What is trance music and what are the most popular sub-genres
Undoubtedly one of the most enduring, popular and important EDM sub genres, Trance is more than just music, it’s a global movement, but in case you’ve been hiding under a rock, let’s get the obvious question out of the way, what is Trance music?
In this article
- What Is Trance Music?
- A Brief History of Trance Music
- 4 Characteristics of Trance Music
- Influence on modern music
- Top 3 Trance Music artists:
- The most popular subgenres of trance music
- Conclusion
What Is Trance Music?
Trance music is a sub genre of EDM characterized by euphoric chord sequences, huge emotional breakdowns and driving beats & basslines. Although coming up with a trance music definition that covers all subgenres might be tough as there are many different types that fall under the trance banner. Some people also ask “is trance EDM?” and the answer is technically yes, as it is “electronic dance music” but the kind of big room sound associated with the term EDM is a little removed from trance and its many subgenres, although there is crossover. Before we get to that, let’s take a trip back in time to where it all began.
A Brief History of Trance Music
The origin of trance music can be traced back to the earliest electronic music of the 1970s, with acts like Germany’s Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, creating repetitive trance-like beats and atmospheres. Both these acts continued to create genre defining recordings in the 1980’s alongside artists like French electronic music legend Jean Michel Jarre. As we headed towards the 90s, record labels like Sven Vath’s iconic Harthouse, started to release tracks that we now recognise as Trance, and british artists like The KLF and The Future Sound of London also pushed the boundaries of making records that produced a trance like state while remaining grounded on the dancefloor.
4 Characteristics of Trance Music
So when we ask what is trance music, we have to look at the core elements that create that sound Even though there are many different types of trance music, there are four key elements that cross all the trance sub genres, from the origin of trance music in the 90s right up to modern day.
The beat
Across the history of trance music the beat has been front and center, with its driving kick drums, big reverbed snares, 16th note closed hi-hats and big open hats on the up beats. It’s these driving drums that are at the core of what is trance music across all the decades.
The build-up and breakdown
One word that always comes up when talking about the different trance music genres, is epic, and that comes from the genre’s use of breakdowns and build ups. The extended breakdown when all the beats drop out, and the atmospherics take over, is synonymous with trance, and leads into a huge build up of rising synths and rolling drums before kicking back into the main track. It’s hard to think of a single tune in trance music history that doesn’t have a huge euphoric breakdown and build up. An absolute stone cold trance classic with a legendary breakdown is Energy 52’s Cafe Del Mar.
The hook
In some ways many of the trance music genres have a close connection to pop music, and one of these is its use of the hook. A hook is a short riff or pattern that is used to catch the ear of the listener, and many of the different types of trance music anthems have huge memorable hooks. Think of the lead line from Greece 2000 by Three Drives or Robert Miles classic Children.
The vocals
Another reason why many examples of trance music cross over into the pop world is its use of vocals. A classic trance vocal can take a basic trance instrumental to new heights, and give it the massive radio play that is needed to take a track to the masses. A perfect example of a huge trance vocal is the Paul Oakenfold produced Not Over Yet by Grace.
Influence on modern music
Across the many types of trance music, they all have one thing in common, their influence on modern popular music. From the huge crossover anthems of the 90s like Paul Van Dyk’s For An Angel through to current tracks like Calvin Harris and Sam Smith’s collab, Desire, you can find examples of trance music production styles seeping into pop music across four decades.
Top 3 Trance Music artists:
Looking across the many different types of trance music across the decades and the artists associated with them, it’s hard to pin down a definitive top three, but we’re going to give it a go anyways!
Armin van Buuren
Undoubtedly one of the biggest DJs and producers in the history of trance music, Dutch legend Van Burren also runs one of the biggest trance labels around, Armada Music, and hosts the legendary State of Trance radio show since 2001.
Paul van Dyk
Soe would say that the origins of trance music as we know it today start with Paul Van Dyk. His anthemic For An Angel track was arguably the first pure trance tune to crossover from the club into the pop charts, bringing trance to the masses and making Van Dyk a household name. To this day, PVD is still one of the biggest trance DJs in the world.
