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About Psytrance
A hypnotic, driving form of trance music featuring fast tempos, rolling basslines, and psychedelic sound design. Popular at outdoor festivals.
- Fast tempo (135-150 BPM)
- Rolling, hypnotic basslines
- Psychedelic sound effects
- Minimal breaks, continuous energy
History and Origins
Psytrance evolved from Goa trance in the early 1990s, rooted in the psychedelic beach parties of Goa, India attended by Western travelers. As artists like Astral Projection and Hallucinogen formalized the sound, the genre split from Goa trance around 1997, adopting a more mechanical, synthesized aesthetic. Israel became a major hub for production, with labels like HOMmega and Tip Records shaping the global scene.
Subgenres
Common Chord Progressions
Producer Tips for Psytrance
- Build basslines using Phrygian Dominant scale (1-b2-3-4-5-b6-b7) for an exotic, Eastern feel — the major 3rd against the flat 2nd creates the signature tension.
- Layer the rolling bassline with rapid 16th-note filter cutoff automation to create the characteristic squelchy, morphing bass sound.
- Use the interval of a minor 2nd (semitone) extensively in lead melodies for maximum psychedelic tension and hypnotic pull.
- Program melodies using Double Harmonic scale (1-b2-3-4-5-b6-7) for its distinctive Middle Eastern character with two augmented 2nd intervals.
- Keep arrangements minimal in harmonic content — one or two notes shifting over 8-16 bars creates more hypnotic energy than complex chord progressions.
Sound Design Tips
- Create rolling basslines by modulating a square wave's filter cutoff with a synced LFO at 1/16 rate, adding subtle resonance peaks for character.
- Design psychedelic FX by processing white noise through a band-pass filter with extreme resonance and rapid pitch envelope modulation.
- Build signature acid lines using saw or square waves with high resonance and envelope-controlled filter sweeps, referencing the TB-303 sound.
Essential Psytrance Tracks
Related Genres
Frequently Asked Questions
What scale is used in psytrance?
Psytrance heavily relies on the Phrygian Dominant scale for its exotic, Eastern sound. The Double Harmonic scale and Harmonic Minor are also staples. The flat 2nd interval (minor 2nd) is the defining melodic characteristic, creating the hypnotic tension the genre is known for.
What BPM is psytrance?
Psytrance typically ranges from 135-150 BPM. Full-on psytrance sits around 145 BPM, while progressive psytrance is slower at 135-140 BPM. Hi-tech and dark psytrance can push beyond 150 BPM.
How do you make a psytrance bassline?
Start with a saw or square wave oscillator, apply a low-pass filter with high resonance, and modulate the cutoff with a 1/16-note synced LFO. Add slight pitch modulation and layer with a sub sine wave. The bass should follow a simple one or two-note pattern with rhythmic filter movement providing variation.
What is the difference between Goa trance and psytrance?
Goa trance used more organic, analog sounds and melodic acid lines inspired by the TB-303. Psytrance adopted a more digital, synthesized aesthetic with rolling basslines, sharper sound design, and less reliance on acid patterns. Psytrance tends to be more mechanical and hypnotic.