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A decent drop turns a good choon into a Slap in the face brutal choon.

Essential in my view

Drops are ok, I guess, but usually predictable. I'm more for sneaky uppercuts and surprise twists. I'm more inclined to pay attention if I don't know whats going to happen next. I can smell a drop coming a mile away...

i've been rethinking the original question since i first asked it...

maybe I shouldn't be thinking, "Is a drop necessary?" and instead, I should be thinking, "Well...what is it that a drop does?"

Perhaps if I can have a very clear concept of the function of a drop in a song....I can figure out a different way to create the same effect.

In theory, figuring out why the drop is used and then see how else that can be done. Often times we don't really question why the standard exists as long as everyone is using it. But maybe...maybe if we re-evaluate what the standards purpose is, it will open new avenues of achieving the same goal.

Always more than one way to skin a cat, right?

bellybelle wrote: maybe I shouldn't be thinking, "Is a drop necessary?" and instead, I should be thinking, "Well...what is it that a drop does?"

tension / release

it's all about tension, regardless of a breakdown

futures_untold wrote:I saw Caspa play recently.

The first two tunes of the set were big drops and sounded fresh. Then he played the worst set I've heard since I saw Pendulum live. All the kids were loving it though. At that point though, I left them to their midrange shite and went to the dub/reggae room.

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Remember that 'drop' doesn't equal bass weight.

Drops aren't condusive to 'head nod', and the majority of the time, especially while I'm working, I like to nod my head. I'd rather nod my head and feel the pressure in my chest than become a sweaty, stinky, overheated mong.

One problem I found when I used to dj d'n'b was that if I focussed on the drops, I quickly got bored of listening to the actual tunes. Instead, I just fiended for the next drop, and what should've been a 40 minute set quickly became condensed into a 10 minute drop fest.

I guess djing is all about target markets. Pilled up student kiddies who've never raved before will always like jump up. Jaded critics and travellers may appreciate more subtlety in their music.

Pilled up student kiddies who've never raved before >>>>>>> Jaded critics and travellers

Serox wrote:

futures_untold wrote:
One problem I found when I used to dj d'n'b was that if I focussed on the drops, I quickly got bored of listening to the actual tunes. Instead, I just fiended for the next drop, and what should've been a 40 minute set quickly became condensed into a 10 minute drop fest.

That is like the main thing that put me off DNB and what puts me off most Dubstep DJs. That and the fact too many of them cannot mix lol.

Some wicked producers who can make good tunes but dont know how to mix or how to structure a set with flow:(

we got to learn how to DJ to?

kidlogic wrote:Earlier I was having a discussion with my girlfriend, who is just getting into production,

now that your girlfriend is producing is she gonna finish that stardust remix you started you still owe me a copy when its done

I'm not a fan of the 32 bar build up and then "wobble" drop (contradiction seeing as i occasionally do it myself)..however i only use that method when i'm conciously creating a dancefloor orientated track which is still once in a blue moon

Personally i preffer the ones like in fly-lo's spicy sandwhich where there's just a few bars of silence and then a new idea comes in not just a wobbley mid bassline over the intro drums and chord progressions.

I think drops are quite essential in club music because of their simplicity allowing people to understand when sumthing sounds "big" but its has become a staple of the dubstep genre which shows how certain areas/artists within the genre are starting to follow some sort of formula (Caspa, Rusko, Emalkay and some of Skream etc.)

Some of the first dubstep tunes i heard were centered around some sort of drop, so maybe the drop has been an a hallmark of the genre since the early days of it's development

Personally I feel artists like Burial, Joker, Gemmy, Head Hunter (new stuff) and a few other big names are keeping the sound fresh and relevent in oposed to alot dancefloor tunes saturating the scene, I mean they still have drops after 32 bars which is expected because it's what the would sound right but they don't go full on with a wobble or some sort of vocal sample delayed which is re-occuring theme imo.

All in all, I don't see nothing wrong with a drop. However what they do with the drop is what counts

Personally, i seriously enjoy it when a tune is brought in from no-where 2 bars from the drop, then all hell breaks loose as it drops, is wheeled and restarted

but i can definatly see peoples point of veiw on not having a "drop" as much, recently iv been listening to alot more of the silkie/quest style dubstep prefered to the new distorted/Filthy matireal (EG Trolley Snatcha, Chasing Shadows, Bar9)

iv learnt alot about dubstep and to be honest, i think if it is a live event EG a mix in a rave or at a house party kind of thing, then the "drop" with a heavy bassline & Epic drumloops Sounds Unbelevible
But If you just wanna relax after a long day of absorbing various drugs & arguing with the misses, then i think the non "dropping" matireal is more relevent,

Its all About The Time & Place

^MY OPINION^
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the good doctor wrote:

kidlogic wrote:Earlier I was having a discussion with my girlfriend, who is just getting into production,

now that your girlfriend is producing is she gonna finish that stardust remix you started you still owe me a copy when its done

LOL!

She is welcome to take a crack at it if she wants... but her stuff is already in a different place than that tune. Im gonna do it, but Im essentially gonna start over with it so its gonna take a sec.

It's really getting difficult to escape the phrase 'midrange cack' on here. People like dancing to stupid shit, that's the end of it as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, if a track actually needs a drop is an interesting one. Or if you can create an original drop or not. I think actually trying to make dubstep yourself makes you a bit more cynical about all the repetition and cliches used from song to song. If you're writing a club track and you get an amazing hook, then I guess you can just use the same old structures. Getting the mix right of trying to get yourself heard- assuming you'd want to do live sets- and breaking trends, making exactly the music you want to make is hard, drops are just something for a crowd to hold on to and I don't think they'll ever die.

Megaladon wrote:It's really getting difficult to escape the phrase 'midrange cack' on here.

futures_untold wrote:

Megaladon wrote:It's really getting difficult to escape the phrase 'midrange cack' on here.

Hey, at least you didnt coin 'wonky'.

kidlogic wrote:

futures_untold wrote:

Megaladon wrote:It's really getting difficult to escape the phrase 'midrange cack' on here.

Hey, at least you didnt coin 'wonky'.