Trance Production How to create a track that will be noticed and get it picked up by a label? This is a simple question that I will try to answer with this series of articles. This small guide will not give you the magic answer that will work every time, but hopefully it will help you working in the right direction - nothing more, nothing less. Remember that music is an art and thus very subjective, what work for some will not work for others and vice-versa. On the other hand,
Trance Music is also a business and a basic understanding of the label's need and goals is also required.
Note that for the purpose of this guide I focused on trance music, but most of these advices are also applicable to other genres. Only the particular examples and reference I give are only useful for trance producers.
Produce something just a little ORIGINALIf your plans are just to start your career in trance music and get your tracks signed in a big label, you don't need to really be ORIGINAL, just a little bit will do the job. Why am I saying this? Because in any other case I would really insist on being original to be noticed and to "impose your style", however this is not the purpose of this article, here we will focus very practically on what to do to get your trance tracks released by a trance label. It can also be an
easy way to start your career, nothing will stop you from redefining your goals and objectives in the future - when you will be established on a solid basis.
Listen to what is working and produce in that style, while keeping in mind that you have to add up something of your own to make your track sound fresh and original. Strangely in a time where labels are dramatically trying to cut the costs and are turning more and more to "cheap" solutions, people in the industry seem to be less and less willing to take any risk. So always remember that, try to fit in the actual style and try to add up something which will make your track stand out.
My personal advice at this point of time would be to
look back to the roots of trance, yeah the good old trance of the early 00s - where has it gone? On all the music released over 2008 you can Trance that only very few tracks contained "proper" trance sounds. Why don't you try to mix the actual electro-clubby trance sound with some good old powerful trance synths coming right from the past? It's up to you, this is just an idea among others...
To finish remember that even if you have the next HIT, your track is likely to be rejected and neglected if you didn't add this "pro" finish over it. How do labels know that this is the next hit if they cannot hear it properly?
Sound selection, Mixing, Mastering... and how to make your track sounds PRO - This is our next article!