WHAT IS REALLY TRANCE?

[billycartel]

I'm doing a research project for school. I love trance music but i happened to ask myself what it really was. I mean in physical terms. What are the electronic instruments that are solely used in trance music? What are the effects that are only used in trance? Long story short, can anybody tell me everything that physically makes trance such a unique genre? (by ''physically'', I mean instruments, effects, sounds, voices, enything that makes a difference in the sound and only the sound) Thanks!

[Mathew]

trance is what ever you want it to be... you cant define a genre in the electronic dance music scene anymore... i know that doesnt really help but trance isnt one thing as such, but more a meeting point for alot of styles - this is the same with house, techno and other styles... electronic dance music will find its way into any kind of dj set or performance... for example, Gatecrasher residents used to drop Barder's Adagio For Strings, that isnt trance but everyone used to through there hands up, make shapes and blow air horns in the same way you would in breakdowns in other genres... i guess trance is exactly that - a state of trance (no link with armin there honest).

- he's got the trance!

[davehart]

I take it you want to know what are the instruments used in making Trance.

You can use Software, computer based music programs such as Fruity Loops, Cubase to create music or use pysical hardware syths and keyboards. TRrance music is mostly produced from a coputer where all the bits are put together but the parts that make up can realy come from anywhere.

[Viceroy]

I don't think there are any instruments or effects that are used ONLY for trance, especially in these genre-crossing days.
Producers usually use a combination of hardware and software synthesizers. I'm not too sure about the production processes, but these are recorded and then mixed on a computer, then mastered. If you want some ideas about what programs or whatever are used, check out Armin van Buuren's website as he was pictures of all his stuff. Also at http://www.shpongle.com/hallucinogen/frame-main.htm , Simon Posford, the producer behind Hallucinogen, Celtic Cross, and Younger Brother, has pictures of all his stuff. For some reason, it seems psy-trance producers always have loads of hardware that makes for a very impressive-looking studio.

[Spherix]

[Thornael]

This definition I took it from someone who posted in ivibes a long time ago, i hope it helps

Trance is a kind of electronic music (typically, there are no “real”
instruments in electronic music; the sounds are generated by
electronic instruments like keyboards and synthesizers). Trance is
generally considered the most popular form of electronic dance music
(EDM) worldwide. It has heavy, often uplifting melodies and a strong
bass beat and percussion which help to drive the track. Instead of
bands or groups, trance artists are called producers or production
teams.
Many people say all trance sounds the same; but in fact, the variety
of sounds that can be produced by electronic instruments outnumbers
those that could be created by traditional instruments. To add an
extra touch, some producers add sampled or synthesized sounds of real
instruments. These can range from saxophones (Hi-Gate – Saxuality) to
strings and violins (Rank 1 – Symsonic). Vocals, either spoken or
sung, are not unusual, especially in uplifting trance.

[Viceroy]

[Mr. Mitternacht]

Hello, my name is Mr. Mitternacht. Not surely my real name, but hey.

That actually depends on what Trance you're talking about. The first thing is hard to even describe for me. But if you want to know the instruments, it's mainly a synthesizer and drum machine. However nowadays the drum machine seems to take the whole spot for Trance. Anyway you'll want a sequencer and mixer. The sequencer you can mainly use computer operated ones like Reason, Cubase, Fruity Loops, etc. But for people who want to play their music live, it's mainly those two. Then there's the vocoder which I do not own at the moment. You'll have to get better advice about that from the others here.

[tryxx]

i dont think you can really fuklly explain what instruments are used in trance, cos there's lots of them, and paired in so many combinations.

its easier to explain what trance sounds like.

your run-of the mill trance has long, floating synth lines, with pads as an undercurrent to the whole track. the basslines are long and follow the top-end, as opposed to house/techno/hard dance, when the bass comes (quite often) in shorter bursts.

this is my view of it at any rate...