Hi Les

I both play and call so the rest of the band follow me - I usually use a melodeon for this. If I start too quick then I will slow down - but usually I do the reverse of this - starting a bit slower until the dancers know the dance and then speed up a bit. Children dance quicker than adults as they have short legs. If its a single set dance I would tend to slow down for anybody struggling with the speed, and speed up for the young blood. The melodeon has a good volume range so there is no problem holding the band together and the band have all been with me for ever. We don't have a drummer.

I remember when I started, listening to Alistair Andersons dance music and being surprised at how quick it was. Radio 2 also did some barn dance tunes with calling - and I got an idea of the speeds from that.

The rest of the band just have to listen - I prefer them not to use music so they can also watch the dancers.

I find waltzes the most difficult to get the speed right.

We started as a band that played in pubs so we tended to do most things at break neck speed so I now use different tune sets for the pubs than the dances. This way I'm less likely to muddle the two up.

I'm always facinated to know how scottish bands manage the speed as they have a single chord introduction and then they are off.

How do you manage the speed Les?
FloraG.