Hey, Danish Guy, you've received all sorts of generic information, but we don't really know what specific problems you are trying to overcome. As a Salsa dancer you may have a spot on sense of rhythm, but not understand the melodic structure. A more specific description of your needs would yield more specific suggestions of useful music.
Good tango music for practice
- Thread starter Danish Guy
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pascal
Active Member
Yep something like this. The OP is enjoying his debuts in tango, has a feel for rythm (salsa beat is trickier than AT beat, can be danced on '1' or on '2'), a place to practice and a full-time partner. No need to bury him under tons of DiSarli pieces. That's boring, unattractive, scratchy music whose only plus is that the beat is easy to find. So yes, Nefelis tango in the Harris Alexiou version, or Carribean Blue by Enya, Bachelorette by Bjork, whatever.
LCbaseball22
Member
Wait, what?
You can dance Tango to that? Sounds like a Viennese Waltz to me...and Waltz and Tango aren't even in the same timing I thought.BTW, this uwec.edu "Takes 2 to Tango" Ballroom Club site which I just came across seems a good link for music, especially if you're looking for more contemporary as I am. Some of that Gotan is listed. BTW, they've also got a Youtube channel where you can hear their music,- TwoToTangoUWEC
Wait, what?
Yes: it would make a very pleasant 'alternative' tango vals but it's a rubbish Viennese - wrong tempo!
You find Di Sarli to be boring and unattractive???
Wow!!!
Is this a common feeling where you dance?
Danish Guy
New Member
Good question and you are on spot regarding rhythm and the melodic structure.
This thread now already contains a ton of information for me to digest. I’m on it. Let me see if I can help you tailoring something specific for me then.
My current status as I evaluate myself.
I don’t have any problems with keeping the rhythm with the songs played at milongas. Only when I am learning/practicing some new moves and focus 100% on that I can find myself finish that off beat.
I can feel where backwards ochos, a stop, a step on 3 or a direction shift fits perfect to the music. But I do not understand the melodic structure well enough to just do it.
So I can dance to the music, in short treasured moments in the music, but interpretation of the music is way out of my league.
I won’t say I have any specific problems at the moment. I am as always working on the lead, the grounding/balance, and using the new patterns, understand them, get them in body memory, split them up, and use them as my own. (Later pondering why some of the advanced ladies at the milonga didn’t execute what I thought I was leading, and why others did).
Right now I am working on collecting a list of like 10 favorite tracks for private practice on the living room floor.
So any favorite tracks that you use for practical or appreciate especially to practice to when they are played are very interesting for me. The same goes for any tracks you evaluate will do me good.
Gotan: Tango square still take my spot nr 1 as this feels like tango for me, is slow and clear, and inspire me on working on the smooth, “intense” and yet very gentle and clear lead.
I plan to test some Di Sarli classics tonight. The classics don’t feel like beginner hell to me, but they do give me a huge urge for a glass of red vine, so they are hitting something in my soul
pascal
Active Member
Of course. Usually at milongas, the beginners come early when it is not crowded. The DJs play DiSarlis. As time goes by, it becomes crowded, beginners leave, the good dancers come and the DJs start to play good music.
What artists would comprise what you call good music? I'm not trying to sound judgmental, but if a tango dancer doesn't like songs like Di Sarli's Indio Manso, it makes me wonder what they do like. Obviously, things are very different there from where I am. Is this more of an open embrace or nuevo community?
It sounds like you are doing exactly the right thing. Keep it up and I'm sure you will become a good dancer.
The alternative explanation is that all those beginners have been told, for weeks and weeks, as they attend classes, that tango is a simply constructed walking dance with a few embelishments. So they pluck up courage and go to their first milonga, and lo, they find simple rhythmic music being played, and other people dancing a simple walking-based dance while making steady progress around the line of dance. No one is holding anyone else up, and they are greatly encouraged as they dance their first 2/3 tandas.
About an hour in, the 'beautiful people' arrive, all air kissing and expensive shoes. They take to the floor, and don't walk. They stand and play footsie, in place, for so long, that the beginners, who have to resort to endless weight changes in place, because their teacher (who, it turns out is one of the 'beautiful people' too) hasn't taught them anything that they can do without moving, have to give up and they go and sit down.
While they sit there, confused, they recall that the teacher refused point blank to teach anything that wasn't based on walking (and in fact most of the lesson was 'just' walking), but no one is walking, except the beginners, out of the door. Most of them will never return, and as the DJ having noticed that things have gone a little flat out on the dance floor, decides to play some alternative music, instead.
It's rather a shame that the 'beautiful people' didn't show the beginners, by example, just how satisfying a dance can be had from simple elements, used musically, to simple rhythmic music like Di Sarli. We could call it 'tango'.
I enjoy Di Sarli quite a bit. I don't consider his music to be all that difficult, and certainly not boring. I think he is considered to be one of the four great band leaders of the golden age.
Agreed, which is why the post about it being boring (among other things) threw me for such a loop.
bordertangoman
Well-Known Member
The alternative explanation is that all those beginners have been told, for weeks and weeks, as they attend classes, that tango is a simply constructed walking dance with a few embelishments. So they pluck up courage and go to their first milonga, and lo, they find simple rhythmic music being played, and other people dancing a simple walking-based dance while making steady progress around the line of dance. No one is holding anyone else up, and they are greatly encouraged as they dance their first 2/3 tandas.
About an hour in, the 'beautiful people' arrive, all air kissing and expensive shoes. They take to the floor, and don't walk. They stand and play footsie, in place, for so long, that the beginners, who have to resort to endless weight changes in place, because their teacher (who, it turns out is one of the 'beautiful people' too) hasn't taught them anything that they can do without moving, have to give up and they go and sit down.
While they sit there, confused, they recall that the teacher refused point blank to teach anything that wasn't based on walking (and in fact most of the lesson was 'just' walking), but no one is walking, except the beginners, out of the door. Most of them will never return, and as the DJ having noticed that things have gone a little flat out on the dance floor, decides to play some alternative music, instead.
It's rather a shame that the 'beautiful people' didn't show the beginners, by example, just how satisfying a dance can be had from simple elements, used musically, to simple rhythmic music like Di Sarli. We could call it 'tango'.
the beautiful people sound like a**holes; and not keeping up with the line of dance is just as much a faux paus as overtaking or breeaking other codigos
Caló, Biagi, Donato.
Danish Guy
New Member
A little update.
I tried 2 Di Sali records for my practica, skipping over the waltzes. The first was a success, and I recognized many of the songs from class and milonga. The second one was very poor in the recording with significant clipping and distortion, and not worth to play again. Only Di Sali gets a little too much, but know I know this music better, and have to pick a couple of numbers for my playlist.
I will repeat this through the golden age period and forth to learn.
I tried 2 Di Sali records for my practica, skipping over the waltzes. The first was a success, and I recognized many of the songs from class and milonga. The second one was very poor in the recording with significant clipping and distortion, and not worth to play again. Only Di Sali gets a little too much, but know I know this music better, and have to pick a couple of numbers for my playlist.
I will repeat this through the golden age period and forth to learn.