Overplayed songs

Tips and techniques of the trade

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Toon Town Dave
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#31 Post by Toon Town Dave » Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:26 am

Eyeball wrote:Sure - but there is much in many songs that we really never listen to closely or appreciate. We hear the most identifiable elements of the song (live or recorded) and most people hang with that.
That's a huge part of how things can become overplayed. Dancers often catch only the most superficial elements, particularly less experienced dancers. Eventually, even experienced dancers will start to pick out and memorize most of the nuances and get tired of it.

Really, it's not necessary for the discussion to occur. There's so much great music to choose from that it's not necessary to play any recording that often.

Meat and potatoes may be a really good meal but having beans a cornbread once in a while can make me appreciate it more.

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dogpossum
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#32 Post by dogpossum » Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:58 pm

As a someone who buys music quite regularly, I often find it difficult not to play too much new music. I have played sets where I've jammed in all my new favourites (at one point I'd just bought 2 or 3 Mosaic sets in a sale - zillions and zillions of fabulous new songs) and suddenly realised that the crowd was really just fanging for something familiar. Especially on quieter nights where people aren't really up for hardcore dancing.

Because Melbourne has lots and lots of new dancers starting each week, I've also had to remind myself that while these tracks are so last year for me, they're really new and exciting for new dancers - not overplayed at all. So it's kind of nice to introduce them to these gems. On a side note, I've heard some newer dancers (2 year type people) talking about how great neo is, really getting a bit resentful of 'those' DJs who're only into 'old school' and don't play 'anything new'. They don't remember the days when we (old sticks) had to listen to neo all night every night - it's all new to them.


On a slightly different tack: I've just moved to a new city where I've only been social dancing a couple of times. So I have no idea what's 'new' or 'overplayed' in this scene. I am interested in DJing, but I figure I'll go social dancing a bit before I DJ - so I can get some sense of the lay of the lay of the land. Here's hoping all my super-favourite overplayed tracks are new and unusual, huh? CJam and BMNS every set!* Or, even better, I can start playing all those 'new' songs I've haven't had a chance to play yet - all new, all the time!


*Doubtful - curse you youtube!

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remysun
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#33 Post by remysun » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:22 am

fredo wrote:Part of the reason live music is exciting for people is because the songs/solos are always different; sometimes playing with the familiar and other times just spontaneous creativity.
Even if the band does a straight cover, it trumps the fidelity of any recording. You would actually have to suck enough to not make it worth the while. Add the live interactio, and you have a unique experience that will never happen that way ever again.

Haydn
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#34 Post by Haydn » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:51 am

dogpossum wrote:I've just moved to a new city where I've only been social dancing a couple of times. So I have no idea what's 'new' or 'overplayed' in this scene. I am interested in DJing, but I figure I'll go social dancing a bit before I DJ - so I can get some sense of the lay of the lay of the land.
It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts about the differences between the two cities' dancers musical tastes, and how you tailor your DJing.

Toon Town Dave
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#35 Post by Toon Town Dave » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:24 am

I've been spinning our summer outdoor dance for the past 6 weeks. There's about 2-ish hours of dancing following a beginner lesson. I haven't repeated a track in that time. I figure we have at least another 6 weeks of good weather and I don't plan to repeat anything.

I keep a short-list of some of my favorites that I try to work in. There's still plenty of great music and no chance of anything being overplayed. The crowd seems to dig it, at least 2/3 of the crowd are or have become regulars.

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Eyeball
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#36 Post by Eyeball » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:34 am

What's wrong with repeating a song?

People have their favorites that they enjoy hearing and dancing to again.

"Oh, I like that tune."

"I know that one. Watch this"

You don't have to become a 'big bands greatest hits' DJ, but there must be a middle ground.

You can get a rep as the guy who will play CHEROKEE now and then...or whatever.
Will big bands ever come back?

