What You Need to Know About Progressive Trance Music

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

Everything you need to know about Progressive Trance Music.

Progressive Trance Music – Definition

Progressive trance is a subgenre of trance music that developed in the late 1990s. It is characterized by a tempo of around 135-142 BPM, played in 4/4 time signature with synthesizers and arpeggiated melodies. The style is often compared to techno and house music, but with a more melodic sound. Progressive trance tracks typically build up slowly, with various elements being introduced over time, before reaching a climax at the end. The genre is also known for its use of trance gates, which are used to create rhythmic builds and breakdowns.

Progressive Trance Music – History

Progressive trance is a genre of electronic music that originated in the early 1990s in Germany. It is characterized by a tempo of around 125-150 BPM, chord progressions, and a focus on melody. The genre was initially known as “trance” or “dream trance”, but acquired its current name in the late 1990s.

Progressive trance music is often emotionally uplifting and has a positive, optimistic feeling. The genre is melodic and often uses breakdowns, builds, and crescendos to create excitement and tension. Progressive trance tracks often have a “drops”, which is a section where the percussion and bassline drops out for a measure or two, leaving only the melody and pads.

Progressive Trance Music – Characteristics

Progressive trance is a type of electronic music characterized by a build-up and release of energy, usually over a period of 8-10 minutes. The build-up typically features a series of rapidly alternating chords or pads, which create a sense of forward momentum and tension. The release is often signified by a breakdown, which can include elements such as a lead melody, breakdown bass, or atmospheric pads.

While progressive trance can be uplifting and life-affirming, it can also be dark and moody. The genre is often associated with the late 1990s/early 2000s rave scene, as well as the more recent psytrance movement. Notable progressive trance artists include Sasha, Digweed, Eric Prydz, and Above & Beyond.

Progressive Trance Music – Popularity

Progressive trance is a type of electronic dance music characterized by a smooth, hypnotic and futuristic sound. It is often described as “dreamy” or “euphoric”, and has become one of the most popular genres of EDM in recent years.

Progressive trance is typically produced at a slower tempo (128-140 BPM) than other styles of trance, and often features long, arpeggiated melodies, soothing soundscapes, and a focus on atmosphere and emotion. The genre emerged in the early 1990s, but did not reach widespread popularity until the late 2000s.

Since then, progressive trance has become one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music, with numerous sub-genres and sub-sub-genres emerging within it. Notable artists within the genre include Sasha, John Digweed, Nick Warren, Hernan Cattaneo, Max Graham, Oliver Lieb, Markus Schulz, Paul van Dyk, BT, Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Above & Beyond, Chicane and Pendulum.

Progressive Trance Music – Notable Artists

Progressive trance is a type of electronic dance music characterized by a build-up and break-down of elements, often with a focus on melody. Notable artists in the progressive trance genre include Armin van Buuren, Tiesto, and Paul van Dyk.

Progressive Trance Music – Subgenres

Progressive trance is a subgenre of trance music that developed in the early 1990s. It is characterized by a tempo of around 140 beats per minute, synthesizer-based melodies, and long, drawn-out buildups. The subgenre is distinguished from other forms of trance by its focus on musical progressions and movements rather than on foreground vocal tracks.

Progressive trance often has a laid-back, dreamy quality to it, and it is this atmosphere that has made it popular with ravers and clubbers alike. The genre has its roots in the early 1990s progressive house scene, and while it shares many similarities with that genre, progressive trance is generally more uplifting andHas a higher BPM.

The development of progressive trance was heavily influenced by the acid house and Goa trance scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s. DJs such as Sasha, John Digweed, and Paul Oakenfold were among the first to experiment with mixing these styles together to create a more chilled-out form of dance music. The result was a sound that was both melodic and psychedelic, with long, extended buildups that slowly released into euphoric breakdowns.

Progressive Trance Music – Influences

Progressive trance is a subgenre of trance music that developed in the late 1990s. It is characterized by a tempos between 130-160 BPM, melodic compositions, and extended track lengths. The genre often features breakdowns, buildups, and quiet or climactic sections that provide listeners with a sense of “resolution.”

Progressive trance is often influenced by other genres of music such as techno, house, and even classical music. The use ofdelay effects, reverb, and filters are often used to create a more “hypnotic” sound. Proggy trance often features longer tracks than other subgenres of trance music, which can make it perfect for DJs who want to play extended sets.

Progressive Trance Music – Criticism

Progressive trance is a subgenre of trance music characterized by a tempo of around 130–135 beats per minute (bpm),[1] featuring slow, hypnotic rhythms and melodic hooks, often in the form of extended remixes. Progressive trance developed in the early 1990s as an offshoot of Goa Trance on the DreamScene internet radio station and later became established as a distinct genre with the release of several influential albums in 1994. Progressive trance was soon overshadowed by the faster-paced psy-trance at around 155 bpm, but regained popularity in 2006 as part of the progressive electronic dance music scene.

Progressive trance has been criticized for its overly melodic sound and focus on melody over technicality or atmosphere. In particular, its use of synth pads has been denounced as “cheesy” by some critics.

Progressive Trance Music – Legacy

Progressive trance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the early 1990s. It is characterized by a tempo of around 125 to 150 BPM, featuring “orgasmic” builds and breakdowns. The genre was originally known as “prog-trance” or psy-trance, but later came to be simply known as “progressive trance”.

Many progressive trance tracks are based on moderate tempos and employ relatively simple melodic structures. This often makes the genre more accessible to listeners who are not accustomed to faster, more aggressive styles of electronic dance music. As the name suggests, progressive trance music is constantly evolving, with new artists and subgenres constantly emerging.

While the original progressive trance sound has remained relatively unchanged over the years, new subgenres and offshoots have emerged. These include psytrance (a more psychedelic and heavier sound), tech trance (a more machine-like sound), vocal trance (which features high-pitched female vocals), and uplifting trance (a feel-good sound with emotional lyrics).

Progressive Trance Music – Future

Progressive trance is a subgenre of trance music that developed in the late 1990s. It is characterized by a tempo of between 130 and 160 beats per minute, and is often used for DJ sets and live performances. The genre has been influential on other genres such as house and techno.

Progressive trance is distinguished from other trance subgenres by its incorporation of elements from techno and house music. The genre is also known for its use of extended track times, unusual time signatures, and intricate melodies.

The first progressive trance tracks were produced in the late 1990s by artists such as BT, Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, and Dave Seaman. These tracks were characterised by their use of extended track times, unusual time signatures, and intricate melodies. Sasha’s track “Xpander” (1998) is often cited as the first progressive trance track.

In the early 2000s, the genre began to gain mainstream popularity, with tracks such as Robert Miles’s “Children” (1995) and Darude’s “Sandstorm” (2000) becoming international hits. Progressive trance DJs such as Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, and Sandra Collins became global stars during this period.

The late 2000s saw a decline in the popularity of progressive trance, with many artists moving away from the genre or adopting a more commercial sound. However, the genre has experienced a resurgence in recent years thanks to new producers such as Alan Morris, Gareth Emery, Cosmic Gate, Orjan Nilsen, Super8 & Tab ,andilan Prydz .

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