Members pogo97 Posted September 16, 2016 Members Share Posted September 16, 2016 just touching base about tonight Caribbean music would be great would like it all to be upbeat if that’s ok That's from awhile ago at a retirement home. I accommodated the request despite having been originally asked to play "winter" songs, and it was fine. But it's not like all Caribbean music is fast or happy. Does "upbeat" mean fast? Or does it mean happy? Or just fluff, thank you. [video=youtube;L3srFTLxCCE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members STM86 Posted September 16, 2016 Members Share Posted September 16, 2016 I can only define it by using other terms that are themselves really hard to define. Happy. Light. Fun. That is, the aesthetic, not the words. But what does that mean really? Major key? Usually. Quick tempo? Quicker on average but not necessarily. I don't know really. Music to drink to, but not to drink your sorrows away to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted September 17, 2016 Members Share Posted September 17, 2016 For me it's full of energy and effervescent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 17, 2016 Moderators Share Posted September 17, 2016 yeah, I think the point being tossed out from the retirement home was no 'bummer' music, no dirges...light, happy, uptempo songs with catchy lyrics and a beat they can clap to. the 'one' being the 'downbeat', then the 'upbeat' is the last beat before the downbeat...like an-a one an-a two an-a...[upbeat] [Downbeat]...but I digress... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 17, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 17, 2016 Lawrence Welk!!!! [video=youtube;hCqJslURFVY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCqJslURFVY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 17, 2016 Moderators Share Posted September 17, 2016 which one is Ana? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 17, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 17, 2016 Why is the audience behind them? And is LW even in the same studio? edit: oh, I get it now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trevcda Posted September 18, 2016 Members Share Posted September 18, 2016 Yeah' date=' I think the point being tossed out from the retirement home was no 'bummer' music, no dirges...light, happy, uptempo songs with catchy lyrics and a beat they can clap to.[/quote'] A- tank you, A-Bobby and A-Sissy! Daddymack's description is pretty much how I presume what's meant when that is said. Which is definitely not me or my preferred set list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 18, 2016 Moderators Share Posted September 18, 2016 they often broke the 'fourth wall' on 'live' shows back then, just to prove they were shooting live. Odds are the 'intro/interview/outro' was shot at a different time and edited in, and the applause you hear is all standard 'canned audio'. And the wholesomeness ...OMG, you could sink a battleship with that! Televison's Golden Age.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members STM86 Posted September 18, 2016 Members Share Posted September 18, 2016 Wholesome? That skirt barely covers her knees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted September 18, 2016 Members Share Posted September 18, 2016 Ok boys let pick it up a bit and carry me back Virginia. Nothing whips a crown into a frenzy like good ol up beat fiddle style music [video=youtube;uZz9bAp44fA] [video=youtube;asODosI07MQ] a lil Flogging Molly might do it too. [video=youtube;89NjEeHku8o] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted September 19, 2016 Members Share Posted September 19, 2016 Upbeat - to me, doesn't have to be reall fast, but definitely not slow. Upbeat can also define how you talk to the audience and how animated you are while performing. I like doing swing tunes like "In the Mood" to really get the crowd going at retirement homes. Folsum prison has a good beat for Country. "Rock around the Clock" is great for '50s rock and roll. For Carribean music, a lot of it isn't upbeat. I guess you just have to figure if it's a fast dance song, slow dance or one that nobody knows if they should dance fast or slow. I've got a friend that does a lot of slow songs at retirement homes, and he works a lot more than I do in those type of venues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 19, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 19, 2016 When I'm playing for any group, I watch and listen. (duh) A slow song that people remember and maybe haven't heard in many years is very powerful and an intense pleasure -- they're singing along and their faces are beatific. So I certainly will do slower songs (I like 'em too) whatever the recreation director says. Of course, she doesn't know those songs and to her they're just slow songs -- boring. That's why I'm the musician. It helps when the residents tell her they love having me there to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 19, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 19, 2016 lyrically dismal upbeat songs: Oh, Lonesome MeYou are My SunshinePlease Mr. Postman (lots of motown is fairly uptempo with sad or yearning lyrics)Margaritaville (depends on whether you think the results of binge drinking are upbeat) hmm, not that many come leaping to mind, actually… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 