From: LesB - PM
Date: 16 May 13 - 03:02 PM

Is it acceptable to let out a whoop when the tempo picks up?

A few years ago I saw a Very Famous Irish Band who were obviously having a bad day inter-personal-relations-wise - the frontwoman was doing her best, but the rest of the band looked like they couldn't wait to get backstage so they could all top themselves from depression or continue the massive argument they'd graciously interrupted to come on stage.

Despite this glowering foul-temperedness, however, they cranked out some very well played jigs and reels, and took it in turns to whoop whenever the tempo changed (which was always on the transition into the third tune of a set of three).

I've seldom seen a more mechanical and over-rehearsed bit of 'spontaneity', and it made me deeply cynical about this whole Pavlovian business of whooping at a tempo or key change ...