Till today, searching for tips about trance production is such a drag. Everybody explaining the same sh*t over and over again. My point is when is the basic stuff going to stop being explained. Many already did it, so what is next. This tutorial is more of the advanced basics.

Remember when you EQ, it is like a scale. When you add bass, you loose High ends, and Visa Versa. . Many sounds that we use in our production is already balanced through-out the frequency spectrum. So when you EQ, remember to do it smoothly.

Many have said- its better to cut than to boost, then again you have to boost certain frequencies of a sound ( never more than 3db in my opinion ) to make it unique or stand-out. A mix being too flat will not have any energy, and wont make an impact on anyone. Like that scale (EQ) – when you add a little bit here you have to make up for it on the other side. An unbalanced mix will not compliment the speaker output, nor the sound frequencies.

Kick-Drum:

What I like to do is choose a well sounding kick-drum sample to start with. Cause when you marry an ugly girl, no offense, you cannot expect her to become beautiful when she gets older. Just like this, a mix also ages every time you listen to it. So when you reach number 50 times.. that kick-drum is only gonna nag you.

Usually I start with an 8 beat loop- knowing that 4 beats looping the whole time can get a little irritating. Not enough change within the sound loop.. Using 16 is even better. Its all about diversity and variety.

Before I continue, have a look at fig. 1.1. –



As you can see there are 4 big blocks and small ones in between. These blocks represent the 4 beats in the loop.
Now see figure 1.2. –



Lets look at those four beats as a circle \ cycle. Which a loop actually is. Figure 1.2 gives a good explanation of what lurks within the mix. If you would guess, where is the point to add a sound which would have the longest wait from the start and til the end. That would be on the opposite side of the start of the cycle. Which would be beat 3. By adding a gap in your low and upper Mid Synths on beat 3. You will already hear the difference.
It makes a gap in the flow- which gives the loop a definition and a start point. Also use REV sounds to pull into beat 3. This will define the gap even more. Don’t gap the bass-line, cause then you will start changing the style of trance. Beat 3 isn’t king, so inserting the gap on any other beat will also work great. But be sure all the sounds around it compliments that silence.

Now see figure 1.3. –



What this indicates is what defines psychedelic. Patterns within
the patterns, the same one just getting bigger or smaller. The whole mix is based on any pattern like this one. From your 4/4 beat individual loop ( no: 3 ) to the 16/16 beat pattern block of your Lead ( no: 2 ) till the Whole final mix ( no: 1 ).
Thus the whole mix is the same concept as a 4/4 starting loop. One is just a bigger and longer loop than the other.
That is also why trance songs fade into one another. Cause its all just loops my man… its all just continues modified loops.. to infinity.

Anyway, now I can continue.
When I have my great ( in a way ) sounding kick-drum sample, looping within 8 beats, I can start to process it.

I will add my personal touch, which is a Chorus VST, without any delay on the chorus, which creates this bouncy here then there sound- by decreasing the Volume ( usually 12’o clock for me ) on the chorus, you can tweak the sound until it’s just right, so the chorus effect is more in the background. You can also then decrease the volume a tiny bit on the 3rd and 8th beat. For even more variety. This together gives the spark to the kick in my opinion. The Automated diversity throughout the mix.

Note: Try to find the music within the music.

Then I will add an EQ, and put a High-Pass on band 1 and cut off everything below 30hz. This gives the bass-line the main Low frequencies to jive in.. If you don’t – the thump of the kick will create too much of a boom. To know what I am saying, try this.
Keep the mix playing and walk out of the room around the corner say, where you only hear the bass frequencies ( where the song has become faded )- by cutting the kick @ 30hz, you will hear the vibe of the bass-line better, other than hearing thomp thomp thomp thomp- drowning the bass..
Cutting a bit @ 2.7Khz will also take the edge off that click. Depending on the many different kick samples you get – This varies with each sample.

The kick drum only keeps beat, don’t give it too much credit. But knowing you have to listen to it throughout the whole mix – it has to sound likeable and not too loud.

BASS-LINE:

This is the most important sound when it comes to trance music. It is the powerhouse, the magnificent the unstoppable,.. rolling… basssss liiinnnnne..

