History
Psychedelic trance or psytrance is a form of eletronic music that evolved from Goa trance in the early 1990s when it first began hitting the mainstream.
The original Goa trance was often made with popular Modular synthesizers and hardware samplers but the preference in Psychedelic trance has moved to sample manipulation and storage in VST and AU software sampler applications. The use of analog synthesizers for sound synthesis has given way to digital "virtual analog" instruments like the Nord Lead, Access Virus,, Korg MS-2000, Roland JP-8000 and computer VST and AU Plugins like Native Instruments Reaktor. These are usually controlled by MIDI sequencers within Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) applications.
The name psychedelic provides an umbrella term for the many
electronica, including: Goa; Melodic; Dark; Progressive; Progressive Trance; suomi; psybreaks; sometimes even psyambient; and "classic" psy. Some of these styles have very little similarity except that they are all a psychedelic variety of electronic music such that many in the scene believe the name "psytrance" is completely meaningless. Most people who have been with the music and the surrounding scene for years, simply refer to the breed of electronica as "psychedelic". Referring to it as "psychedelic" also distinguishes the style from the 'Clubbier' Trance music and reinforces the roots of Goa trance in the psychedelic community.
Psychedelic trance used to be distinguished by a fast tempo, in the range 140 to 150 BPM. The emphasis in melodic psychedelic trance is placed strongly on purely synthesized timbres for programming and lead melodies.
Style
Psychedelic trance has a distinctive, speedy sound. High BPMs (generally between 120 and 150 BPM) tend to be faster than other forms of trance or techno music. Psychedelic trance uses strong bass beats that pound constant throughout the song, and overlays the bass with varying rhythms using drums and other synthesized instruments.Psychedelic trance tracks tend to be 8-12 minutes long, This gives the music time to develop slowly, building up to a climax before breaking back down to rebuild again. Layering is used to great effect in Psychedelic trance, with new musical ideas being added on at regular intervals, often every 4 or 8 bars. This buildup will happen till a climax is reached, and then the song will break down and start a new rhythmic pattern over the constant bass line.
