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Good computer software to make trance music?

First off, hi to everyone. I'm new to the forums

I discovered trance music a while ago, and loved it. Before that, I used to compose heavy metal themes, and now I'm experimenting with trance. I say "experimenting" because I really don't know if the tracks I've done so far can fall into the trance category

Well, I'm writing because I don't count with a good software to make the melodies and so (I have used Guitar Pro so far haha).

Can you recommend me a good software? Some people recommended me Fruity Loops, but I really don't like it. It's kind of too basic, I guess. Thanks in advance!

PS: Here I attached a link to one of my "trance-wannabe" tracks. Feel free to criticize it (it was primitively recorded, so don't expect a good audio quality )

http://www.goear.com/listen.php?v=5cdc01f

your track is actually really good! i like it.

Well, this is the wrong forum (Production Studio), but...

It's all about your workflow and preference. FL Studio (Fruity Loops) is fully capable, by the way, and there are pros that use it.

For a starting point, check out my DAW Software Guide thread, which is in need of updating and additions (it's a work-in-progress) but should give you a good start.

quote:

Originally posted by kadomony your track is actually really good! i like it.

Thanks. I think I'm gonna blush, hehe!

But just a question: can we say that it's actually Trance? I mean, I don't know which are the "rules" of Trance music.

quote:

Originally posted by david.michael Well, this is the wrong forum (Production Studio), but... It's all about your workflow and preference. FL Studio (Fruity Loops) is fully capable, by the way, and there are pros that use it. For a starting point, check out my DAW Software Guide thread, which is in need of updating and additions (it's a work-in-progress) but should give you a good start.

Sorry, I didn't notice there were a Production Studio forum. My fault.

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out immediately

quote:

Originally posted by Fernito Thanks. I think I'm gonna blush, hehe! But just a question: can we say that it's actually Trance? I mean, I don't know which are the "rules" of Trance music.

yep sounds trancy to me.
reminds me of the track that 1st got me into trance "A Time Long Forgotten" by Ghost in the Machine.

Wrong section mate, you should go to the "music producers section" (or whatever it is called).



Your track is indeed very good. I wouldn't call it trance since it is too slow, but it definitely has the arpeggiated trancey feel. More like "chill-trance" or maybe streight "ambient" or something like that. I really liked the melody, it has a dark and emotional quality. Very sweet indeed. As for trance, here are some examples:

Classic Early-90s (Original) Trance:


Virtual Symmetry - "Discovered Theme" (1993)





Cybordelics - "Fairy-Tales" (1994)






End-of-90s-Epic/Anthem/Uplifting Trance (a sound which still dominates the scene)


Solar Stone - "Seven Cities" (1999)




Recent Epic/Uplifting Trance

Lemon and Einar K - "Hope" (2007)



And some modern "progressive" and "psychedelic" edged trance (some would call it "progpsy" whereas others would just stay its "trance", in relation to the classic trance sound. The whole "Earthshine" album by Solar Fields was very good)


Solar Fields - "Cruise" (2007)




But you may know this stuff heh.





Now as for the program, you can literally make trance in FL-Studio, but if you find FL to be too simple for your taste, then go for the gold-standard in music production/composition, which is Cu-Base in PC and Logic in Mac (Cu-Base SX-3 is very good, but now there may be a 4rth version, i don't keep-up with recent developments).

PETRAN, thanks a lot for all that stuff. And no, I don't know the most of those tracks. As I said earlier, I'm relatively new to this

As for the program, I think I'll stick with FL, but now I have a new question: is there sort of a tutorial specifically for trance music in FL Studio?

Also, I need some help with trancey sounds. I mean, which are the most used sounds in trance? I've heard something like "supersaw". What else? And, is there sort of a sample database on the internet where I can find them?

I'd like to experiment with Cubase, but it is too much money for me right now

PS: Thanks for the comments on my track

quote:

Originally posted by Fernito Also, I need some help with trancey sounds. I mean, which are the most used sounds in trance? I've heard something like "supersaw". What else? And, is there sort of a sample database on the internet where I can find them?

dont worry about that at all. the less generic it sounds the better. theres a ton of tracks copying each other out there and that its become absolutely nauseating. just do your own thing

your track is great btw.

quote:

Originally posted by Fernito PETRAN, thanks a lot for all that stuff. And no, I don't know the most of those tracks. As I said earlier, I'm relatively new to this As for the program, I think I'll stick with FL, but now I have a new question: is there sort of a tutorial specifically for trance music in FL Studio? Also, I need some help with trancey sounds. I mean, which are the most used sounds in trance? I've heard something like "supersaw". What else? And, is there sort of a sample database on the internet where I can find them? I'd like to experiment with Cubase, but it is too much money for me right now PS: Thanks for the comments on my track

Yes "supersaw" and "saw" synths in general are the most used, especially as the melodic lead-lines of the track (listen to the tracks i posted before, although these specific two epic/anthem trance tracks don't have a "super-saw" sound as a lead and personally i like them more for that reason alone) or as the pads in the back.

