Author Topic: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?  (Read 9278 times)

Lydian

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Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« on: July 17, 2016, 09:23:37 pm »
I've been thinking about it lately. When I went to EDC I was extremely disappointed when a lot of my favorite artists (Seven Lions especially) made DJ edits of their songs which REMOVED the break sections of the tracks they were playing. I absolutely LOVE breaks in a song but what I noticed is that most songs with a lot of breaks didn't seem to work as well on the dance floor at EDC. I don't know whether it was just because of the festival but it was a pretty big eye opener to me and it's been affecting the way I approach my arrangements. I've noticed that as a DJ when you remove the drums from a track it can totally kill the dance floor.

The thing is... I'm not sure whether I want to compromise having those beautiful break sections in my music. Which brings me to the question can you make people dance to music without drums? Does anyone have any good examples of "breaks" during a song section which still work great on a dance floor?

Or is it simply a matter of knowing "when" to give the the crowd a rest for a moment by timing your breaks efficiently vs trying to avoid them?
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eidolon

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Re: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2016, 09:58:56 pm »
its not danceable at all but this billain song has no kick and is inSANE. anyway. there definitely are moments in shows when breaks can work very well, and sometimes not dancing is necessary. sets from dutch house artists in 2013 that had ZERO breakdowns or pauses were honestly exhausting, and not in a good way haha.

i think i'd keep in mind that you were at EDC. sets at festivals are just /going/ to be more dance-oriented most of the time imo, especially at one as geared towards EDM as that (not as a dig). i think that for a lot of DJ's there's pressure to play stuff that people outside their fanbase will like at festivals vs goin on tour. personally, i dont think u should let it get to you. so many of the most meaningful moments in music to me are the emotions evoked through absence, and i think that losing out on that is too bad. make music that's you.
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Marrow Machines

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Re: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2016, 10:29:28 pm »
people can dance with out drums.

drums are there just to characterize the rhythm and makes it easier to dance to.

you can have instruments that carry the rhythm in certain ways. It just might not have the same impact as a kick and snare would.
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attila

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Re: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2016, 12:23:14 am »
I think it depends on what you're trying to accomplish with a set. Imo everyone should just play what they want and we'd all be much better off.

Electronic music has come a long way in the last five years in terms of being accepted as a serious form of music though. It's okay to loosen up and do things the way you want. Create and perform however suits the message you're trying to get across, even if it means having less girls with hoola hoops show up. I think the "playing for the crowd" mentality is becoming more and more obsolete. People go to shows to see their favorite producers now, not just to dance to whatever DJ's playing that night. It's not a background gig anymore.

To hit on the original topic more directly, I think keeping drums throughout a set is exhausting and boring. The point of a crescendo is to release the energy that's building; if your set's at 80% during the verses and breakdowns, it'll feel monotonous. Taking drums out forces people to focus on the melody and beauty of the music.

1:40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFCPOwsxK3Q

I mean he has moments like that in plenty of his songs, but just as a quick example.



ion

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Re: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2016, 09:53:08 pm »
Festival sets are just that.  Festival sets.  Instant gratification is what the djs try to give the crowd.  Playing for 1 hour, it limits any building.
Cafe del Mar is my best example of a track that can make a crowd lose it without the drums(check the Nalin&Kane remix for the best ride)
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Storm Infinity

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Re: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2016, 04:06:36 am »
its not danceable at all but this billain song has no kick and is inSANE.
I can hear the kick in that. It's weak, but it's definitely there (at least in the first half); it's interesting how a near-silent kick is still able to make its presence felt on the track as a whole even when you don't consciously notice that it's there.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2016, 04:08:16 am by Storm Infinity »

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Re: Can Music Make People Dance Without Drums?
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2016, 11:14:29 am »
I'm not sure, I never encountered such a song.
However, sometimes the part of a song where there is only a sidechain caused by the kick but no kick is very uplifting.
That "thumping" and feel of the beat makes us dance, I think.

If you're trying, I suggest you put elements that gives the "beat", even without the drums.

Try it!!!! ;)