How and Whys of Tango Musicality

[Gssh]

In this particular case there are also two types. One that hears the beat but is unable to step on it in time. This is not so uncommon. The other that can’t identify the beat and therefore can’t step.

I personally think that the stepping part is the more difficult one. Most people have their own "natural" gait, and trying to get away from that is really difficult. I think walking exercises are one of the keys. It is tricky to do in class because people like using a visual reference -everybody is walking on the beat, but not because we hear it, but because we see it. I try to break the visual reference by stepping out of the line, or stop and do adornment, or throw in double and half times, but i am not sure if that is actually doing anything.

I think singing / scatting to music is an easier way to get into musicality than movement - the feet don't get in the way. And you can remind them that everybody is a rhythm expert - language is all about rhythms and accented/not accented beats, and everybody can recognize the "rote recitation" rhythm, and the "I think you are not listening" rhythm, the distinct rhythm of syllable stressed indian english. The accent patterns used in tango are primitive in comparison.
(One of the interesting things in this context is working on vals - basically everybody can hum along with basic vals rhythms, but trusting that and getting it into the dance is a different problem)

 

[ArbeeNYC]

Oh, and one more point: prioritising movement over music.

This is a big problem.

 

[enrosskay]

Do we listen to tango music to learn the canon off by heart or to develop instincts for it? I guess both

 

[Miradamiranda]

Do we listen to tango music to learn the canon off by heart or to develop instincts for it? I guess both

If you listen to the classics just to memorize what happens when in the music, you might not feel confident dancing to music you’ve never heard before.

Instead, I recommend listening ACTIVELY to try and recognize patterns in the music. There’s always an interesting mix of predictability and unpredictability. If at a milonga and you are not dancing, or driving a car, or dancing alone at home (without thinking of actual moves, but simply weight shifts), dance with fingers drumming on thighs, foot movements under the train seat in front of you or what ever part of your body you feel inclined to move to the music and wherever… try to predict what’s coming next. Paying attention to structure and phrasing will help. And little elements that might be repeated a few times, maybe the 3rd time with a little surprise built in to mess with your expectations.

Try to do this to non-tango music (and music that’s tangential to the core of tango) also, and then when you go back to tango, you’ll realize you have already developed what you call instincts for it.

 

[opendoor]

Do we listen to tango music to learn the canon off by heart or to develop instincts for it?

Both, and especially simultaneously. It's an egg-or-hen question. Your intuition guides you; your experience teaches you to distinguish bad tangos from good ones. And remember, there were by far more lousy tangos produced in the GA than good ones.

 

[ArbeeNYC]

Do we listen to tango music to learn the canon off by heart or to develop instincts for it? I guess both

Some of both. It's difficult to learn the canon by heart. There's a lot of music there and not all of it is played at milongas on a regular basis. Developing instincts is preferable because you're always going to encounter music you haven't heard before or have forgotten about.

 

[Bailango]

Instead, I recommend listening ACTIVELY to try and recognize patterns in the music. There’s always an interesting mix of predictability and unpredictability. If at a milonga and you are not dancing, or driving a car, or dancing alone at home (without thinking of actual moves, but simply weight shifts), dance with fingers drumming on thighs, foot movements under the train seat in front of you or what ever part of your body you feel inclined to move to the music and wherever… try to predict what’s coming next. Paying attention to structure and phrasing will help. And little elements that might be repeated a few times, maybe the 3rd time with a little surprise built in to mess with your expectations.

This.

I only listen to the music when at milongas. I think there are two types (or more) of people. I find myself in category where I can intuitively predict what's coming next. I never consciously tried to pay attention to structure and phrasing. I read about it and can recognise it in a song. I think others like me can also intuitively recognize the phrasing in music. That makes it easier to dance to live music or music never heard before. Anticipating accents is part of it. Sometimes musician plays a trick and accent is either omitted or delayed to be off beat. Reacting to such is also a skill from dancing perspective.

There may be others for whom more active listening with conscious attention is a key.

When at milonga seating out, I am always dancing with the fingers or moving feet.

Try to do this to non-tango music (and music that’s tangential to the core of tango) also, and then when you go back to tango, you’ll realize you have already developed what you call instincts for it.

I never listened much to any music a lot before starting to dance Salsa and Tango. Rhythmically both music categories appeared to be challenging to many who grew up listening to western music. Why that's so, I don't know.

 

[opendoor]

..Try to do this to ..music that’s tangential to the core of tango..

Good point!