Trance · 1990s — present
What BPM is Progressive trance?
Progressive trance sits at 128 BPM at the median, with most tracks between 125 and 130 BPM. The genre's editorial range is 128–138 BPM; our catalog measures slightly tighter.
Median BPM
128
Common range
125–130
Mean
128
Tracks measured
542
BPM distribution
542 tracks · median 128 BPM · most of the catalog sits between 125 and 130 BPM · 56 outliers removed by IQR filter.
Why this tempo?
Progressive trance settled at 128–138 BPM because it inherits trance's hypnotic kick foundation while adopting house music's patience with arrangement. The 128 BPM floor matches four-on-the-floor kick spacing that feels natural on 1990s drum machines and modern controllers alike. The upper range—creeping toward 138—accommodates longer melodic phrases and extended breakdowns without losing dancefloor momentum. This tempo range lets producers stretch eight- and sixteen-bar builds across meaningful time, differentiating progressive trance from peak-time trance's faster climbs. The speed is deliberate: fast enough to sustain energy across a four-hour set, slow enough to layer synth pads, arpeggios, and filtered basslines without rhythmic collision.
Where your track fits
Three reference points along the BPM axis for progressive trance, with what the position implies about the track.
Groovy side
Lower quartile — patient builds, deeper grooves, long blends.
Genre centre
Median — what most tracks in the catalog actually sound like.
Peak-time edge
Upper quartile — pushes the floor, bridges into faster neighbours.
Where progressive trance sits on the tempo axis
Median BPM of progressive trance compared to neighbouring genres in the same family. Closer medians mean easier cross-genre transitions.
Progressive trance
128 BPMTrance
137 BPMVocal trance
138 BPMUplifting trance
138 BPMTech trance
138 BPMPsytrance
140 BPM
Popular progressive trance tracks at the median BPM
Catalog tracks within ±2 BPM of 128, sorted by popularity.
Top progressive trance artists in the catalog
Names you’ll meet often when building progressive trance sets.
Producing progressive trance — tempo notes
- ›Build kicks and bass at 132 BPM with swing on the hi-hat to avoid mechanical rigidity; progressive trance rewards groove over metronomic precision.
- ›Use sixteen-bar phrase boundaries as your structural unit; at 128–138 BPM, this gives you 32–40 seconds per section, ideal for filter sweeps and sidechain depth.
- ›Pitch-shift melodic elements down 1–2 semitones during breakdowns to maintain hypnotic pull while reducing energy; reintroduce at original pitch for impact.
Mixing progressive trance sets — tempo notes
- ›Blend tracks over 32–48 bars at 132 BPM; progressive trance's longer builds demand extended EQ transitions rather than sharp cuts.
- ›Use sidechain compression on pad layers at 128 BPM quarter-note intervals to lock them to the kick without drowning melodic content.
- ›Loop the incoming track's breakdown section for 2–3 cycles before introducing your outgoing track's main element; this respects the genre's restraint.
FAQ
What BPM is Progressive trance?⌄
Has progressive trance's BPM changed over time?⌄
At what BPM should I produce a progressive trance track?⌄
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