There are boat loads of dance organists out there (Electronic and theatre) so have a listen to them as they have been doing it for decades. (In the UK and Europe if you play for dancing and you can’t put together a medley, you would soon be out on your ear)
Hope this helps

Bill

There is nothing wrong with Donny, a stay in the hospital does put a different light on things.

My rule, you gotta love the whole guy, his good stuff and his down days. Besides he’s a good musician, and good musicians are kinda temperamental.

Donny, Don’t know why you went to the hospital, but I hope you’re better, take care.

John C.

This is a very good topic.
It brings up a question as to what is a medley and how do persons gig.
Do persons take breaks in between songs?
I notice that some persons say that they would have a medley and transmission from a slow song to a fast song as part of a medley.
I have most times played one song after the other with out a break in between regardless of whether it is slow or fast all in one set or for the whole gig.
I use to call a medley when I play more than one song on one style.
But reading this thread is changing my definition.




[This message has been edited by to the genesys (edited 10-09-2007).]

Well, I guess it depends of the type of gig. I play jazz clubs only so the whole medley thing doesn't figure into the equation. But it does sound very challenging and demanding and would seem to require a lot of thought and preparation. With jazz gigs, no one dances. There is usually polite applause between tunes while the musicians critique the last tune and discuss what to play next. Since we only have about ten tunes that we've actully rehearsed together, that discussion is usually very short. It helps that we are able to "milk" a tune for up to 10-15 minutes. We almost never take requests (unless it's for one our "10") and rely on the "female vocalist" to lend musical variety. So vocals and instrumentals aren't mixed up, We bring up the vocalist when we sense that the crowd is starting to get bored with the instrumentals and usually end the set with a background blues jam while the vocalist announces "short call for alcohol".

Again, this doesn't address the medley thing but is an expression of (sincere) admiration and respect for the hard work and planning that goes into successfully doing dance-type (senior facility, corporate, holiday, etc.) gigs. It obviously requires a much larger repetoire which has to include current stuff. That alone would be hard for me, as I rarely listen to radio music other than the jazz stations (sometimes blues, contemporary jazz, gospel).

It's a good topic, though, and should help those new to the game, to prepare and get a heads-up on what works and what doesn't. As far as the fast/slow thing, I think it depends on whether your crowd is actively dancing at the time. Sometimes a switch may be what is needed to get them up on the dance floor (you know how guys sit around waiting for a slow number while women do just the opposite). As for mixing SMF's, MP3's, arranger styles, etc., in a single set; amazing, if you can pull it off. I'd be so confused it would be a horrible mess. I guess having an arranger that can accomodate that easily, would help.

chas

The clip is for both promo and my web site, which I will totally redesign next. I feel this will be the best way to market into areas I've not been. Either it'll work or not!

Hope you're OK?

zuki

Subject Medleys (So I don’t forget)

I have all my music and my registrations coordinated. The music are in groups of 8 songs, there is a number on the music corresponding to the registration bank and the where I placed it (1 to 8)

I have five a list of songs in my laptop display, each song has the corresponding number of the registration. Each list displays 35 songs without using the moving mouse. Each song has on the list tells me where the registration is located. Select a song and word or Encore (Music notation) comes to the screen. The five lists fall in different categories from sing-a-long to contemporary.

The one thing I miss on my KN7 is that you could view the names of the songs in all 104 registrations. While playing I would be able to decide what the next song is going to be.

Having said all that, that’s is what I fall back on when I’m am searching for a second song or a new song. We all have special songs that I call winners, those are in my head ready to go. They are the center of my performance, everything else follows. I do not like playing a set of songs, it takes from feeling the crowd, they tell you what they want next by the way they are reacting to your music.

If they are slowing down, hit them with one of your winners. If they have had it, hit them with something easy – but don’t give them time to sit down.

The best performance is when you have read the audience right, you played the right songs and tempos because you are in touch with them, you feel and select. Song-sets are helpful but they can also take you away from your sensitivity of the audience.

John C.

Thank you John for your concern your one of the good guys & true friend....
I'll email you.

Good luck Zuki with your video project hope to have a chance to see the final production....perseverance will prevail for sure for you......thanx for your concern.....if you had an email address listed I'd tell ya more..



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 10-09-2007).]

John C. your right on. Reading the audeance is most important. I never use a set list but have a core group of tunes in my head that most always work and than work the room from there.

Jim

Mark.... Not necessarily so ... While I agree to some extent, it is also possible, and sometimes advisable, to have set registrations (not talking SMFs here) for certain medleys ... I do a 50's medley with set registrations (Panel Memory on a technics kb)that incorporates a couple of different styles for fast tunes, a 50' rock ballad style, and a 'Twist' style ...the reg's have the voices I want to use for the particular songs as well ... another registration set up is for Al Jolson songs (for those who remember who he was ) which goes from "Back in Your Own Backyard" to "Toot Toot Tootsie" to "Rockabye Your Baby" to "Robert E. Lee" ... and so it goes ....
t.