Mass request: ballroom danceable music for GalaCon

[Pulse Wave]

As some of you might know, we'll have the third GalaCon in Germany this year, early August, to be more precise. An integral part of the GalaCon is and has always been the Gala Ball with dozens of bronies in suits and ties and pegasisters in ballroom gowns (no, seriously) dancing to corresponding music — or trying to and failing because the music doesn't fit. And why doesn't it fit? Because there is hardly any dance music (in the "classic" sense, as opposed to EDM) from the brony community.

So I'd like to request something in behalf of everypony who wants to attend the Gala Ball:

PONY-THEMED STANDARD AND LATIN DANCE MUSIC

Seriously, we're sick and tired of having to waltz to some epic orchestral battle themes because that's all the DJs can find that seems to halfway fit a ball but actually doesn't. We want music that's made for dancing. Ballroom dancing, not freestyle dancing.

Those who both are musicians and can dance are especially welcome to continue reading, also those who want to make pony music like nopony has made before. Those who can only make electronic music by clicking stuff together in a DAW: This thread is rather nothing for you. The same goes for everypony with no interest in any kind of 20th century music at all.

(Yes, I'm fully aware that I request music of the kind that your grandparents enjoyed in a fandom where many ignore music older than Skrillex.)


Here's a little list of dances with some data for their respective musical styles. The ones with the asterisks are those that are the most likely to be danced and the most important for the Gala Ball.

Standard

3/4 time:
Slow Waltz* — 84–93 bpm, 8th or shuffled 8th
Viennese Waltz* — 150-180 bpm, 8th

4/4 time:
Slowfox — 112–120 bpm, shuffled 8th, rarely danced outside of tournaments, very difficult
Foxtrot* — 112–120 bpm, shuffled 8th, rookie version of the Quickstep danced to pretty much the same music as Slowfox
Quickstep* — 192–208 bpm, shuffled 8th

Tango

2/4 time:
(Standard) Tango* – 120—132 bpm, 8th (rhythm mostly 4th)
Tango Argentino – ca. 120 bpm, 8th (rhythm mostly 4th)

Disco

4/4 time:
Discofox and Hustle — 120–144 bpm, sometimes slower, 16th (8th for faster songs), four-to-the-floor (similar to EDM)

Latin (comes from Latin America, not from Ancient Rome)

2/4 or 4/4 time:
Rhumba* — 96–112 bpm, 8th
Cha-Cha-Cha* — 112–128 bpm, 8th
Samba* — 96–104 bpm, 16th
Jive* — 152–176 bpm, 8th or shuffled 8th
Paso Doble – 116–124 bpm, 8th/16th, rarely danced outside of tournaments

Some additional Latin
(for those who have tasted blood and want to go beyond the above, or who have watched Dirty Dancing too often)

2/4- oder 4/4-Takt:
Salsa — 148–240 bpm, 8th, can be so fast depending on the style that the 8ths sound like 16ths
Mambo — 176–208 bpm, 8th, mostly displaced by Salsa
Merengue – 120–180 bpm, 8th, this is really Dirty Dancing territory


Instead of simply tossing you a bunch of YouTube videos (I expect you to be able to search YouTube yourself) and saying, "Make it so," a few words about dance music:

First of all, dance music != classical music. Only one exception: Johann Strauss, King of Waltz (yes, Johann Strauss, not André Rieu). Baroque dances are deader than dead, and you cannot dance to symphonies. Pretty much all dance music except Waltz and Tango requires drums or percussion to play practically all the time (as opposed to occasional timpani or cymbal hits).

This makes dance music easier than classical music as well, for you're not bound to classical composition rules which for example require the use of all instruments in a symphonic orchestra within one composition. In fact, you never even have a full-blown symphonic orchestra.

Also, dance music != epic orchestral film scores. The latter doesn't necessarily have a danceable rhythm. Of course, there is danceable music from movies, but it sounds nothing like Lord of the Rings. Hollywood flicks from the 50s brought along a lot of decent foxtrot (moreso if Gene Kelly or Marilyn Monroe stars in a movie), not to mention the dancing movies of the 70s and 80s from Saturday Night Fever to Dirty Dancing (the former is "Disco — The Movie", the latter borders on "Latin — The Movie").

Very important for dance music: The tempo is always constant (except for Sirtaki which isn't on the list). Tempo and rhythm are always clearly identifiable and always generally the same (only Tango has occasional exceptions but never changes the tempo either). One cannot switch to a completely different tempo or a completely different rhythm mid-song, for throughout one song, it's always one and the same dance that's danced.

Dance music obviously relies heavily on rhythm. What that means differs from genre to genre, but it does not mean the phattest possible kick drum. Generally, you need a very good reason to use electronic, analogue-style drums; if you can't record acoustic percussion, you're better off with good drum and percussion samples (see four paragraphs below).

