Character of the mix
Trance: 128–140 BPM, four-on-the-floor kick, “rolling” bass (often in eighth or sixteenth notes between the kicks), wide supersaw leads, pads and arpeggios, long emotional breakdowns followed by build-ups and drops. The mix must be big and airy, with a precise low end and enormous width in the high-mids.
Typical balance (drop)
| Element | Level relative to the mix |
|---|---|
| Kick | −4/−6 LU |
| Rolling bass | −6/−8 LU |
| Supersaw lead | −5/−7 LU |
| Pads and arpeggios | −10/−14 LU |
| Vocals (vocal trance) | −5/−7 LU |
EQ
- Kick: fundamental 50–60 Hz, punch 100–120 Hz, click 3–5 kHz.
- Rolling bass: 50–200 Hz, HP 30 Hz, LP 1–3 kHz; between the kicks thanks to sidechain.
- Supersaw: HP 150–250 Hz, cut 300–500 Hz (unison mud), presence 2–5 kHz, air 8–12 kHz; often a resonance suppressor for harshness.
- Pads: HP 200–300 Hz, cuts at 2–4 kHz if vocals are present.
Dynamics
- Deep sidechain (4–10 dB) of bass, pads, and leads from the kick: the “pumping” is part of the genre's sound.
- Leads: 2–4 dB of compression, light OTT for density.
- Mix bus: glue 1–3 dB.
- Very dynamic breakdown, full drop: the difference creates the emotion.
Space and stereo image
- Very wide leads and pads (stereo unison, chorus, imager above 500 Hz).
- Long reverbs (hall 2–4 s) and dotted-eighth or quarter-note delays on the leads, ducked from the kick.
- Kick, bass, and sub mono.
- In breakdowns, longer reverbs and filter automation on the pads.
Layering
- Leads: 2–4 layers (main supersaw, upper octave, pluck for the attack, thin saw for definition), each filtered into a different band.
- Kick: punch + click; bass: sine sub + filtered rolling saw.
Reference loudness
Master −8/−6 LUFS, true peak −1 dBTP. “Extended” DJ versions have rhythmic intros and outros of 16–32 bars.
Reference tracks
Paul van Dyk “For an Angel”, Tiësto “Adagio for Strings”, Armin van Buuren “In and Out of Love”, Above & Beyond “Sun & Moon”.
Common mistakes
- Supersaws filling 200–500 Hz: muddy drop.
- Insufficient sidechain: kick and bass clog together.
- Extreme width below 200 Hz as well.
- Breakdown and drop at the same loudness.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sidechain | 4–10 dB from the kick on bass, pads, and leads | Typical pumping and space for the kick. |
| Leads | HP 150–250 Hz, imager above 500 Hz | Big and clean. |
| Lead reverb | Hall 2–4 s, ducked from the kick | Depth that breathes. |
| Bass | Mono below 150 Hz | Club power. |
| Master loudness | −8/−6 LUFS | Genre level. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| 50–60 Hz | Kick fundamental. |
| 60–200 Hz | Rolling bass between the kicks with sidechain. |
| 300–500 Hz | Supersaw unison mud: −2/−4 dB. |
| 2–5 kHz | Presence of leads and vocals: manage the competition. |
| 8–12 kHz | Air of leads and pads. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | EQ → clipper | 1–2 dB | Punch. |
| Bass | Sub + rolling → sidechain | 4–8 dB | Groove between the kicks. |
| Leads | Layers → bus → EQ → suppressor → light OTT → imager | Wide above 500 Hz | Big leads. |
| Space | Hall + dotted-eighth delay | Ducked from the kick | Depth. |
| Master | Glue → clipper → limiter | −8/−6 LUFS | Impact. |
How to check the result
- Sub and Bass bands Side/Mid at −20 dB or lower; Presence and Air bands with Side/Mid between −6 and −1 dB (very wide leads).
- Low-mids band (250–500 Hz) no higher than the Bass band.
- Drop short-term 4–7 LU above the breakdown.
- Master crest factor 6–8 dB.