Uplifting trance

History and character

The most euphoric strand of trance, dominant since the late '90s; often called “epic” or “Dutch trance” because of the strength of the Dutch scene. It combines classical- and film-style melodies with the rhythm inherited from German hard trance (the breakdown–build–anthem scheme), with supersaws (from the Roland JP-8000, 1996), orchestral breakdowns with piano and strings, very long builds and enormous climaxes. Key names: Ferry Corsten (System F — Out of the Blue, 1999), Rank 1 (Airwave, 1999), Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Paul van Dyk, Aly & Fila, Gareth Emery, John O'Callaghan, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Ciaran McAuley; labels Armada, Black Hole, Coldharbour, Future Sound of Egypt, Abora.

In the 2010s an “orchestral uplifting” scene consolidated, with soundtrack-style breakdowns and final modulations.

Aesthetic: hope, nostalgia, melancholic joy; long tension and total release.

Scales and keys

Convention: Roman numerals refer to the major scale on the same tonic (uppercase = major, lowercase = minor, ° diminished, ø half-diminished, + augmented; b/# = degree lowered/raised relative to major: in A minor F = bVI, G = bVII). The notes and chords below are calculated exactly from the formula.

Aeolian

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 — steps: T S T T S T T
• On F: F G Ab Bb C Db Eb
• Diatonic triads: Fm i · Gdim ii° · Ab bIII · Bbm iv · Cm v · Db bVI · Eb bVII
• Seventh chords: Fm7 i7 · Gm7b5 iiø7 · Abmaj7 bIIImaj7 · Bbm7 iv7 · Cm7 v7 · Dbmaj7 bVImaj7 · Eb7 bVII7
• Characteristic note: the b6 (Db): the bVI (Db) is the emotional moment; the bVII (Eb) launches it forward.
• Use: i–bVI–bIII–bVII, leads in sixteenth notes arpeggiating the chords; melodies that rise to Db and fall to C.
• Common mistakes: monotonous leads without a clear apex every 4 bars.

Harmonic minor

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 — steps: T S T T S T+S S
• On F: F G Ab Bb C Db E
• Diatonic triads: Fm i · Gdim ii° · Abaug bIII+ · Bbm iv · C V · Db bVI · Edim vii°
• Seventh chords: Fm(maj7) i(maj7) · Gm7b5 iiø7 · Abmaj7#5 bIII+maj7 · Bbm7 iv7 · C7 V7 · Dbmaj7 bVImaj7 · Edim7 vii°7
• Characteristic note: the leading tone E (major V = C): climaxes and cadences of the breakdowns.
• Use: Fm–Db–Eb–C, a lead that touches E before resolving to F.
• Common mistakes: E over the Eb chord.

Ionian / relative major (breakdown)

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 — steps: T T S T T T S
• On Ab: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G
• Diatonic triads: Ab I · Bbm ii · Cm iii · Db IV · Eb V · Fm vi · Gdim vii°
• Seventh chords: Abmaj7 Imaj7 · Bbm7 ii7 · Cm7 iii7 · Dbmaj7 IVmaj7 · Eb7 V7 · Fm7 vi7 · Gm7b5 viiø7
• Characteristic note: the light of the relative major (Ab for F minor) in breakdowns with piano.
• Use: I–V–vi–IV in Ab as an “opening” before returning to minor.
• Common mistakes: staying there too long: uplifting is minor.

Lydian

• Formula: 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 — steps: T T T S T T S
• On Db: Db Eb F G Ab Bb C
• Diatonic triads: Db I · Eb II · Fm iii · Gdim #iv° · Ab V · Bbm vi · Cm vii
• Seventh chords: Dbmaj7 Imaj7 · Eb7 II7 · Fm7 iii7 · Gm7b5 #ivø7 · Abmaj7 Vmaj7 · Bbm7 vi7 · Cm7 vii7
• Characteristic note: the #4 (G): the bVI (Db) played with the #11 becomes dreamy (Dbmaj7#11).
• Use: pad voicings on the bVI.
• Common mistakes: using Gb in the lead over that pad.

How to choose between scales

Aeolian as the base; harmonic minor only on the V; relative major/Lydian for the breakdown colors. Many anthems modulate up a semitone or a whole step in the last drop.

Harmony

Function

Progressions of 4 or 8 chords with emotional cadences; in the breakdowns longer, more “orchestral” progressions, with inversions and major dominants.

Techniques

• i–bVI–bIII–bVII and i–bVI–bVII–V.
• Bass rising by step with inversions (Fm–Eb/G–Ab–Bbm).
• Sus4→3 suspensions on the V.
• Final modulation (+1 or +2 semitones).
• Pedal in the build with chords changing above.

Harmonic rhythm

1 chord per bar (4-chord loops) or every 2 (8-chord loops).

