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What is Progressive??!??

I keep hearing this term progressive.
What exactly is it and who are the producers/DJs?
I did a search on progressive but it didn't get me anywhere.
Someone wrote that Chris Fortier was progressive but I have always thought of the style of music Chris Fortier plays as Electronic Soundscapes. I think of John Digweed, Heaven Scent.
I love the song Communication by AvB it has this rolling baseline very similar to Dreamtime by Ferry Corsten. Is this progressive?

Use the Search button.

de 'hokjesgeest' as we call it in dutch. How do you explain trance in words? I don't think you can.
I think it's a certain sound, but progressive is so wide, it can't be explained (IMHO)

Re: What is Progressive??!??

quote:

Originally posted by timmyboy2 I keep hearing this term progressive. What exactly is it and who are the producers/DJs? I did a search on progressive but it didn't get me anywhere. Someone wrote that Chris Fortier was progressive but I have always thought of the style of music Chris Fortier plays as Electronic Soundscapes. I think of John Digweed, Heaven Scent. I love the song Communication by AvB it has this rolling baseline very similar to Dreamtime by Ferry Corsten. Is this progressive?

Progressive is a wide term. There are many different subgenres in progressive.
But to help answer your question.
Some big progressive producers are John Digweed and Sasha (his new album Airdrawndagger isnt really progressive, its more ambient and breaks, it has many elements of progressive in it though).
Really any album in the Global Underground series can be considered Progressive.
Another way you can hear some progressive sounds is to go to an online record store such as http://www.planetxusa.com and check out their selection of Progressive. You can listen to samples of the songs with realplayer. Just listen to a bunch of tracks under the different catagories of progressive and you can get a feel for each sound.

Is there a true explaination of progressive out there? I've heard so many different ones.

O yay, use the search

Lets get one thins straight.
There is no such genre labeled progressive...progressive is a prefix attatched to a specific genre of electronica to give it it's characteristic.
Saying you like "progressive" is saying you like "hard"....hard what? Hard house? Trance? Same thing with prog...you like progressive what? Prog house? Trance? Same deal.
People be shooting around the word progressive without even knowing it's use...it's NOT a genre, but a prefix to be affixed on a specific division of electronica to classify it under a certain genre.

If you use it in poorman terms like everybody is and when it was trendy(2001-2002), ANYTHING is "progressive" to it's true term...epic trance has a progressive feel to it namely because it follows the same format: it "progresses" along and builds up. No. People are very confused as to what progressive is. From my musical knowledge(as limited as it may be) and my listening experience, progressive relies more on feel and mood, ambience and structure, and steadiness rather than big synths,speed, power and overblown buildups that many tracks these days are guilty of(just had to throw that in there). And yes, there is a striking differene between progressive and
"regular"

I know that some people will have different opinions about this, but I can safely say that this holds true on many accounts.
Hope this helps.

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn Lets get one thins straight. There is no such genre labeled progressive...progressive is a prefix attatched to a specific genre of electronica to give it it's characteristic. Saying you like "progressive" is saying you like "hard"....hard what? Hard house? Trance? Same thing with prog...you like progressive what? Prog house? Trance? Same deal. People be shooting around the word progressive without even knowing it's use...it's NOT a genre, but a prefix to be affixed on a specific division of electronica to classify it under a certain genre. If you use it in poorman terms like everybody is and when it was trendy(2001-2002), ANYTHING is "progressive" to it's true term...epic trance has a progressive feel to it namely because it follows the same format: it "progresses" along and builds up. No. People are very confused as to what progressive is. From my musical knowledge(as limited as it may be) and my listening experience, progressive relies more on feel and mood, ambience and structure, and steadiness rather than big synths,speed, power and overblown buildups that many tracks these days are guilty of(just had to throw that in there). And yes, there is a striking differene between progressive and "regular" I know that some people will have different opinions about this, but I can safely say that this holds true on many accounts. Hope this helps.

well put!

You are right about there being a striking difference between prog. and non-prog . Only I am totally unable to describe it in words. I know it when I hear it.

As for genres, I typically associate prog with house. Deep Dish comes to mind, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn Lets get one thins straight. There is no such genre labeled progressive...progressive is a prefix attatched to a specific genre of electronica to give it it's characteristic.

