Subgenre
Uplifting Trance
Definition
Uplifting trance is the emotional-maximalist wing of the genre — 138–142 BPM, driven by supersaw leads, choral pads and long breakdowns designed for arena-scale euphoria. Defined between 1998 and 2004 by Paul van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Armin van Buuren and Above & Beyond, it is the sound most people mean when they say 'classic trance' with no other qualifier.
If breakdown, supersaw, riser and drop are the vocabulary of classic trance, uplifting is the dialect that uses all four in the same sentence. Full pillar breakdown, hallmarks and canonical tracks are on the Uplifting pillar page.