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Psytrance in a major key? ("Light" psy?)


Orthopteroid

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Hi everyone, new member here. 

I've long enjoyed listening to psytrance.  It has helped me enter focused flow states when creating, and I appreciate its complex and futuristic-sounding textures and effects, energy, and intensity.  But I've been interested in something that feels more "light side."  I don't know exactly how to describe it other than "happier/in a major key."  I think it would be really interesting.

The default minor key definitely helps the vibe feel "intense" and "driven," but it also makes me think of serious/aggressive alien beings more than happy/joyous ones if you know what I mean.  I'm currently working on a psychedelic/otherworldly racing game and hoping to find inspiration for commissioning a custom soundtrack of more uplifting/boppier sounding psytrance so any leads would be really appreciated!  I'd be really curious to see if it's possible to pull it off without seeming cheesy.  Thanks.

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Well, I think I have been driving enough (I mean IRL) to have a vague opinion about what music I would like to hear when racing...

...I'm just gonna make a straight shot. This one would feel nice I guess:

..."Space" atmosphere is in my opinion a great point to start, because in this field there are usually high velocities present, which go well with the feeling of "racing" ... but it really depends on what atmosphere you try to create with your game ... here is a rather psybient one:

... but maybe I am on the wrong train altogether ... do you wanna rather have a pixel-shaded wet track, riddled with particle effects created by the puddles of water or whatever substance that the contestants race through...? Then this might be an inspiration:

But above all I confess: at my personal best I am when it comes to synthwave:

If you manage to pull it off to combine psytrance with synthwave, I will be interested for the soundtrack alone.
To me, the combination of styles is the future!

In any way, I'd be glad if I can be of service. Just tell me more what stuff you like and what not - or what atmosphere you are aiming for.

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I actually had to dig in my music library (both the actual one, and the one in my head) to think of even one *trance track that would be in a major key, and I found this:

Most of electronic music in general, or at least the parts of it that I frequent, just works better in a minor key. It's easier to do weird variations of scales in minor, or is it even possible in major keys? (yes, the last time I actually attended a music theory class must have been around 1995, so you'll have to excuse my memory here...)

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Many thanks for the suggestions!  There are segments in all of these that have elements of what I'm going for.  "Corellian - Fallen" has a short sequence (at 4:55) which hits the sound I'm looking for perfectly and some textures/acoustics I really like as well.  I enjoyed the major melody of Nebula Meltdown - Alnitak Sunrise.  
Astronaut Ape - Can Fly is something that is a bit chill for what I'm going for.

I wonder if one of the things I'm thinking of is a sense of "communication" - like two voices in dialog.  It's not something I hear a lot in psy when I come to think about it.  

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

Hey Orthopteroid

You know that was also what I was searching for a long time. In the end I tried to make it somehow myself.

I don't know if it resembles what you are looking for. And I know also some tracks from Ocelot and others which you can find below.

And also it might be kinda ehm... a "different" style of psytrance... I'm not perfectly happy with it (sometimes cheesy I think etc.) but it were my first few serious tracks.

 

 

This one always sounds like a otherworldly gaming soundtrack.. reminds me kinda of crash bandicoot :D

 

Ocelot Album is named Day & Night I believe:

Ocelot has VERY otherworldly stuff! Check it out! :)

This one is from Yata Garasu and another very experimental style:

I think he kinda describes it as "anime-psy".

 

Natural Life Essence:

Here's my (maybe embarrassing) first track xD Which starts also with very positive major key and slowly goes from day to night which gets darker and darker. 18min... 

 

 

If I find more stuff, I'll post it.

 

Hope it's useful! Have a nice day <3

Cheers

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