Non-saw wave appreciation thread - TranceAddict Forums

TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Production Studio
-- Non-saw wave appreciation thread

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Nov-05-2009 16:28:

Non-saw wave appreciation thread

Seems like for a while in trance I hear a lot of tracks using nothing but saw waves or supersaws for synths. For bass, leads, arps, pads, supporting synths, everything. Maybe some white noise buildup or a "choir"-sounding pad in the breakdown, but otherwise nothing but saw waves to be heard.

This thread is for all of us who appreciate a good non-saw sound. Link to some of your favorite trance tracks that use non-saw sounds, or post up some of your own non-saw stuff. Here's to a break from the endless procession of saw waves!

Posted by Eric J on Nov-05-2009 16:44:

For me, all this stuff is much more "trance" than anything labeled as such these days. Now it's called "techno" or "tech house".

Sasha & John Digweed @ EXIT Festival 2009 pt. 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s3tf60W_10

Sasha & John Digweed @ EXIT Festival 2009 pt. 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHUx...feature=related

Sasha & John Digweed @ EXIT Festival 2009 pt. 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVc3...feature=related

No fist pumping, no Jesus poses, no "look at me, I turned a dial" poses, and, most importantly, no SAWS!

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Nov-05-2009 16:51:

Breeder - "The Chain" has one of my favorite square-ish leads:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3Ka9z2QDaU

Posted by cryophonik on Nov-05-2009 16:56:

Square waves rule!!!

Posted by DjStephenWiley on Nov-05-2009 17:19:

Trance is pretty much defined from a saw sound. To me what Eric linked is prog house, not Trance.

It's hard for me to identify any tracks that I consider Trance that do not use saws. They are what provide that rich harmonic sound that defines every genre of Trance.

You get all those nice square and triangle waves in your house tracks.

Just my opinion. I personally am not a "Tranceaddict" and enjoy many genres and produce both progressive house and Trance so spreading out love for all the waves is nothing new. Something I think that is very underrated is triangle bass. Especially triangle bass from some of the older analog machines. The Sine wave has become way over-used for sub-bass and as a side-chain trigger in my opinion, but I guess that is what trends do to things.

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Nov-05-2009 17:23:

Leama's "Requiem For A Dream," classic with a great triangle-ish lead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wJMj0c47qY

Posted by Simon_N on Nov-05-2009 18:30:

Absolutely love this track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIlc31E-DH4

Posted by Mr.Mystery on Nov-05-2009 19:47:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBbaht2ybpM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-TIW36bycg

Posted by Eric J on Nov-05-2009 19:53:

quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Mystery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBbaht2ybpM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-TIW36bycg

Nice.

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Nov-05-2009 20:04:

quote:
Originally posted by Mr.Mystery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBbaht2ybpM

Love that bassline. Actually I love pretty much all the Art of Trance / Union Jack acid basslines. Another good one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0qljxrhaCs

So much more fun than most of the endless so-called "rolling" sound-alike shite you get in a lot of trance now.

Posted by TaylorR on Nov-05-2009 20:31:

I'm a square wave lover myself

makes some dirty dirty basslinez

Posted by parafrNalia on Nov-05-2009 22:41:

I absolutely love saw waves, but there are some great use of squares out there.

Posted by Timothy on Nov-06-2009 12:11:

Pulser - Square One

:P

Posted by Richard Butler on Nov-06-2009 13:56:

I went out of my way to build a square wave lead recently and posted the track on another forum. Guess what comment I got back;

"nice mloe, but try a saw"

Posted by Stef on Nov-06-2009 14:57:

quote:
Originally posted by Eric J
For me, all this stuff is much more "trance" than anything labeled as such these days. Now it's called "techno" or "tech house".

Sasha & John Digweed @ EXIT Festival 2009 pt. 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s3tf60W_10

Sasha & John Digweed @ EXIT Festival 2009 pt. 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHUx...feature=related

Sasha & John Digweed @ EXIT Festival 2009 pt. 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVc3...feature=related

No fist pumping, no Jesus poses, no "look at me, I turned a dial" poses, and, most importantly, no SAWS!

That entire set sounds like one big intro to a sub-par house track. And this is coming from someone who goes to minimal and techno events every other week.

Sasha and Digweed are so weak live its disgusting. James Zabiela always puts on an amazing show however.

Posted by RichieV on Nov-06-2009 15:30:

they should the genre name progressive house to adult contemporary. That retard in the background desperately trying to understand what those djs are doing is fucking hilarious.

Posted by cryophonik on Nov-06-2009 16:40:

quote:
Originally posted by Richard Butler
I went out of my way to build a square wave lead recently and posted the track on another forum. Guess what comment I got back;

"nice mloe, but try a saw"

That's not surprising. EDM producers are notorious for telling everybody that they have to be creative, be original, push the boundaries, break the rules, etc., then criticize you when you try something that's even slightly unconventional. Do what you like and, if it's at all decent (as your stuff is from what I've heard), most people will like it, and some won't. c'est la vie.

Posted by Eric J on Nov-06-2009 19:43:

quote:
Originally posted by Stef
James Zabiela always puts on an amazing show however.

Yeah, Zabiela is an amazing performer live.

dancetrippin just put out a new video of him at Space, check it out.

http://www.dancetrippin.tv/lib.cfm/.../James_Zabiela/

Posted by Richard Butler on Nov-07-2009 12:28:

quote:
Originally posted by cryophonik

EDM producers are notorious for telling everybody that they have to be creative, be original, push the boundaries, break the rules, etc., then criticize you when you try something that's even slightly unconventional.

Yep I agree. I have a personal dislike of using kick / snare rolls in buildups - for one my wife always hates those parts as being an 'awful barrage', so I deliberately try and avoid using. Then the comments come that I'm missing a snare roll.

Listening to film critic yesterday reminded me just way critical advice whilst useful, is not the be all and end all. For example film crits in the UK seem so focused on dialogue and Human relationships, whereas I'm all about the atmosphere - I'm surrounded my Humans day long, so from a film I want a substantial menacing atmosphere to take me out of my usual world. Why I love Alien over Allen any day.

Posted by Stef on Nov-07-2009 19:10:

quote:
Originally posted by Eric J
Yeah, Zabiela is an amazing performer live.

dancetrippin just put out a new video of him at Space, check it out.

http://www.dancetrippin.tv/lib.cfm/.../James_Zabiela/

Damn! thanks for linking that, that was absolutely awesome.

EDIT: what is that song at 40:00?

Posted by Eric J on Nov-07-2009 19:16:

quote:
Originally posted by Stef
Damn! thanks for linking that, that was absolutely awesome.

Thought you might like that. James always looks like he is having so much fun on stage.