Matt Shacklady

Mr Gooch

02/02/2014

Question 10 from the log book Attempt 2

Identify the most important features of your chosen style and explain how you will use them in your arrangement
The structure of my piece is a recognisable structure for that of Trance music since it is based on the typical structure of trance; this is the intro, breakdown, release and outro (or in my case intro; breakdown; chorus; breakdown; chorus; outro). I also have included instrumental sections in my piece to follow in the style of songs such as Tiestos Adagio for strings. An important feature of trance music is the fast, upbeat tempo that rarely changes from the start. I have taken this into account when creating my remix and have kept the tempo at a strict yet lively 140bpm throughout. I have included a four-to-the-floor kick drum rhythm which is giving an insistent driving beat throughout the majority of the track, except at breakdowns and releases where I speed the beat up every four bars from double time to triple time the original drum beat. I did this by continuously halving the previous drum note 4 bars previous until the drop came in. My snare is playing on the beats two and four which is also doubled up with a clap to emphasise this rhythm. I also have hi hats playing a gallop rhythm in every beat on the third and fourth beat within the main beat (i.e it plays twice within one beat on beat and 4/4). I have also included a crash cymbal on the first beat and then on bar 6 which leads to a rise in tempo and a crescendo to bar 8 where it leads into a more ambient part of the track (i.e the build-up). Another important part of trance music the repetition of the sounds and beats within the piece. However, there also needs to be movement of the track to make it feel like it is going somewhere. I have and will continue to use basic synth chords and rhythms drawn from the original patience track to make it sound like the music is actually going somewhere. To help this I will evolve ideas from the first couple of bars into the rest of the track using different synthesisers and possibly using the same chords but reversing them or playing them at different points in the sequence. This will create the effect that the piece is moving and evolving but yet keeps that familiar feel to it so that the listener doesnt lose interest. The typical trance synth noise is that of a simple saw tooth based sound and this is what I have used for my main synth. There is also many ornaments in trance to keep the listener guessing such as white noise sound swoops and automation low or high cut frequency on different instruments within the piece. For example, on my bass I have created an envelope compressor to give it a pulsing sound where it goes from quiet to loud trigger by my kick drum beat. I plan to edit my synths to include lots of reverb and delay to add to a sense of vast space and an ambience that this genre is meant to create.

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Matt Shacklady

Mr Gooch

02/02/2014

It is common for the main repetitive beat of a trance track to be a memorable hook. I have made sure of this by putting it at the release section of my trance piece as it is the drop that is most memorable and therefore putting the catchiest part of the piece here ensures for a memorable sound. I have done this by using a selection of notes from the most memorable part of the original song and varying it slightly too gives a nice repetitive rhythm and also to adapt it later on in the piece so that it doesnt grow too repetitive and boring. I have used progressive chords taken from the chorus of the song. These chords are; Gm, Eb, bb and F. I have used these chords and adapted them in a different order of the piece in order to give a sense of familiarity yet make it sound different. I have also taken variations of these instead of giving just block chords, I have sometimes played one note of the chord multiple times before moving onto the next note in the chord in order to complete the chord. This gives a good sense of variation and brings in new ideas into the piece that can be further adapted if deemed necessary. I have ensured that the piece is in 4/4 as the majority of trance music is in this time signature.

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