I should add that I, too, like to know where the balances are. But other than that, I'm fine with a description.
-Dave On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 2:15 PM, Jeffrey Spero <j...@syncopaths.com> wrote: > Well, I'll be the counter-weight here! > > As another caller/musician, i love to see the card when I'm playing. I > find it DOES matter more than just a generic description, as I like to know > precisely WHERE the bounciness is, or WHERE the smooth part of the dance > is. There are specific tunes that I keep out for specific moves in dances > - for example, if there are many balances in the A parts, I'd choose a tune > like Kitchen Girl that fits those balances perfectly. As a musician, I > like to see where the balances and heys are. > > As a CALLER, i hardly ever request a specific tune because bands play > tunes differently. And though I do use words like slinky, playful, > driving… I also let the band contact know where the balances are, and where > the smooth parts are. > > Just another perspective! > > Jeff > > > On Feb 20, 2013, at 8:12 AM, barb kirchner <barbkirch...@hotmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > hey ron - some good points! i think what we're coming up with here is > that it doesn't exactly matter WHAT you ask the band, as long as you set up > some good communication with them. take the time to talk, to ask who is in > charge of what, what they reallly like to do most, etc., etc., etc. ron - > i have a slightly different approach if the caller doesn't give me good > clues. i watch the walk-through. seriously, i program the music like the > caller programs dances (start out easy and straightforward, kick up the > energy, change the tempo, up the energy again, change the tempo again, big > ending number). i USUALLY know what i want to play next, or at least have > it narrowed down to two or three sets (ie, i have three different sets that > i could use to "change the tempo"). if the walk-through goes well, i play > whatever my first choice was. if not, i'll pick a more laid-back set :-) > >> Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:59:14 -0500 > >> From: david.j.casse...@gmail.com > >> To: call...@sharedweight.net > >> Subject: Re: [Callers] What to ask a band before the gig? > >> > >> Hi Ron, > >> > >> When I was first learning to call, Becky Hill suggested that, instead of > >> simply telling bands what kinds of tunes you want using the wide > vocabulary > >> at your own disposal, ask bands what kinds of adjectives they'd find > >> useful. As a musician, hearing that the caller wants a "marchy" or > >> "slinky" or "driving" tune set is very helpful, but hearing that they > want > >> a "bubbly" tune is really not all that helpful. Ask what language > they'd > >> like to communicate in, and it can go much smoother. > >> > >> I agree with Barb that simply sharing the dance card isn't the best > >> approach. In dances where I play, apparently unlike Michael F.'s > >> experience, this is an extremely common practice. But, in my view, it's > >> the caller's responsibility to decide how the dance should be. Many > dances > >> work well either with smooth, flowing reels, or bouncy jigs, and the > mood > >> of the dance should be something the caller selects to fit in with the > >> evening's program. That said, if the caller isn't giving me helpful > >> adjectives, I'll ask to see the cards, just so I can at least make sure > we > >> won't be playing the bounciest set ever when there's a hey into a gypsy > >> meltdown, etc. > >> > >> Also, I would echo other people's suggestions to find out which band > member > >> you should be communicating with, and at the very least, what style of > >> music the band plays. Getting a recording or two is even more helpful. > >> You should know ahead of time not to ask an old-time band to play a > polka, > >> and you should also know not to ask a band with no strings in it to > play an > >> old-time tune. It's a particular pet peeve of mine as a musician when a > >> caller asks for an old-time tune with every square dance, regardless of > >> who's in the band. It might require actually looking at the moves and > >> figuring out what other music would work best with that particular > dance, > >> but it's always going to be a better experience for the dancers if the > band > >> plays music that they're good at playing. > >> > >> -Dave > >> > >> On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 10:58 PM, Ron T Blechner <contra...@gmail.com > >wrote: > >> > >>> > >>> > >>> What sorts of questions do you ask bands prior to the dance, > especially by > >>> e-mail / phone? > >>> > >>> A couple I like are: > >>> - Do they have particular music sets they like to play at certain > times, > >>> like, to end the night, etc? > >>> - Especially if I haven't heard them before in person, what overall > types > >>> of music do they enjoy playing the most? > >>> > >>> I'd love to hear your thoughts. > >>> > >>> Best, > >>> Ron T Blechner > >>> contradances.tumblr.com/ron > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Callers mailing list > >>> call...@sharedweight.net > >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> David Casserly > >> (cell) 781 258-2761 > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Callers mailing list > >> call...@sharedweight.net > >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > call...@sharedweight.net > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > _____ > Jeffrey Spero > Web: www.syncopaths.com > Facebook: www.facebook.com/syncopaths > CDBaby: www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Syncopaths > Contemporary California Celtic music > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > call...@sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761
