Psy-Prog
Psy · 1996 · 132 to 140 BPM · also known as Progressive Psytrance, Prog Psy
Psy prog was born at the end of the 1990s in Scandinavia from the meeting of progressive trance and psytrance, not from goa alone: psytrance slows down and hollows out, while progressive trance supplies its long trajectories. The bass is offbeat, round and rolling, builds stretch over minutes, and sound design replaces the melodic assault of full on psytrance. It is sunrise music, not a peak time assault. The Swedish school, Atmos, Ticon, Vibrasphere, defined the sound, while the 2010s Israeli wave, Ace Ventura, Liquid Soul, made it more melodic and mainstream. What sets it apart from psytech and zenonesque is that offbeat bass and melodic light.
7 reference tracks
- Planet Ben: Screwdriver (1996)
- Atmos: Klein Aber Doctor (1999)
- Feuerhake: Extremely Well (2000)
- Space Safari: Fun Key (2000)
- Vibrasphere: Erosion (2003)
- Ace Ventura & Astrix: Pranava (2019)
- Ghost Rider: Make Us Stronger (2019)
At a glance
- Tempo: 132 to 140 BPM
- First appeared: around 1996
- Machines: Access Virus, Clavia Nord Lead
- The sound: Basse offbeat ronde (Virus TI, Percussions groove discrètes, Nappes évolutives, Automations de filtre longues, Compression sidechain douce
- Labels: Iboga Records, Tribal Vision Records, Spiral Trax, Digital Structures, Iono Music, Sofa Beats
- Key artists: Atmos, Ticon, Vibrasphere, Son Kite, Ace Ventura, Liquid Soul
Producing Psy-Prog
Sit around 138 BPM, between 134 and 140, with the bass shifting from rolling to offbeat: kick on the beat, bass on the eighth note offbeat, giving a sway rather than a wheel, with only light swing, 51 to 53 percent, allowed on percussion and never on the bass. Phrases stretch to 32 or 64 bars, over 8 to 10 minutes. The kick is round and deep, tuned near 50 Hz, since the bass never crowds the following sixteenth; percussion stays discreet, softly swung shakers and spaced wood blocks rather than snare rolls. The bass opens its filter envelope on every note and releases quickly for the bounce, sidechained gently to the kick. Above it sit evolving Virus and Nord Lead pads, soft plucked leads with dotted eighth delay, and slow filter sweeps rather than acid squelches.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Psy-Prog?
Psy prog was born at the end of the 1990s in Scandinavia from the meeting of progressive trance and psytrance, not from goa alone: psytrance slows down and hollows out, while progressive trance supplies its long trajectories. The bass is offbeat, round and rolling, builds stretch over minutes, and…
What tempo is Psy-Prog played at?
Between 132 and 140 BPM.
Who are the key Psy-Prog artists?
Atmos, Ticon, Vibrasphere, Son Kite, Ace Ventura, Liquid Soul.
