THE Psytrance thread

[recursive one]

but I often hear things like "You can use any synth as long as you process it correctly etc etc", which I'm not so sure about. but anyway!

I agree, when people are talking things like that I think that they disregard the most important factor - the inherent character of the synth. I've just meant that I probably don't need Trillian to get it in the same ballpark as E-Clip (i don't try to copy his bass at 100%, just want to get somehow simialr feel in my basses)

Your bass is sounding fine to me here - though I think the whole thing would benefit from a more solid, modern sounding kick if you want to achieve that Serbian Prog sound. Your kick isn't bad but it reminds me more of Goa or older full-on. You might want to consider changing the "rolling" rhythm to more of a straight "gallop" too - possibly by lowering the volume of the first bass note. Up to you, though

Thanks for the feedback! I think I'll change the kick - i like it per se but I agree that it doesn't quite fit here. Playing with the groove is another thing to do.

[recursive one]

Another take on the same thing, any better? (or worse?)

https://soundcloud.com/recursion-loop/p ... ne-test-v2

[Hooj]

that sounds better but it still doesn't quite 'gel' w/the bassline.....it also seems to lack weight... i'm being picky

[recursive one]

Thanks!

still doesn't quite 'gel' w/the bassline.....it also seems to lack weight..

Maybe. Not sure, I'm already tired of this my kbbb exercise as hell Will look into this later, I think this may be a matter of k vs b volume balance

[Synthman2000]

At last I have something to add but it is a new track..best part of 4 months in the making in spare time. First one with the Virus Snow featuring amongst the VSTi's.

[Touch The Universe]

Nice, would love to hear it How are you liking the virus snow?

To all you guys who have a virus, would anyone of you be interested in sharing some waves streamed from the virus, particularly when the formant granular type thing is automated to capture the full spectrum of the effect? I would be interested in making some dune 2 wavetables and create presets with them. I would be happy to share them.

[Synthman2000]

Oh yeah sorry it is in the sig would help if I mentioned that ! My only trouble is limited time (as 4 months to make 1 track demonstrates !)

[puzzlevortex]

I watch alot of psytrance live sets on youtube. Heres a couple to check out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnMU0PxPU4s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxbnlpX9U0Y

[Hooj]

LOUD: Love those guys.... saw 'em live a couple of yrs ago.... they always seem to play good sets!

[andymcbain]

I watch alot of psytrance live sets on youtube. Heres a couple to check out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnMU0PxPU4s

Ozora :') would love to go again one day

[tasty tatsyn]

my small contribution... i'm sure these are not the only ones that will work but.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6GTE7lJ5Rg

anyhow i don't feel the soul i used to in the compositions anymore, i feel it's becoming more and more a science project with well defined parameters and like a lot of other people do feel too [it's becoming a kind of fast food formula] .... sure... it's sounds amazing but.... too technical imho....

and i'll leave a few (terrible sounding mixes and masterings play arounds i did )...

https://soundcloud.com/user-975999558

https://soundcloud.com/tatsava/the-hempersons-2_2_1

https://soundcloud.com/tatsava/lightstorm-psytrance

[Synthman2000]

There is always a bit of a battle between doing your own thing and being inspired with what has gone before. This is not music one becomes expert at overnight. Some producers working for 20 years. This music is hard work, for me at least...each track a stepping stone. I can only speak for myself but I try and make each track a little journey for myself in vibe and learning. Sometimes they come a little easier and sometimes harder.

For me psy trance is about dancing and a degree of hypnosis that is very enjoyable. Because the music is often related to a psychological effect in the listener there is some formulations going on that appear to do the trick . I don't really see the problem with it if the desired feeling is induced.

I appreciate that the kick and bass of many tracks now is similar, but it sounds so good and induces the desired effect so I don't overthink it or overly criticize it. There are great tracks with the modern "formulaic" kick and bass and many that will trance you out just the same that don't from years gone by when there was more experimentation in the kick/bass going on. This music has a long history now and for personal listening I listen to material from way back to 95 and anywhere in between up to modern releases. Lots of flavours. I prefer to try and focus on what I enjoy rather than being negative. (I have my moments of doubt when making music of course like everyone does) But I focus on what is good about it and that, so far at least... keeps me inspired.

