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).
On Sep 4, 2024, at 6:27 PM, Neal Schlein via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
It’s true—they’re either written in 2/4 time or 4/4 cut time.
2 beats per measure x 8 measures = 16 beats per phrase.
Neal Schlein
Librarian, MSLIS
OK - I have had several very knowledgeable musicians explain this to me and I still don't understand how a reel has 8 measurers to a phrase - or even if that is true.
Mac McKeever
St. Louis
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 04:55:06 PM CDT, Neal Schlein via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
What dancers and callers understand as “a measure” or “a beat” is not necessarily the same as what professional musicians will understand, depending on how the sheet music was written.
(My wife is a classically trained clarinetist who can also play violin and fiddles a little; she has gotten used to my terminology, but we still have miscommunications occasionally.)
I strongly second the advice of communicating the concept of potatoes and practicing exactly how long you expect the band to play before you start calling, and how to signal the end of tunes. The advantage you do have on that particular front (assuming these are classical musicians) is that they are used to watching a conductor for gestures.
They may have difficulty setting a good starting pace for tunes. I’d tell them to be careful with recordings as those frequently are paced differently and are flourished for listening. One of the finest fiddlers I know once recorded a 9 minute track for me with the preface that it would be great for dancing, but not much to listen to.
I will ask my significant other if she has other advice.
Neal Schlein
Librarian, MSLIS
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