How to make a trance pluck in Serum 2

The trance pluck is a short, bright note that lives in its echoes: detuned saws, a filter that snaps shut, and long delay and reverb carrying it. Played as a fast arpeggio, it becomes the riff of the track.

Oscillators

  1. Set oscillator A to a saw with 5 to 7 unison voices and moderate detune.
  2. Add oscillator B as a saw or square an octave up at low level for sparkle.
VISIONS OF TOMORROW71 finished Serum 2 presets for house and techno: 26 basses, leads, pads, plucks, keys, stabs and FX. Royalty-free.Requires Serum 2.

The pluck

  • Set ENV 1 to zero attack, a decay of 200 to 400 ms, no sustain and a short release.
  • Route through a 24 dB low-pass with the cutoff low.
  • Drag ENV 2 onto the cutoff with a very short decay (80 to 200 ms). This is the pluck.
  • Map the envelope amount to a macro, so the riff can open up during the build.

Delay and reverb

Add a stereo delay at a dotted eighth or eighth note with plenty of feedback, then a large reverb. Without them the pluck sounds thin; with them it fills the space between notes.

Writing the arpeggio

Trance sits around 136 to 140 BPM. Write 16th notes that step through the chord, often in a minor key, and repeat the pattern across the progression. Our free Trance Classic preset is a pluck built this way.

Five free Serum 2 presets →A house 808, a distorted 303, a French touch lead, a retro pad and a trance pluck. Open them and see how they are built.Serum 2 pluck and lead presets →Seven plucks, two of them for trance, and nine leads in VISIONS OF TOMORROW. $29.A trance beat to play it over →Hear the pattern and download it as MIDI.Where to save your Serum 2 preset →The Serum 2 presets folder on Windows and Mac, and how to make new presets show up.

Five free Serum 2 presets

From our VISIONS OF TOMORROW pack: an 808 bass, a distorted 303 acid bass, a French house lead, a retro pad and a trance pluck. The same download has 16 house drums and three guitar loops. Royalty-free.

Your download now, then two short emails: how to use the sounds, and a 25% code for any of the full packs, valid for a week. Unsubscribe any time.

Questions

How do you make a pluck sound in trance?

Detuned saws through a low-pass with a very short filter envelope and no sustain, then long delay and reverb.

What tempo is trance?

Usually 136 to 140 BPM.

Is there a free trance pluck preset?

Yes: Trance Classic is one of our [five free Serum 2 presets](/free/serum-2-presets).

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