# Trance glossary from Euphoria Unleashed

> The full trance glossary from Euphoria Unleashed, A to Z. Subgenres, production techniques, DJ tools and the language people actually use in the scene.

Markdown companion to https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/trance-glossary, which is the canonical page. It carries all 73 terms and definitions shown on the page, in the same order.

A quick reference for trance terminology, listed alphabetically. This is the glossary from [Euphoria Unleashed](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/books), reprinted here in full so you can look a term up without cracking the book open.

If you'd rather hear the differences than read them, [the companion playlist](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/playlist) runs chronologically, and [the timeline](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/trance-history-timeline) lays it out era by era.

## A

- **Acid House**: A genre of electronic music that originated in the mid-1980s, characterized by its repetitive 4/4 beats, syncopated basslines and the distinctive squelching sound of the Roland TB-303 synthesizer. Often considered a precursor to trance music, Acid House played a significant role in shaping the evolution of EDM and influenced the development of various subgenres, including Acid Trance and Psytrance.
- **Acid Trance**: A subgenre of trance music that fuses the distinctive squelching sound of the Roland TB-303 synthesizer. Acid Trance emerged in the early 1990s and is characterized by hypnotic, repetitive patterns and a heavy emphasis on the 303 sound.
- **Alias**: A secondary artist name used by a producer to release music under a different identity, often to distinguish styles, moods, or collaborations. Common in 1990s and early 2000s trance: Ferry Corsten released as System F, Moonman, and Gouryella (with Tiësto); Paul van Dyk collaborated as The Visions of Shiva. Aliases let producers explore different sounds without disrupting their primary brand.
- **Ambient Trance**: A subgenre of trance music that blends elements of ambient music, featuring soothing melodies and atmospheric soundscapes with a slower tempo.
- **Anthem**: In trance culture, a track that achieves a kind of community consensus: played at peak moments across venues and events, immediately recognized, and associated with a specific season or scene. Anthems are defined retroactively by collective memory as much as by chart performance or production quality. A track becomes an anthem when enough people have felt something in the same room to the same sound.
- **Anthem Trance**: A subgenre of trance music known for its uplifting melodies, anthemic synths and emotional build-ups, often showcased in large-scale events and festivals.
- **Arpeggiator**: A musical device or software that automatically generates arpeggios (broken chords) by playing the individual notes of a chord in a sequence.

## B

- **Balearic**: A style of DJ mixing and music selection associated with Ibiza's chill-out culture, blending genres from ambient to pop to dance music based on vibe rather than strict tempo matching.
- **Bar/Measure**: A unit of time in music notation, representing a fixed number of beats or pulses, as defined by the time signature. In trance music and other EDM genres, a bar typically consists of four beats, following the common 4/4 time signature.
- **Beat Matching**: A fundamental DJ technique that involves synchronizing the tempos of two or more tracks to create a seamless transition between them during a live performance or mix. The ability to beat match skillfully is often considered a hallmark of a proficient DJ.
- **Bootleg**: An unofficial remix or mashup of a track created without the original artist's permission. Bootlegs often involve combining elements from different tracks to create a fresh interpretation. DJs may use bootlegs in their sets to add a unique twist.
- **BPM (Beats Per Minute)**: A unit of measurement indicating the tempo of a piece of music, expressed as the number of beats occurring in one minute. Trance typically ranges from 125-150 BPM depending on subgenre.
- **Breakdown**: A section in a trance track where the rhythm and percussion drop out, allowing the melodic elements to come to the forefront. Breakdowns are often followed by a build-up and a climax or drop, providing a sense of anticipation and release.
- **Build-up**: A section in a trance track where tension and energy are gradually increased through the use of rising melodies, percussion and effects. The build-up typically leads to a climax or drop.

## C

- **CDJ**: A professional-grade digital music player primarily used by DJs. CDJs, pioneered by Pioneer DJ, initially played Compact Discs but have since evolved to support digital audio files via USB drives and SD cards. They include features like pitch control, tempo adjustment, looping and hot cues.
- **Chillout**: A genre of electronic music characterized by its relaxed tempo, soothing melodies and downtempo beats. Often played in dedicated chillout rooms at raves and festivals.
- **Climax**: The peak moment of intensity in a trance track, often occurring after a build-up and featuring the full force of the track's melodic and rhythmic elements. A critical part of the trance experience.
- **Counterculture**: A subculture that opposes or rejects the mainstream values, beliefs and norms of society. Trance music has been associated with various countercultural movements since its inception, particularly the psychedelic and rave scenes.

