587 Music, was: how to ...
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 12:00:32 -0500
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Music, was: how to ...
Friends,
Stephen Brown wrote:
> I have been to milongas where the DJ played nothing but the classics, but
> the tandas were poorly composed and played in an order that always
> dissipated the energy... I found it quite frustrating. The DJ never
> created a groove.
That's THE word, man - a 'groove'! ;-)
The DJ has to be in a groove to carry the dancers. And if s/he is really
into it, then the 'off beat' music will have a sense and feel as being
part of a whole, instead of a pointless digression. The politics of being
DJ are perilous - you need thick skin because the one thing that we all
complain about is the music. ...so once you've enjoyed a visionary DJ,
somebody with a lunch pail full of Di Sarli and show tunes can't possibly
please.
> Playing the modern music only appeals to a minority of dancers. They are
> unlikely to be beginners, however. They are more likely to be those who
> have the skills to experiment with the rhythm changes of modern music. On
> those rare occasions toward the end of a milonga when only a few dancers
> are left and they have the skills and would be energized by experimenting,
> I might play something a little less classic...
Here is MSP, lots of people like the kinds of things in Steve's "oblivion"
tanda. And they ask for it and the floor is fairly full. Of course, they
ask for it when their OWN evening is winding down, and that leaves the
energy low for others who were planning to 'work late'. I've made a personal
rule to only play one tanda of 'new' Piazzolla and the like. As Steve so
insightfully points out, the demands on the skills of the dancer are
high.
When I play that stuff here, it's hard to watch! ;-) I say that with affection
but it's true - the dancing is much more attractive when I throw on some
snappy Biagi or the like as an antidote to 'Oblivion'.
In contrast to Steve's system, I try to compose tandas on the spot. I use
CDs because I'm passionate about 'resolution', even though the old 78's
don't need more than a 'phone line'. It's alot more work and sometimes
I make
mistakes. I don't dance much because I stay busy previewing tracks
using
my Discman. When the groove gets going, though, I love that
spontaniety.
I don't really recommend this method for others, but I like being a DJ
to
have the same feeling of adventure and goal-seeking that I feel as a dancer
when a groovin' DJ is working. For me, it is not a good sign when a DJ
shows up with hours of pre-programmed material on their laptop, clicks
'play' and then just hangs out like another dancer. *Hopefully* their
sound card is very good! People who do that could and should post a
'program' - so that we have a roadmap to the prospects for the evening.
I'll confess to having two secret weapons, though. They are anthologies
of milongas and valses, chosen by Osvaldo Natucci of BA. Those can be
thrown on without a thought, the music is 100% great, and it's like
pushing the 'reset' button if I've made a mistake! ;-)
My hat is off to the great DJ's out there. The best way to appreciate
them is to try to do their job as well as they do it!
Best regards,
Frank - Mpls.
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
frankw@mail.ahc.umn.edu Dept. of Neuroscience
(612) 625-6441 (office) 321 Church Street SE
(612) 624-4436 (lab) Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 281-3860 (cellular/home)
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 13:52:18 -0400
From: Manuel Patino <manuel@TANGO-RIO.COM>
Subject: Re: Music, was: how to ...
At Tuesday, 4 June 2002, "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@mail.ahc.umn.
edu> wrote:
>In contrast to Steve's system, I try to compose tandas on the spot.
I use
>CDs because I'm passionate about 'resolution', even though the old 78's
>don't need more than a 'phone line'. It's alot more work and sometimes
>I make
>mistakes. I don't dance much because I stay busy previewing tracks
>using
>my Discman. When the groove gets going, though, I love that
>spontaniety.
Amen brother! that is the only way to be a good DJ. It is rare the
time when you can program more than 2 or 3 (maximum) tandas at the
time. That's why I don't like to DJ when I want to dance (which is
most of the time ;-))
> For me, it is not a good sign when a DJ
>shows up with hours of pre-programmed material on their laptop, clicks
>'play' and then just hangs out like another dancer. *Hopefully* their
>sound card is very good!
I agree with this too. the absolutely worst milongas I've been to
consisted of a a couple of cassette tapes with a bunch of disjointed
prerecorded tango and non-tango music. The next worst milongas were
those with the laptop/mp3 player set up where the DJ just set up
a program and went to dance!
>People who do that could and should post a
>'program' - so that we have a roadmap to the prospects for the evening.
>
I don't agree with this. I wish that nobody would post such "programs".
It is IMHO total BS. This kind of thinking encourages people with
good intentions to commit milonga battery. It takes more than a
collection of CDs and some fancy playback setup to DJ properly. DJ'ing
is something that needs to be done in real time. It is part of the
event and inextricably connected to the dancers, the space and the
time.
>I'll confess to having two secret weapons, though. They are anthologies
>of milongas and valses, chosen by Osvaldo Natucci of BA. Those can be
>thrown on without a thought, the music is 100% great, and it's like
>pushing the 'reset' button if I've made a mistake! ;-)
Sure, everybody has one or two of those "secret weapons" in one's
arsenal. It is almost mandatory to do it. I do it and it works really
well but it needs careful attention. Otherwise one finds oneself
making stupid mistakes such as repeating selections or genres of
tandas when one return to "real time" DJ'ing after a bit.
>
>My hat is off to the great DJ's out there. The best way to appreciate
>them is to try to do their job as well as they do it!
I too give my highest praise to good DJ's. I try always to emulate
the way they read the crowd and the type of music they play to create
or maintain (or change) a certain mood.
Great milongas to all,
Manuel
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 15:05:58 -0500
From: "Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Music, was: how to ...
...just to clarify,
Manuel Patino wrote:
> The next worst milongas were
> those with the laptop/mp3 player set up where the DJ just set up
> a program and went to dance!
>
> >People who do that could and should post a
> >'program' - so that we have a roadmap to the prospects for the evening.
> >
>
> I don't agree with this. I wish that nobody would post such "programs".
> It is IMHO total BS. This kind of thinking encourages people with
> good intentions to commit milonga battery. It takes more than a
> collection of CDs and some fancy playback setup to DJ properly.
We don't disagree here -
I'm not advocating pre-programmed music. However, if the DJ has a
play list that is being "executed" (wink) then I prefer to know when
to expect the milonga to die!
Best,
Frank - Mpls.
Frank G. Williams, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
frankw@mail.ahc.umn.edu Dept. of Neuroscience
(612) 625-6441 (office) 321 Church Street SE
(612) 624-4436 (lab) Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 281-3860 (cellular/home)