That's actually very wrong. Progressive *is* a genre and is short for "progressive house". It's a genre that started around 1995 or so (some say earlier), and some of it's main proponents have been Sasha, Digweed, Danny Howells, Anothony Pappa, and Nick Warren.

Progressive music casts a wide net. It can be thumpy and dubby (think Lexicon Ave productions), trancy and ethereal (think anything Sasha plays), hard and funky (think recent Slide productions), or very smooth and minimal (think Shmuel Flash productions).

Back in the mid-90s, trance was an offshoot of progressive house that combined some Goa influences. By the late 90s, Trance had pretty much become it's own genre, but that doesn't mean progressive isn't still thriving and, um, "progressing" its sound independent of that.

Hope this helps.

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn Lets get one thins straight. There is no such genre labeled progressive...progressive is a prefix attatched to a specific genre of electronica to give it it's characteristic. Saying you like "progressive" is saying you like "hard"....hard what? Hard house? Trance? Same thing with prog...you like progressive what? Prog house? Trance? Same deal. People be shooting around the word progressive without even knowing it's use...it's NOT a genre, but a prefix to be affixed on a specific division of electronica to classify it under a certain genre. If you use it in poorman terms like everybody is and when it was trendy(2001-2002), ANYTHING is "progressive" to it's true term...epic trance has a progressive feel to it namely because it follows the same format: it "progresses" along and builds up. No. People are very confused as to what progressive is. From my musical knowledge(as limited as it may be) and my listening experience, progressive relies more on feel and mood, ambience and structure, and steadiness rather than big synths,speed, power and overblown buildups that many tracks these days are guilty of(just had to throw that in there). And yes, there is a striking differene between progressive and "regular" I know that some people will have different opinions about this, but I can safely say that this holds true on many accounts. Hope this helps.

I agree with you on several points, like the build-up of progressive records (and dj sets). The thing i like about prog. (and dislike about trance) is that trance is so unique (they are all so different with their uplifting melodies) that a trance set, doesn't sound as one big piece of music, and progressive sets do (which is also the thing i like about techno).
I used to play techno, but since a few months i started buying other styles of records (progressive records). But with records like NYNY, you definetely hear it's progressive, but progressive what? By calling all records which are progressive, but can't be classified as a genre, progressive, isn't a totally new (broad, wide) genre born?
And, just like you said, the term progressive may be used by everyone in his own way (because there are no rules about what is what).

Well said above, very hard to pin point which progressive genre someone is playing. Nick Warren, Dave Seaman, Deep Dish, Digweed, Sasha, Omid 16B, Dave Ralph,Saeed & Palash, Noel Sanger, Satoshi Tommie, Christopher Lawrence, Chris Cowie, Filterheadz, Tomcraft, Dave Ralph, Timo Maas, Starecase, Electric Tease, DJ Nugen, Fitalic, Bart Van Wissen, Futureshock, John Debo, Chris Fortier, Michael Pasberg, Minilogue, Mindspace, Mind Control, Malu, Oliver Lieb, Chonga, Cosmos, Pat Fosheen etc... These DJs/Producers are listed mostly under Trance-Progressive UK style at www.planetxusa.com Now this trance-progressive UK genre can be divided further, what I look for are these three Deep Progressive Trance, Deep Progressive House, and if I'm lucky Progressive Breaks.