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tornredcarpet
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#37 Post by tornredcarpet » Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:37 am

After being subjected to it twice in a major dance weekend, i believe playing I's A Muggin' once is playing it once too many.
Jesse (Los Angeles, CA/Hampton Roads, VA)

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fredo
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#38 Post by fredo » Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:25 pm

tornredcarpet wrote:After being subjected to it twice in a major dance weekend, i believe playing I's A Muggin' once is playing it once too many.
haha, yeah I heard from a friend who went to Camp Hollywood that he heard I'se A Muggin' (the b-side) with the number game played nearly 6 times... that's just silly. At least play the A and B sides back to back, but even then it can get old after the first time in a weekend.

Haydn
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#39 Post by Haydn » Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:30 pm

Toon Town Dave wrote:I've been spinning our summer outdoor dance for the past 6 weeks. There's about 2-ish hours of dancing following a beginner lesson. I haven't repeated a track in that time. I figure we have at least another 6 weeks of good weather and I don't plan to repeat anything.

I keep a short-list of some of my favorites that I try to work in. There's still plenty of great music and no chance of anything being overplayed. The crowd seems to dig it, at least 2/3 of the crowd are or have become regulars.
If you keep it up, that will total 24 hours of music, which comes to around 480 songs at 3 minutes per song. I would have thought it's quite hard to avoid repeating anything when you play that many songs, but it sounds impressive. Can you give an idea of the range of tempos and styles you are playing?

Haydn
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#40 Post by Haydn » Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:27 pm

Eyeball wrote:What's wrong with repeating a song? ... You don't have to become a 'big bands greatest hits' DJ, but there must be a middle ground.
Each crowd is different. I think it comes down to judging the crowd, and trying to work out whether a song will be fresh and exciting to them, or the same old stuff that they hear at every dance they go to. I've found listening to what other DJs play and picking up the reaction helps a lot when assessing what will work with a particular crowd.

Toon Town Dave
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#41 Post by Toon Town Dave » Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:34 pm

Nothing wrong with repeating, in fact it's necessary since the pool of music is finite. I just don't think playing less than 1% of my music more than 99% of the time makes sense either.

I'm doing no repeats, partly because there are lots of newbies who aren't familiar with swing music to begin with and partly to challenge myself to revisit my collection for the many forgotten gems. It's really easy as a DJ to get lazy and rely either on a few familiar favorites or just most recent acquisitions. By challenging myself, I'm revisiting the depth of my collection.

Haydn:
For styles and tempos, it really depends on the crowd, the lesson, etc. I play a mix of swing (big band and smaller groups), traditional jazz, blues and rhythm and blues weighted heavier toward whatever fits best with the beginner lesson (different each week). I'm not sure of the exact tempos, excluding outliers, probably from around 120-ish to 200-ish. "Jumping at the Woodside" and "Lunceford Special" are probably the fastest, the slowest is probably Freddie King's "Ain't No Sunshine" or Garrett Mason's "Go Down To The River".

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GemZombie
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#42 Post by GemZombie » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:40 am

tornredcarpet wrote:After being subjected to it twice in a major dance weekend, i believe playing I's A Muggin' once is playing it once too many.
More likely that the version you heard shouldn't have been played twice. There are some seriously good versions of that song i'd never mind hearing more than once.

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djstarr
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#43 Post by djstarr » Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:45 pm

dogpossum wrote:As a someone who buys music quite regularly, I often find it difficult not to play too much new music. I have played sets where I've jammed in all my new favourites (at one point I'd just bought 2 or 3 Mosaic sets in a sale - zillions and zillions of fabulous new songs) and suddenly realised that the crowd was really just fanging for something familiar. Especially on quieter nights where people aren't really up for hardcore dancing
At a blues venue last month the host challenged me to play a set of songs I'd never spun before. I settled on at least playing songs I hadn't played from my laptop which put me a little over a year on "newness".

While the set was OK, it wasn't the greatness set I ever played and I was irritated the whole time since there were times I really wanted to reach out to some tried and true favorites to get the energy back.

Last night I dj'ed at the same venue, tried out several new songs which some people loved, but was happy I could play whatever I wanted since some of the new songs were challenging and folks needed a break from that. I got lots of compliments on my set.

