I am interested in adding music to my performances. I have heard music used as a preshow and with a "music-only-no-talking" effect. I guess there could be times when one might play a snippet of music at a certain point in a specific routine. Any other uses? Do you ever just let it play as background music, but talk over the top of it? If I'm going to use music, I want to use it well. I feel a bit at sea here.....any resources you know that might help?

Thanks--

Flimnar

Arthur Stead hasd a performance CD as well as a variety of other Royality Free CDs.

Duane Laflin has a Royality Free CD.

Richard Wayne has several CDs.

Thanks Dennis--I had found the Arthur Stead site based on your advice on other threads, and am considering buying three of his CD's. However, I find myself wondering exactly how I will use this music. The Café has many threads on equipment which have been really helpful, and I read the threads on Royalty Free music. Dennis, I have particularly appreciated your advice on these topics. But I am now trying to understand the possible ways others have found of integrating music in a show. I am not looking to simply "ape" what others have done (a topic of large concern on the Café), but I am interested in some of the possibilities as I enter this new frontier. I realize I will have to create ways to apply these ideas to my own style and routine. Café members in previoius threads have said this was the most immediate positive change performers made to their acts. Any insights would be helpful!

Thanks--

Tom

If you don't want to "ape" others than you can purchase music from a source very few have. Get a writer/composer to write your very own music (I have done this for a few people and do it for myself).

To answer your question.

Preshow music is a great idea. It can often set the mood. It doesn't even have to be music per se, but sound effects. Let's just say for example that your show starts off with a trip to the jungle. Well, then some low "jungle" noises of animals, birds, insects, wind and so on can help create the ambience. Another good point about preshow music is to let people get used to elevated sound levels. It can start of real quiet (half hour before show) and get progressively louder over that half hour.

If you want to talk over music, you should only talk over music that is not busy and has only one or two instruments playing. The music will seem more quiet even though the actual sound level has not decreased. This is a plus for you as you don't have to mess around with changing the volume on your system. Of course too, you can record the song at a lower volume. And of course if you just want to make a few quick words busier music is ok then.

I don't have to tell you about certain music creating different moods. You'll find what moods are created by listening to it yourself because your own actions during the performance will reinforce those moods created.

Music is a great tool for timing. You can always guarentee a client a certain length of show this way. However....timing routines to music can be a little tricky if you pick out music that is very monotoneous. You need music that gives you clues (cue points) that can be subtle (a hi hat starting up) or more obvious (big full horn section blasting). As a simple rule, you want something exciting happening in your routine when something exciting is happening in the music.

Depending on your knowledge, you may want to learn or brush up on musical theory basics. Most popular music is in a 4/4 time. This means there are 4 beats per measure. This is why you sometimes hear live bands go 1,2,3,4, and then start playing. Most popular music (rock, heavy meatal, punk, rap, hip-hop, disco...) is made up of a simple formula with little variations. The basic formula is:

verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-verse-chorus

So you can understand we'll talk about Lyrical songs.
The verse is the meat of the song, what people often talk about their love etc...These can change every time one comes up.

The Chorus (or sometimes called a hook) is the catchy part of the song that gets repeated over and over again throughout the song. They are often busier or seem slightly louder and more exciting than other parts.

The Bridge is where many things can happen. Often a solo instruments plays an improvisation of the chorus or you can have what's called a breakdown which strips away certain elements or instruments of a song. Bridges can often happen elsewhere but we are speaking on basic levels right now.

In most songs too, you have an intro (which can be simple four hits on a snare drum or a just instrumental version of the chorus to come). Most songs also have an outro which is often just a repitition of the chorus and fading out or it can be a build up (snare drum rolls) to an abrupt ending of all instruments (with maybe a little reverb and feedback for good measure!).

Most dance music breaks the above mold though. First where most pop music will have a verse (probably 8-16 measures) and a chorus (4-8 measures), electronic dance music tends to rely on 16 measure (or bar) phrases. This is because it is designed for the dj to use for mixing music. This music often can have no real difference between a verse and chorus. What can happen is after every 16 bars a new instrument/sound is added. It can also use 8 bar phrasing too. This music is often more concerned with a hook (catchy peice of music) being played continuously throughout. Usually you get a break with a break-down of the song about 3/4 way through with only one element being played.
I would suggest finding the song call "Elements" by Danny Tenaglia. This song actually vocally introduces each part of the song and is a great educaction resource for introduction to this type of music. But alas, too, the whole phrasing aspect is really a matter of preference for the artist as I will illustrate below with two popular dance songs.

Kylie Minogues "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
Intro 8 bars
Vocal Hook 8 bars (la la la)
Verse 8 bars
Vocal Hook 4 bars
Verse 8 bars
Bridge 8 bars
Chorus 12 bars
Vocal Hook 8 bars
verse 8 bars
Bridge 8 bars
Chorus 16 bars
Vocal Hook 16 bars
Outro (repeat and fade)

Darude "Sandstorm"
Intro 1 8 bars (synth pad)
Intro 2 8 bars (syth pad with partial hook)
Main part 32 bars
Breakdown 34 bars
Outro 32 bars


So you can see a big difference there.

Well I hope this is a little bit more of what you are looking for.

It was indeed, Mr. Bill! Thanks for taking the time to share this much information. It is clear I have a lot to learn, but you've given me a good framework. Now I guess I'll just have to jump in and get started!

Flimnar

Nice beginner's guide to music theory Mr. Bill!

I've been in music all my life, but have never heard the term "outro". Makes sense, though...

;)

Thank-you and your welcome.

It is often important to be an educated music listener in order to put routines to music. It also helps if you are doing some editing as well.

Almost instinctively (really we are conditioned) to subconsciously understand the pop music format as we have heard it most of our lives. It is just like language. Even if you are bad at certain language, you know there are certain rules/guidelines to follow. This can also be said of the majority of music.