## D

- **DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)**: Software for recording, editing, producing and manipulating audio files. Popular DAWs include Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro and Cubase.
- **Deck**: A piece of DJ equipment (turntable, CDJ, or digital controller) used for playing, mixing and manipulating audio tracks during a performance.
- **DJ (Disc Jockey)**: A person who mixes and plays recorded music for an audience, typically at clubs, festivals, or other events.
- **Downbeat**: The first beat in a measure or bar of music. In trance and EDM, the downbeat typically corresponds to the kick drum, providing a strong pulse that drives the music forward.
- **Dream Trance**: A subgenre characterized by ethereal, dreamlike melodies and pads. Associated with artists like Robert Miles, whose track “Children” (1995) became the genre's defining moment.
- **Drop**: The moment in a trance track when the beat and bass return after the build-up, creating a high-energy climax.
- **Dropcatch**: The collective anticipatory recognition when a crowd knows what is coming before the drop hits. The shared breath before the release, when an entire room leans forward together. What separates an anthem from a well-produced track. (Coined for this book.)
- **Drum Machine**: A hardware device or software that generates drum and percussion sounds. Classic machines like the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 have been influential in shaping electronic music.

## E

- **EBM (Electronic Body Music)**: An aggressive, rhythm-driven subgenre of electronic music from the early 1980s. Key artists include Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb. EBM's emphasis on rhythmic complexity shaped a lot of what came after in electronic music.
- **EQ (Equalizer)**: A device or software used to adjust the balance of frequency components in an audio signal. DJs use EQ to blend and transition between tracks.
- **Euphoric Trance**: A subgenre characterized by uplifting melodies, emotional chord progressions and a focus on creating euphoric atmospheres.

## F

- **Filter**: An audio effect that removes or emphasizes certain frequencies. Filter sweeps (gradually opening or closing the filter) are a signature technique in trance production.

## G

- **Goa Trance**: An early subgenre that emerged from the Goa, India party scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Characterized by fast tempos, layered synthesizers and psychedelic textures.

## H

- **Hard Trance**: A subgenre featuring harder, more aggressive beats and darker melodies. Often faster than uplifting trance.
- **Hook**: A memorable musical phrase or melody designed to catch the listener's attention. In trance, the main hook often appears during the breakdown and drop.
- **Hypnotic Trance**: A subgenre emphasizing the hypnotic, mind-altering aspects of the genre through repetitive beats, minimal melodies and slow, gradual changes.

## I

- **ID (Identification)**: In electronic music, an ID refers to a track that has been played by a DJ but is not yet released or publicly identified. Often generates excitement among fans trying to identify the track.
- **ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)**: A set of communication standards that allowed digital transmission of voice and data over ordinary telephone lines. In the early 1990s, electronic music artists including the Future Sound of London used ISDN lines to perform live mixing sessions and broadcast them to radio stations simultaneously, without leaving their studio. The approach prefigured the online streaming model of live DJ performance by two decades.

## K

- **Kandi**: Colorful, handmade bracelets and jewelry made from pony beads and elastic string. Kandi is traded or gifted among ravers as a symbol of friendship and unity, following PLUR rituals.
- **Kick Drum**: The low-frequency, bass drum sound that provides the rhythmic foundation of a trance track. Typically punchy and prominent in the mix.

## L

- **Liftlock**: The moment when a crowd synchronizes and locks into a track together, becoming one organism moving in shared rhythm. The transition from individual bodies to collective movement. When it happens, strangers become kin for a few hours. (Coined for this book.)

## M

- **MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)**: A communication protocol from the early 1980s that enables electronic instruments and computers to exchange information. Used throughout trance production and live performance.
- **Mixer**: Audio equipment used to blend, adjust and balance multiple audio signals. Mixers feature volume faders, EQ controls and effects for creating seamless transitions.
- **Mixing**: The process of blending multiple audio sources together, adjusting levels, EQ and other parameters to create a cohesive sound.
- **MP3**: A compressed audio file format that revolutionized digital music distribution in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Enabled rapid sharing of trance music online.

## N

- **Neo-Trance**: A loose label for modern trance hybrids and revivals that emerged in the 2010s, often blending classic trance elements with contemporary production techniques.

## O

- **Orchestral Trance**: Trance that incorporates orchestral instruments and arrangements, often featuring strings, brass and cinematic builds.

