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Trance sub-categories
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| kixalot |
Alright, I'm hoping to finally settle this. For years, I've heard tracks described as "progressive", "hard trance", "uplifting", etc...People have always told me that one track is a certain style, only to be followed by an argument from somebody else over what style this certain track really is.
So I'm asking the good people of tranceaddict to settle this once and for all. Please detail what makes a certain track fit into a certain category. Uplifting, Hardstyle, you name it...Some examples of tracks would be great too. I'm sure that after all this time I'm still misinformed, it'd be nice to finally end all the arguments.
If anybody could post some quick info I'd appreciate it. I'm sure there are many in here who's categorizations differ from others, so this might even become an interesting thread with enough participation. Any help is appreciated. |
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| DJ_Elyot |
There is a huge, huge spectrum of different types of trance, and most tracks don't really fit into one genre... you can have uplifting melodic trance for example... or a track could be a mix of two or more genres... or lie in between them. Subdividing trance is useful in that it gives us a way to describe a song, but often, you can't just take any given song and decide which sub-genre it belongs to.
Here are some basic guidelines (hope this is ok)
Melodic Trance - Most trance is melodic trance. This is the kind with the catchy melody, the characteristic build-up, and the massive, floorfilling synths. Usually there are several layers of harmony or counter-melody underneath the melody to make the track more deep.
ex: Paul Van Dyk - Crush, Solid Globe - Sahara, Tiesto - Suburban Train
Uplifting Trance - more light, happy, often in a major key...
ex: Solar Stone - Seven Cities, Gouryella - Walhalla
Hard Trance - Characteristic pounding bass drum, synths usually have a definite chaotic feel and very driving melodic lines...
ex: Anything by Green Martian, S.H.O.K.K., etc
Cheese - Predictable, cookie-cutter stuff with extremely simple melodies that are catchy enough to sell on MTV. Many TAs will flame you if you like this stuff.
ex: DJ Sammy, ATB's older stuff, Alice Deejay.
Progressive Trance - A mix between prog and trance... still with a melody, but not necessarily the big synths that most trance has... often with a more laid back, atmospheric feel and a more gradual build-up.
ex: Sasha - Xpander, some would say Motorcycle - As The Rush Comes
Breakbeat Trance - Not really a subgenre as much as it is a binary descriptor... for the most part. The characteristic 4/4 beat is replaced by breakbeat elements and often heavy basslines.
ex: Luke Chable & Danny Bonnici - Ride (Take a Break Mix), Sasha - Rabbitweed
Morning Trance - The opposite of hard trance. Instead of bringing about emotions of chaos, its melodies are soothing, relaxing, tranquil, and quite euphoric.
ex: Sholan - Can You Feel (Thrillseekers Mix), Aly & Fila - Eye Of Horus (Ronski Speed Remix)
Vocal Trance - Again, some people classify this as a genre, but it's more just a binary descriptor. Simply put, vocal trance is the kind of trance with vocals (ya know... singing.)
ex: Andain, Sylver, Jan Johnson's stuff
Chillout - Not really trance, chillout is trance slowed down with no pounding bassdrums. Better for relaxing to than for dancing to. Sometimes trance songs have chillout remixes.
ex: Paul Oakenfold - Southern Sun (Solar Stone Chillout Remix), Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated Place
Tech Trance - Trance with some techno-ish elements. Often very repetitive, with hard-hitting sounds and less emphasis on the melody. Sometimes there will be a melodic break and then the melody will disappear as the track builds up again.
ex: DJ Tiesto - Flight 643, Nick Rafferty & Paul Kershaw - We Are Connected (Sunfire Remix)
Goa - Very deep, polyphonic, intense trance with many layers of synth at once. Tracks can be very overwhelming but often sound absolutely amazing. Many goa tracks have middle-eastern influences.
ex: Hallucinogen - Horrorgram, Astral Projection - Heavens Gate
Psy Trance - Similar to Goa, but with less emphasis on melody and more emphasis on wierd noises, funky effects, and crazy percussion.
ex: Astral Projection - Life On Mars
I hope I haven't missed anything... that should serve as a general guideline. |
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| Briden |
| wow, very nice description! |
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| Algenis |
| Morning Trance? Hmmm...cool. |
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