How much familiar music do you like to hear in an event?
- Thread starter matty
- Start date
If the music‘s good, I am okay with 100% unknown songs lol
Yeah my main concern is the music should be *good*. If it's good I would be fine either with completely unknown music, or with all oldies but goodies.
Between those two extremes I'd somewhat prefer the new music. But it's totally theoretical as this has never really happened that I can recall. At this point I've got a passing familiarity with most of the salsa dura canon and I always recognize a fair number of the songs played on any given night.
If the music is bad, I don't care whether I've heard it before or not, I'm out of there.
Between those two extremes I'd somewhat prefer the new music. But it's totally theoretical as this has never really happened that I can recall. At this point I've got a passing familiarity with most of the salsa dura canon and I always recognize a fair number of the songs played on any given night.
If the music is bad, I don't care whether I've heard it before or not, I'm out of there.
Agree with all of the rest above. Why care whether it is known, overplayed, or never heard before, is it if inspiring enough to keep you on the dance floor.
Last week’s social (newly started), for first hour and half played a lot of Timba. I don’t know if you would fall into timba-son category, but it was the type of timba that was you could easily dance salsa too. The people dancing were 100% salsa. The DJ playing only DJs at the salsa events, not timba events. Our DJs do occasionally play timba that can be danced to at exclusive on2 events. There many beginner level salsa ladies and most were struggling to dance to the timba. To me from the sound, it felt timba though I had not heard most of it before. It was still very danceable. I would have preferred to dance it with better dancers who would interpret all the interesting percussion rhythms. I felt odd that the DJ was playing so much of timba sound. Some regulars wondered what he was playing and I told them it is timba.
After the dancing when we were eating out a couple of other DJs confirmed he was playing timba. The guy who hosted the social and is a on2 dancer, said he asked the DJ to play timba. He wanted the event to attract the the timba crowd. Which is a lot smaller than salsa and mambo crowd. The others including DJs who have been on the scene tried to explain to him it has never worked in the scene for the last 20-30 years. I personally know several attempts by enthusiastic dancers trying to play to both salsa and timba crowd at both events in 2000s. Both groups hated the format and attendance dropped after the opening weeks. The guy has his own wrapped view. He claimed he saw some timberos in the crowd. The rest of us told him that no one was dancing timba on the floor. He continued to claim there were timberas in the crowd. We do have a few followers who dance both timba and on2. They are regulars at the mambo events and also at timba events from what I can tell. But I saw only one regular in the crowd that night. DJ being salsa DJ knew what kind of timba to play for the salsa crowd where I think most people didn’t realize he was playing it.
Regarding overplayed music. If I really like the song, it is like comfort food. It I don’t have strong liking or disliking, it can be irritating. Like “ain’t no sunshine”, it gets played almost every single time I go out dancing. I like the music orchestration in it but the moment the vocals kick in I dislike it. I think that’s because the vocals don’t have the salsa singing feel to it.
Last week’s social (newly started), for first hour and half played a lot of Timba. I don’t know if you would fall into timba-son category, but it was the type of timba that was you could easily dance salsa too. The people dancing were 100% salsa. The DJ playing only DJs at the salsa events, not timba events. Our DJs do occasionally play timba that can be danced to at exclusive on2 events. There many beginner level salsa ladies and most were struggling to dance to the timba. To me from the sound, it felt timba though I had not heard most of it before. It was still very danceable. I would have preferred to dance it with better dancers who would interpret all the interesting percussion rhythms. I felt odd that the DJ was playing so much of timba sound. Some regulars wondered what he was playing and I told them it is timba.
After the dancing when we were eating out a couple of other DJs confirmed he was playing timba. The guy who hosted the social and is a on2 dancer, said he asked the DJ to play timba. He wanted the event to attract the the timba crowd. Which is a lot smaller than salsa and mambo crowd. The others including DJs who have been on the scene tried to explain to him it has never worked in the scene for the last 20-30 years. I personally know several attempts by enthusiastic dancers trying to play to both salsa and timba crowd at both events in 2000s. Both groups hated the format and attendance dropped after the opening weeks. The guy has his own wrapped view. He claimed he saw some timberos in the crowd. The rest of us told him that no one was dancing timba on the floor. He continued to claim there were timberas in the crowd. We do have a few followers who dance both timba and on2. They are regulars at the mambo events and also at timba events from what I can tell. But I saw only one regular in the crowd that night. DJ being salsa DJ knew what kind of timba to play for the salsa crowd where I think most people didn’t realize he was playing it.
Regarding overplayed music. If I really like the song, it is like comfort food. It I don’t have strong liking or disliking, it can be irritating. Like “ain’t no sunshine”, it gets played almost every single time I go out dancing. I like the music orchestration in it but the moment the vocals kick in I dislike it. I think that’s because the vocals don’t have the salsa singing feel to it.
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
I doubt anyone in this forum is a typical dancer. I'm certainly not but for what it's worth, the quality of the music is the priority, at the same time I definitely want to hear some unknown tunes.
Danceable salsa music is such a massive field that even after spending over 15 years listening and collecting salsa and related music, I still don't know a vast number of tracks. Even some famous ones. Some venues in Cali just play the Cali classics (my terminology) i.e. the tunes Cali salsa dancers love and want to hear. It keeps the audiences happy and some of the tunes I do like. At the same time some (probably a minority) of such tunes don't inspire me, plus, as stated earlier: I want to hear something I don't know.
