Trance Popularity

[Lazarus]

I'm at a loss to understand how trance is dying because of electrohouse, progressive and proghouse. I don't see how any of these genres could possibly have any effect on the nature of trance itself any more than the weather in Shanghai could have any effect on the nature of trance itself.

The point I've tried to make is that the term "trance" itself is simply a word we use to define something which already exists as an abstract concept. This concept exists and will continue to exist regardless of whether or not anyone out there makes it at all.

14th Century medieval lute music still exists as a concept even though its popularity has waned a bit these days. We don't now describe modern music as "14th Century lute music" even though, when you think about it, modern music has evolved from it over time.

Just because some DJs and producers who once played or made trance now decide they prefer something else doesn't mean the genre is changing. It means the DJs and producers are changing, not the genre.

Ultimately though, like popularity, the genre issue itself is irrelevant really. Because as I've said before, there are only two kinds of music - music you like, and music you don't.

Why bother getting hung up on the rhetoric behind it? Can't we just be happy to enjoy the stuff we like?

 

[dfx]

full ACK to that. only problem i see is:

Why bother getting hung up on the rhetoric behind it? Can't we just be happy to enjoy the stuff we like?

the stuff we like isn't being played much any more, because of other styles pushing it away. that's the problem.

 

[Laan]

The stuff we like had no future so this had to change into sub genres. This is not a problem at all!

Trance and his genres is about the biggest dance style of music. Without the influence of electo,house and prog in the trance music trance wouldn't survive anyway.

For example: If AH would play old trance style music only. It wouldn't be a success.

 

[Laan]

full ACK to that. only problem i see is:


the stuff we like isn't being played much any more, because of other styles pushing it away. that's the problem.

I don't see this as a problem. This influence of other styles only makes trance bigger and bigger.

 

[dfx]

like i said before: take this to the extreme, and at one day "trance" will stand for every style of EDM out there. this can't be good, can it?

 

[Lazarus]

It's odd really because this year's seen more pure trance released I reckon than any other year previously, and the quality of it has continued to improve throughout the genre's history. The only major change for me really has been the quality of the sounds, which is down to hardware and software advances rather than anything else.

Providing producers out there carry on making it, as I'm sure they will, I don't really mind if it's popular or not.

DJs also have the right to play whatever they like and don't have any moral responsibility to support any one genre over another, and if only a tiny minority decide they want to play trance because the rest are more interested in progressive electro tech house these days, even if they've played trance in the past, that's entirely up to them - however it does sadden me that a lot of the big names now employ people to choose their tunes for them rather than doing it themselves, that just strikes me as lazy. But I suspect that might be a factor in some of the changes, because the people choosing the tunes on behalf of the big DJs are likely to be more influenced by changing trends in the scene and hence try and follow them in order to ensure their employer's continuing popularity.

 

[Laan]

like i said before: take this to the extreme, and at one day "trance" will stand for every style of EDM out there. this can't be good, can it?

You can call electro, house, prog and tech within trance influence, trance music. No problem.

The music in ASOT is also called trance music. Most of the tunes have other influences. Asot also includes tunes like the oldskool trance style. There's a difference between oldskool ( original trance ) and new skool? ( other influences )

 

[Ronny K.]

Im thinking so uplifting cant die. I know a lot of ppl whos starting hate music without nice and dreaming melodies. Ppl want to enjoying euphoric moments which gives real uplifting. Someone wrote here so trance got melodies with SAW synths and this is annoying. Its doesnt matter which synths playing melodies. Important is if that melodies gives to ppl what they expecting.

2nd one:
I know a lot of trance or uplifting producers whos dont want to change theirs style to house or electro which have almost effects and flashes.

I like zplifting for melodies. Real uplifting tune is a bit small story which producer want to tell to ppl.

To many producers want to make money with easy work and house and electro is that way for them.

Unforunately i have to say Earth got too many good and talented "noname" trance and uplifting producers and theirs time will come.

 

[xruntime]

I agree with Lazarus, I've heard many real trance tunes from this year.

Trance is not dying by any means. If we went single by single I'm sure we'd find as many if not more gems from this year, than say, 2000, or 1996. The only thing that's happening is its not very popular among the public compared to other EDM genres.