I don't think that there is a tutorial, although i def. remember that an older version of FL-Studio had some "examples" (maybe as part of a tutorial) and one of those examples was "Superstring" by Cygnus-X-a classic trance track. I'm almost sure that newer versions should include such demonstrations as well (i'm not sure if they have "trance" demonstrations in particular, but electronic dance music in general for sure). Here i found one example of how to make the famous "Rank-1/Ferry Corsten" super-saw sound:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj9VBb1tO88

(the music played comes from Rank-1's tracks "Airwave" and "Awakenings" respectively)


Rank-1 - "Airwave" (1999)



(the sound of the the lead is a super-saw)

This could give you an idea, but IMO it would be stupid to have a specific trance tutorial since this would constrain your talent and imagination. Plus, the sound of the "super-saw" is overused, and many people have grown tired of it and of the structure of modern uplifting trance in general (intro-break with lead-line-usually super-saw lead-line,, chorus with lead-line, outro) so my advice is play around a bit and come with your own sounds and track-development/structure. In a matter of fact, i liked your track because it didn't fell on the standard trance structure, it was more "free". Its not necessary to create a "supersaw", you can create your own type of synth-lead-line. That would be cooler and more innovative as well. Listening to older and newer trance music would ofcourse help heh.

PETRAN, I really want to thank you for all that helpful info

I saw the supersaw tutorial in that youtube link you put on your post, and it was like trying to read chinese for me

I guess there's a lot to study. I'll try to find some tutorials on the internet for FL, not to learn how to make Trance, but to learn how to use the damn program itself haha

I really want to learn how to apply all those kind of filters to the melodies (oscillators, arpeggiators and so... is that possible in FL?), and also learn how to add reverb, delay and all that stuff to the tracks (I'm so noob, I know).

Is there a chance to move this thread to the Music Producers forum?

You're clearly already a good composer, and that's the most important thing of them all. It's an huge head start compared to someone who is a complete noob to making music.

My main criticism on this track is that it sounds a bit too organic, too soft. Although that fact actually makes the track somewhat original, but you could start by trying to improve your synths. I see you used some Yamaha software synth, you can look into other software synths, there's plenty of info about it in the production studio forum. Another thing you could look at is the percussions, there really isn't many percs going on in your track. There's plenty of free packs of perc samples you can search for in the web.

But then again it all really depends on what you want to do... if you just want to have your track focusing completely on home-listening melodies, not really banging percs all over the place for clubbing, then it's ok as well. Now you'd probably ask... "well I don't really know what I want to do, I'm new to this?" Try listening to music already out there as it will help you a lot to collect ideas, but then again it'll bring the temptation of copying the styles of other producers.

Sorry for so much bullshit talk about originality, it's just that trance has been inundated with so much generic shit over the last few years, that everyone here has become ultra-sensitive about this.

I just learned FL by playing around with it and it took me a while since it was the first program like it i had ever used.

i like the track though, really good for first try
hell i think it is better than a lot of stuff that's coming out in trance now

quote:

Originally posted by noikeee You're clearly already a good composer, and that's the most important thing of them all. It's an huge head start compared to someone who is a complete noob to making music. My main criticism on this track is that it sounds a bit too organic, too soft. Although that fact actually makes the track somewhat original, but you could start by trying to improve your synths. I see you used some Yamaha software synth, you can look into other software synths, there's plenty of info about it in the production studio forum. Another thing you could look at is the percussions, there really isn't many percs going on in your track. There's plenty of free packs of perc samples you can search for in the web. But then again it all really depends on what you want to do... if you just want to have your track focusing completely on home-listening melodies, not really banging percs all over the place for clubbing, then it's ok as well. Now you'd probably ask... "well I don't really know what I want to do, I'm new to this?" Try listening to music already out there as it will help you a lot to collect ideas, but then again it'll bring the temptation of copying the styles of other producers. Sorry for so much bullshit talk about originality, it's just that trance has been inundated with so much generic shit over the last few years, that everyone here has become ultra-sensitive about this.

