Music – The Dance of the Tango

The Dance of the Tango

The exact origins of the Tango dance are not known because it has been influenced by many cultures including European and African cultures. It began in the low class, port areas of Buenos Aires, Argentina where people from many European nations emigrated to in the 1800s in hopes of making a better life for themselves

tango

The dance emerged originally as a dance between two men who were acting out a fight. The tango was literally a form of mortal combat that often ended in a real fight. Conditions were harsh for these men in their working lives and they often sought relief at local bars. Eventually, they would end up in the local bordellos where the women there were taken to dancing the tango with customers who waited in long lines to be with a lady of the evening.

The more refined version of the dance took over in the 1910s where it spread to Europe by wealthy Argentinians who tended to travel to London, Paris and Rome for their yearly holidays. By the 1930s the dance was a worldwide craze.

Argentine tango, as it is often referred to, is a genre of music with quadruple meters. Lyrics to music are usually wistful and somewhat sad. The music is also punctuated by the sound of the ‘Bandoneon‘ which is an instrument not unlike an accordion.

Today’s tango is danced with a male and female with the male providing the leading steps and the female following his in reverse. The movements are done across a dance floor in a counter-clockwise direction. The basic step is known as the ocho cortado.

Tango is said to be less of a dance of the feet and more a dance of the heart. Today’s tango is sophisticated and far removed from its lowly beginnings. It is meant to be danced by anyone in any way they wish to express themselves both emotionally and physically. The dance itself provides good exercise for the mind and the body.

Despite the freedom to be had in dancing the tango, there are certain rules of etiquette that are not to be ignored. It is bad manners to wear too much perfume as that can negatively impact a partner’s concentration. It is also bad manners to dance against the current of other dancers on a dance floor. Tango has regained popularity around the world since the early 1980s.

Learning How To Work A DJ Table

Are you interested in becoming a DJ?

If you want to work as a DJ, the first thing you are going to have to learn is how to work a DJ table.

Operating a DJ table can be very difficult, especially if you have never done anything like this before. With that said,  here are a few ideas on how to make learning this task a little less intimidating.

DJ-table

Take A Class

If you want to master a skill, one of the smartest things you can do is take a class that will allow you to develop that particular skill. If you take the right kind of class, you’ll be able to get one-on-one instruction and ask questions as you need to. Check your local newspaper and online listings to see if there are any DJ classes in your area. You may also start with searching the course catalogue at your local community college. See if there is a way for you to get the kind of instruction that you need.

Practice At Home

While taking lessons can be valuable, you’ll want to make sure that you build on these skills. The best way to build skills is to practice.  If you practice at home, you will apply what you have been learning on a regular basis and be able to become a very skilled DJ. Obviously, you’re going to have to invest in a DJ table if you want to practice at home. Once you’re sure you are serious about pursuing DJ’ing and working a table, you should invest in your own DJ table so that you can get all of the practice that you need.

Get Advice From Other People

Do you know other people that work as disc jockeys? If you do, you should talk to them and see if they can provide you with any tips.  If you are struggling with something, don’t be afraid to reach out to people and ask them for help. There is a good chance that they have had problems with some of the same things that you are struggling with. If you don’t know anyone that works as a professional DJ, you should try to connect with people online. Hop on the internet, you may be able to find forums and other communities that can be a helpful resource for you.

If you want to be a great DJ, you need to first develop your skills.

Whether you take a class, practice at home, or get help from a friend, with a little time you’ll find you have become a competent DJ.

Fairburn Royals – Everyone Has a Story To Tell

The Whistler – Everyone Has a Story To Tell

If there’s one thing that’s universally true, it seems everyone has a story to tell. If you’ve found that you have a lot to say about particular topics of interest or hobbies or you merely have a long catalogue of fun tales to expound on, you likely have all it takes to start up a riveting podcast. Fans of podcasts often find simply listening to someone speak passionately about their favourite subjects is something that can easily be enjoyed for hours on end. Not only is it a wonderful source of entertainment to keep on in the background these days, it also allows the hosts an unprecedented forum for speaking their mind.

Pod Casting

If you’d like to start podcasting, it’s actually quite a bit simpler than you may think. All you really need is a decent microphone and sound card. You don’t have to feel limited by a lack of professional grade equipment. Just using the microphone that your computer may already have built in is good enough to start with if you have no budget. That in and of itself is the real clincher; just getting the ball rolling is all it takes. You’ll gradually find the tone of your show and the equipment upgrades will follow suit.

Once you do find a budget however, you can get some great sounding audio from fairly affordable gear. You should first look into a condenser mic, which will compress your voice nicely with a radio or television announcer styled oomph. You should also look into getting a shock mount and pop filter to further reduce any noise.

There are different position settings available for microphones, and some like the Blue Yeti model can accommodate several. For instance, an omni directional microphone will pick up sound from the whole room, whereas a cardioid mic will only pick up what’s directly in front of it. The latter is better for solo recordings.

Skype Audio

If you want to record a group of people, programs such as Skype can allow you to do so even from a distance. Skype itself has a function that will record the entire call, but it’s best for the quality if everyone grabs their audio separately with a mic. The files can then be mixed together in audio software such as Audacity, which is completely free. As long as you keep your waveform levels from clipping, which will be indicated by red, your audio should be comfortable enough to listen to.

Finally, all you need to do is host the finished product.

This can be done on a variety of platforms, including YouTube, Sound-cloud, or Libsyn.

At that point, simply start sharing the uploads on social media, and you should be up and running!