Radio shows from markus and armin are almost always pretty crappy, very rarely is there a very good episode, but I've listened to older sets, and they weren't much better either. Your best bet is finding a good DJ like the ones on afterhours or listening to an album or mix cd...or single tracks, like I do.

Trance is a feeling. A mood. That said, even housey or electro tracks can still be called trance.

A good example is Cerf + Mitiska + Jaren - Light The Skies. This has a trance feeling, unquestionably, yet it's in the house style.

Another example is Underworld - Rez. It's very electroish. Yet it has the trance feeling. It is trance.

I believe the sole reason for the detrancification of trance artsits is just because they want to get big. That said, I still think Armin isn't a traitor, nor is Markus, they still care for the genre. Universal Religion 3 and Armin Only 2006 DVD, if you watch/listen to those, he doesn't play some housey electro shit. He plays trance. My favorite part of Armin Only 2k6 was the beginning -- the ambientish songs are awesome.

Armin's Rush Hour is a different style, sure, but it still has the trancy feeling. You can't really dispute it being trance...

This World Is Watching, on the other hand, doesn't truly have that trance feeling, IMO, but it's a nice song to dance to...dunno what genre I'd label it, maybe House?

Point is, most artists are changing genres because of the money potential...and fame...which leads to money...few are doing it because they like the genre better (after all, i dont understand how you could ditch For An Angel, As The Rush Comes, Higher State Of Consciousness...for Faster Kill Pussycat...)

Oh yeah, and btw, in response to dfx, Marcus Schossow is house, without a doubt. Mr. White ain't trance, nope nada nothing it's not trance.

If there's anything I want to change your minds on, it's those who hate Deadmau5. Just take a relisten to Faxing Berlin or Jaded...it has house elements, a house style, but it has the trance mood.

If there's anything I want you guys to start hating, it's Sean Tyas. Barring Lift and maybe one or two other of his original productions, his songs and remixes dont have the trance mood. Theyre just good for rocking a dancefloor, thats it...and personally, Im looking for the trance mood songs.

The epitome of this battle is probably Fly Away by de Moor. The Cosmic Gate remix is the trancy one, it has the trancy feeling, the Sean Tyas one is the loudass blown out dancefloor rocker..

 

[Laan]

Alright, trance is not dying. It just gets more sub genres which can only be good!

The reason for house on the sensation white cd is because house dj's played on the festival.

I see everyone has a different view on this. All I can say, trance is doing great! I don't see a problem.

 

[Ccelson]

I've read most of these posts and agree with a lot of the people who commented. Sadly I can be considered a person that enjoys proggressive/prog trance/prog house more than trance and uplifting trance. This never use to be the case. I think that this is because I evolved and moved on to a music that is evolving faster than trance. Don't get my wrong, I still enjoy a nice Kandi tune, or a nice JoC track but lately people have become much more creative when it comes to progressive and prog house. Trance will always have its followers, because it is the perfect anthem, hands in the air, jumping around kind of music. But I think that unless the trance producers figure somethin out, we might be seeing less and less of it in the future

 

[DarkMemoria]

I think that this year has definately picked up big time...

the first half of the year was pretty much horrid, but now we've got some awesome trancey tunes in the second half of the year.

The problem is that either you have electro/tech sound, anjuna sound, or tyas/discover sound... Its much rarer to find a track with a fantastic melody nowadays than if you listen to older songs as well...

And trance simply doesn't work as well to 99.8% of clubbers in the world compared to house. People complain that Trance is 'too fast'... 'breakdown has no beat'... 'you need to be on drugs to listen to' if you play alot of it live. I think that bigname Trance jocks playing house / electro along with Trance allows them more exposure to the general clubber, and at the same time, exposes the general clubber to trance - and I think thats a SMART thing, debatable if its a good thing or not.

I encourage all DJs here who play live in clubs / parties and usually spin house / electro there due to the popularity of it to try and ease in a trance track every now and then... slowly introduce it to your local population! You might have to do some editing to shorten breakdowns / etc, but you'll find that people generally react positively to it!

 

[karybdeandscylla]

Personnaly We don't care if the mood is Trance, Electro House, Techno or else... Simply because we play and produce musics we like...
By the way we can agree to the fact that we've all being influenced by the variety of musics we listened to... I Don't think if Trance as we know it is going to dissapear (hope not !!) but certainly evolving, changing permanently.... i think music in general is like a loop... every styles and influences will come back again at one time or an other....

