Break Songs: what are you using?

[Dr. Ellwood]

For those of you who gig on a regular basis, what are you using for your break songs? We just swithched over to Scuttlebuttin by SRV before that we where using Frankenstiend and before that it was Funkadelic thing.

[A String]

We used to do our own "Break Song". Just a short little ditty we played before each break.

[fantasticsound]

Depends on the gig, but I'm speaking as a sound engineer, not a guitarist.

 

Haven't had to provide break music as a musician in a long time.

 

I'd say if I were gigging again, I'd probably play solo or with another singer and our break music would be a mix of James Taylor, Jim Croce, Michael Hedges, etc. I really like using the Taylor Guitars' Sounds Of Wood & Steel vol. 1 album for break music, when appropriate.

[Tedster]

Where did the "break tune" originate? Some bands use 'em, some don't. I've been in both kinds of bands...

[Dr. Ellwood]

Originally posted by Tedster:

Where did the "break tune" originate? Some bands use 'em, some don't. I've been in both kinds of bands...

I don't know for sure but maybe it came from radio? the shows that use bumper music during announcements or segways between show elements. Most every band I have ever been in has used them, as part of the show.

[fantasticsound]

I've mixed a lot of shows and it never seems to fail that shows with no break music lose audience to the energy drop a lot faster than shows with break music to keep the vibe going at a very low boil.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Originally posted by fantasticsound:

I've mixed a lot of shows and it never seems to fail that shows with no break music lose audience to the energy drop a lot faster than shows with break music to keep the vibe going at a very low boil.

Yes SIR! that is really true! we work in announcements in appropiate spots within the tune, I've got a unique recording of us doing a instrumental version of Misty with announcements over the top of it, ever hear a rock-a-billy/shuffle-ish version of Misty LOL!!!!!

[fantasticsound]

Of course, Scuttlebuttin' is a great song for break music!

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

Personally, I think that break songs are pretty hokey. But a friend has a blues band, and he occasionally uses "Hey, The Blues are Alright", which is a call and response thing that usually gets the audience pretty fired up, and during the song he does a lot of extemporaneous talking, and it seems to work very well. But he doesn't usually use it more than once a night.

 

Bill

[Dr. Ellwood]

Originally posted by Bill@Welcome Home Studios:

Personally, I think that break songs are pretty hokey. But a friend has a blues band, and he occasionally uses "Hey, The Blues are Alright", which is a call and response thing that usually gets the audience pretty fired up, and during the song he does a lot of extemporaneous talking, and it seems to work very well. But he doesn't usually use it more than once a night.

 

I tend to agree what you Bill! But the audience is pretty hokey too. They are ok and the audience doesn't seem to mind.

 

Bill

[GuitarPlayerFL]

We used to do the MTV theme from the early 80s...the one where the Saturn rocket was taking off.

 

Of course, that was 20 years ago....

[Tone Taster]

Cissy strut is da bomb break tune

[I I mjrn]

Break songs?

Isn't that more a musical technique of certain musicians than a type of soong?

 

MayB I'm confused but I keep thinking of those blues-rock bands that used 2 end tunes by clamping on2 the tonic & holding on for dear life (& sometimes more than a minute), sustaining the chord as though they were roping a wild horse & trying 2 "break" it.

 

More 2 the point: My favorite approach N the past was 2 keep a stable of James Brown riffs available.

Quickly recognizable (sorta), can B played briefly or at length & popular with all sorts of crowds...X-cept Jewel's audience.

[Justus A. Picker]

Originally posted by I & I mjrn:

Break songs?

Isn't that more a musical technique of certain musicians than a type of soong?

 

The last song of the set, during which you remind people to tip the bartenders/maids (and the band!) and make any other short announcements. Any tune that has a good vampy part you can just riff verbally over works.

[I I mjrn]

Uh, thanks...but I axually had the idea, P.

Just trying 2 N-troduce some levity.

 

Originally posted by I & I mjrn:

...My favorite approach N the past was 2 keep a stable of James Brown riffs available.

Quickly recognizable (sorta), can B played briefly or at length & popular with all sorts of crowds...X-cept Jewel's audience.

[Hairfarmer]

Wow...I miss making break tapes/cd's. We use to have an actual break-music library that was categorized by the names of the 7 dwarfs. The type of crowd determined which dwarf got picked.

 

Bashful - Church Groups, Police Balls, Receptions.

Doc - Older Crowds, 35 to 50 years of age.

Dopey - Stoner Crowds (go figure).

Grumpy - Mosh Pit Crowds.

Happy - College crowd with a lot of chicks.

Sleepy - Boring crowds, or, small turnouts.

