Tempo/Feeling Changes

[Mr Awesomer]

But the point of DJing is to NOT inspire dancers to stop dancing.

What inspires one group of dancers to dance inspires the other to stop, so why bother trying? (...and please don't bother attempting to answer the retorical question.)

[mousethief]

I like to shoot rubber bands at them if they don't acknowledge the tempo shift.

Kalman

[djstarr]

I played a couple of tempo change songs last night off of the "Fabulous Sidney Bechet" - ones that I haven't spun before, but I'm working on new stuff for Herrang.

Sweet Georgia Brown: about 15 seconds of slow ballad stuff - then into a 280 bpm barn burner. I had folks walk off the floor, which I don't blame them - it's kind of a hard fast song to dance to - and not quite the best fast version of Sweet Georgia Brown.

Black and Blue: great great song --- most of it at 99 bpm, but then a little double time section [1/2 a chorus] at 184, then back to 99 bpm. Something which if played often enough, like DSB, people would really enjoy.

[CafeSavoy]

Especially mid-song. I'm delving into my collection to find more interesting breaks and/or tempo changes to spice up my sets.

Any info you can shoot my way (on anything) is great.

Thanks!

Kalman

Louis Armstrong's "I Surrender Dear" changes from slow to fast to slow, as does Lionel Hampton's "After You're Gone". Ella has a version of "How How the Moon" on _The War Years_ that goes from about 150 to 220.

[Swifty]

Especially mid-song. I'm delving into my collection to find more interesting breaks and/or tempo changes to spice up my sets.

Any info you can shoot my way (on anything) is great.

Thanks!

Kalman

One I can think of off the top of my head is "Stompin' at the Savoy" by Ella & Louis. It starts off around 100bpm and jumps up to around 200bpm. The clip at Tower Records has the switch.

Also, "Exactly Like You" on Blues & Things by Hines/Rushing has a wierd 2-bar (I think) section near the end where the drums double-time and Rushing sings half-time. It really seems to throw people off, but by the time they figure out what's going on it's back to normal.

And there's always the two parts of "Rockin' in Rhythm."

[Mr Awesomer]

One I can think of off the top of my head is "Stompin' at the Savoy" by Ella & Louis. It starts off around 100bpm and jumps up to around 200bpm. The clip at Tower Records has the switch.

I was going to suggest that one too. Not only does it jump speed but it feels as though it keeps building and building tempo.

[Kyle]

One O'Clock jump
Two O'Clock jump

Both have feeling changes in most versions.

[CafeSavoy]

One I can think of off the top of my head is "Stompin' at the Savoy" by Ella & Louis. It starts off around 100bpm and jumps up to around 200bpm. The clip at Tower Records has the switch.

I was going to suggest that one too. Not only does it jump speed but it feels as though it keeps building and building tempo.

There are also a couple of songs on Ella In Rome that has tempo changes including "stomping at the savoy" and "st louis blues."

[main_stem]

Ellington's Madness in Great Ones has a great feeling change. It starts out as a solid swinger and decends into madness. It's fun to watch dancers' reaction as the song changes.

[Greg Avakian]

But the point of DJing is to NOT inspire dancers to stop dancing.

LOL Well put.

[djstarr]

Also, "Exactly Like You" on Blues & Things by Hines/Rushing has a wierd 2-bar (I think) section near the end where the drums double-time and Rushing sings half-time. It really seems to throw people off, but by the time they figure out what's going on it's back to normal.

Although I like the song, and I really like to spin the other songs on the CD, especially St. Louis Blues, I have stopped playing Exactly Like You from this CD just because of this weird tempo change --- it's short enough and weird enough to ruin the song, IMHO - I think it's a good example of the type of tempo change to avoid.

[mousethief]

Also, "Exactly Like You" on Blues & Things by Hines/Rushing has a wierd 2-bar (I think) section near the end where the drums double-time and Rushing sings half-time. It really seems to throw people off, but by the time they figure out what's going on it's back to normal.

Although I like the song, and I really like to spin the other songs on the CD, especially St. Louis Blues, I have stopped playing Exactly Like You from this CD just because of this weird tempo change --- it's short enough and weird enough to ruin the song, IMHO - I think it's a good example of the type of tempo change to avoid.

That's my fave reason for playing the song. I don't need robots.

Kalman

[djstarr]

Also, "Exactly Like You" on Blues & Things by Hines/Rushing has a wierd 2-bar (I think) section near the end where the drums double-time and Rushing sings half-time. It really seems to throw people off, but by the time they figure out what's going on it's back to normal.

Although I like the song, and I really like to spin the other songs on the CD, especially St. Louis Blues, I have stopped playing Exactly Like You from this CD just because of this weird tempo change --- it's short enough and weird enough to ruin the song, IMHO - I think it's a good example of the type of tempo change to avoid.

That's my fave reason for playing the song. I don't need robots.

Kalman

You just like to watch folks stumble - admit it. Even if you know the song that tempo change just doesn't make any sense - what -it's like 2 bars or something?

[mousethief]

You just like to watch folks stumble - admit it. Even if you know the song that tempo change just doesn't make any sense - what -it's like 2 bars or something?

Maybe they're not listening to the song. I have no problems playing it in Dallas. It makes sense to me, I caught it pretty easily the first time. Besides, I can think a half-dozen drum and base solos that wreck a song faster than Jimmy Rushing stretching the vocal.

But you're right - I love to lord my position as unpaid DJ over people who don't really care. As they stumble, I hit unlucky couples with a laser pointer and holler at them on the mic.

Kalman

[Mr Awesomer]

The Ronco DJ: Set it... then forget it.