Good tango music for practice

[UKDancer]

Chuck him in at the deep end why don't you!

It's often the best way. Sink or swim.

I'd agree that any of D'Arienzo's versions of La Cumparsita can be challenging at times, but this is the tamest. Most of the rest of the disk meets the needs of someone who is primarily 'walking' with steady and clear rhythm. The phrases are very clear too. I believe that anyone just starting out needs to develop a rhythmic response to the music first, and walk those miles, and then start to explore songs with more freedom. I don't think you can do better than the 'King of the Beat'. Perhaps I like his music making a lot: you plainly don't.

It wouldn't do to all be the same. Perhaps we might agree that Gotan's latest offering is woeful?

 

[JohnEm]

It's often the best way. Sink or swim.

Hmm, so the choice is drown or survive?

You know the problem we have here is unfamiliarity at every level.
We don't have the music in our system so we have to learn both
the dance and its music simultaneously. No wonder it's difficult.
So the almost unfathomable (to a beginner dancer) D'Arienzo
can be dealt with later.

I'd agree that any of D'Arienzo's versions of La Cumparsita can be challenging at times, but this is the tamest. Most of the rest of the disk meets the needs of someone who is primarily 'walking' with steady and clear rhythm. The phrases are very clear too. I believe that anyone just starting out needs to develop a rhythmic response to the music first, and walk those miles, and then start to explore songs with more freedom. I don't think you can do better than the 'King of the Beat'. Perhaps I like his music making a lot: you plainly don't.

Not really, no. So far I haven't come across a coherent explanation
of why D'Arienzo is credited with being tango dancing's revival force
in the thirties. Maybe purely because he was different because I don't
regard him as easy until you get to the Vals. I've gone back to playing
your recommendation now but I don't see where you get the steady
rhythm from though of course there are passages where that's the case.
It definitely is not my choice of beginner practice music.

It wouldn't do to all be the same. Perhaps we might agree that Gotan's latest offering is woeful?

That would be a yes then - on both counts.

 

[Nvm]

The classics always warm my heart.

 

[tangomonkey]

Danish Guy, this site will keep you busy:

http://www.tejastango.com/tango_music_collection.html

The "Building a More Extensive Collection" section has a good breakdown of musical styles and periods and the composers/arrangers and orchestras in each.

Unfortunately there are no samples to listen to on the site, but as suggested by others, use YouTube, Spotify, etc... to listen to the music and see some dancing to it. (Quality will vary...)

 

[LCbaseball22]

I suppose this would have been a good place to ask my question about contemporary Tango music. However, is there a difference between the rhythm/beat for Argentine Tango and American Tango or is it just the type of hold that differs? Anyways, suburbanknight presented me with a nice list of pop music for Tango in the thread I posted in the ballroom section, but does anyone else know of some music that works...how about some rock? Are there any rock songs that can be danced to Tango? Or hip hop/club? I know they've danced to some really unconventional stuff on DWTS, but I'm not sure if the songs they choose are always actually suitable for the given style of dance. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[Danish Guy]

Thanks for all the input and suggestions so far. I appreciate it all.

We don’t have spotify in Denmark, but my internet provider have a similar thing, and then there’s youtube as suggested.

So I am in the process of listening, and finding out what fits me, before getting the good quality sound I get from purchasing the cd’s. Your names, lists and links are very helpful.

To help you out, I am mostly clueless to the musicians and artists and song titles.

I have been dancing Tango for ½ a year, and I am greatly helped with my salsa background and a follower with similar background and a lot of good feedback, (and the absolutely priceless habit of doing what she feels I am leading, and not walking the steps of the current pattern). So I got a head start in beginner class, but at the same time I am very aware of my limitations.

Chuck him in at the deep end why don't you!

It's often the best way. Sink or swim.

Hmm, so the choice is drown or survive?

This made me giggle. My second hobby at the moment is freediving, so I am actually jumping off in the deep end with 4,5 kg lead around my neck, and sort off practicing both swimming and drowning.

But I understand and appreciate both the points. What’s works for people is very individual. I don’t have a problem in hearing and keeping the beat or the 1 or what it’s called in tango. But for beginners who have trouble with the beat I would keep it as clear and simple as possible.


For practice steps, lead, patterns and to break down patterns and part of patters for sticking them together in new ways I prefer a not to fast steady and clear walking rhythm as some of this are labelled. This helps getting them right and getting them into body memory.

For practicing dancing what I know so far and understanding the rhythm, breaks and “da da da’s” and actually hitting that, some of the more challenged music is good to have.

Dancing Tango to “pop” music that is usable or even good for the purpose can work, and even be a blast at a party where you meet another tango dancer and have to use the available music. So I have to try Spider's web also, but I will prefer classic and new/electronic tango for practice. Dancing Merengue to techno music can be a blast by the way.

Milongas is too fast and stresses me out, and the tango waltz is nice for the ears and eyes, but I need a workshop or two before trying those on the floor again.



I its so much more fun for me to get your suggestions and favourites, then search blindly for anything labelled tango. So feel free to add tracks, artists and links. I will keep you posted as I get the opportunity to try out the suggestions.

 

[LCbaseball22]

Oh, and for this "Libertango"...is it just me or are there like 10 versions of this song and they all sound different? I mean not even the same lyrics...

I think the Bond one that suburbanknight rec'd sounds best.

 

[Steve Pastor]

"Real" Argentine Tango can be pretty confusing to the untrained ear, and that's the Golden Age stuff that is considered to be highly rhythmic. When you get to the "post Golden Age" stuff as by the two Ps, forget it until you get your AT chops down.

