History Main / Trance

** Also called psytrance or just "psy", it is easily the most recognizable form of trance alongside the Progressive and Uplifting varieties. Has a fast, energetic tempo (around 140-150 BPM), a very distinctive bass and percussion style that pounds constantly throughout the song, complex rhythmic overlays drawn from funk, {{techno}}, HouseMusic, and SynthPop using drums and other instruments, and a more "manipulated" sound achieved by combining and overlaying various sound effects such as distortion, pitch bends, filter sweeps and flanger onto the riffs and melodies. Psytrance is notable for its heavier focus on sub-bass and binaural beats (low-frequency beats that arise from interfering bass frequencies played in unison over different stereo channels) than other trance styles. More modern releases often have ElectroHouse, {{dubstep}} and [[DrumAndBass neurofunk]] influences.

** Tends to have a more "organic", spiritual and relaxing sound than psytrance, but is otherwise pretty similar. Draws influences from folk, tribal and world music, primarily traditional Indian Goa music, as well as {{EBM}} and {{Industrial}}. The tempo typically lies in the 130–150 BPM range, although some tracks may have a tempo as low as 110 or as high as 160 BPM. [[EpicRocking Generally 8–12 minutes long]], Goa Trance tracks often have funky basslines and tend to focus on [[BoleroEffect steadily building energy throughout]], using changes in percussion patterns and more intricate and layered melodies as the music progresses in order to build a hypnotic and intense feel. Acoustic instrumentation is sometimes used, and {{sampling}} is frequent, with liberal use of Sanskrit chanting or vocal snippets taken from science fiction movies and documentary shows relating to mysterious or unconventional topics.

** Also known as "euphoric", "epic", "melodic", or "emotional" trance, Uplifting Trance is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, being much [[LighterAndSofter lighter in tone]] than the aforementioned psy, full-on and Goa. As a general rule of thumb, tempo lies in the 136-142 range. Tracks' chord progressions usually rest on a major chord, and the balance between major and minor chords in a progression will determine how "happy" or "sad" the progression sounds. Uplifting features longer major chord progressions in all elements (lead synth, bass, and treble), extended breakdowns, and relegation of arpeggiation (the melodic part of the song, usually consisting of sawtooth or square-wave synth sounds) to the background while bringing harmonic elements to the fore (the "background fill", usually consisting of wash effects, EchoingAcoustics, or synth choir/voice/string chord progressions). Occasionally, uplifting artists will employ harder sounds such as supersaws, distorted synths and powerful basslines to add energy to their tracks, but generally the style is characterized by an overall euphoric and flowing sound.

** Known for a tempo ranging from 128-136 BPM, long massive build-ups and subtle breakdowns, and eschewing the louder and more abrasive synth sounds of Eurotrance, hard, tech, and psy in favor of a subdued, deeper, more serious tone with greater emphasis on atmospherics, [[BoleroEffect evolving sounds]] and musical motifs. Songs typically [[EpicRocking clock in at 7 minutes and longer]], and is the genre of choice for extended sets. Commonly, many artists blend elements of uplifting and progressive trance together on their tracks, resulting in a softer and more ambient but still "happy" feeling sound, while others blend psy or Goa sounds with progressive trance, resulting in a dreamier and more hypnotic soundscape. Some artists also blend progressive trance and HouseMusic elements to create even LighterAndSofter tracks that are commonly labeled as "trouse".

* Music/{{HANA}}

** Music/FerryCorsten co-founded Tsunami in 1997, then founded Flashover Recordings in 2005.
** Music/{{Tiesto}} co-founded Black Hole Recordings in 1997, then founded his own imprint Magik Muzik in 2001, and then founded Musical Freedom in 2010.

** John Askew and Simon Patterson's VII was founded in 2016, originally with a fixed lineup of seven artists, but the label later went on to feature other artists as well.

* Music/MarkSixma (mixed with ElectroHouse)

* Music/WAndW

What sets trance apart from other genres of electronic music like {{Techno}} and HouseMusic is its greater emphasis on melody and structure, aiming to evoke an emotional response and a feeling of being lost in the music from listeners (hence, feeling hypnotized, or in a [[TitleDrop trance]]) by mixing layers of different sounds with a distinctly foreshadowed build-up and release. A characteristic of virtually all trance music is a mid-song climax followed by a soft breakdown disposing of beats and percussion entirely, and leaving the melody and/or atmospherics to stand alone for an extended period before [[BoleroEffect gradually building up again]].

** A loud, aggressive style originating in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, drawing inspiration from New Beat, Hi-NRG, and HardcoreTechno. It is characterized by high tempos (140-180 BPM), hard and downpitched (or even gated) kicks, fully resonant basslines, abrasive synths and an increased amount of sound effects applied in the composition. Early tracks are fairly simplistic and can sound like slowed-down {{Eurobeat}} or gabber tracks, while more modern tracks have a more polished sound that can incorporate hardstyle influences such as sidechaining and layered kicks.
** Notable artists include Flutlicht, Cosmic Gate (early material), Indecent Noise, Mauro Picotto, Renegade System, Sunburst, DJ Scot Project, System D, and Technikal.

** Notable artists include DJ Manian (Cascada / Tune Up!), Groove Coverage, Pulsedriver, Rob Mayth, Alex Megane, and Special D.

** Notable artists include Music/{{Darude}}, Cascada, Basshunter, Dash Berlin, Alex M.O.R.P.H., Signum, Insomniac, Yuzo Koshiro, and Tiesto.

* Psychedelic Trance

* Goa Trance

* Full-on Trance

* Tribal Psytrance

* Uplifting Trance

* Dream Trance

* Hard Trance

* Eurotrance

* UK Hard Trance

* Progressive Trance

* Big Room Trance

* Nitzhonot Trance

* Dark Psytrance

* Suomisaundi

* J-Trance

* Balearic Trance

* Tech Trance

* Hands Up

* Hi-Tech

* Acid Trance

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: {{Zigzagged}}. There ''are'' several artists who have admitted to having used drugs and other substances, but the majority of trance artists are actually sober while producing or playing live sets due to the complexity of composing and mixing, respectively.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: [[Invoked]]. While the genre has its origins in Germany and surrounding countries and is popular all over the world, it's especially huge in the Netherlands, Japan, the United Kingdom, Egypt, and Australia.

** South America also has a thriving progressive and uplifting trance scene, with South American artists like [=KhoMha=] (Colombia), Burn in Noise (Brazil), Chris Schweizer (Argentina) and Tomas Heredia (Argentina) emerging as rising stars in the modern trance scene.