Classic Trance Drive
Genre: Trance · Tempo: 138 BPM · Time signature: 4/4 · Length: 16 steps · Style: classic 138 BPM trance drum programming
Open this pattern in the interactive Patchpad (with playback)
The pattern
| Instrument | Steps (1 = start of the bar) | Velocity | Timing and chance |
|---|
| hat-closed | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 | 30-45 | step 2: plays 90% of the time; step 4: plays 90% of the time; step 6: plays 90% of the time; step 8: plays 90% of the time; step 10: plays 90% of the time; step 12: plays 90% of the time; step 14: plays 90% of the time; step 16: plays 90% of the time |
| kick | 1, 5, 9, 13 | 115 | on the grid, always plays |
| hat-open | 3, 7, 11, 15 | 80 | on the grid, always plays |
| clap | 5, 13 | 100 | on the grid, always plays |
| perc1 | 16 | 60 | step 16: plays 50% of the time |
Digitakt II
Tracks
- T1: kick
- T2: hat-open
- T3: hat-closed
- T4: clap
- T5: perc1
Settings
- Hat-closed (T3): TRIG page 1 VEL alternating 45/30/32/30 across all 16 steps so the 16ths sit well below the kick.
- Hat-open (T2): AMP page DEC 55 so each offbeat opens and closes before the next kick.
- Clap (T4): FX page REV 55, DEL 20; the reverb tail is part of the sound.
- Step 16 (perc1, T5): TRIG page 1 PROB 50% for an occasional pick-up hit.
Digitone II
Tracks
- T1: kick (ALGO 1, FM click-into-boom)
- T2: hat-open (FM noise)
- T3: hat-closed (FM noise)
- T4: clap (FM noise + MOD retrigger)
- T5: perc1
Settings
- Kick: SYN page 1 ALGO 1, MIX -64, RATIO C 0.50, RATIO A 1.00; SYN page 2 Operator A LEV 65, ATK 0, DEC 14, END 0 (a fast click that falls away, leaving the low carrier); LEV (B) 0. AMP page ATK 0, DEC 50, SUS 0, REL 10.
- Hats: SYN page 1 ALGO 1, MIX -64, RATIO C 1.00, RATIO A 11.00, FDBK 110; SYN page 2 Operators A & B LEV (A) 90, LEV (B) 0; FLTR page 1 TYPE HP, FREQ 100. AMP page DEC 9 (closed); lock AMP page DEC to 75 on the open-hat steps.
- Clap: same noisy ALGO 1 setup as the snare (FDBK 100, LEV (A) 60), AMP page DEC 45; MOD page 1 MODE ONE, WAVE Square, SPD 60, DEST AMP: Volume, DEP 50 to retrigger a few quick pulses inside one envelope for the clap splash.
- Hat-closed (T3): TRIG page 1 VEL alternating 45/30/32/30 across all 16 steps.
Syntakt
Tracks
- T9: kick (BD CLASSIC)
- T10: snare (SD CLASSIC)
- T12: hats (HH BASIC)
- T1: clap (CP VINTAGE)
Settings
- Kick (T9, BD CLASSIC): SYN page DEC 70, HOLD 30, TUNE default.
- Clap (T1, CP VINTAGE): SYN page SPCR 55, DEC 80; AMP page REV 55.
- Syntakt has only one Analog Cymbal voice (T12), so closed and open hat share it: use `HH BASIC` and lock SYN page DEC short for closed steps and long for open steps (a machine can't change per step, but its DEC can). Hat-open on steps 3, 7, 11, 15 with DEC ~ 60; the other 16ths with DEC ~ 12.
- Snare (T10) is not used; steps 5 and 13 are the clap.
Notes
Four-on-the-floor kick, offbeat open hat, quiet 16th closed hats sitting well below the kick, and a reverb-heavy clap on 2 and 4 at 138 BPM, the standard structure described for classic trance. Original arrangement.
Patchpad is a free reference of drum patterns and synth patches written for real hardware: Digitakt II, Digitone II, Syntakt, Novation Summit, Arturia MiniFreak, Dreadbox Typhon and ASM Hydrasynth Desktop.