There is a very thin line Between Deep Progressive trance and Deep Progressive House, basically I just listen to the main bass line, that is: Pitch of it(bpm) rhythm(mostly beats or melodic)and breakdowns and lifts back up(basically if you hear any sort of funky synths or stabs, or disco sounds, or anything that would make you instantly think of a house track, then 99% it is a deep progressive house) keep in mind that deep progressive house can also be a little melodic here is an example: go to www.planetxusa.com, click on DJ Shoppe, using filters check Trance, and artist name Tomas Haverlik and click search, find track called Hannah release date 03/03/2003, click on the Green Arrow pointing left for preview. Now there are 3 mixes: 1st is Deep progressive House, 2nd is progressive breaks, 3rd is deep progressive trance, the 3rd is just a bit faster than 1st mix and the main beats sound just a tat different(they sound more like regular trance, whereas in prog house, main beats still sound a bit housey). Another examples: DJ Nukem -- Crash, deep progressive house, Lowry -- Raiser deep progressive house 1st mix, deep progressive trance second mix; Justin O'Brien & Jonathan -- Levitate(Momu Rmx) orig mix is deep progressive trance and 2nd mix is progressive breaks; and I just ordered this excellent record>>Bart Van Wissen -- Space Tourist b/w Distant Region released on 02/10/2003 1st track goes from deep progressive trance to progressive breaks and back, 2nd track is right in between the deep progressive trance and deep progressive house, but I'd call it Deep Progressive House and it is very melodic, but again just those main bass beats sound housey to me. Slincer -- Rollin N Controllin -- good example of some of the best progressive breaks I've heard in a while, other side is epic trancer, not previewd.

Now there is also what is known as Progressive Trance and Progressive House(not Deep Stuff) Prog Trance is also known as up-beat progressive trance or energetic progressive trance DJs/Producers like: PDV, Christopher Lawrence, Oliver Lieb, Jon The Dentist, Blair Bitch, Nova, Tom Wax, DJ Tiesto, Sandra Collins, Max B Grant, Svenson & Gielen. at planetxusa.com they listed this energetic trance progressive as "Trance--Progressive Belg/Germ style" The Progressive House, is also a little more energetic than Deep Progressive house, and it is very rhythmic, very very little melody. here is an example of regular Progressive house: BC -- Switch.
If you like Deep Progressive Trance here is the link to two of my favorite progressive trance and progressive trance-house mixes:
www.djjeffyen.com click on Multimedia and listen to both DJ Jeff Yen-Deep Progressive Trance and DJ Wedoe -- Progressive breaks and deep progressive trance-house. Enjoy...

I did use the search button

I kind of understand. I read a really funny article a couple of years ago and PVD was getting sick of people throwing the word "trance" around and he wanted to call his music electronica or electronic soundscapes. I've always considerd PVD to be melodic trance while Sasha Digweed and Fortier do more minimalist stuff with a back beat and different soundeffects thrown in. I saw John Digweed in Chicago and he kicked ass!!!

Cass used this example

progressive is not really a genre he said...it's really just forward thinking music.

quote:

Originally posted by torontotrance Cass used this example progressive is not really a genre he said...it's really just forward thinking music.

Oh Shit, I like that quote lol!!!

Progressive is not a genre; it's an attitude towards Electronic Music.

Try the first disc of Sasha's Global Underground: Ibiza for progressive trance. If you want the housier side of progressive music, listen to the beginning of the first disc of John Digweed's Bedrock. If you want to hear the deep, heavy tribal progressive, listen to disc 2 of John Digweed's Global Underground: Los Angeles.

If you want to hear why progressive live sets can be so amazing, any recent Sasha and Digweed essential mix.

quote:

That's actually very wrong. Progressive *is* a genre and is short for "progressive house".

You just quoted yourself and mine and proved yourself wrong. That's the point I was trying to make...people are saying porgressive is a genre, when in fact it's a short term for either prog house or trance.
Just like you said, it's progressive house. There's no such thing as just "progressive"...
But in fact what you say is true, then what is progressive trance? Is that prog too? If so, then according to your definition, prog=prog trance, prog=prog house, therefore prog trance=prog house? Of course not.
It doesn't matter though. These days everybody is classifiying electronica so much that it's beginning to fall apart because there are too many to account for...lieterally, one can make a new genre by adding a adjectivial prefix such as deep, or funky to any kinda electronica and claim it as a new genre...funky tech trance anybody?
I just answered because I thought I could give my input. It all comes down to just listening to the music and experiencing what we all love. Peace.