Above & Beyond
If you asked many current trance fans “what is trance music” they may point you in the direction of Above and Beyond. Formed in 200 the trio run the ever popular labels Anjunabeats and Anjunadeep, alongside hosting the Group Therapy Radio show. The trio are regulars in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll, and have been recipients of many of the biggest awards in dance music including Essential Mix of the Year and three times winners of the State of Trance’s Tune of the Year award. Here’s one of those award winning tunes, Air For Life
The most popular subgenres of trance music
What you think is trance music and what the different subgenres of trance actually sound like, might differ, as the many different genres of trance music out there is continually expanding, but here’s a list of a few of the stand out trance subgenres that have taken hold over the last four decades.
Acid trance
Like its close relations, acid techno and acid house, this sub genre features squelchy acid lines played by one of the most revered machines in production history, the Roland 303. Labels like Platipus and artists like Union Jack were at the forefront of this subgenre of trance in the 90s.
Goa trance
A close relation to acid trance, Goa trance started in the late 80s/early 90’s, infamous for being played by DJs and the full moon beach parties held in the Indian state of Goa. Goa trance briefly crossed over into the public consciousness thanks to legendary DJ Paul Oakenfold and his seminal Goa Trance Essential Mix, which, to this day, is regarded as one of the greatest DJ mixes of all time.
Psychedelic trance
As Goa Trance became more popular it effectively morphed into what we know now as Psychedelic Trance. One of the examples of trance music that has stayed resolutely underground, psychedelic trance is the mainstay of dance music festivals around the world, popularized by artists like Man With No Name.
Classic trance
When people try to come up with a trance music definition that suits all the sub genres, what they usually end up referring to is what we know as Classic Trance. This really refers to the era of defining trance anthems from the early to mid 90s, from producers such as Ferry Corsten, Paul Van Dky and Agnelli & Nelson.
Commercial Trance
One of the trance music genres that can encompass a range of different sub genes, as it really just refers to tunes that have crossed over to the mainstream, and had big radio success. This can range from blissed out anthems like Chicane’s Offshore to more up front trance bangers like ATBs 9pm Til I Come.
Hard Trance
Birthed in the 90s by artists and DJs like Tony De Vit and the Tidy Boys, Hard trance is one of the most enduring of the trance subgenres, with its fast tempos, chunky beats and driving basslines. It’s basically trance on steroids, and has maintained a stronghold on many of the world’s biggest dance music festivals and clubs thanks to acts like Scot Project.
Progressive Trance
A close relation to progressive house, made popular by DJs like Sasha and John Digweed in the 90s, thanks to their groundbreaking Renaissance and Northern Exposure mixes. Progressive trance takes things down a notch compared to many trane music genres. With a slower tempo, longer breakdowns, and more complex melodies and arrangements, progressive trance was huge in the 90s thanks to tracks like Sasha’s barnstorming Xpander.
Tech-Trance
Like its close cousin Acid Trance, Tech Trance draws elements of another popular EDM style into the mix, namely Techno. Popularized by producers such as Oliver Leib in the 90s, Tech Trance has remained as popular as ever thanks to contemporary artists like Mark Sherry and his Techburst Records label.
Conclusion
What is trance music? Is trance EDM? What are the origins of trance music? The answers to these questions are a little less simple than expected, as there are many different trance music sub genres, all of which expand on the origins of trance music from the late 80s and early 90s. Many different DJs and producers have lined up over the four decades to take a shot at creating their own unique version of trance music, from the deep lush sounds of progressive trance, to the euphoric “hands in the air moments” of the classic trance anthems, it’s genre that continues to appeal to a wide range of music fans, and shows no signs of going away anytime soon.
Don’t forget that if you want to learn how to create your own trance anthem, we have literally hundreds of tutorials on our website that cover many different examples of trance music, from the deeper end right through to the tech bangers, delivered by some of the most revered trance producers in the world.
Check out all our Trance Tutorials right here!
