Karaoke Forums

Hope all of you had a Merry Christmas, as I sure did. Now, here's my question. I would like to know what everyone thinks of "filler music". Do you use it, or not, and why? I'd like to hear some pros and cons from "actual personal experiences" as to why you like it, or not. Also if you do use filler music, do you use totally "instrumental" background music, or do you use regular songs, like oldies, or dance music, or what? I know that this subject is purely subjective, and there will probably be as many different opinions as there are posts on this subject, but I would just like to hear some of the various opinions. Thanks!

Rosario

You will hear lots of opinions both ways.

I don't use it. My goal is to have such a short period between singers as to make filler music superfluous. When filler music is used as a cover for diddling around getting the next singer up, I hate it. When it routinely lasts more than a minute, that to me is what it is.

Others will undoubtedly speak of "keeping the energy up". Well, I suppose. But if you have the crowd interacting with the singers well, that shouldn't be necessary. If the crowd is disconnected and ambivalent, I could see why you would need to do it.

In general, I dislike shows with filler music compared to ones without it. None of my favorite shows use it.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
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Rosario
I think any "dead air" is bad , it just kills any mood that the singers song just created. That being said I feel that FILLER tunes are a must to keep, change and maybe create excitement in the room. After a slow ballad you can PUMP up the room with a song or vice a versa. The question that usually causes arguments is HOW MUCH filler and if you play the entire song or just enough to get the next singer up ? That depends on the night and the rotation.

I have no problem with filler music as long as it is cut off AS SOON as the next singer is on stage and ready to sing. Some KJ's let the filler music play out, especially if they have put on a dance song and some people are dancing. I've also been to shows(once) where the KJ plays an entire song in between each singer. That is nothing more than a waste of people's time. If I want to listen to CD's I can do that at home and get to pick the songs myself. The only logic I can see in that practice is the bar owner must think that making people wait twice as long to sing a song will keep people in the bar longer. It just gets me to leave sooner.

A few of the KJ companies near me play whole songs between singers, so I rarely go back to them for the reasons Bruce explained.

I don't mind the filler, most KJs use it. But I have noticed that when it's not used, the ambiance can feel more congenial - it's easier to talk to neighbors, and it makes the performances stand out more.

It really comes down to the venue and the audience, and what they like. If it's "just a handful of singers" with a lot of partiers/drinkers then I'd say filler makes more sense. You'll see girls squirming in their chairs to some of it... can be a clue the audience is restless and ready for a dance break.

I use filler music for exactly that.... filler between singers. Once my next singer is up on stage, the filler music is silenced, and the Karaoke track is engaged. I have a 3-tray JVC player, so I will always have a disc ready in each of the trays. When one singer finishes, I call up the next singer, and hit the button on my machine for the next disc to start. Once I see the title appearing on the screen, I pause it until the singer is on the stage. I only use the filler music so that that I have no "Dead Air" time.

being an ex radio jock I hate dead air, so my vote would be to have filler but to fade as soon as the next karaoke song starts...no wait, no silence...everything seamless

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

"Ditto" except the part about being an ex radio jock, or jock, or radio.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

I use filler music only when needed, which is 90%+ of the time. Here's what "Miss Know It All" has to say about it-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jIfvfaiDs8

Mojo

If I'm just using the (filler) tunes to fade in and out "between" performers, not for any length of time, maybe 15 to 30 seconds, or maybe longer if I'm making announcements, and the (filler) is on a low volume, do you think it's better to play regular songs, or like a rythmic beat of some sort, with no particular name, sort of like the "robotic music" I've seen on public tv, theres a name for it, but I forgot what it's called. Any ideas on this? What do you think?

I watched that video...it was HILARIOUS! Who are these people??

I use all types of genres/speeds for fill. Just something underlying to keep from having any dead air while I am talking and announcing the next singer. It fades out as soon as the singer hits the stage. Usually no more than 10 seconds on avg. between singers. Anymore than that I give a going once call which usually gets them up more timely.

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I don't use filler tunes and I don't have dead air (very bad). I keep my mouth running until the next singer hits the stage and I hand him/her the mic. I would think that if I had a crowd of younger folks who were there to mate rather than to be entertained and party I would keep a beat going. That way they can hook up without actually talking to each other. I have seen that work in many places.

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Okay, who took my pants?

I don't use filler music. I find that my singers are up fast enough that it's not necessary. Plus, if they are a little slow in getting up, they tend to move a little quicker when there's no music playing. It ups the pressure, if you will, to get to the stage faster.
I've never tried filler music and I don't think I will. But you never know, if things change, my show might as well.

It's Carla Negri.
Carla Negri is a Los Angeles native who has always loved Broadway musicals. She started appearing in drama productions in high school; South Pacific was her big debut, as the little girl who sings "Dites Moi." She has appeared in more than 110 features and commercials as an
extra during the late 1970s. She performed for Western Onion Singing Telegrams during their heyday. She worked for a year at Knotts Berry Farm in the Birdcage Melodrama Theatre in Ghost Town.

In the 1990's she was known in Southern California as Carla, Queen of Karaoke. She still frequents local hangouts and writes for the Karaoke Scene magazine. She currently runs the Poppins Project, which brings activities and entertainment to the elderly living in the residential care homes of the South Bay.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video-seri ... -intro.htm

hahaha surely she is taking the micky...she cant be serious surely?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

A lot of it depends on the room. If you are playing more of a "lounge" setting - particularly in a place that offers karaoke every night - then people are coming there specifically to sing and hear singers and not for the "party atmosphere".

Personally I always use filler tunes, but it's not at background level nor is it some obscure instrumental. It's a hit song played the same volume as the singers and usually complements the style of the song sung or the next song to be sung. As it gets later, I'll play current Top 40 dance/hip hop because that's the crowd my room attracts (college-age) and there's sometime dancing going on. In fact, I'll get at least a half dozen "requests" during the night for certain dance songs or people will come up to ask me to "let the song play all the way through".

Because of the crowds, it might take 30-60 seconds for someone to get up on stage - especially if they're outside smoking. I will fade the music down as soon as the karaoke track starts so there is no silence. Also if there's a karaoke track with a long, long intro ("Hotel California", "Faith", etc.) then I will keep the fill song going until there's about 15 seconds before the vocal starts. What's more of a room killer than someone standing and looking at the crowd through a 45 second instrumental intro?

Rosario, tell us a little about the size/mood/patronage of your room...

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[font=Lucida Console]"Sing for the day, sing for the moment, sing for the time of your life!"[/font]

No filler music here. I have to many singers! They'd hang me from the rafters if I wasted any singing time by playing music. I go singer to singer with as little dead air as possible. If filler is played in between singers just until the next singer can get to the stage without losing any valuable singers time, I wouldn't see a problem with it. I usually don't have time for it though.There is no point in playing 3 seconds of music in between.

What works for me may not work for others. It really depends on the venue over all. Some Kjs need music sets played to support the enviroment. There are many different types of venues and crowds. You have to just figure out what works best for you.

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Filler. NO DEAD AIR!!!

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

I play individual songs,cueing them in as the singer gets applauded off stage....unless its REALLY busy,when I will put on a megamix (usually over an hour long) so I don't have to keep starting it...just fade it in and out. Dead air is a NO - NO