A boring bass-line equals a boring mix. Check out this You Tube vid to understand :

***** www.youtube.com/watch?v=etehz4gvXy4 ***** ( if it doesn't redirect you - just copy link to url )

That is what you would call a funky / solid bass-line. Having that variety of different notes and pulling off a complete cycle in the loop, without it sounding out or nothing.. Sure the video is very commercial, as if their advertising a Trance party, . still… Very good indeed.
Also note the rest of the sounds in the mix- Everything has been amazingly processed, clean, clear, cut – Like a dude in a suit, with his tie all straitened out and shit, LOL..

On the bass I would add an EQ – knowing Band 1 is already set on a Low shelf I narrow out the Q to the max, and do a 12db cut from 20hz to about 75-80hz.
This will give the bass-line to overtake 80hz-100hz for its power and give the kick more definition @ 60hz. By using a low shelf and not a High pass- the bass still keeps its Low energy at a lower volume. If the bass still has too much rumble, add another EQ and High pass @ 30hz.

A nice bass pattern to try: ( This is on a 4 beat loop )

--x- -x-x --x- -x-x

Make sure the sustain + release is @ zero and play with the decay to make the notes exactly the right length. Your ears are the judges. If it sounds like crap- add a sidechain for the bass, to take it out of the kick-drum’s path.

Together with this add another bass line ( or clone )- which plays in the same key but one octave higher on this pattern:

---- --x- ---x ----

Lower the volume on this bass until it compliments the main bass-line.

PERCUSSION:

Percussion for me is a very simple concept. Like I said before in fig 1.2- the Gap ( as I would like to call it ) is on beat 3. So the percussion also has to magnify the idea of this gap. Percussion mostly exists of hihats, claps, bongo drums, etc.

Lets take a scenario, if you have a Percussion folder in your DAW library- go to it and choose lets say 3 different sounds that you like ( not just- like, its ok and that, NO- it has to be something that intrigues you. ) And yes I know a perc sound is’nt all that amazing but that one out of the ten you listen to.

Now that we have the sounds we can insert a pattern. So the first 2 samples will be used to draw attention to the Gap.


Perc 1: ---- --x- ---- ----
Perc 2: ---- ---x ---- ----

These two will now create a pull into the 3rd beat- make sure they compliment the flow into the beat otherwise choose another sound until it sounds great. The 3rd or even 4th Perc sound will be a random pick. Like:

Perc 3: ---- ---- ---- -x--
Perc 4: ---- ---- ---- ---x

However, now 3 and 4 compliments the bass-line pattern. This is also a great way to add things to your mix. On the patterns of the main melodies. If you layer stuff correctly and still keeping it random you will end up with a mix that sounds like machine movements other than just a normal trance track.

It’s up to you- put in as many as you want, but try keeping them in their own spaces. If they play together with something else. Make sure those 2 are in different frequency groups. ( Groups: Low, Mid, High )

LEADS:

I can create percussion beats like buttering bread, but when it comes to the lead. Awwww ( Probably cause I am never satisfied with the quality of my VSTi’s. )
Usually then I use Sound FX to tell the story, however without a running lead in the background it becomes a bit dull and boring.

Layering a Lead on your bass pattern and adding a gap on beat 3 will start creating the vibe nicely. The more sounds in the mix that compliment each others pattern, the more the vibe will become an illusion. ( The movement within )

Layering Lead samples together supplies additional voices to it. So that its not one sound playing a melody, its one sound having 4 other voices in the background. It really adds a special factor. Add some panning, decrease volume or even EQ each layer into its own section in the spectrum. Remember to have your main sound ( main voice ) the loudest and no panning. Well maybe just a little bit of panning- to clear up the center for the Kick and Bass-line. The other layers should only assist the main lead sound.

Music is Art.. so if you go out and use the “ monkey see, monkey do “ technique, you will probably fail.

It’s like Nate from Protoculture. Best Trance DJ I have ever heard in my life. And why…. ??
Cause he just does it, man. You would ask him- Do you have any questions about trance production Nate.. He would pop 2 new albums in your hands and say: Do you have any questions.. hahaha
He is truly a legend.

Alright guys, hope this explained a bit. And keep on thumping it up.

Cheers

That is a truely epic and best described Tutorial i have ever heard!! you should do some you tube videos!! as i am struggling to get past a mental barrier with my work!

WOW! No words man! really awesome! all very specific explanation! to put into practice all that!

I'm copy/pasting this for repeated reading thanks mate!