[Callers] Re: Resources to turn musicians into dance musicians?

On Sep 5, 2024, at 3:56 AM, Rich Goss via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:  It makes more sense if you think of a beat as a step. Callers would think of each part (A1, A2, B1, B2) as 16 steps, or beats, each. 64 steps to a dance. Same with the music. A reel is 4/4 or 2/4. 2/4 is cut time. A jig is 6/8. Professional musicians would know that by looking at the music. Tempo is usually the challenge for a new-to-dance band. There is an app called LiveBPM the band can use to measure their tempo. The sweet spot for most dances is 116bpm (beats per minute). The range is generally 108-120. For a one night stand, I would shoot for the low end. If I’m working with a band with tempo issues, I will frequently pull up LiveBPM so they can see it and know what their tempo is. Sometimes they will simply self correct, sometimes not. My 2 cents at 4am. Good discussion. Rich Goss Vancouver, WA or Austin, TX (depending on the time of year).