Finding inspiration

November 16, 2009

Hi guys,

It’s now time to get started in making our track. I want to spend a bit of time deciding what kind of tune I want to make. It’s very likely that the end result will be completely different to what I expect since when you get going things just happen. Having said that, I’d still like to come up with some ideas. On a side note, I found out something really useful and cool about FL Studio. Check out the final part of my video and I’ll show you.

I’m a big fan of trance and the whole purpose of this project was to make a trance tune. The thing is, there are many different kinds of trance out there and what I like and dislike will be totally different to another trance addict. The ingredients of a quality track for me are:

  • It has a great start. This can either be starting slow with pads or it can be starting with a beat. For the latter, the beat must be catchy rather than your general ‘dum dum dum dum’ which does nothing for me.
  • The tune has to get to me emotionally and this happens when it has a sad aura around it as opposed to happy. Some minor chord progressions are ideal.
  • Female vocals always do it for me when it comes to trance. I’d want my tune to have room for vocals which can be added later.
  • A breakdown in the middle. You know the moment in the clubs where we have ‘hands in the air’ and people feel the tune and want to cry. Then it’s back to the dark melody.

It’s hard to come up with an exact set of ingredients as every tune us different. The best way is probably to start listening to some of the tracks of the past and the present to get inspired. Here are a few classics I’m listening to which will help me decide where I want to try to get to.

Vocal Trance

I didn’t realize until I created this list how much Lange was on it. The guy was an absolute legend during those days.

Youtube Link – Lost Witness – Happiness Happening (Lange Mix)
Youtube Link – Lange – I Believe (Lange Mix)
Youtube Link – Lost Witness – Red Sun Rising (Lange Mix)
Youtube Link – The Morrighan – Remember (Lange Mix)
Youtube Link – Conjure One – Extraordinary Way (Antillas Club Mix)
Youtube Link – 56k & Bejay – Save a Prayer (Club Mix)
Youtube Link – Kansai – Remember This Night
Youtube Link – Andain – Beautiful Things (Photon Project Remix)
Youtube Link – Oceanlab – Clear Blue Water (Ferry Corsten Remix)

Non-vocal classics

Youtube Link – Prototype – Soundpiercing
Youtube Link – Energy 52 – Cafe Del Mar
Youtube Link – Binary Finary – 1998 (Matt Darey Mix)
Youtube Link – Rank 1 – Airwave
Youtube Link – Push – Universal Nation
Youtube Link – Sasha – Xpander
Youtube Link – DJ Sakin – Protect Your Mind (Lange Remix)

More recent

Youtube Link – Richard Durand – Into Something
Youtube Link – Robert Nickson & Daniel Kandi – Rewire (Avenger Remix)
Youtube Link – Lolo – Trampoline
Youtube Link – Dan Stone – Spinal Chord (Nitrous Oxide Remix)
Youtube Link – Dakota – Chinook (Uplifting Mix)
Youtube Link – Cold Blue – Mount Everest (Dennis Sheperd Remix)
Youtube Link – Purple Haze – Eden
Youtube Link – Gareth Emery – Exposure
Youtube Link – Richard Durand – Papillion

Until next time….

Wow, that was a great listen, I’m so chilled and happy right now. As you can see, there are some classics from the past and the present. After listening to that, I think my aim will be to create something that people will listen to and say “that must have been created in 1999″. Let’s face it, that was a superb year for trance and although great trance still exists, for me the essence that existed back then has been lost. The old-time classics will always be the first to crop up in my head when somebody mentions the word ‘trance’. Another one just did which I forgot about, “Brainbug – Nightmare”.

Well, I really hope you enjoy those tunes, I’m sure a lot of you will have them in your collection. Now that I have an idea what I want to do, I need to work out how to do it. That’s a discussion for another day.

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