Hey everyone!

I've been producing Psytrance/Trance for a while now, and lately I've been struggling with chord progressions and how to integrate them naturally into my tracks.

I'm curious how other producers approach this, because I keep running into the same problem.

Approach 1: Starting with a chord progression

I usually create a 4-bar chord progression, often changing chords every bar, and use it to build an arpeggio. Together with the bassline, this often sounds pretty good on its own.

However, as soon as I try to introduce a melody, it often feels disconnected, artificial, or simply layered on top rather than being part of the same musical idea.

I'm not sure whether I'm approaching this incorrectly or whether changing chords every bar is simply too much harmonic movement for this kind of music.

Approach 2: Starting with a melody

I've also tried doing it the other way around: writing a melody first and then building a chord progression around it.

Unfortunately, I often end up with the same problem. Both elements might sound fine individually, but together they feel like two separate musical ideas playing simultaneously rather than complementing each other.

The chord progression doesn't really seem to add anything meaningful to the melody.

So I'm curious:

• Do you actively use chord progressions when composing Psytrance/Trance, or do you mostly work with a single root note and just tones in the scales?
• If you use chord progressions, how frequently do you change chords? Every bar, every 4 bars, or even less often? Or once when you enter a new part and also change the bassline tone?
• Do you usually start with a melody and harmonize it afterward, or build your melodies around an existing progression?
• How do you make melodies, arpeggios, and chord progressions feel like parts of one coherent musical idea instead of separate layers?

I'd love to hear about your workflows and experiences. Maybe I'm overcomplicating things by trying to introduce traditional chord progressions where they aren't really necessary.

Thanks in advance!

Hi people

Last year I started a psytrance project, it is aimed more towards the modern style of psytrance but I'm open towards the many beautiful subgenres. All my friends who produce are into tekno and its driving me crazy and would like to connect with other (beginning) artists preferably in Belgium, but if we can work out anything online, also good!

All my tracks are currently unfinished but to give some direction:

https://on.soundcloud.com/eduudWrKwFRec6wl2g

Kind regards!

Edit: I'm using ableton

Hi everyone !

I’m looking for people in the Île-de-France region to organise psytrance production sessions, share our techniques, tinker with synths, create tracks and swap ideas in a friendly atmosphere.

The idea is to meet up regularly, bring our laptops, try out ideas and, why not, finish off a few tracks together.

All skill levels are welcome, whether you’re into goa, full-on, prog, forest, darkpsy or hi-tech.

If you’re interested, send me a message. It’d be great to put together a small group of producers to create music together !

Have a lovely day !

this is the DAW im developing. probably the most disrupting DAW ever.

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Connect live audio inputs or load your favourite software instruments. Play synthesizers, process external gear, or mix an entire band in real time.

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I think it's a step in the right direction, but I'm still worried there's too much bass.

What do you think? I'll gladly return the feedback!

https://soundcloud.com/eremitarosso/autostrada-a22

I guys, i'm again here.
I hope i'm not asking anything illegal here. There was a package called "A Force Truly Evil - Origins" on Isotronik and it was FREE but now it's shown as out of stock. Does anybody of you maybe still have it and is willing to share it?
I also would be really glad if you could help me find some free psytrance packs for Circuit Tracks. I have listen their Psychedelic Dreams and sounds really good to me. I'm just really a beginner and i have no idea if that's a good starting point or it's actually better to start with something else.
Idk maybe it's a stupid request.
Thank you very much :)

Hi there. So i‘ve been learning how to produce psy for a little while now. There are some realy cool tutorials anf i‘ve learned a lot also just by doing and trying out stuff.

But here is the thing. I realy like the new „progpsy“. I am talking about artistst like: DANTRA, TOPHOO, JILAX, DROPNIK ETC.

I realy want to produce the same music as theses guys. What are some tutorials or in generall things i need to learn so i can start producing music like them?

Thanks

94 Progressive, Full On, Dark, and Forest Psy patches for the Access Virus TI / OsTIrus VST

Hi guys, i hope I’m asking in the right place. I am a guitarist that often suffers from joints inflammation. Therefore I’m often unable to play as I just have to wait for it to calm down. As I used to play some keyboard in a local band I also have a Roland Jupiter Xm. What should I add to it in order to being able to make some dawless psytrance? I just want to play a bit and have fun by myself, nothing fancy and no recordings. I also have a lot of guitar pedals of course.
Thank you for your help

TetraDrive - free multiband distortion unit

It's 64-bit VST3 plugin for Windows but i have posted the source code on Github if you want to compile it for your system (MacOS/Linux) or study the code yourself: https://github.com/dadda123/TetraDrive

TetraDrive is a faithful emulation of a popular multiband distortion unit from the early 2000s. It splits the signal into four frequency bands and drives each one through a waveshaper, then sums them back together.

