the way i see trance is
the emotion of house
meets the technical bliss of techno...
maybe?

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Funny - I just finished a communications essay on the origins and components of trance music. Here is an excerpt from it. Check the whole thing out at
www.members.shaw.ca/morganplug/trance.htm


Trance
Pronunciation: 'tran(t)s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French transe, from transir to pass away, swoon, from Latin transpire to pass, pass away
1: a state of partly suspended animation or inability to function
2: a somnolent state (as of deep hypnosis)
3: a state of profound abstraction or absorption

Music is life. And like life itself, music is constantly evolving. Elements associated with one particular style of music make their way into contrasting genres, spurring a progression of sound. To this fashion, all types of music are influential to one extent or another. Of all the music genres, it is that of 'electronica' that has had the largest influence over the last two decades. Trance music (perhaps the most popular sub genre of electronica) is one of the most listened to, and misunderstood music types. In order to appreciate the nature of Trance music, one must understand the origins of trance, as well as the history of electronica music itself.
'Electronica' is arguably impossible to categorize. Electronica is defined (at the most simplistic level) as computer music. Computers have long been used in the music industry as a tool, an extension of analogue instruments. It wasn't until the 1980's when personal computers became powerful enough truly revolutionize the music industry.
Instead of being used for the immediate creation of music, computers were put to the task of 'cleaning up' performances recorded live and setting them to disc. Differing hardware packages (mixers, pianos, equalizers, etc) were specifically tailored as input devices for such computers, the synthesized sounds they produced an earmark of the 1980's popular music scene.
As computers became all the time more powerful, the tasks they performed evolved as well, and producers started creating music solely from the digital world. Hardware evolved along with the computers they paralleled, allowing for the production of increasingly complex and subtle sound effects. Computers were no longer inhibited by hardware and synthesizes, but only by the imagination of the producers and music composers that used them.
Perhaps the most ambiguous and adaptable genre in the realm of electronica is trance; a freeform music style derived (at least partly) from techno. There is no strict definition for trance music; although songs from this genre are characterized by a steady drum pattern, swirling melodic hooks, subtle and soaring synths, and additional aural elements -all combined to provide deep texture and rhythm.
The earliest trance was drawn out from monotonous beats set along short voice samples. Trance was directly influenced steady bass beats of techno while appropriating the melodic nature of European house music (known as 'club' or 'euro'). What set trance apart from house (and still does) are the uplifting and epic melodies; which differ from the energized and bouncy riffs that accompany house music.
Trance music spread quickly, and was picked up immediately by the most popular club dj's of the world. By the mid 1990's, trance had emerged commercially as the most popular of Electronic Dance Music genres. Edgier then the deep dark grooves of house, more soothing then drum-and-bass, less piercing then techno, trance found a niche with millions of clubbers and dj's alike.
Trance music generally builds from a simple drum pattern (a standard 4/4 beat - four constant drum beats cycled 4 times), upon which additional elements and aural patterns are layered. As is the case with all music types, new elements are added to the beat after 8,16, or 32 beats. The easiest method for identifying such a drum pattern is to begin counting beats from the first beat of a set (which is usually accompanied by a cymbal and high-hat). This cymbal is the first beat, using it to start off, count to 8. After the 8th beat, begin again at 1, and so on, and so forth. New elements and change ups in the song will always occur on the first beat of the bar, and the overlaying melodies of the songs that accompany the beat will cycle in 4 or 8 beat patterns.
An overly generalized pattern for an entire trance song appears as such: ABCDA, where A is the build up (or breakdown), B is the addition of the main melody to the beats, C is a breakdown of the song, and D the is complete package - beats and melody that combine to create the most energized section of the song. Section B is often very similar to section D, some additional aural effects layered over D often being the only difference between the two. Typical trance contains a breakdown in the song (C) in which the beat is dropped, the melody is focused, and then the beat is brought back with renewed intensity.

Wow, a whole essay...I just printed the full version, it'll be tomorrow's bus & subway reading.

quote:

i truely believe that "TRANCE" was evolved from "NEW WAVE".

