So, I'm a caller and a fiddler and a violin/piano teacher and a wedding musician and this is a fun challenge I just HAVE to take a whack at. What's your band's instrumentation? And can they read? And what style DO they play?
A couple/three thoughts -- If they're an experienced wedding band, they already know the right style: it's called The Chicken Dance. A swing band's players might also be familiar with Broadway classics -- most of the uptempo tunes from shows like Sound of Music (Do Re MI), South Pacific (Nothing Like A Dame) , Oklahoma (June is Busting Out) use the exact same boom-chuck pattern as standard contra/square tunes. A Bar Mitzvah band probably knows Bei Mir Bist Du Schon, which BTW fits Galopede PERFECTLY (and now I've given away one of my trademark pieces of schtick!) A Country Western probably knows how to play Twosteps. Whichever analogy works for them, tell the rhythm section to set the keyboard's metronome to 112, and to make sure they use a tune that has a repeat of 64 beats where the beat equals 112. or 32 measures of 2/4 or 16 measures of 4/4 (tunes get written out on LOTS of different unit scales) That takes care of style/length/speed. Now, tunes: Good tunes are ones that have LOTS of quarter notes, that are singable, as opposed to relentlessly note-y celtic reels. "Red Wing" comes to mind. If they are readers, how about a book of Scottish tunes that includes the written-out piano accompaniment (there are lots)-- and have a musician friend pick out some good marches with the right length. Mairi's/Mary's wedding is a good starting point, so is Meeting of the Waters and Down the Brae. The fewer sixteenth notes, the better your lead player will like it -- ESPECIALLY if they're a wind player. Celtic reels are WICKED hard on sax if you're not used to them. Heck, just get a copy of Chimes of Dunkirk from New England Dancing Masters and pick a dance or two that appeals. The dances are all good, the music is right in the book and the explanations are lucid. There's my .02 cents squared -- let us know how it works out! Cheers, Amy If they're by-ear-only heavy metal dudes, I don't know what to tell you except good luck!
