattern over the constant bass line. Psychedelic trance also makes heavy use of the cutoff frequency control on the synthesizer. Reverb is also used heavily, with large, open sounding reverb present on most of the lead synthesizers in the track.
Dark Psytrance
Dark psytrance (also called killer psytrance, darkpsy, horrortrance or simply dark) is a darker, faster and more distorted form of psychedelic trance music, with tempo ranges usually from 145 to 165 BPM. Originating in Russia and Germany, the style has recently expanded to other countries worldwide.
The term "dark psytrance" was first used by audiences to describe harder-sounding psychedelic trance, while the name killer psytrance is a more rarely used term (which it's use depends mostly on the geographical area).
Unlike more mainstream forms of trance, dark psytrance generally does not use vocals, though sampling is common, with speech and other kind of samples usually being taken from different kind of movies (especially horror movies), or occasionally from other tracks. Sometimes sampling elements form other genres of music is done as a mockery of the original tracks.
The atmosphere and theme of the tracks often resemble those from genres such as dark ambient, musique concrete, darkcore, cybergrind, power noise and industrial music. More atmospheric and deep sounds haunting and Gothic at times (examples of this include Parasense, Kemic-Al and Xenomorph). Use of glitch techniques can often be found in dark psytrance music (examples of this would include Kindzadza, Cosmo, Highko and Noosphere).
Progressive Psytrance
Progressive psytrance (also referred to as minimal psytrance, psyprog) is a style of psychedelic electronica developed in the early 2000s, developed as a sub-genre of psychedelic and Goa trance. Progressive psytrance is distinct from progressive trance which is more similar to progressive house.
Progressive psytrance combines the elements of minimal sounding progressive electronic music and complex developments of psychedelic music. Its heritage can be traced back to the developments of minimal techno, tech, and minimal house. The style of progressive psytrance can be described as generally darker and edgier than mainstream trance. It is also slower in tempo and is more progressive than melodic psytrance.
Currently, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany have created the most renowned minimalist labels. In the last couple of years Australia has added its own artists and labels to the minimalist trance scene.
pads became popular with compositions leaned towards incremental changes à la progressive structures. Progressive trance contains distinctive sounds in many tracks, such as unusual basslines or original synthesized sounds, which generally makes it more "catchy". Phrases are usually a power of two number of bars in most typical progressive trance tracks. Phrases usually begin with the introduction of a new or different melody or rhythm.
