Hard Trance
Trance · 1997 · 145 to 155 BPM
Hard trance is trance on steroids, born in German and Dutch raves: hardened kicks flirting with the nascent hardstyle sound, hoover leads, abrupt build-ups and aggressive euphoria around 145 beats per minute. Between 1993 and 1998 it was the soundtrack of the big continental raves, before hardstyle absorbed its energy and commercial trance absorbed its melody. Everything is loud and squared off, built for a crowd that wants maximum impact rather than subtlety. Artists such as Kai Tracid and DJ Scot Project defined its uncompromising, driving sound before the scene split into the genres that followed it.
10 reference tracks
- Marc Acardipane Presents Marshall Masters: I Like It Loud (1997)
- Jam X: Keep It That Way (2000)
- Checkmate: Another World (2000)
- Cosmic Gate: Exploration Of Space (2001)
- Kai Tracid: Trance And Acid (2002)
- Marlon Hoffstadt & DJ Daddy Trance: It's That Time (2023)
- Charly Lownoise & Re-Style: Like Old Days (2023)
- Rennz: Alice In Acidland (2024)
- KETTAMA & DJ HEARTSTRING: If U Want My Heart (2025)
- XINODJ: Troll (2025)
At a glance
- Tempo: 145 to 155 BPM
- First appeared: around 1997
- Machines: Roland Alpha Juno, Roland Juno-106
- The sound: Kicks durs compressés, Hoover Alpha Juno, Arpèges rapides, Reverse bass précoce
- Labels: Tracid Traxxx, Noom, Bonzai
- Key artists: Kai Tracid, Yves Deruyter, DJ Scot Project, Cherry Moon Trax
Producing Hard Trance
Hard trance runs 140 to 150 BPM, the fastest of the trance family, usually settling at 145, on a straight, unswung grid where the energy comes from compression and offbeat accents, moving through 16-bar blocks with abrupt build-ups: eight bars of rolling drums, then the drop. The kick is hard and heavily compressed, a distorted 909, sitting alone at the centre, matched by an open hat on the offbeats pushed almost as loud, a dry clap on 2 and 4, and accelerating snare rolls. The bass is an early reverse bass, an offbeat note with an inverted, rising attack sucking toward the next kick, or a pumped, sidechained synth tone, static on the root for whole sections. On top sits the hoover, a detuned, PWM sawtooth with a descending pitch sweep, plus fast arpeggios and white noise risers.
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 Hard Trance?
Hard trance is trance on steroids, born in German and Dutch raves: hardened kicks flirting with the nascent hardstyle sound, hoover leads, abrupt build-ups and aggressive euphoria around 145 beats per minute. Between 1993 and 1998 it was the soundtrack of the big continental raves, before…
What tempo is Hard Trance played at?
Between 145 and 155 BPM.
Who are the key Hard Trance artists?
Kai Tracid, Yves Deruyter, DJ Scot Project, Cherry Moon Trax.