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn I just answered because I thought I could give my input. It all comes down to just listening to the music and experiencing what we all love. Peace.

werd. too many people worry about the classifications of electronic dance music and what is actually "right" (i remember being on some forums and everyone getting upset at whether dnb evolved from jungle or if they were to different genres or whatever i dont really remember).
Point is, use some words that describe the sound. Don't worry too much on what's "correct."
The point is to enjoy the sound of the song, progressive, trance, whatever are just ways to describe it.

forwards thinking music for backwards thinking people

hope you don't mind me borrowing your sig ste

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn You just quoted yourself and mine and proved yourself wrong. That's the point I was trying to make...people are saying porgressive is a genre, when in fact it's a short term for either prog house or trance. Just like you said, it's progressive house. There's no such thing as just "progressive"... But in fact what you say is true, then what is progressive trance? Is that prog too? If so, then according to your definition, prog=prog trance, prog=prog house, therefore prog trance=prog house? Of course not. It doesn't matter though. These days everybody is classifiying electronica so much that it's beginning to fall apart because there are too many to account for...lieterally, one can make a new genre by adding a adjectivial prefix such as deep, or funky to any kinda electronica and claim it as a new genre...funky tech trance anybody? I just answered because I thought I could give my input. It all comes down to just listening to the music and experiencing what we all love. Peace.

basically i think he got you.
well done mate

late
dreamer

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn You just quoted yourself and mine and proved yourself wrong. That's the point I was trying to make...people are saying porgressive is a genre, when in fact it's a short term for either prog house or trance. Just like you said, it's progressive house. There's no such thing as just "progressive"... But in fact what you say is true, then what is progressive trance? Is that prog too? If so, then according to your definition, prog=prog trance, prog=prog house, therefore prog trance=prog house? Of course not.

Um no. There's prog house and then there's everything else. I find the term "progressive trance" to be an oxymoron. It is oblivious to the fact that "progressive" predated trance by quite a bit. The terminology of this has to do with the history of the music, independent from how record stores categorize their music today.

But I hear ya. Perhaps the only reason people should categorize the music is so that I can find what I'm looking for at the record shop without having to search through a zillion bins.

quote:

It doesn't matter though. These days everybody is classifiying electronica so much that it's beginning to fall apart because there are too many to account for...lieterally, one can make a new genre by adding a adjectivial prefix such as deep, or funky to any kinda electronica and claim it as a new genre...funky tech trance anybody? I just answered because I thought I could give my input. It all comes down to just listening to the music and experiencing what we all love. Peace.

I can agree with that.

I think using the term "Progressive" as a genre name is meant as a blanket term to cover both Progressive House and Progressive Trance, since there's so much overlap and cross-over between the two. It's often hard to draw the line... some tracks are housier, some are trancier, and many meet in the middle with elements from both house and trance.

quote:

Originally posted by dJohn Lets get one thins straight. There is no such genre labeled progressive...progressive is a prefix attatched to a specific genre of electronica to give it it's characteristic. Saying you like "progressive" is saying you like "hard"....hard what? Hard house? Trance? Same thing with prog...you like progressive what? Prog house? Trance? Same deal. People be shooting around the word progressive without even knowing it's use...it's NOT a genre, but a prefix to be affixed on a specific division of electronica to classify it under a certain genre. If you use it in poorman terms like everybody is and when it was trendy(2001-2002), ANYTHING is "progressive" to it's true term...epic trance has a progressive feel to it namely because it follows the same format: it "progresses" along and builds up. No. People are very confused as to what progressive is. From my musical knowledge(as limited as it may be) and my listening experience, progressive relies more on feel and mood, ambience and structure, and steadiness rather than big synths,speed, power and overblown buildups that many tracks these days are guilty of(just had to throw that in there). And yes, there is a striking differene between progressive and "regular" I know that some people will have different opinions about this, but I can safely say that this holds true on many accounts. Hope this helps.

OMG, finally someone sets the damn record straight

its so annoying hereing newbs say shit like "i like trance and progressive"

yes to add to what he was saying just like there is uplifting trance and psy trance there is also progressive trance

there is no such thing as progressive and never ever EVER say that annoying ignorant two words in sequence, "trance and progressive", end of rant

I think the difference between Prog House and Prog Trance is really shown well in the dj set of SK at IC 02. He plays alot of Prog House, but also some prog trance (Come Closer, Buenes Aires and Protection). Are am I totally wrong now?

When I makd a "Prog" set, it'll have both house and trance. But trance is house, so the line is fine.

Prog can mean everything from prog house, to prog breaks including prog trance. Hell, it can even be Technoy.

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