We're Trance lovers, we played and create Trance Music and we won't change that only to be more "in the mood" in any case....

 

[djabstraction]

The reaction I tend to get off of people when I mention Trance is that they instantly presume that you have to be on drugs to listen to it, which of course, I strongly disagree too, but the stigma will be there for Trance for quite a long time as that is practically what it was built on. Take goa and psy trance for example, the origins of Trance, what would you associate with those? A bunch of hippies in a field taking acid?

I absolutely love House and Trance, in fact I love pretty much all EDM, I have so much of the stuff that I probably won't even listen to all of it. I also listen to allot of cheesy pop music, I love it all, and I think all genres have their place. The fact of the matter is that not allot of people can handle listening to Trance all of the time, they just don't "get it", so they listen to something a bit more "pop" orientated, like House music.

I think trance has changed allot since I started listening to it, it's so much more complex and variable. Of course you get allot of boring tracks out there, just like anything I've made Or maybe it's my personal taste that has changed and I'm just ignoring the stuff I used to listen to?

I listen to Trance for the best part of the week, but some days I just can't listen to it, my ears need something a bit more "random", that's just me personally. That's one reason I started mixing house too, not to try to be more popular, but just because I don't want to be any more repetative than I am already. You try working from home, living on your own, and sitting at the same pc, all week, listening to trance while you write computer software, believe me, you will soon go mad!

Anyways, as someone already said, why give a shit what anyone else thinks? Listen to what you like best, if you don't like it, don't listen to it. I'm not so sure there is any need to slag it off because you don't like it, there are some really amazing House tracks out there that blow allot of Trance away, and vice versa. Horses for courses...



Anyway, my pc is shagged and I'm having to reinstall Windows as Azureus gave me a virus!

 

[Buccaneer Bunch]

Trance isn't dead, it is just the way of evolution. besides that evolution everything comes together in diffrent names.
PE: Minimal (comes from deep house with huge techno influences)

if you take the best tracks from every year in trance you realy hear the evolution,
its more melodic, warmer, ...
If you want the energetic trance like it was in the years 1997 and later to 2003 then you have to be with Mannuel Le Saux and some others.

Me personaly i like the evolution, why more energetic waves in our damm busy life, so give me more melodic shit like we play in Essential Things of Live.
Yes we play house but also progressive and trance.

 

[Config85]

Well: my vision.

Trance has been in a downward spiral during the last years.. How come? Many reasons, i won't name them because if i did a lot of people would boo me out.. but from my point of view ASOT has a lot to do with it.. I could count the good TRANCE episodes Armin did this year on 1 hand. I'm not saying Armin is 100% to blame but hear this. Trance should be more underground.. What Armin is doing is exactly the opposite.. he's putting up the commerce like bigtime this year.. It's not about the music anymore.. it's about the dj's.. they determine what gets played and what not.. and guess what? A lot of producers try to make tracks in order so that Armin would like em.. And that's totally not the way it should be, obviously. There are still lots of good trancetracks coming out , but in these hard times.. If the REAL trancetracks don't get played by the big DJ's, then how would people get to know the tracks? There was a time Dj's went to a record store and listened to trance and other music for hours.. they picked what THEY liked.. Now these days 90% of the dj's plays what their idols play.

On a sidenote: I do like it that there is some more progressive house and stuff in the shows these days.. since the good trance doesn't get played anymore and i don't like the trance Armin plays, i rather hear a first half hour with decent chunky funky tracks.. The best melodies i heard this year, they came from progressive tunes.. Cuz there the melody does still matter, not the commercial value of the tune. I still DO like trance, but damn, it's harder to get onto the decent tracks these days..

And another thing: Producers are killing trance too, by copying sounds of other producers. Check this out: couple of years ago Jonas steur came with some new ideas.. chilly accessable music... trance to me, EDM to others, whatever. Point is, Jonas Steur gets and got bashed so hard not because of his own tracks.. he didn't release THAT much of tracks.. NO, other producers started to copy his sounds and made profit of it.. It was that bad people got tired of it after only a matter of time.. the scene was filled with Steur wannabe's, all out for that last piece of the cake.
Another example: last year: Aalto - 5 , you all know that track of course.. It was kinda new cuz it was the first track that had such a clear electrobassline in it... And guess what? Producers started copying it too..
Producers should come up with own ideas, not with other ideas.. trance became such a big success because the producers did what they liked to do, not what other like them to do.. catch my drift?