## P

- **Pad**: A sustained synthesizer sound that fills out the harmonic background of a track. Pads create atmosphere and emotional depth.
- **Peak Time**: The period during a DJ set (typically late night) when energy is at its highest. Peak-time tracks are designed for maximum impact.
- **Phrasing**: The organization of rhythmic and melodic elements into coherent units, often spanning 8, 16, or 32 bars. Essential for arranging tracks and mixing.
- **PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect)**: A mantra from early 1990s rave culture, credited to DJ Frankie Bones. Promotes inclusivity, tolerance and community.
- **Progressive Trance**: A subgenre characterized by complex structures, evolving melodies and gradual builds. Often slower and more hypnotic than uplifting trance.
- **Psytrance (Psychedelic Trance)**: A subgenre originating from Goa trance, known for fast tempos (typically 140-150 BPM), complex rhythms and psychedelic soundscapes.

## R

- **Rave**: An organized dance event featuring EDM, light shows and visual effects. Originally held in warehouses and outdoor venues, now also in clubs and arenas.
- **Rekordbox**: DJ software developed by Pioneer DJ, designed for music management and performance with Pioneer hardware.
- **Reverb Wash**: A production technique in which heavy reverb is applied to a synth pad, melodic element, or vocal during a breakdown, creating a sustained, atmospheric haze of sound. As the wash fades, it increases anticipation for the beat's return. A staple of trance breakdowns since the late 1990s.
- **Riser**: A sound effect (often white noise or a synthesizer sweep) that increases in pitch and intensity during a build-up to create tension.

## S

- **Sequencer**: Hardware or software used to record, edit and playback musical data, typically MIDI or audio. Essential for arranging trance tracks.
- **Serato DJ Pro**: Professional DJ software known for its reliability and integration with DJ hardware.
- **Set**: A DJ's continuous performance, typically lasting 1-2 hours at clubs or festivals, sometimes longer for extended or closing sets.
- **Sidechain Compression**: A technique that reduces the volume of one sound based on another (typically ducking the bass when the kick hits), creating a rhythmic pumping effect. A signature technique in trance and EDM.
- **Supersaw**: A synthesizer waveform consisting of multiple detuned sawtooth waves layered together, creating a rich, wide sound. A staple of trance lead sounds.
- **Synthesizer**: An electronic instrument capable of producing a wide variety of sounds by generating and combining signals. Essential to trance production.

## T

- **Tech Trance**: A subgenre combining techno and trance elements, featuring harder beats, darker melodies and a more minimalistic approach.
- **Tech-Lifting**: A hybrid subgenre that combines the harder, more rhythmically aggressive sound of tech trance with the emotional, ascending melodic structures of uplifting trance. Tracks in this style maintain the tension and drive of techno-influenced production while building toward the melodic payoffs associated with uplifting. Sometimes abbreviated “tech-uplift.”
- **Time Signature**: Musical notation indicating beats per measure and note value. Trance uses 4/4 time (four beats per measure).
- **Time-stretching**: An audio technique that alters tempo without affecting pitch, used for synchronizing samples and tracks.
- **Trainspotting**: In DJ and club culture, the practice of identifying tracks being played by a DJ during a set. Dedicated listeners track and log setlists, sometimes in real time, building communities around the shared project of documenting what was played and when. The term is borrowed from British slang for railway enthusiasts who collect locomotive numbers.
- **Traktor Pro**: Professional DJ software by Native Instruments, known for its flexibility and effects capabilities.

## U

- **Uplifting Trance**: A subgenre focused on emotional, uplifting melodies, powerful build-ups and euphoric drops. Often synonymous with Anthem Trance.

## V

- **VJ (Video Jockey)**: A person who mixes and plays visuals synchronized with the music at events.
- **Vocal Trance**: A subgenre featuring prominent vocals with emotive lyrics and melodies alongside trance instrumentation.

## W

- **WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)**: A high-quality, lossless audio format preferred by DJs and producers for its superior fidelity.
- **White Label**: Originally a vinyl record with a plain white label used for promotional pressings. Now also refers to any unreleased promotional track.
- **White Noise Sweep**: A production technique using filtered white noise that rises rapidly in pitch and intensity during the final bars of a build-up, typically cutting out at the exact moment the kick and bassline return. The physical contrast of the sweep's absence against the drop's arrival is one of trance's most recognizable tension-and-release mechanisms. Also called a noise riser. See also: Riser.

This glossary isn't exhaustive. The language of trance keeps changing, and new terms show up as the genre does.

## Related pages

- [Trance history timeline](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/trance-history-timeline)
- [Research notes](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/research-methodology)
- [Resources](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/resources)
- [The book](https://www.euphoriaunleashed.com/books)