There are different approaches to making a track for each individual. Myself...once I feel I have a decent kick and bass and bunch of synthesized sounds and a vibe going (usually 18-25 tracks or so of sounds) I will commit. And then I work until the track presents itself and I can hear the core elements. Sometimes this is quite quick and sometimes it is like fighting with a wrestler twice as big as yourself. But I make sure I work through the difficulties however annoying and painful and end up with something at the end. This way you hopefully learn things and what you learned may not present itself as an obvious technique or practice or approach but it slowly builds up a kind of bank of options to take when the going gets tough. For others the 10 different project ideas at one time approach will be right.. not for me I try and get one thing right and see it through to the bitter end.

I have to be honest I think for some .. because they cannot match the production quality and master the techniques for the "effect" belittle and maybe moan a bit and say "It's all formulaic." but I suspect have failed at the said formula itself, it's negative. And when I say failed... did you try for 20 years???

This is advanced music. Both skillful sound design, sonic sculpting and musical work.

(myself I do a kick and bass session and think.. I just cannot nail it ! and get frustrated but I carry on and on till it is getting closer, I just keep trying different things till it starts sounding right even if not perfect) I am not suggesting I have nailed it, not at all but I am aiming high with each track, as high as I can and simply doing the best I can at each stage of my development. Not saying that it is plain sailing, cause it is not. This last track took me to the limits of my knowldge and own patience. It felt like putting a square peg in a round hole at times but I persisted and I am happy and that is the most important for me.

It's ups and downs making music but the spirit of the psy keeps you coming back.

Everyone will have their own approach and that is a good thing.

[tasty tatsyn]

well i didn't want to sound like a jerk but i have to be honest too...

Out of the last parties i went to i enjoyed about 1 or 2 hours of music out of each 10 or 12 hours, i don't really want to give examples of what i don't enjoy but this.... make a kick and bass combo (spend 5 hours doing that) and then just add whatever squelches, fx, or whatever psy elements etc.... i don't know what to say except i don't feel it....

now, i didn't know EClip... thankfully something i like and i'm sure there's a lot more music out there [i just need to open one of these [Best X and Y of 2028] mixes on youtube to find things i like]
that doesnt change the fact that about 80% of it doesn't touch me these days... [side note i'm really bad at math]...



and about these 80% of music i heard at the last parties i went to:
is it dancable? - yes
Does it sound good? - yes
does it have the (trance effect/psychedelic touch) ... unfortunatly most of it doesn't these days [to me... maybe i'm weird....]

here's an example of something that ticlkes me adn has that touch that i hardly ever find on music being played these days:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOJsjyq_GsE

[tasty tatsyn]

and i'm not sure i've explained what i ment clearly but i'd just put it in a sentence...


I'd prefer to listen to a LOT of the original KVR's tracks posted in this thread then most music being played at partys these days.....

[recursive one]

Well, different things are important to different people.

I'm not a dancer myself - I've been at few events but this is not an important part of my life at all. I listen to psytrance at work, in a bus, at home and often through crappy office speakers or earbuds where I just don't hear substantial part of these perfectly crafted kbbbs. I love tracks which have depth, storytelling, musical development, melodic hooks, great sound-design (E-Clip's Shuma album is a good example, also check out some Egorythmia, Nerso, Relativ and Daniel Lesden - good proggy stuff in similar vein, and U-Recken as an example of how psytrance may be very advanced both technically and musically). As for kbbb, as long as there is something that moves the track forward it's fine to me. Most psytrance released today has good mixing, though some artists make their kbbb better than others but this is not a deciding factor for me when I choose what to listen. I won't enjoy a track with perfectly produced kbbb but lacking in other aspects, but I appreciate that such track may work much better on a dancefloor than some of my favourite stuff.

As an amateur producer I understand that there is always a tradeoff between putting emotions into your music and polishing the production to perfection. Probably this is why there is so much music, not only psytrance, which is flawlessly produced but lacks any substance.

Having thus said, I understand that if I want my music to have chances to attract bigger audience I must learn to comply with modern production standards, which I'm slowly and painfully doing.