I really appreciate your criticism, and, just as you, I appreciate originality.

About the track, yes, it's meant to sound soft (it's a theme I composed for my girlfriend, so I wanted it smooth ). What I really hate about it, is the percussion.

OK, I'll tell the primitive method I use to make the tracks: first, I compose them in Guitar Pro. It's so primitive, that I have to make different tracks to make delays by hand haha. After that, I export it to MIDI and playback with Yamaha XG Synthesizer while recording with CoolEdit. Since it is General MIDI based, I have just one kickdrum, one hithat, 3 snaredrums that sound like crap, and so. As for the synths, just the crap that comes with General MIDI.

The main reason because I want to use another program are 1) Need more drum and synth samples and 2) Need effects (I say "effects" for reverb, arpeggiator, and all that stuff that this video shows.

quote:

Originally posted by hkaliher I just learned FL by playing around with it and it took me a while since it was the first program like it i had ever used.

That's exactly what I'm planning to do as soon as I have time. Just tinker with the program

quote:

i like the track though, really good for first try hell i think it is better than a lot of stuff that's coming out in trance now

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by david.michael FL Studio (Fruity Loops) is fully capable, by the way, and there are pros that use it.

FL Studio all the way baby
The latest version is really really potent, this upgrade didn't feel like a waste at all. I love it!

quote:

Originally posted by Whirloop FL Studio all the way baby The latest version is really really potent, this upgrade didn't feel like a waste at all. I love it!

Because of its origins, FL Studio has this stigma about it that it's a toy or is not "capable". Many won't realize or accept that it has evolved into a fully-fledged, professional DAW. I personally love its workflow and interface.

The unfortunate thing is that there ARE a lot of douches using it to make junk as well, so that doesn't help. (Youtube: "here's how to make [shitty cover version of] blah-blah popular song!")

Better still, don't use software, just hardware! (oldschool!)



Is this Armin? Nah this guy is way better...


(ofcourse you would need some money in order to buy all the equipment...!)

Sadly, I suck at it I play bass, but never had the "touch" for keyboards.

I've been tinkering with FL Studio 5. I'll try to make something interesting and then I'll post it here

What you have is very nice for a first production. Glad that you aren't launching right in to using cliched elements like so many new producers do.

This thread should be moved to the Production forum, though...

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles What you have is very nice for a first production. Glad that you aren't launching right in to using cliched elements like so many new producers do.

Thanks!

quote:

This thread should be moved to the Production forum, though...

Yep, I already asked for that. Please, I'll be very grateful if a mod or an admin moves this to that forum

Id recommend either Reason 4 or the Latest Fruity Loops. "Try" out both, and see which one allows you to get whats in your head onto the canvas. I use neither, but have used Reason 2.0 in the past. They are good starter sequencing and arrangement environments, many use them professionally.

Reason 4 is all inclusive of the instruments you need. Fruity Loops is more versastile but you would have to get some VST's and drum machines/samplers along with it. For trance id recommend getting Nexus, Albino 3, Vanguard, MiniMoog, Kontakt or Battery. FX and mixing units, like EQ's, Compressors, Reverb, Delay (Waves Bundle). Voxengo also makes easy to use sound engineering software.

quote:

Originally posted by LionsLair Id recommend either Reason 4 or the Latest Fruity Loops. "Try" out both, and see which one allows you to get whats in your head onto the canvas. I use neither, but have used Reason 2.0 in the past. They are good starter sequencing and arrangement environments, many use them professionally. Reason 4 is all inclusive of the instruments you need. Fruity Loops is more versastile but you would have to get some VST's and drum machines/samplers along with it. For trance id recommend getting Nexus, Albino 3, Vanguard, MiniMoog, Kontakt or Battery. FX and mixing units, like EQ's, Compressors, Reverb, Delay (Waves Bundle). Voxengo also makes easy to use sound engineering software.

Wow! Thanks! I'll take all those in mind. I think I'm going to download the demos right now (is any of these a freeware?).

Nah, you have to pay for all of those.

I use Reason 4.0 for most of my stuff.

Voxengo offers some decent effect plugins for free:

http://www.voxengo.com/products/

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