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Fillers...
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| Stu Cox |
I think both the meaning and purpose of "filler" records has been lost... it's become a term that means "sub-standard record" but that shouldn't be the case at all imo. I've heard people saying (both on here and other messageboards) "why would you intentionally make/play a filler?" etc.
To me, a filler has always been a track that's intentionally subdued that just keeps the energy going without trying to blow anyone's mind and without stopping the dancefloor for a long breakdown or anything... it's a "non-anthem". This doesn't mean that the production or musical quality is any lower than any other track in a set, in fact for me good fillers generally tend to be better produced and have more interesting sounds than (while not having as much of a hook as) an anthem.
These tracks are essential for setting the mood and setting up the more anthemic tracks so that they have more of an impact, but so few DJs (particularly trance DJs) seem to use them anymore... and as a result hardly any producers are making them, but there are still quite a few around. 5 or 6 years ago when I first started going clubbing the trance DJs used to play awesome "fillers" for the majority of the set and you could really get lost in the sounds, with the few anthems dotted around really cutting through and making those memorable moments.
Of course a filler in one set can be an anthem in another - there are a lot of rolling prog tracks, for example, which would be anthems in a relatively minimal or deep set, which when thrown into a trance set makes the perfect filler.
A set without fillers just has too many peaks and can get very bland - they also help to vary the feel and keep the crowd interested, take things down a groovier route for a couple of tracks before slamming into a huge uplifting anthem.
In my last demo I really tried to put this across and I think I felt the anthem:filler ratio was about 50:50, but there wasn't a single track I'd class as a bad record in the slightest.
If you're talking about a weak record, just call it a weak record :)
Discuss. |
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| Beatflux |
Are you sure this isn't a shameless promotion for your mix? lol jk
DLing |
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| DJChrisB |
| quote: | Originally posted by Stu Cox
To me, a filler has always been a track that's intentionally subdued that just keeps the energy going without trying to blow anyone's mind and without stopping the dancefloor for a long breakdown or anything... it's a "non-anthem". This doesn't mean that the production or musical quality is any lower than any other track in a set, in fact for me good fillers generally tend to be better produced and have more interesting sounds than (while not having as much of a hook as) an anthem. |
Agreed. |
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| DOOMBOT |
| Not much to discuss really. I think you are absolutely right in everything you just wrote. |
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| Doza |
| I agree with that. In fact, i actually get sick of hearing those "anthemic" tracks. It's just baseline, then long drawn-out breakdown/buildup, then back to the baseline. Get's quite boring. I like older trance where there was a more constant beat with melodies and vocals and etc thrown in randomly, without 30 second-1 minute buildups. |
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| Beatflux |
| Breakdown after breakdown isn't really great for dancing. |
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| T-Soma |
I know what you are saying, I was out just the other night and the DJ was playing banging track after banging track with no let off whatsoever.
I think lots of DJs are starting to lose sight of what a good set means.
Too many DJs are just trying to do mash ups and fancy tricks instead of a decent set. |
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| Stu Cox |
| quote: | Originally posted by Beatflux
Are you sure this isn't a shameless promotion for your mix? lol jk
DLing |
Haha :D
Actually it was more of a rant off the back of a conversation with a mate where he said "I don't play fillers, my sets are just massive tune after massive tune, why would you intentionally play a filler?? Why not play a good record instead?" etc
And a comment by another mate who's involved with a hard trance label, who claimed his label made fillers - but they've all got big riffs and quite long breakdowns, I'm afraid what you're dealing with there are wannabe anthems! Just cos it's not the biggest tune of the night, doesn't make it a filler. |
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| nefardec |
Why even bother to use the word? just leaves a bad taste in any case. why bother with coming up with a filler ratio?
in my opinion, a set just consists of highs and lows, expansion and compression, themes, and moods. This is an extremely sensual thing which comes from either within yourself, from the collective feelings of those around you, or from the music itself. When you are playing it should be an intuitive impulse to play something with X vibe rather than Y vibe. I don't think it's wise to divide music up into "Anthems" and "Fillers". That makes also for predictability.
If you want to play a track that is climactic, then you don't play 3 other climactic tracks before it, because it takes away from its effectiveness.
each track that I buy is a unique animal and I like them to hold their own in the mix. In other words, I think a mix should have its own identity where big tracks don't necessarily stand out.