If you're in a college ballroom class (which is what I've read elsewhere) you probably want to stick with "European march like tango" with more obvious rhythms if you are looking for something to dance to.

 

[dchester]

Oh, and for this "Libertango"...is it just me or are there like 10 versions of this song and they all sound different? I mean not even the same lyrics...

I think the Bond one that suburbanknight rec'd sounds best.

While I'm not positive about this, I don't think the original song had any lyrics.

 

[dchester]

I suppose this would have been a good place to ask my question about contemporary Tango music. However, is there a difference between the rhythm/beat for Argentine Tango and American Tango or is it just the type of hold that differs? Anyways, suburbanknight presented me with a nice list of pop music for Tango in the thread I posted in the ballroom section, but does anyone else know of some music that works...how about some rock? Are there any rock songs that can be danced to Tango? Or hip hop/club? I know they've danced to some really unconventional stuff on DWTS, but I'm not sure if the songs they choose are always actually suitable for the given style of dance. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

The music differs between Argentine tango and American tango, but there is some overlap.

Some people will dance tango to pretty much any kind of music, but some others will treat this as blasphemy, (as those people include "dancing to tango music" as part of the definition of dancing tango).

There are lots of opinions on this topic, and some of the people have very strong opinions on the matter. As for me, I just try to understand the various opinions (sometimes masquerading as rules), without getting too hung up on the extremism.

 

[LCbaseball22]

The music differs between Argentine tango and American tango, but there is some overlap.

Some people will dance tango to pretty much any kind of music, but some others will treat this as blasphemy, (as those people include "dancing to tango music" as part of the definition of dancing tango).

There are lots of opinions on this topic, and some of the people have very strong opinions on the matter. As for me, I just try to understand the various opinions (sometimes masquerading as rules), without getting too hung up on the extremism.

LOL, kinda like the people who will dance West Coast Swing (which is my fav) to anything? (is sometimes guilty of that)

I get it, it's just I don't particularly like traditional "tango music" so I'm wondering if there isn't some pop, hip-hop, rock or whatever music that you can dance it to as well, similar to how I discovered East Coast and West Coast can be danced to just about anything as long as the tempo is right...

It's nice if the dance is versatile like that and can be done in a variety of venues to various music. I mean otherwise I imagine I'll never dance tango unless except for when I go to my instructor's studio where they play "tango music".

 

[dchester]

I get it, it's just I don't particularly like traditional "tango music" so I'm wondering if there isn't some pop, hip-hop, rock or whatever music that you can dance it to as well, similar to how I discovered East Coast and West Coast can be danced to just about anything as long as the tempo is right...

It's nice if the dance is versatile like that and can be done in a variety of venues to various music. I mean otherwise I imagine I'll never dance tango unless except for when I go to my instructor's studio where they play "tango music".

It takes time for some people (I guess that means you

) to acquire a taste for tango music. It's such a broad category of music, that it's pretty unusual for someone not to like any of it (at least after listening to it for a while). Like with any genre of music, there's a lot of crap mixed in with the better songs. While I really do like tango music, there's plenty of it that I don't like.

As for dancing tango to other styles of music, there are people who do it all the time. As for me, I only do it occasionally. A lot of the "alternative music" that people play simply do not inspire me to dance tango, but some of it does.

In any case here are a few other CDs that might be more to your liking (The genre is called neo-tango music).
Gotan Project - La Revancha Del Tango
Otros Aires - Otros Aires
Buenos Aires: París - Various Artists

 

[LCbaseball22]

While I'm not positive about this, I don't think the original song had any lyrics.

Yeah, I looked it up...it didn't. The original was by a guy named Astor Piazolla and was purely instrumental. Oh, and I just realized this but "Bond" does not mean that it's from one of the Bond movies (though it sounds perfect for a number of scenes, lol) it's actually a band consisting of a female string quartet...doh! And man oh man it's a sexy song...if only all Tango music sounded like that!

 

[UKDancer]

if only all Tango music sounded like that!

... then most of us wouldn't dance tango at all. A great deal of Piazolla's output was written for the concert hall, and not for dancing. He was one of the leaders of the tango nuevo movement, which by and large was never intended to be danced to, and can't be, very successfully.

It does take a while to hear 'through' the scratchy sound of some of those older Golden Age recordings, and to appreciate the unique qualities of the great dance orchestras of the period (mainly) between 1935-1955. Some, continued to record for many years after that, but rarely does their output improve, even though the recorded sound is obviously better.

Much of the 'modern' music that has a clear steady beat dances surprisingly well to Ballroom Tango (particularly if you use software that can alter tempi to suit). I find that there are a handful of songs that I do use for dancing, but I rarely manage to make any connection with the music in Argentine Tango. I prefer to listen, and not to dance, but neither very often. A real problem with much of this music is the length of tracks.

If you can be bothered, you can edit, of course. Anything by Gotan is usually improved by removing 3/4 of it anyway, and as it is the same material, looped again and again, no one would ever notice.

 

[Ampster]

I suppose this would have been a good place to ask my question about contemporary Tango music. However, is there a difference between the rhythm/beat for Argentine Tango and American Tango or is it just the type of hold that differs? Anyways, suburbanknight presented me with a nice list of pop music for Tango in the thread I posted in the ballroom section, but does anyone else know of some music that works...how about some rock? Are there any rock songs that can be danced to Tango? Or hip hop/club? I know they've danced to some really unconventional stuff on DWTS, but I'm not sure if the songs they choose are always actually suitable for the given style of dance. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

Here's my opinion on the differences between Argentine and ballroom tango music--> Layman's guide to different types of tango