So many reasons man.. only one thing.. oldskool trance ain't coming back, and if you do believe so , well that's tough luck then, i'm sorry. There will be exceptions thank God, but they will keep getting more and more rare i'm afraid. The future is to lower bpm tracks.. with some of them having more feel and melody in it than some of the best trancetracks this year..

 

[Iqy]

This is an interesting discussion and a lot of insightful points and observations have been made by many of you. My personal opinion is that the poularity of "trance" as we know it (i.e. the majority of music played here on AH etc), the popularity of it is not on the decline. I cannot speak for others since everyone has their own opinion of what type of music they prefer. Music is a vey personal and emotional thing. To say one style is better than another would be incorrect. It IS fair to say however, that trance is a genre of music that evokes a lot of feelings and emotions when listened to. This I know for a fact as I have many friends and people I have played for who after listening to one of my sets have been... for lack of a better phrase "emotionally blown away". This is all because of the way in which the producers create their tracks. Quite literally taking the listener on a journey of highs and lows all within a 7 or 9 minute track. Contrast that to much of the tracks produced under the 'house' genre. Not to demeen any house producers or fans but much of the structure found in house tracks are heavily repetitive and the song structure and number of elements used to compose are a house track are far fewer than what you would hear in say a trance track. As for the poularity of trance music being onthe decline? I think that there are a lot of people out there who possibly have not yet discovered trance music. If 90% of the clubs are playing top 40, r&b, hip hop, house .... which is the case here in North America. The number of people exposed to trance is far less than if it was playing in the same ratio as the other genres of music. I don't think it's declining. My experience has been that once people have been exposed to trance music for the first time. Their initial reactions are.. what is this! omg this music is awesome! where can i listen to more. That's been my experiences so far whenever people have listened to my sets or shows. Has anyone else experienced the same?

 

[xruntime]

So many reasons man.. only one thing.. oldskool trance ain't coming back, and if you do believe so , well that's tough luck then, i'm sorry. There will be exceptions thank God, but they will keep getting more and more rare i'm afraid. The future is to lower bpm tracks.. with some of them having more feel and melody in it than some of the best trancetracks this year..

Agreed. Just what I like, slower, more ambient, yet deep, and gives you the Tranzy State Of Mind ...and lots of melody.

Being a listener of "trance" for only two years (and real trance for less than that), I don't really have a connection with the old trance period...there are gems, like Lost In Love, and Cafe Del Mar, but there are ones just as good today.

 

[karybdeandscylla]

I totally agree with you Xruntime about the old trance period... i'm 36 and i had the chance to well had known the very first trance anthems which did trance what it is actually...

Like we say "classics never die" and i can say it's quite true... a simple example : When we did a PTP "classics" show or a classic part in the show, the audience is rising up immediatly... Peoples love classics trance anthems even if some of them sound "cheap" now....

By the way, it's not a reason to stop evolving or change to become better and better.... it's the purpose of every kind of music.

Keeping in Mind old trance references allow us to catch the inner essence of Trance, and could help us to become better than our "masters" but (in case of a producer) we must have make the difference between inspiring yourself and simply copying the track...

Copying someone's track will kill the variety of any kind of music....

(i hope my english is correct ! lol... )

 

[davenadz]

Trance music scene as we know it actually tends to define his new own sounds . Actually we cant define precisly the Trance genre, bcz its influenced by every music style . Neo Trance, Progressive Trance, Electro Trance , Uplifting, Epic , Psy etc ... This is just showing us that trance's still healthy , and trying to reach the music taste of a larger amount of people .

We are in period of music TRANSITION, where producers/djs exploring new sounds avenues , focusing on finding a better way to transmit their feelings & emotions to the listerners, dancers ... instead of caning the same typical trancey stuff that we get used to in the past years.

Finally, for those who never listened trance ... at the first listening , they can only focus on the speedy kick of the track . But once they get their attention fix on the complex harmonics & melodics elements that define trance; in most of the case , they began to feel the emotions delivers by the tune and slowly their ears get used to Trance music . And with the large amount of trance sub-genre, everyones gets the music taste they are lookig for