How do you decide which style to use for a song?


But even more so, when i hear a song, when to use a foxtrot, swingfox, otherfox?
Or 8 beat and 16 beat? How to recognise them?

Is there some literature that explains this?

I think i have allways been lazy on this behalf..
Allways playing from sheetmusic, where most of the time there is a style indication printed.. or just google them.. or just take a style that sounds good with the song..
Or even easier, on yamaha just pick one of the numerous songspecific styles..

Sure, i have allways been able to edit an excisting style, to sound better...by muting parts or even adding a new bassline or so.. and just by listening selecting a style thats close (often the right type), just based on my feeling.. but never on any form knowledge

But now i wanna take the next step...
What defines the different musical styles..
What are the essential differences between a slow-wals, an english wals and a vienna wals?

Quick step, 2 step... ?

So preferably i would like some good literature about this...


Thanks for listening to

Here is something to get you started https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dance_style_categories

In addition pretty much all teaching courses for the entertainment organ teach you how to play the various styles yourself (Avoids using boring canned styles) which means you get to understand the type of style being used in a song. (Time signatures are also a good start)

Most importantly create your own style that suits the music you want to play, this will differentiate you from others so that you become more recognisable. (In the older days when entertainment organs ruled you could tell who was playing by their playing style, but with an arranger virtually everybody sounds the same as everyone else, as you just press a button and everything is done for you (Song specific styles are even worse)

Bill

When music started to change in the 59’s and 69’s my band played our version of the new songs. Most bands did their best to sound like the original recording.

When I select a style on my keyboard, I select what I enjoy listening to. There are times when I will use many different styles with the same song. I want my playing to come close to the original, but I do not want to lose me.

Selecting the “RIGHT” style is not the same for all of us. Many of the old ballads written in 4/4 time sound better (to me) using a Latin style.

Freedom in music is part of my enjoyment, John C.

Bachus, I think you have partly answered your question when you say "you just take a style that sounds good with the song". (and also what John said).
That is an important part of this topic, to do what feels good to you, and that will most times feel good to others.
There is no "one size fits all" in this case, many styles and sounds can give a good result.
Example, i have three different registrations saved for Fly Me To The Moon. One is slow Latin, another is mid big band, and another is fast jazz trio, (piano drums and bass),all tweaked to my liking, and I enjoy playing all three, depending on my mood at the time.

Ray

Thats what i love to do.. most of the time with greatresults ... but
Thats not what i am looking for..

I am looking for the musicall theory behind these musical styles/rhytms..

Some are obvious, like 8beat vs 16beat..
but what defines a foxtrot?
Where does a slow waltz differ from an English wals?

Maybe i am to much of a techhead, allways looking for thetheory behind things..

Here's an idea. Assuming you're a competent player, think about how you'd play it if you didn't have an arranger or styles to choose from; then, pick a style that comes close to THAT. In this case, forget 'theory' and go with what sounds good to you.

chas

+1!! "What Chas said"! One of the most enjoyable things for me with arrangers is experimenting with songs in unusual styles. So many options....so little time!

Hi Bachus,
Something that always fascinated me too, from the day I bought my Technics KN800 and realised the style tracks all showed up in my Notator sequencing software ( all except for drums, they came up as a program change. (duh! ) I was able to see what made up the various rhythms. See in notation form not have to hear it ( hopeless at that) can’t pick up by ear what the various instruments were playing.
So I basically studied them.
It’s basically about the rhythm because the notes in the various styles are the same, an arranger is only capable of using certain notes and transposing them correctly for the chords we play. ( Don’t know if I quite said that right. Haha)

As for picking styles to go with a particular song, I normally pick something that sounds good to me , might not be a good choice, but I’m only entertaining myself, so who cares.

Hi Bachus,

I don't really think there is a theoretical answer as such in relation to how you choose a style in which to play a particular piece of music.

All the different styles you mention such as Viennese waltz come from various times throughout history. For example a quick search reveals the Viennsese Waltz originated in the 18th century and is played at approxiately 180 bpm while an English or slow waltz is played at approximatley 90 bpm. It would appear that the slow waltz was first danced around the 1920's. Likewise you can look at Rock and Roll that originated around the late 1940's all the way up to present day Edm styles.

Personally l think one of the most helpful factors that would help to determine which style, would be how the composer of the original piece of music actually wrote the piece and the time period it came from. Apart from that, what everyone else has already stated is it's really down to personal choice, as there are probably numerous styles that would suit an individual piece of music. One piece of music that springs to mind that I like to play is, Somewhere my love. l've played it in an Andre Rieu Viennese waltz style, slow waltz, 12/8 and a medium swing style. All of them work in different ways, so for me there is really no roght or wrong, basically just go with the flow with whatever you think sounds right and enjoy playing.

Kind regards,

Russ

I guess my approach to this is a bit different. First, I bring up the song(s) on You Tube.

Next, while listening to the song, I go through the styles on the keyboard and find one that is closest to the original song. This takes some time, but I usually end up with a style that is pretty darned close to the song.

Then I spend some time tweaking and tuning the style so it is as close to the original as possible.

The last step is to save the information to the song list, or a registration.

Hard to go wrong with this technique,

Gary