Examples

• Fm–Db–Ab–Eb.
• Fm–Db–Eb–C.
• Fm–Eb/G–Ab–Bbm–Db–Eb.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

• Feel: straight, swing 0, 138 BPM.
• Bass offbeat or rolling; lead in sixteenth notes; trance gate on the pads.
• Build of 16 bars with accelerating snare roll, pitch riser, filter; drop with crash.

Drums

Kick

Punchy, short, pronounced click; fundamental 50–60 Hz.

Clap and snare

Bright clap on 2 and 4; very long snare rolls in the builds (16 bars), with rising pitch and growing reverb.

Hi-hat and ride

Open hat on the offbeat, sixteenth-note hats, ride in the anthem.

Percussion

Crash on the 1 of every 8, reverse cymbal, orchestral tom fills (sampled timpani in the orchestral strand).

Dynamics and ghost notes

Fixed; arrangement dynamics.

Interaction with the bass and lead

Offbeat bass; the lead and the trance gate fill the sixteenth notes.

Sections

Intro, main, long breakdown (32+), build, anthem, breakdown 2, build, anthem 2 (often modulated), outro.

Fills and transitions

Snare roll, kick roll, crash, timpani.

Choosing sounds

Bright modern samples, layered 909 claps.

Typical mistakes

Builds that are too short; snare rolls without a crescendo; ride covering the lead.

Bass

• Sound: filtered double saw (offbeat) or octave rolling; mono sub.
• Register: F1–F3.
• With the kick: offbeat/rolling; 8–12 dB sidechain.
• Notes: chord roots.

Harmonic instruments

Layered supersaws (3–6 layers), pads with trance gate, plucks, piano and strings in the breakdowns, synthetic choirs.

Melody and vocals

• Lead: long and singable, in arpeggiating sixteenth notes or in “hymn”-like eighth and quarter notes; supersaw lead + pluck layered; register C4–C6.
• Vocal: in vocal versions, soprano/mezzo-soprano.
• Effects: ping-pong dotted-eighth delay, long halls, chorus.

Instruments

Supersaws (JP-8000, Virus, Sylenth1, Spire), piano, orchestral strings, choirs, 909 drum machine and samples, FX.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• OP-Xa V — Warm leads and supersaws: Unison and detune for wide leads; layer with Jup-8 V for the supersaw wall.
• Jup-8 V — Supersaw and pad: 2 detuned saw VCOs, unison, chorus; pad with trance gate.
• Augmented Strings — Breakdown strings: Orchestral legato strings for the climax.
• Piano V — Piano: Grand piano in the breakdown with a long hall.
• Prophet-5 V — Pluck: Sixteenth-note pluck layered with the lead.
• Mini V — Bass: Double saw, filter 40%, decay 150 ms.

Song structure

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Bright, huge and wide: wall-like supersaws, lead out front, precise kick and bass, cinematic breakdowns. References: System F — Out of the Blue, Rank 1 — Airwave, Gareth Emery — Concrete Angel.

Kick

HP 25 Hz; +2 dB at 55 Hz; −4 dB at 300 Hz; +2 dB at 4 kHz; clipper; mono.

Clap and snare

HP 200 Hz; +2 dB at 1.5 kHz; +2 dB at 10 kHz; 2 s plate; snare roll with automated reverb.

Hi-hat and ride

HP 500 Hz; dynamic EQ 9 kHz; panning 15%.

Bass

HP 30 Hz; LP 4 kHz; 4:1 GR 3 dB; mono; sidechain 8–12 dB.

Supersaw and pad

HP 200–250 Hz; −3 dB at 400 Hz; dynamic EQ 2–4 kHz with sidechain from the lead; light OTT; 3 s hall; 100% wide; sidechain 8–10 dB; trance gate.

Lead

HP 200 Hz; +2 dB at 3 kHz; 3:1 compression; ping-pong dotted-eighth delay + 2 s plate; centered.

Piano and strings

HP 100–150 Hz; hall 4–6 s; wide.

Vocal (if present)

See Vocal trance.

FX

Long risers, crashes, impacts, downlifters.

Buses and groups

Drum bus, supersaw bus, lead bus, orchestral bus, reverb bus.

Sidechain

Bass 8–12, supersaws 8–10, reverbs 6–8; lead → supersaws 2–4 dB.

Master

EQ → 1–2 dB compressor → clipper → limiter. Target −7/−6 LUFS integrated, true peak −1 dBTP, crest factor 6–7 dB.

Common mistakes

Supersaws masking the lead; painful highs at 3–5 kHz; breakdown without loudness contrast.

Reference tracks for the mix

• System F — Out of the Blue (1999)
• Rank 1 — Airwave (1999)
• Gareth Emery ft. Christina Novelli — Concrete Angel (2012)

Reference listening

• System F — Out of the Blue (1999)
• Rank 1 — Airwave (1999)
• Armin van Buuren — Shivers (2005)
• Gareth Emery ft. Christina Novelli — Concrete Angel (2012)