The best nights out I've had have been those where I hear anonymous, mind blowing, beautiful music, and each track that comes in takes me a little bit deeper into the DJ's head.
For me it's like some kind of surrealist thing. Being in a dark room under the influence with all your senses numbed and the only intelligible thing being electronic music is like being in a dream-world. And I think a proper set is like a dream sequence where it slips deeper and deeper away from reality and envelops you completely. Like dreams, you often go from one to the next without even knowing how or where you came from.
But when some kind of 'anthem' comes in, which by definition is recognizable, it's almost like waking up from a dream, and I want nothing more than to forget about it and get back to the dream that I was experiencing.
So basically, why worry about playing "anthems" and "fillers"? I think it is more constructive and interesting to take people on trips, and how you do that is not formulaic but intuitive. |
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| -_1_--Ben--_1_- |
| quote: | Originally posted by Beatflux
Are you sure this isn't a shameless promotion for your mix? lol jk
DLing |
:haha: |
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| Nemesis44 |
I'm with Stu on this one.
I don't think filler is the right name and it the term has most definately been misused to describe something that is of inferior quality. Part of the DJ culture snobbery I guess.
I know the tracks you are refering to, often good driving tracks that keep the floor simmering nicely but also give people a chance to get their faculties together.
In my opinion you can't hammer out anthem after anthem, it just gets dull but on the other hand you need to take your sets somewhere so you need both just as you have stated. Haven't had a chance to listen to your set yet but will make a point of doing so, sure I wont be disapointed, never have been so far.
I find a lot of DJs are stuck in compilation album mode, i.e. massive tune after massive tune.
Playing so called 'Filler' tracks does actually give you more scope to be more creative and really work the crowd. Rare skill these days. Far too rare in my opinion.
Cheers
Nem |
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| Stu Cox |
| quote: | Originally posted by nefardec
Why even bother to use the word? just leaves a bad taste in any case. why bother with coming up with a filler ratio?
in my opinion, a set just consists of highs and lows, expansion and compression, themes, and moods. This is an extremely sensual thing which comes from either within yourself, from the collective feelings of those around you, or from the music itself. When you are playing it should be an intuitive impulse to play something with X vibe rather than Y vibe. I don't think it's wise to divide music up into "Anthems" and "Fillers". That makes also for predictability.
If you want to play a track that is climactic, then you don't play 3 other climactic tracks before it, because it takes away from its effectiveness.
each track that I buy is a unique animal and I like them to hold their own in the mix. In other words, I think a mix should have its own identity where big tracks don't necessarily stand out.
The best nights out I've had have been those where I hear anonymous, mind blowing, beautiful music, and each track that comes in takes me a little bit deeper into the DJ's head.
For me it's like some kind of surrealist thing. Being in a dark room under the influence with all your senses numbed and the only intelligible thing being electronic music is like being in a dream-world. And I think a proper set is like a dream sequence where it slips deeper and deeper away from reality and envelops you completely. Like dreams, you often go from one to the next without even knowing how or where you came from.
But when some kind of 'anthem' comes in, which by definition is recognizable, it's almost like waking up from a dream, and I want nothing more than to forget about it and get back to the dream that I was experiencing.
So basically, why worry about playing "anthems" and "fillers"? I think it is more constructive and interesting to take people on trips, and how you do that is not formulaic but intuitive. |
While not trying to humour the slightly over-emotive way you've put a lot of that lol, you've thrown in a lot of good points... and yeah recently I've been using the word less and less cos people misinterpret it, although I'm yet to find another word that fits better.
And yeah, most tracks aren't either an anthem or a filler, they have elements of either side in varying proportions along with a load of other qualities that make it unique, but there are definitely tracks which have very much more a filler quality imo - or maybe it would be more suitable to picture them as groovier or deeper tracks, and these tend to be the tracks that (particularly in trance) tend to be missing from most DJs' sets.
I appreciate every DJ has their own sound and it's not up to me to dictate what they should and shouldn't be playing, but a set of the Discover & Vandit or Anjuna back-catalogues is just ing boring - I suppose I'm just trying to give people a bit of a suggestion of the kind of thing that can be used to break the monotony, rather than just throwing out all of the tracks you think are your best... while hopefully trying to reclaim a word :p |
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