Sneezy - Office Parties, Outdoor Festivals, or generally anywhere a heavy coke presence was obvious.

 

I miss those days. Our mixing engineer provides the break-music now when we need it, or worse, most clubs we play now, and over the past 10 years, have their own house music during breaks. It sucks. Don't get me wrong...Snoop Dog is the sh*t, but, he can also clear a club full of metal fans, real quick. Fortunately, we only frequent 1 club at present that plays rap during our break.

 

All of this is part of why we went to one 30 minute break per 4 hour gig. It's more like an intermission now.

 

Good post, Lee.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Originally posted by I & I mjrn:

Break songs?

Isn't that more a musical technique of certain musicians than a type of soong?

 

MayB I'm confused but I keep thinking of those blues-rock bands that used 2 end tunes by clamping on2 the tonic & holding on for dear life (& sometimes more than a minute), sustaining the chord as though they were roping a wild horse & trying 2 "break" it.

 

More 2 the point: My favorite approach N the past was 2 keep a stable of James Brown riffs available.

Quickly recognizable (sorta), can B played briefly or at length & popular with all sorts of crowds...X-cept Jewel's audience.

I&I you kinda lost me on that one? Not really sure what you mean on the roping wild horses? it is just a tune that is arranged in a way so as to allow certain parts to fall in the background while you are doing your microphone work for the band or for the club management, some tunes lend themselves more to doing this than others, usually a tune that has some arranged dynamics in volume or breaks in the lyrics.

[pollock]

We try to use songs that vary from our sound. We don't want the same styles playing on break, so we play more oldies, or alternative style, pink floyd stuff, then we leave the blues and classic rock to us!

[Guitar55]

I think some posts in this thread are referring to the recorded music played DURING breaks, but that's notwhat Lee was talking about.

 

We usually use our high energy tunes to end a set. Often we play "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis and, after repeating the chorus (ad nauseum), our singer (a great showman) will anounce the break and leave the stage, the band then breaks back into 4 repeats of the chorus and a big ending.

[I I mjrn]

Originally posted by ellwood:

Originally posted by I & I mjrn:

Break songs?

Isn't that more a musical technique of certain musicians than a type of soong?

 

MayB I'm confused but I keep thinking of those blues-rock bands that used 2 end tunes by clamping on2 the tonic & holding on for dear life (& sometimes more than a minute), sustaining the chord as though they were roping a wild horse & trying 2 "break" it.

 

More 2 the point: My favorite approach N the past was 2 keep a stable of James Brown riffs available.

Quickly recognizable (sorta), can B played briefly or at length & popular with all sorts of crowds...X-cept Jewel's audience.

I&I you kinda lost me on that one? Not really sure what you mean on the roping wild horses? it is just a tune that is arranged in a way so as to allow certain parts to fall in the background while you are doing your microphone work for the band or for the club management, some tunes lend themselves more to doing this than others, usually a tune that has some arranged dynamics in volume or breaks in the lyrics.

Not just U apparently...(C early cross-talk)

Airbody knows what break songs R, I X-pect.

 

I was just reminded, as described, of those 1970s era bands that would end a song as though they were trying 2 bring some mighty beast under control, roping N the tonic & holding it at length. Kinda like cowboys "breaking" a horse.

 

Sorry; some jokes Rn't as funny as they seem at 1st.

 

BTW, Jimmie Vaughn's touring with Bob Dylan & Junior Brown...F I&I get 2 catch them next week I'll tell U what JV's up 2!

[Dr. Ellwood]

"BTW, Jimmie Vaughn's touring with Bob Dylan & Junior Brown...F I&I get 2 catch them next week I'll tell U what JV's up 2! "

 

Hay should be a great show..Bob and the great Junior Brown! and in a way seeing JV hack around is always good for making you feel good about your own playing..enjoy and yes a concert review is always welcomed, let us know!

[Hairfarmer]

Originally posted by Guitar55:

I think some posts in this thread are referring to the recorded music played DURING breaks, but that's notwhat Lee was talking about.

 

We usually use our high energy tunes to end a set. Often we play "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis and, after repeating the chorus (ad nauseum), our singer (a great showman) will anounce the break and leave the stage, the band then breaks back into 4 repeats of the chorus and a big ending.

Okey dokey...I get the drift now. Can't say I've ever heard anyone do this, but, I could see where it would be done in some genre's or settings. Interesting.

[pollock]

Originally posted by Guitar55:

I think some posts in this thread are referring to the recorded music played DURING breaks, but that's notwhat Lee was talking about.

Yes i am a culprit... didn't read closely enough!

[Dr. Ellwood]

Correct 55! and thanks.