how to build the foundation for a disco/techno/trance track

[fgimian]

Hi guys i just wanted to update this is how i sound after a little practice..

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?a ... 5A009FCF1D

I still kinda suck but i hope in some weeks i will be able to pull out "what i want"..
Should i throw away the one "octave" lead or just try another lead? How about the other is it bad? I think so myself but maybe it's cause i listened so much too it that it got "bad"..

Hey, just had a listen, you're a lot closer to rave / techno than you are to trance imho.

Overall I think you have a good sound going for that style.

Some suggestions...
- Your bass sound needs a little more life ... for some reason I'm picturing it with some verb sidechained to the kick drum so that the verb drops in level when the kick hits.
- The drums are a little too simple. It is (was) very typical to progress the way you have, kick drum, then 909 hihats, then claps, then more percussion. I personally don't like this technique, it makes it so obvious to the listener on how you built your beat. Might I suggest you start with the percussion first and then add the 909 hihats and claps. Before the 909 hihats come in, you probably should add a little more percussion, high hats / shakers .etc, maybe even a subtle loop in the background.

If you wanna get an idea what I'm talking about, check out Super 8 + DJ Tab - Helsinki Scorchin (Alex Morph Remix). You can buy a copy at www.beatport.com. This is basically as good as it gets (in my opinion) Listen to his percussion, just incredible. Also, check out the bass line. Notice how intricate the production is, all the little details. This is really how 2007 trance seems to be heading into the future.

- The percussion you have added (bongos), are a little loud for my taste but I have heard other artists do this as you have.

If you're going for trance, you need to go a lot softer on the kick and bass line. When I say softer, I mean, not distorted or quite as in ya face as this track is.

The off-beat bassline is not really done any more in trance (but is in techno / rave). The melody is also more typical of goa trance or psy trance. Melodic trance tends to stick to major / minor scales a lot with the bass note usually being the root of the key to begin with. The lead sound is good

Just some thoughts, very impressive start though. My first ever dance song (done in Fast Tracker II with my Sound Blaster 16 in DOS 10 years ago was ... a LOT ! worse )

[fgimian]

P.S.: Be sure if you rendered this from the start ... but your bar formation is quite off on this.

Try keep things in lots of 32 beats.

e.g. it is usually typical of club mixes (original mixes) to introduce a change ever 32 beats (8 bars in 4/4 time). It is typical of radio mixes to change something ever 16 beats (4 bars in 4/4 time). There are no hard and fast rules but this seems to be the most common way of doing things. You at least want to keep things in groups of 16 or 32 or it simply doesn't flow