Dance music requires composition and arrangement. And I mean more composition than four bars looped for minutes. Yes, that's conservative and old-fashioned, but dance music is old-fashioned (for most of you, the 90s should be old-fashioned already, the 80s even more).

In fact, the different styles of dance music mostly differ a lot from one another. For example, a Viennese Waltz has got nothing in common with a Samba. If you've heard one genre, you do not know them all. It's probably the best for a beginner who has never come in touch with dance music before to concentrate upon one genre they like best and listen to a lot of that stuff (and not the same single song over and over).

Dance music can work both with vocals and as instrumentals. This means that the PINO (Pony In Name Only) debate about instrumental music applies here, too. Also, look at it this way: Latin music finally gives you a good use for Spanish singing (or Portuguese which is particularly recommended for Brazilian music like Samba).

If you don't want to go all the traditional way, there's the possibility to cover certain genres with pop songs. This has been done a lot in the 80s in particular. (On the other hoof, pop is even less popular here, and the 80s are still long ago...)

This is not going to be a collaboration album. If you get something done, publish it as you please as long as one can directly download your original WAVs, FLACs, MP3s or the like, for this music is going to be played by a DJ at a fancy ballroom event. Do not upload it only on YouTube or elsewhere with forced additional lossy compression upon upload and once more upon download.

Last but not least: Most dance music is from the 20th century. If it isn't, it's older. So make it sound like from the 20th century. Above all, this means: no master compression. Ever. Full stop. Dance music is dynamic and not loud.


Before everyone jumps upon waltzes which are the closest to the orchestral music they're used to: Latin music is more fun.

Oh, and since many of the talented brony musicians probably don't even lurk, let alone post here: If you know somepony who might be able to make such music and interested in it, let them know.

[Freewave]

Sounds interesting! I've got a few disco tracks already done which might of interest. I'll toss them in here to see if they are your speed or not. If they work, feel free to use them.




Maaaaybe slight latin house feel

[Freewave]

Here's a few waltzes already in the fandom






(a bit too much reverb sadly, a few waltzes on his channel)
some darker electronic elements

[JOrchestration]

Samba... hmmm, you've piqued my interest. I'm on it.

[Freewave]

I really hope the op revisits this thread as there's nothing worse than popping over and starting a thread here but not checking back on it or them expecting you to write them via an email vs a forum response.

[Callenby]

OP seems to have left, but why pass up the chance to spam my own music?




Not a traditional waltz, but it seems to be relatively popular.


This one was made with some quite outdated samples, but it's the first thing I ever released

[JOrchestration]

Here is to hoping OP does, in fact, return. We have plenty of talent here, I think.

[Pulse Wave]

Don't you worry, I'm still around. I just don't post anything if there isn't anything for me to post, that's why I've fallen silent.

Give me some more time to go through the suggestions.

I can see a lot of waltzes, yes. Waltzes certainly are abundant in this fandom, but on the other hoof, waltz is the most important dance at the GalaCon, not only because chances are best that somepony knows it.

Samba... hmmm, you've piqued my interest. I'm on it.

Truth be told, I had an idea for a Samba cover myself today.

[JOrchestration]

I really wish I was more knowledgeable in Portuguese diction, but that is of no consequence if I can manage to get my music made in the manner I am hoping to be able to do... It isn't often to have a reason to write Latin flair into my music, so I jump at the opportunity, regardless of the prerequisites.

When exactly are you wanting to have our music submitted to you? Is there a deadline prior to August?

[Pulse Wave]

I don't know when the music for the ball is selected, nor do I have any influence on that, nor am I responsible for the music at the ball myself. I just decided to post a request and see what comes up.

Also, you don't really have to submit your music in the traditional sense. I'm pretty sure that some GalaCon folks are checking this thread every once in a while, and if none of them is, I'll make sure they will.

Didn't we have someone from Brazil around here?

[Pulse Wave]

Well, looks like we've got waltzes aplenty.

I've also found some time to check Freewave's disco tunes. I know how hard it is to make disco music in the classic sense in a DAW without a real rhythm group (that, and I'm biased because I happen to be in a band that plays late 70s/early 80s disco tunes aplenty), especially if it's a remix, but you did what you could to catch the spirit without falling back into too obvious house.

[Pulse Wave]

I shall hereby extend the request by another year. This year's Gala Ball apparently didn't have anything better than waltz again.

[Freewave]

ah sorry. Here's my most recent disco flavored track fyi

[lipebcampos]

Latin culture and ballroom dancing online lessons can be found on Classpert

[BronyRemixer2019]

I will make some for you.