Features

• Four bands with independent Drive and Level, five waveshaper curves, Input and Output gain.
• Live spectrum analyzer of the incoming signal (4096, 8192 or 16384 point FFT) with the bands drawn on top.
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• Resizable interface.
• Help bar at the bottom explains the controls.

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm a beginner music producer, and I've been working on this track for a while. I'm still learning and trying to improve my production skills, so I'd really appreciate some honest feedback.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the track, especially the bass, mixing, sound design, and overall vibe.

Any constructive criticism or tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for taking the time to listen! 🙏🔥

I am very much a beginner but Ive figured out how to make FM leads and some squelchy acid sounds, but I cant figure out how to make those gritty aggressive leads you hear in old school south african twilight, and I also cant find any tutorials. Some examples of the sound I mean (with timestamps):

Brain Attack - Engage the Noise

D_Maniac - JB's Mushrooms

Vibers - Over (Alienn rmx)

Id also like to know if theres anything special about the melodies going on here, since they all seem to have a certain flow that makes them sound aggressive.

Any pointers are appreciated!

Kick and bass note on the same beat.

These days its common for the kick and bass to be KBBB KBBB , much has been learnt about making them fit together nicely but i am wondering about your approach to when the bass note lands on the kick, it was more common in Goatrance i think especially Shiva Shidapu.

My approach would be to reduce the 1st and maybe 2nd harmonic of the bass note that lands on the kick and maybe rotate the phase a little to see what works.

What is your opinion on getting the kick and bass note to blend when hitting together?

I would love to know, i will include examples of the kind of basslines i mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEZap9Moo5U&list=RDyEZap9Moo5U&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbsj1qap3LM&list=RDFbsj1qap3LM&start_radio=1

Any idea what method is used to create the sort of ''smearing'' effect that can be heard on the FM sound at the very beggining of the track?

I dont think its AMP ENV with soft attack but i could be wrong, maybe its created with drawn volume envelopes to create the groove?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7JzyFjK1No&list=RDD7JzyFjK1No&start_radio=1

hey guys. i am looking for remix stems like the ones from bliss-my lsd song contest. i would like to remix some psytrance but i cannot find anaything

Hi,

Can anybody give me any tips on creating the grid passage from this track? I’m talking about the sound that is playing as soon as the track starts at 00:00 seconds, not the pad but the lead/squelch.

I can deduce that it’s a single voice that gets various reverb throws via a send etc

I just can’t figure out the actual articulations

One of you experts will know what type of sound is used

Again, the sound I’m talking about can be heard as soon as the track starts and continues throughout

Definitely sounds like squelch territory but it’s got something extra

https://youtu.be/yEZap9Moo5U?is=ZUH6wARhTwN6ZT0-

Hey how are you?

I am looking for some tutorials like Zenonesque or similar. I would like to start producing Dark Prog/Psy and I would love to have a nice tutorial/course i can check on.

Thank to all!

First, I wanna say thank you for reading. Second, I’ve looked for answers elsewhere before posting. I’ve tried multiple sessions inside Ableton , I’ve been doing sound design and electronic music for quite some time. This ARP sounds simple, and I don’t know why I’m failing, but I’m getting extremely frustrated. Please if you could help with this I would be very grateful. Here is a clip it is a GMS Track Mindshift from the intro part
I have Ableton most of the top soft synth along with some hard ones happy producing p.s I work full time demanding job please don’t reply with questions give me a answer and then I m me and ill be happy to talk shop with you Thanks
redditnclip.aif
Sorry, here is a SoundCloud link. I thought I could upload the audio to the post my bad I don’t post very often. https://on.soundcloud.com/WQFf9TCm9peCoUgsmz

Hi all,

I was wondering if there are any Dutch producers in this group? And if so, would it be possible to connect somehow? Maybe we could produce together and have some fun. It would be really cool to get in touch.

I've been producing for many years with Cubase, went to the Audio Academy, and I'm relatively new to psytrance — about 3 years now. At the moment, we have a (small) label that some friends and I started last year as a hobby project, just for fun. We're also planning to organize our own parties in the future. So it would be really cool to connect with Dutch psy producers.

Let me know ☺️🙏🕉

Growl is now out of WIP/Beta mode and published. I create a feature walkthrough video with a rationale on why a separate plugin just for bass! Anyway here it is, hope you find it useful. It s a free plugin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoUfQGhVvIE