Uplifting trance
Encyclopedia
Uplifting trance, often synonymous with epic trance, anthem trance, emotional trance, or euphoric trance is a term used to describe a large sub-genre of trance music
. The name, which emerged in the wake of progressive trance
in 1997, is derived from the feeling which listeners claim to get (often described as a "rush"). The genre, which originated in Germany
, is massively popular in the trance scene, and is one of the dominant forms of dance music worldwide. Historically it is related to the emergence of psytrance
and the two styles influenced each other. Classical music strongly influenced the development of uplifting trance both in the 1990s and at present, with film music also considered influential.
). Instead of the darker tone of Goa, uplifting trance uses similar chord progressions as progressive trance, but tracks' chord progression
s usually rest on a major chord
, and the balance between major and minor chords in a progression will determine how "happy" or "sad" the progression sounds. The genre features longer major chord progressions in all elements (lead synth, bass, and treble). It also contains extended breakdowns, and relegation of arpeggiation (the melodic part of the song, usually consisting of "Saw Synths/Square Lead" type sounds) to the background while bringing wash effects to the fore (the harmonic element of the music, or "background fill", usually consisting of synth choir/voice/string chord progressions). There is a close relation between uplifting trance and uplifting house
. As a general rule of thumb, trance beats in the range of 136–142 BPM. Uplifting trance very commonly employs side-chain compression, a modern production technique. It's commonly referred to as "ducking the kick", where the background strings/synths have their volume automated, creating a pulsing effect on the off-beat.
or Darude
, which has created some confusion in terminology and classification. Many UK fans call those acts "uplifting house" (when really these artists are closer to progressive house/trance than uplifting trance). The term is also used on the psytrance/Goa trance
scene, although these styles are not really meant to sound uplifting (there is the possibility some people may be thinking of the term "uplifting" in this case to mean "euphoric
").
, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto
and Above & Beyond
. (A decade earlier Paul Oakenfold
, Sasha & Digweed, and Paul van Dyk
. has sparked interest.) Today, Uplifting has emerged as a widely popular electronic dance music subgenre with DJs and producers such as Andy Blueman
, Aly & Fila
, Sean Tyas
, SoundLift, Arctic Moon, and Ronny K focusing particularly on Uplifting Trance as their overriding genre, and others, such as Daniel Kandi
, Adam Nickey, Jason van Wyk
and Above & Beyond
, who include Uplifting Trance as part of their broader repertoire. In addition, such online radio stations as AfterHours Radio are significantly devoted to Uplifting Trance. In September 2009 AfterHours Radio hosted "Uplift Day" that was exclusively dedicated to uplifting trance.
In recent years, a subgenre of Uplifting Trance -- dubbed "Orchestral Uplifting" or "Uplifting Trance with Symphonic Orchestra" and pioneered by Andy Blueman
, SoundLift, Arctic Moon, Ralph Barendse
and others -- has developed, wherein the timbres and instruments used in the track are those used in symphonic orchestras, including flutes, non-lyrical choral voices, violins, pianos, horns, orchestral drums, and others, and often includes even-longer-than-usual emotional orchestral breakdowns, while still preserving the other aspects of Uplifting Trance, therefore differing from the subgenre that was called "Orchestral Trance" a decade earlier. This new style has noticeably influenced the work of many artists outside the Uplifting scene, including the Black Pearl project of Ralph Fritsch and Roger Shah, who ordinarily identifies with Balearic Trance rather than Uplifting.
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
. The name, which emerged in the wake of progressive trance
Progressive electronic music
In electronic dance music the term progressive is often used to denote a novel stylistic development within a specific genre of dance music. According to the DJ and producer Carl Craig, the term "progressive" was used in Detroit in the early 80s in reference to Italo Disco...
in 1997, is derived from the feeling which listeners claim to get (often described as a "rush"). The genre, which originated in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, is massively popular in the trance scene, and is one of the dominant forms of dance music worldwide. Historically it is related to the emergence of psytrance
Psychedelic trance
Psychedelic trance, psytrance or just psy is a form of electronic music characterized by hypnotic arrangements of synthetic rhythms and complex layered melodies created by high tempo riffs. It appeared in the mainstream in 1995 as with reporting of the trend of Goa trance. The genre offers variety...
and the two styles influenced each other. Classical music strongly influenced the development of uplifting trance both in the 1990s and at present, with film music also considered influential.
Characteristics
In general, uplifting trance is a style much lighter in tone than other trance genres (such as GoaGoa trance
Goa trance is a form of electronic music that originated during the late 1980s in Goa, India.-History:The music has its roots in the popularity of Goa in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a hippie capital, and although musical developments were incorporating elements of industrial music and EBM...
). Instead of the darker tone of Goa, uplifting trance uses similar chord progressions as progressive trance, but tracks' chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
s usually rest on a major chord
Major chord
In music theory, a major chord is a chord having a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major triad...
, and the balance between major and minor chords in a progression will determine how "happy" or "sad" the progression sounds. The genre features longer major chord progressions in all elements (lead synth, bass, and treble). It also contains extended breakdowns, and relegation of arpeggiation (the melodic part of the song, usually consisting of "Saw Synths/Square Lead" type sounds) to the background while bringing wash effects to the fore (the harmonic element of the music, or "background fill", usually consisting of synth choir/voice/string chord progressions). There is a close relation between uplifting trance and uplifting house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
. As a general rule of thumb, trance beats in the range of 136–142 BPM. Uplifting trance very commonly employs side-chain compression, a modern production technique. It's commonly referred to as "ducking the kick", where the background strings/synths have their volume automated, creating a pulsing effect on the off-beat.
History of the term
The term has been used to describe what most other people call "epic trance" in the UK's trance scene, to describe some non UK-based commercial trance acts, like Brooklyn BounceBrooklyn Bounce
Brooklyn Bounce is one of several pseudonyms used by German trance producers Matthias Menck and Dennis Bohn . They have also produced music under the names Mental Madness Productions and Beatbox feat. Rael...
or Darude
Darude
Ville Virtanen , better known by his stage name Darude is a trance producer and DJ from Eura, Hinnerjoki, Finland. Debuting in 1995, he released the hit single "Sandstorm" in late 1999 and subsequent album Before the Storm...
, which has created some confusion in terminology and classification. Many UK fans call those acts "uplifting house" (when really these artists are closer to progressive house/trance than uplifting trance). The term is also used on the psytrance/Goa trance
Goa trance
Goa trance is a form of electronic music that originated during the late 1980s in Goa, India.-History:The music has its roots in the popularity of Goa in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a hippie capital, and although musical developments were incorporating elements of industrial music and EBM...
scene, although these styles are not really meant to sound uplifting (there is the possibility some people may be thinking of the term "uplifting" in this case to mean "euphoric
Euphoria (emotion)
Euphoria is medically recognized as a mental and emotional condition in which a person experiences intense feelings of well-being, elation, happiness, ecstasy, excitement and joy...
").
Current status
Beginning in the latter part of the 2000s, uplifting trance saw an eruption in interest amongst new and old fans and re-established itself within the trance scene, played by such leading trance artists as Ferry CorstenFerry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
and Above & Beyond
Above & Beyond (band)
Above & Beyond are a British trance music group formed in 2000 and consists of the members Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Finnish Paavo Siljamäki. They have their own record label Anjunabeats, which releases trance and progressive music, and they also host their own weekly radio show Trance...
. (A decade earlier Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
, Sasha & Digweed, and Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
. has sparked interest.) Today, Uplifting has emerged as a widely popular electronic dance music subgenre with DJs and producers such as Andy Blueman
Andy Blueman
Andrej Komatovic, widely known as Andy Blueman is a Slovenian Trance producer. His release Time to Rest was included in Armin van Buuren's trance compilation A State Of Trance 2008, and 'Everlasting ' was included in A State Of Trance Yearmix 2009...
, Aly & Fila
Aly & Fila
Aly & Fila is an Egyptian trance music duo made up of Aly Amr Fathalah and Fadi Wassef Naguib . They host an internet radio show every Monday on Digitally Imported radio, called Future Sound of Egypt.-History:...
, Sean Tyas
Sean Tyas
Sean Tyas is an American DJ and electronic music producer. The genre of his productions and DJ sets can be broadly categorized as trance.Sean's music receives regular airtime on radio shows such as Armin van Buuren's "A State of Trance," Above & Beyond's "Trance Around the World," and his own show,...
, SoundLift, Arctic Moon, and Ronny K focusing particularly on Uplifting Trance as their overriding genre, and others, such as Daniel Kandi
Daniel Kandi
Daniel Kandi is a Danish trance producer and DJ currently living in Aalborg. Kandi entered the trance scene with the release of "Breathe" in 2006, on the successful Anjunabeats label. In 2010 he was ranked #77 in DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJ Poll.-Musical career:Daniel Kandi began producing trance...
, Adam Nickey, Jason van Wyk
Jason van Wyk
Jason van Wyk is a South African music producer, composer, DJ and live performer currently living in Cape Town. He is most notable for his work in the Electronic Dance Music scene.- Background :...
and Above & Beyond
Above & Beyond (band)
Above & Beyond are a British trance music group formed in 2000 and consists of the members Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Finnish Paavo Siljamäki. They have their own record label Anjunabeats, which releases trance and progressive music, and they also host their own weekly radio show Trance...
, who include Uplifting Trance as part of their broader repertoire. In addition, such online radio stations as AfterHours Radio are significantly devoted to Uplifting Trance. In September 2009 AfterHours Radio hosted "Uplift Day" that was exclusively dedicated to uplifting trance.
In recent years, a subgenre of Uplifting Trance -- dubbed "Orchestral Uplifting" or "Uplifting Trance with Symphonic Orchestra" and pioneered by Andy Blueman
Andy Blueman
Andrej Komatovic, widely known as Andy Blueman is a Slovenian Trance producer. His release Time to Rest was included in Armin van Buuren's trance compilation A State Of Trance 2008, and 'Everlasting ' was included in A State Of Trance Yearmix 2009...
, SoundLift, Arctic Moon, Ralph Barendse
Ralph Barendse
Ralph Barendse also known as Ralphie B, is a successful producer in the electronic dance music scene. Ralph is responsible for some of the biggest trance classics of all time. Two early well-known productions are "Ralphie B - Massive" and "Midway - Monkey Forest"...
and others -- has developed, wherein the timbres and instruments used in the track are those used in symphonic orchestras, including flutes, non-lyrical choral voices, violins, pianos, horns, orchestral drums, and others, and often includes even-longer-than-usual emotional orchestral breakdowns, while still preserving the other aspects of Uplifting Trance, therefore differing from the subgenre that was called "Orchestral Trance" a decade earlier. This new style has noticeably influenced the work of many artists outside the Uplifting scene, including the Black Pearl project of Ralph Fritsch and Roger Shah, who ordinarily identifies with Balearic Trance rather than Uplifting.