quote:

Originally posted by Subtle Arrangements are supposed to be predictable, you want the people on the floor to know when things are going to happen. The important thing is what you make happen for them.

I dunno. I find it quite exciting when im expecting a song to do something but it doesnt, it kind of keeps me interested if that makes sense.

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles I'm not saying you should just toss in new things at random left and right. I'm saying that you can still make a danceable, club-playable track without using the same intro-littledrop-build-big-breakdown formula that every fucking mainstream trance producer has been copying since at least 1999. It's not really that hard to think up ways to change the arrangement a little and still make it danceable. - Make a ten-minute track with no breakdown. Or one where the breakdown doesn't happen until like eight minutes in. Or one with just a bunch of short drops instead of one big one. Or one that's ambient or breakbeat for the first five minutes then straight four-to-the-floor for the last five. But it seems like practically nobody does this. People just stick to the same "intro + littledrop + build + saw lead with low pass filter that opens up in the break" formula that's already been done thousands of times, and they're apparently unaware (or simply don't care) that hundreds of other producers are doing the exact same fucking thing as they are, just with (BOY OH BOY, here comes the creativity, guys!) slightly different notes. And the worst thing is that when somebody deviates from that formula, they'll say "that's not trance." COME ON. Does this not strike anybody else as fucking absurd?!

Vibrasphere - Autumn Lights (Oliver Prime Mix)

Many tracks does this, just not those mainly considered trance. (i consider it trance though)

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http://soundcloud.com/subtara

Finishing a track isn't hard.

Copy paste, Filter fade in/out and so on.

Your track needs to tell a story. It needs to do something to a certain person.

That is the hardest part in music. No doubt about it.

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quote:

Originally posted by Octanesyco Greetings. My name is Casey. You can call me Moose. -Moose

Finishing a track...oh my...OH MY!

I have HUGE pile of melodies with bass lines + drums.
But not ONE finished song... And I mean HUGE pile!
I just seem to start creating new melodie, new bass line...
And NEVER finish a song, just creating some new short loop.

But now I am trying to get my FIRST complete track done.
And now I even did set a deadline for it, July! So first time I am really starting to notice stuff in songs that I like (how the intro goes, usually the main melody and vocals doesn't go together...).

And now I am listening my old pile of melodies, instead of just creating just another and another and another new melodies to the pile... And marking the "best" ones, deleting the ones that doesn't give anykind of rush. And after this I will select 2-3 of the "best" melodies and try to work them in to a whole song...

Trying to make a "radio" versio, so only 3-4minutes...

quote:

Originally posted by Massive84 Finishing a track isn't hard. Copy paste, Filter fade in/out and so on.

This is exactly what is wrong with today's trance.

Come up with a hook or two, then "copy paste, filter fade in / out."

That's all that trance production is to some people, and that is pitiful.

Hmmm... reading this thread I'm starting to think that the better way to do something "creative" is to don't know trance usual structure.

That's what I actually do, since I don't know its structure (I mean, I don't even understand what this means: "intro + littledrop + build + saw lead with low pass filter that opens up in the break").

When I compose something I just make it to sound in a "cool" way for me.

I dunno if I explained myself.

I think thats the best way, as otherwise you tend to just follow the same old formula, which ultimately has lead to trance tracks be boring and predictable.

quote:

Originally posted by Fernito When I compose something I just make it to sound in a "cool" way for me.

This is good. Keep doing this.

I believe the reason that most jaded ravers and clubbers still say that 1999 was the apex of trance music was because it was shortly thereafter that the epic build/break/drop became part of the formula.

That kind of arrangement is totally undanceable if it fills up an entire set, which is why you hardly ever see it in house music, breaks, D'n'B, or any of the other electronic music genres that get played in clubs. And don't infer that I hate trance - I just hate the horrific mutant mawkish schmaltz that Ferry Corsten and Rank 1 spawned.

That formula may help get your track played on ASOT, but if anything it'll make it less likely to get played in an actual club. I have to wonder if some of you have actually been to one recently to suggest that they really play that stuff in great abundance. On a typical night, maybe 1 track in every 5 will have a significant (say, 10 seconds or more) breakdown.

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2009-02-21 - DJ Attention @ I'm So Popular
2009-06-18 - DJ Annoying @ People Need To Know Where I'll Be
2012-11-32 - DJ Insufferable ɸ Or At Least the Stalkers I Complain About
2048-06-66 - Spastic & Whocares ¶ Although I'm Actually Flattered
9999-45-81 - Tweaker Gimp ☼ I Probably Won't Even Go To This But I Have To Make Sure I Fill Up All The Available Space Here

Having a 8-16+ Bars break here and there can be seen in about 90 % of any EDM Record. Its fundamental to create suspense by removing parts of a track to introduce it later on, also to create tension and introducing new parts. People dancing on the dancefloor needs a break from the beats.

The longer melody u have the longer break you are going to need, that is the reason techno and house doesnt have that long breakdown because they dont need to introduce a long melody line.

Trance can easily skip huge breakdown by having shorter and more repetetive melodies in it.

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http://soundcloud.com/subtara

Wow, this got a lot of responses.

I think i agree that i need to finish my productions faster because it seems i get a few good things and fine tune them to the point i get bored with the track. I think i need to focus on the song as a whole and not each individual element.

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HARD TEKNO