More Tempo Questions

Subject: More Tempo Questions
From: Vixen
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 08:06 AM

D'Cats--

Awhile ago I was asking about tempos and metronome settings...that was all theoretical curiosity.

Reynaud and I are supposed to be playing a couple of tunes for a dance troupe at a Ren Faire. One is called Amoroso, and the sheet music (from Jon's ABC Tune Finder site) has the notation of a quarternote=130. That seems to me to be a fairly spritely and quick tune. The other is called Branle Pinagay, and has the notation of a quarternote=220. This seems at best frenetic...I can't imagine dancing at that tempo. In addition to my perception of unseemly haste, my metronome only goes up to 208.

Can anyone offer any insight about the tempi of these tunes?

Many thanks,

V

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: Vixen
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 08:11 AM

PS, I downloaded midi files of each of these tunes, and they certainly don't SOUND as if they're played at the tempi indicated in the sheet music...

V

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: GUEST,T-boy
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 08:17 AM

If your 'nome only goes up to 208, play half-notes at 110 (same thing).

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 09:06 AM

I'd guess the ABC would really indicate a tempo of 110 in this case. In ABC Q: is the tempo marker and L: is the default note length and there are different ways of using them to set the speed:

1. If Q: is just followed by a number (Q:120), then the tempo is 120 of whatever note length is specified in L: (L:1/4, L: 1/16, etc)
2. You can specify a note value in the Q: field different to the default in L: - (L:1/8 Q:1/4=120).

Any of the following will produce 1/4=120
L:1/4 Q:120
L:1/8 Q:240
L:1/8 Q:1/4=120
L:1/2 Q:60
L:1/16 Q:480
etc, etc, etc.

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 09:41 AM

my experience with dances at Ren-faire is that the tunes are played slowr for the dancers then they are when they are just played as "tunes" - but the best bet (if possible) would be to get with the director of the dance troupe and get them to give you a beat that THEY expect for the tune.

connecticut?

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 09:52 AM

I've listened to the second one and while I don't know about Bransles, it doesn't sound fast.

On the lines Snuffy suggests, you could try treating it like this for your metronome:

X:36
T:Branle Pinagay
R:BRANLE COUPE
C:trad.
S:Jehan Tabourot dit Thoinot Arbeau
B:l'orchesographie - 1588
O:France
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=110
F:http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/www.tradfrance.com/matf11.txt         2004-09-09 12:21:30 UT
K:G
GGGG|AABd/2c/2|B2GG|GGAA|Bd/2c/2Bd/2c/2|Bd/2c/2B2|
|:BAGA|FGAG|BBAG|GFG2:||

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 09:52 AM

And, often a branle gets faster each time through until the musicians are the only ones left. Sort of Last Man Standing thing.

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 09:59 AM

If you have been taking downloading MIDI, etc, from John Chambers' site, and don't have abc, try concertina.net.

For now and while it stays there, I've enetered on our test post at folkinfo. A PDF is here and a MIDI is here

Jon

Subject: RE: More Tempo Questions
From: Vixen
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 10:48 AM

Hi all--

Thank you for the advice and information! I converted the ABC to midi, and I downloaded the dots, so between those and your input, I think we'll do ok. Don't know why I didn't think of asking the dancing master...I'll email him posthaste!

MMario, yup, CT Ren Faire, 9/25 and 26, 10/1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 16, and 17. We're playing all ten days. Woodstock CT, www.ctfaire.com.

Thanks again!!!

V