Danceable salsa music is such a massive field that even after spending over 15 years listening and collecting salsa and related music, I still don't know a vast number of tracks. Even some famous ones. Some venues in Cali just play the Cali classics (my terminology) i.e. the tunes Cali salsa dancers love and want to hear. It keeps the audiences happy and some of the tunes I do like. At the same time some (probably a minority) of such tunes don't inspire me, plus, as stated earlier: I want to hear something I don't know.
I follow the music a lot so I would be surprised to be at an event were I don't know anyof the music and I really like it. It would be great to have so much new good music but I might be listening more actively. And you wouldn't have those moments when all people rush to the dance floor for the hits, people would be sing less and it would more difficult to adapt to the music.
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matty
Son Montuno
I'm struggling to understand why a song like that would be played so often.
when I got it I played it once at an event, I think. and that was that. LOL
Perhaps this is because the DJ wants to emphasise an english song for an English speaking audience?
while I don't mind a track like that one, for the novelty factor .. hardly a classic that needs to be revisited over and over again.
The kind of music I will play every week for a while, is when an artist has a new good music out that is very popular, and I want that music to get heard while it is current, but once it goes into the long-term memory shelf, then it gets played once in a while. The more overplayed a song gets, the longer I would need to space it out so that it becomes a pleasant surprise again when it gets played.
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The problem with music I know being played is that it's usually crappy music I know. So I voted "majority I don't know".
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
You don't understand because you are fortunate enough to live in a city with a large number of Latin Americans so you don't have to pander to the non-Latin mindset. In the UK tracks like that - normally much worse - get rinsed to death. Why? Because DJs and dance teachers notice that they're the only tracks that most people recognise and for which they show any actual enthusiasm. The rest of the music - the actual salsa - is usually danced to dispassionately, as a background.
That particular track - Ain't No Sunshine - is one of the better examples because it's a popular and wonderful composition covered by a great salsa artist, meaning the track is popular in salsa scenes througout the world. (I'm sure I've heard it at La Topa in Cali, presumably because it's full of foreigners.) Although I don't actually think it's a good track, and I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that. It's well done but it's still salsa for people who don't like salsa.
Other more inane and less Latin tunes are probably only popular in the UK and maybe parts of Ireland. Incidentally, when I was in the UK I never bothered playing such crap meaning most promoters would not consider hiring me. Fine by me as at the gigs I did get the music was well-received and there was always a good atmosphere. (I did play a lot of hits, but always real i.e. Latin salsa.)
Both...but the experiences feel different.
The familiar ones (Lavoe, Puente, La Poncena, Gran Combo, etc) bring up memories of family parties. Life soundtrack. Good times.
The unfamiliar ones that rock...Tumbao heaven.
I just got introduced to the music of DJ Ricky Campanelli.
Buscando la Verdad is my jam...with Nos Curamos Con la Rumba a close second.
The familiar ones (Lavoe, Puente, La Poncena, Gran Combo, etc) bring up memories of family parties. Life soundtrack. Good times.
The unfamiliar ones that rock...Tumbao heaven.
I just got introduced to the music of DJ Ricky Campanelli.
Buscando la Verdad is my jam...with Nos Curamos Con la Rumba a close second.
I hate when it sounds like they're using a playlist an algorithm created, with hits from 2 years ago... I love when a cool song I didn't know gets played. On the other hand, when a set of a few classics comes, it's also an amazing feeling, like a rush of energy comes and I can dance even if exhausted. So, balance is key, I guess
For me, I love traveling to congresses with good DJs. Unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish, but it's the melody and rhythms that drive me. I love discovering new songs that are groovy and jazzy, and I also really enjoy it when a song is performed by another artist with a totally different perspective. Sadly, most of the songs like that are probably special to the DJ and can't be identified with Shazam. That's why I go to congresses to get my fix. Haha.
TokyoDancerDoll
Changui
I like having a mix of songs I know and don't. The ones you know (and like) pump you up and you can play around with musicality more. I've only been dancing salsa for about a year and a half, so I have A LOT I'm still learning especially music-wise, so I like when something new for me pops up. I've created a huge playlist of salsa music and am always adding to it and listening to it so I can learn more.
"Buscando la verdad" is six years old - it got nearly rinsed to death in europe. Astonished it really took so long to get over the pond to NYC?
It does get played. I heard it a number of times. It is familiar tune to many salsa dancers here.
I was curious about the musician since he is always cited as “DJ” implying he is a DJ. Not sure if that is how he promotes himself or others have prefixed his name with the title “DJ”. Couldn’t find much info other than this:
matty
Son Montuno
It definitely refers to the fact that he is a DJ
It is mentioned here in this interview at 6.06
Thanks. Very interesting to hear him. He is a musician (plays percussion), composer, music producer, and also is a sound engineer. I knew from previous bio that he was a DJ but why is he referred to as DJ when he is a lot more than that. Other tidbits:
- he still DJs sometimes including salsa. He likes DJin house music at clubs.
- he likes dancing mambo and thinks he is an average dancer
- he prefers dancing to salsa dura
- he prefers traditional Bachata or bachata without sensual compared to sensual. He however says people like sensual and there are others producing interesting sensual music.
- he doesn’t find anything wrong with commercial music. He labels his music as cross between salsa dura and modern salsa with a bit of romantica touch. Not totally salsa romantica.
- he recorded and produced first bachata music, recorded it live, kept the real guitar riff and didn’t use any fake bachata beats (sic)
The video has timestamps and therefore easy to jump to relevant sections. The guy must be very talented to do everything he does.
A very good description: "Well done track but it's still salsa for people who don't like salsa".
This genre contains some good songs but if the DJ plays them often he either doesn't really like salsa or doesn't really like his audience.
Interesting as I think of him as peak elevator and not Dura at all. Or maybe it's only his elevator stuff that gets rinsed.