19, 2016 Moderators Share Posted September 19, 2016 I think the key to what they want isn't about tempo, but attitude...singing about hopeful issues vs singing about loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted September 20, 2016 Members Share Posted September 20, 2016 I use to think that too. But they still love to hear those songs for some reason. I like to do a sad country song then hit them with an upbeat happy song. Gets their emotions all mixed up and ends on a happy note! "You are my sunshine" is the standard nursing home song around here. I didn't realize it was one of those downer songs until I got the lyrics to all the verses! I don't do it unless requested, but I'd guess every RH musician and activities director at least sings the chorus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 20, 2016 On the other hand, there are slow-paced songs that are uplifting (not quite the right word) like "What a Wonderful World." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 20, 2016 Ok boys let pick it up a bit and carry me back Virginia. Nothing whips a crown into a frenzy like good ol up beat fiddle style music [video=youtube;uZz9bAp44fA] Well! That's pretty F'ing cheery: And we died in the valley, Died in the swamp, On the banks of the river where the whitetail jumped. Died in the ditches, Died in the fields, In the belly of a wagon 'fore our wounds were healed. Died in the war, Starved in the camps. Locked in the prisons of a meaner man. Spilled our blood in the fight to defend And they buried us all over dixieland! You could follow with "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye." But do it rave up fiddles and crash bang. They'll be dancing, waving their walkers over their 90-year-old heads. [video=youtube;RTYBtj0gFcY] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted September 20, 2016 Members Share Posted September 20, 2016 95% of my solo gigs are restaurant dinner music, so most of my stuff is pretty laid back. For every upbeat song i do, I probably do 5 or 6 mellow ones. Which is fine by me, since I hate playing pubs and bars and won't do them anyway. Too noisy and they don't pay jack diddle around here compared to restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 20, 2016 Members Share Posted September 20, 2016 Upbeat has two meanings. The first is simply positive. Tempo has nothing to do with it. I've heard many songs with fast tempo's that are very depressing and many slower songs that are very upbeat. Its more about the emotional content and how it uplifts the spirit. Upbeat is the opposite of Downbeat. Both have to do with how the music is accented. Downbeat is usually the first of the bar. An upbeat is an unaccentuated beat that follows or echoes the down beat. Drum Kicks often hit a down beat and upbeat is usually the snare. Reggie music often highlights the upbeat to give it its bounce. Now you can have Upbeat music that has a strong downbeat and downbeat music that is highly upbeat You can also have downbeat music with a strong downbeat and upbeat music that has a strong upbeat. Again its a matter of emotional content. I like the term Positive and negative over happy or sad simply because you can uplift people by putting their negative vibes in their place. Blues for example are an example of music that does this. Those who sing the blues do it from a happy perspective. They made it past those trials and tribulations and are laughing about what they had gone through in the past. Its like any Gospel music its sung from a happy perspective laughing at the sadness. Of course someone gong through that trouble at the time my not feel the joy in it till they overcome their blues. Allot of rock music is based on Blues and Gospel and many follow the same formula so its mainly left up to the listener as to what's upbeat of not for them at any one given moment. What might sound upbeat one day may not the next day. That's why I like the term positive for upbeat, it can fit any song, any notes any tempo. Its simply a matter of where you were when and where it takes you after hearing it. If its to a better place then its upbeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 20, 2016 Moderators Share Posted September 20, 2016 yes, but this is about 'Retirement Homes'..a very specific clientele with very limited capacity for feedback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 20, 2016 Moderators Share Posted September 20, 2016 thanks for the overly long 'summary' of everything we've said so far... You can call the emotional content positive, feel-good, uplifting, happy...whatever, vs negative, downer, bummer, sad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted September 21, 2016 Members Share Posted September 21, 2016 "Upbeat" is ok I guess, but the next level is "peppy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 21, 2016 I see here somebody has made a youtube list of peppy songs. Imagine. pretty good, actuallyI'm dancing"Happy Days are Here Again" I could do edit -- some of is pretty good; a lot of it is really boring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted September 22, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 22, 2016 peppy!!!! http://8tracks.com/silenthillfourtheroom/eat-me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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