Well, that's quite difficult, as you might have expected....
What "fits together" in western music is described in our music theory which uses certain terms to describe it. This is a lot easier than to say "if you have this note you have to go three half to the left on your piano". fI you have a look at one of those algorithmic composing tools you see that it needs to know many of these technical parameters allthough the "theory" is included in the algorithms, that means even the program can't decide what sounds good or not without making certain assumptions...

BUT... we're talking about trance and not about classical orchestration. In my oppinion you should keep it as simple as possible. Look at popular anthem trance tracks and you realize that the number of different chord progression schemes is quite limited. If you don't want to learn any theory than you have to use trial and error. Write down a popular chord sequence (you could use a midifile if you can't write it down by ear)and find out which scale they are based on. Thera are tables where you can look it up if you don't know these basics (sometimes they are also illustrated so that you know which keys to play). Then play this chord sequence with a pad sound with your left hand. With the right hand try to "walk" from chord to chord using only keys from your base scale. If you know which notes fit you start trying rythmic variations.

cheers mate!

the second paragraph answers my question. no complicated words just says what to do.

thanks!

___________________
Official Site - www.sterilis.co.uk

Your song expectations also play a big deal in developing a melody. Say you want something more energetic and happy, you might want to try a major key with lots of P5 and P4 intervals. If you are going for more of a melodic/emotional piece, you might try more m3 and m6 intervals. It depends. I played piano for 12 years so this comes readily but honestly the best way to make a melody is to draw out bassline notes. Say go from F to E to D to E and loop that. Then above it draw out notes in key that sound good. Can't really say anything else. Chords typically come out of theory because after a while you kind of expect what follows a note so that the melody resolves or develops. Stick with just simple notes and work your way up. Get a nice 2 bar pattern going and repeat it for 8 bars and then play with the bassline notes. That usually works too. Wow my response was really random. If that didn't help that listen to the guy up there. Cheers.

___________________
Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself

Learning chords themselves don't help me as much as having a set of keys by my side to toy with.

A good-sized MIDI controler game my fingers a scratchpad to work with. I've had some tiny bit of musical training years ago, but I think a basic knowledge of music and a MIDI controller is a must for any computer-based musician.

___________________
Audio-s