I think that its down to the skillz of the creator. I find techno a total bitch to make cos its where my passion lies, yet sometimes, ill go write a trance track as the "easy" way out or just to mess about. This is no critism, just what i do. most artists on this forum could write a track in a few minutes and say this "style" is trance , but i dont think this is possible with techno

Trance has a formal structure, the basic beat and melodies arent that hard to come up with considering some of the patches available lately.

I think its a pointless exercise to write trance that doesnt "stand-out" cos its so formatted.

Witht the techno, theres more space to do whatever you want, and for it to go wrong. Also, there is a barrier cos anything that sounds "cheesy" in any way dont sound acceptable, this why i belive it more percussion based cos its imposssible to create "cheessy" percussion (well almost BOSSANOVA 05 anyone?)

Techno is hard cos you have to come up with a backbone for a track that isnt melody..it has to be something else but what??

As for percussion vs melody I think that both are equally as difficult or easy depending on the person. Ivebeen step sequencing drum machines since i was a kid yet still find precussion in techno hard, keeping the beat moving without using the 1/2 bar clap and 1/4 open hat.. its the same with melody, anyone ever tried to make a pile of cheese in order to make some fast money for studio equipment? well it isnt that easy even tho i know a lot of ppl would sit bak and think it would be a breeze....

got a light?