Well a lot of new wave had the emotional aspect, the futuristic rhetoric and the experimental approach to technology just like trance does. Have a listen to Tears For Fears "Pale Shelter", or Flock Of Seagulls "I Ran". Even though they're pretty far from trance, listen to the mood and the production.

But like it or not, I think emotional/uplifting and especially dream trance owes a lot to New Age, rather than New Wave.

Any of you with WinMX or other p2p, if you're into Chicane or songs like "For An Angel", you absolutely MUST get the song "Oasis" by Kitaro. I'll explain why after you get it.

dude I have to totally friggen agree, I am smashed hardcore right now, and I don't really remember what you said, I know it was something about the beginning of trance, but that is cool.

(end of random drunken rant!)

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Not a bad essay, Azareal, some good points in the critiques. I think the history part's pretty vague; maybe you were trying to keep it short, some of it's a bit off too.

Whatever the case, it's hard to talk about the background of trance without mentioning...

(in approximate chronological order)
Robert Moog
Kraftwerk
Georgio Moroder (Donna Summer - I Feel Love [1977])
Yellow Magic Orchestra
MIDI and Sampling!!
New Order - "Blue Monday"
Hi-NRG
M/A/R/R/S - "Pump Up The Volume"
Latin freestyle
Italo-disco
Derrick May
the comeback of the 909, 808 and 303 machines
the Warehouse club in Chicago
the Paradise Garage in NYC
D-Mob
the island of Ibiza!
Early Rave culture
The Orb
Eurodance

...and y'all know the rest.
Feel free to add to the list.

Education, peeps!

Last edited by Taz on Jun-02-2002 at 00:57

quote:

the comeback of the 909, 808 and 303 machines

Bah ... my big brother had an original 303 and 909 from when he was in some try hard new wave band at university ... they sat in his cupboard gathering dust for years until he had a bit of a spring clean and sold them at a car boot sale for $50NZ (about $20US) for the pair ... I was too young and into heavy metal at the time ... I didn't realize what it was he had until I got into electronic music a couple of years later ... god, I'd crawl across broken glass for those things now ... the DUMB MUTHAF****R!!

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tribal is the greatest (next to trance). But its hard to find really good tribal.. I love the mixology lable, they've got some crazy tracks. For example "Eric Pier O'Niel - Revenge 2".

mm... so good to mix, too. and it seems to add variety to an intense trance mix.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ A.i i truely believe that "TRANCE" was evolved from "NEW WAVE".

not new wavy i think, but early experimenters like tangerine dream and jean michel jarre (whose tracks have been covered by Fire & Ice and Shane54)

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quote:

Originally posted by Maxim303 not new wavy i think, but early experimenters like tangerine dream and jean michel jarre

Yes. Tangerine Dream, J-M Jarre, Vangelis and Kraftwerk. These I would call the grandfathers of trance

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quote:

Originally posted by Taz Not a bad essay, Azareal, some good points in the critiques. I think the history part's pretty vague; maybe you were trying to keep it short, some of it's a bit off too. Whatever the case, it's hard to talk about the background of trance without mentioning... (in approximate chronological order) Robert Moog Kraftwerk Georgio Moroder (Donna Summer - I Feel Love [1977]) Yellow Magic Orchestra MIDI and Sampling!! New Order - "Blue Monday" Hi-NRG M/A/R/R/S - "Pump Up The Volume" Latin freestyle Italo-disco Derrick May the comeback of the 909, 808 and 303 machines the Warehouse club in Chicago the Paradise Garage in NYC D-Mob the island of Ibiza! Early Rave culture The Orb Eurodance ...and y'all know the rest. Feel free to add to the list. Education, peeps!

You are right on the money Taz - and thanks for the feedback on the essay. I had to keep it fairly short in order to fit the requirements of the assignment. Maybe I will rewrite the essay with specific referrals to past artists that create the precedents and permissions which trance rests upon. Truthfully, I didn't really even expect anyone other then my proffesor to read the paper :P BTW - which parts were off? (as per quote) - if I do rewrite, I obviously would like to keep the paper dead on. Although that may be an impossible feat as the true history of trance is better expressed through music then with words. Anyhow, thanks for reading, thanks for suggestions - might have to wax philosophical with you sometime...

~Azareal