Speedy introductions (to songs)

Subject: Review: Speedy introductions
From: Fidjit
Date: 19 May 12 - 10:36 AM

Sonething that bugs me.

Inaudiable introductions.

Or is that young people talk faster than my ancient hearing can take it in ?

Chas

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 19 May 12 - 04:25 PM

It isn't you Chas.....some people mumble!

Unused to public performance methinks!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Leadfingers
Date: 19 May 12 - 07:23 PM

TOO many Folk Club performers can project when they sing , but forget to project on the introduction ! Even On Mic sometimes .

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 20 May 12 - 04:02 AM

Nervousness makes people talk and sing faster.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Nick
Date: 20 May 12 - 04:03 AM

Something that bugs me.

Long rambling audible introductions which add little to anything apart from confirming what an egotist the singer is. Sometimes containing some of the following - 'This is a song I came across in... the background of the song is... what I think the writer was trying to get at in the third verse is...' etc

And I was going to say people who can't spell but politely didn't! :)

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Marje
Date: 20 May 12 - 04:49 AM

I quite like a little background to a song in the right context - but not in a noisy pub, which results in the inaudibility mentioned above. Even if the singer just says what makes it enjoyable for them to sing, that draws you in to listen.

What I don't like is when the singer tells you the whole story of the song in advance, often in a clumsier, less concise way than the song itself. It's fair enough to give you a few pointers, particularly as some ballads take certain things for granted which might puzzle a modern audience, but the listener needs to have something to discover during the song.

Marje

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Tonbridge Folk Club
Date: 20 May 12 - 07:13 AM

The best professional performers seem to mix it up, with a longish intro for some songs, a 'This is a song called ...' for others, and, on occasion, no intro at all. Certain floor singers I've seen have given an intro that's been longer than the song (or maybe it just felt like that)!

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 20 May 12 - 07:54 AM

Dave Van Ronk used to give great introductions - "This is a song I learned from Bob Dylan...who learned it from Rick von Schmidt...who learned it from me."

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 20 May 12 - 08:06 AM

Are these followed by speed dating?

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Fidjit
Date: 20 May 12 - 01:43 PM

it is a matter of learning your trade. We've all made mistakes at sometime or other. Some of us learn from them.

An intro should be relevant. And understood. Otherwise it is less than pointless.

I like to give a refference of some kind. At least to mention the writer's name. Some little humourous story goes down well.

I have noticed however that it is the youngsters refferences that have no meaning for me. Perhaps they are in a parallel world to mine.

Also some egoist performers seem to think that the audience know who they are. This is not always the case. We don't all know who you are. So references to you and your friends go right over our heads.

Chas

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 21 May 12 - 06:46 AM

I have an old recording on a cassette of Margaret Barry introducing, ' She Moved Through The Fair ' by saying, " this is a very old song, and it continues to be old. "

Beautiful.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Marje
Date: 21 May 12 - 07:05 AM

I have a book in which a song is attributed to Margaret Barry "when she was an old woman of 56". This causes a giggle in folk clubs where the average age is probably above this.

Marje

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 May 12 - 08:22 AM

But I knew Maggie Barry ~ she had had a hard life, and was probably older at 56 than I am now at 80.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 May 12 - 08:46 AM

I often talk (sometimes loudly) until the room quiets down. If there's too much noise (especially the sound of instruments), I can't hear the tune in my head and I can't get the song started, so I talk until things are right. Also, I can claim the next song quickly if I say something before somebody plays guitar and claims the position. I can't start singing a cappella as quickly as a guitar boy can start playing - but I can start talking fast enough to beat 'em to the punch.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions (to songs)
From: Hamish
Date: 21 May 12 - 10:11 AM

"This song needs no introduction" is my shortest. But my mate Dave tells me a talk too much. Often I have no idea what I said at the end of a gig. Or during.

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions (to songs)
From: Fidjit
Date: 21 May 12 - 10:22 AM

Hamish

I think you are one of the persons we are on about here.

Chas

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions (to songs)
From: Musket
Date: 21 May 12 - 11:18 AM

It is an art. Seriously, it has to be.

Some of the audience don't want it, some want as much background as you can give, and as said above, being able to sing and play doesn't necessarily mean you are an orator.

I reckon it best to accept it as part of the song and be as polite about the intro as you are expected to be about the song.

Oh, and if I am rabbitting on before singing it is usually because my brain is frantically trying to recall the key, guitar style, first line of verse......

Subject: RE: Speedy introductions (to songs)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 May 12 - 03:00 PM

I often wonder why Martin Carthy never explains why he's doing a song different from how everybody else sings it - what the thinking is behind his approach to asong. You can't argue with the energy behind the execution and technical proficiency - but sometimes it would be nice to have a glimpse into that most original and creative of minds.