So I agree with your point Sam, you need a good mix of old and new, plus alternate versions.


btw, this is an interesting thread. When I get home I'll post my top 10 most played songs, nice thing about MediaCenter is it tracks that for you automatically. Some of them will undoubtedly be overplayed :P

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djstarr
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#44 Post by djstarr » Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:49 pm

Mr Awesomer wrote:
Haydn wrote:I think the following might be included on a list of 'overplayed' songs in 2008
Really? Sounds like a night at the original Memories, circa 1999.
I was reminiscing with Peter Loggins the other night about being at Memories in 2000 and hearing you yell out of the DJ booth about spinning some really cool Artie Shaw. Although I must have heard Artie Shaw before, that's the first time I connected his name with the music. Artie still is not overplayed.

And 720 in the Books always reminds me of Lennart; I haven't heard that in a while in Seattle, maybe it's time to go upload it and start playing it again...........

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djstarr
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#45 Post by djstarr » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:13 pm

Since I haven't posted in a while I may as well make up for it here ;-) This is my take on how these songs are currently being treated in Seattle [other Seattle folk feel free to jump in since it's tough to make it to ALL the dances in Seattle ALL the time].

*******************************************************

All That Meat And No Potatoes / Fats Waller occasionally played
All The Cats Join In / Benny Goodman overplayed but everyone dances
Alright, Okay, You Win / Peggy Lee not played. Joe Williams/Count Basie version is played sometimes
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine / Anita O'Day not played
Apollo Jump / Lucky Millinder overplayed 2000, 2001? I will spin this now when there are lots of beginners

Be Careful (If You Can't Be Good) / Buddy Johnson And His Orchestra not played
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me / Sidney Bechet overplayed. Falty ruined this song for me by teaching to it in Herrang 2004 when I was there. Found a nice alternate version by Arts Hodes courtesy of Bill Borgida
C Jam Blues / Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra overplayed in 2000, 2001; I play this now for beginners, prefer version on Duke's Blues in Orbit for regular play.
Easy Does It / The Big Eighteen not played now
Flat Foot Floogee / Slim & Slam played sometimes - I'll get request for this for doing different jazz dances

Flying Home / Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra played when I want to start the Big Apple ;-0 fast version at 190 bpm of course
The Frim Fram Sauce / Louis Armstrong not played. I prefer to overplay Satch plays Fats!
The Gal From Joe's / Duke Ellington not played
I's A Muggin' / Django Reinhardt played a little bit.
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby / Louis Jordan not played anymore

Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho / Sidney Bechet this is a popular song. overplayed? nah, I still like it a lot.
Jump Session / Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart this is somewhat of a CJ trademark so doesn't tend to get played on it's own.
Lavender Coffin / Lionel Hampton ha ha. I still don't have a copy of it and I keep getting requests frequently for it, so I need to go get it. Still a great song. It will continue to get overplayed.
Loose Wig / Lionel Hampton Used to get played a lot. I just started playing it and people giggle then dance.
One O'Clock Jump / Count Basie Can't play this song too much. I think because it's subtle and instrumental everyone is always happy to dance to it.

Shout, Sister, Shout / Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra overplayed, I use it only on special occasions. Will invoke groans.
Tippin' In / Erskine Hawkins don't know the song well enough to say; Erskine Hawkins is a big hole in my collection I need to fix at some point
We Cats Will Swing For You / The Cats & The Fiddle There are enough people here who play Cats & The Fiddle that I don't own any yet, not even Gangbusters. Not sure if this is overplayed or not.
Whatcha Know, Joe? / Tommy Dorsey overplayed by one DJ. Named Joe. lol. The rest of us don't touch it as far as I know.
Yacht Club Swing / Fats Waller overplayed. Everyone still loves this song. I will always get a full floor if I put this on.

Yes Indeed / Tommy Dorsey I like Sy Oliver's version. Played a lot by some people, but I don't think it's overplayed
720 In The Books / Charlie Barnet Used to hear it a lot, not so much now. In fact I will find it so I can start spinning it - nice mid tempo in the pocket swing song

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