Music dilemma

Fleur du Mal · #1 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 12:20 AM

So I'm working on a new act and I've found the most perfect piece of music for it which is fantastic. But it's only two and a half minute long song which would make for a very short routine. I could join it to another song, as I have another which I was going to use as my back up song in case I couldn't find this one, but it is just as long and I would end up with a five minute routine, which is all well and good but it will be a fan dance, and I find overly long fan dances quite boring, as a performer and audience member. So my question is this: is a two and a half minute long routine acceptable, or is that just too short? If it's too short, how do I go about making it longer without sacrificing this perfect tune?

Amelie Soleil · #2 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 12:30 AM

i'd say that length is fine, my partner's act is 2:13mins and it's always re-booked...

if you can present a wonderful two mins, opposed to a drawn out 3 min act then the length won't matter...

i normally cut my music to about 3:15 but don't forget you can ask for the music to begin after you have begun on stage or finish before you leave...

if not, try and find some incidental music in the track, like a repeatitive theme that you could segue into the beginning, perhaps at a lower volume as an intro??

xx

Fleur du Mal · #3 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 12:33 AM

Thnaks for the input Amelie! I think you're right - better a really good two minutes than a half-hearted five. I did think about possibly repeating bits, but the tune's not repetitive enough for that.

Gehenna · #4 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 12:34 AM

If you are feeling really daring you could even cut songs together like my wife did with her piece she performed at Movers and Shakers.

WARNING: It took Angel hours to get the guitar chords at the points she cut together in Enter Sandman to match. How resiliant and patient are you?

Fleur du Mal · #5 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 12:39 AM

I'm so not patient! And besides, unfortunately that wouldn't work in this routine ...

heathersweet · #6 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 12:52 AM

I like to try and get something three mins,
just incase of wardrobe malfunction. but i is chicken x

Amelie Soleil · #7 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 01:14 AM

hehehe.... the undisputed queen of the quick change has to be meg la mania... at christmas her santa 'it's oh so quiet' act required a dress removal in the 'ba ba ba ba!' section

whoosh it was gone! sadly in the same show i didn't fare so well and got my santa sack stuck on my head and had a mr bean turkey head moment...

if you are confident with the short act and changes i would do that... will you have much to remove in the dance?

i'm actually the other way at the mo, my new fan dance is a little too long so i need to cut it!

xx

heathersweet · #8 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 01:17 AM

That's bloody impressive, sure she's got a great voice but im sure she must use it as a side line for escapeology.

I got stuck in my santa outfit and ripped my way out of it. Thank god for shitty material.

Amelie Soleil · #9 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 01:19 AM

i reckon she's been spending secret time with our escapeologist mate chriss cross... (geordie magician - not the back to front rappers)

xx

Fleur du Mal · #10 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 01:58 AM

I'm not taking any clothes off, it's just a standard fan dance, so no problems there. Plus I always tape down my costume mercilessly to guard against wardrobe malfunctions!