DJ INFORMATION from Patrick Marsolek

Posted March 18th, 2020

Ok folks. Here's something to get you thinking about tandas which will use five commonly played Donato songs. 
This is not a right or wrong exercise, it's about finding your own preferences and your own voice, and yes, also coming up with a tanda that others would like. I suggest you listen to all five songs, ideally somewhere where you can also move! Then:
1 - Think about these questions:
Which of these songs are you familiar with?
Are there some that grab you and make you want to dance more?
Are there different qualities between the songs? 
How would you enjoy going from one song and it's qualities to another?

2 - Then, can you pick three that you would play in a tanda? And in what order would you choose?

3 - Can you explain why you chose the order that you did?

4 - Post your order and your explanation in the comments to this post.

Remember this isn't about what's right or wrong, it's finding out what you like and understanding why you choose one song over another, and then why you chose the next song, etc. Don't read other's comments and sharing until you've posted your own!

Have fun!

Songs by Edgar Donato Orchestra with Horacio Lagos & Felix Gutierrez singing. 
1 - Mis pesares - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEaKjKM5Rik
2 - Fue Mi Salvaciò - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0IvEy5F2ds
3 - A Oscuras- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgRxBno9_b8
4 - Lagrimas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu_axhxa_2U
5 - Que Haces, Que Haces - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVdFAermN5U

Posted March 22nd, 2020

OK folks, here's another tanda exercise for you. First, here are some basic guidelines on creating tandas:

Creating tandas
• Tandas can be three, four or five songs long depending on the venue, community, and length of dance. Typically the Vals and Milonga tandas are only 3 songs long regardless.
• Songs in Tandas grouped in a similar type: milonga, vals or milonga. 
• Songs in Tandas are also similar in style by orchestra, singer or instrumental, even particular style or time period within an orchestra’s repertoire. 
The more refined the community is, the more refined the tandas become: songs may be all the same orchestra and singer, they may all be within a narrow range of date of recording.

(These are taken from a longer post I have on Missoula Tango talking about DJ guidelines: http://www.tangomissoula.com/DJthoughts)

Using these guidelines and your own experience, I would like you to decide which song included in each of the following tandas is not a good fit for the tanda.

Again, write your comments in the 'comments' to this post, and try not to read other's comments until you've done the exercise.

Tanda 1
1 - A Una Mujer - D'Arienzo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_LBODPtzw0
2 - La Punalada - D'Arienzo; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Po3UagiRM
3 - El Esquinazo - D'Arienzo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJQ8A8gMeE8

Tanda 2
1 - El Abrojito - Pugliese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jbdw8XRx4E
2 - Yuyo Verde - Pugliese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRcIg-gbw4E
3 - Tierra Querida - Pugliese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyR4SetQyZs

Tanda 3
1 - Quejas de Bandoneon - Canaro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi6Y59yKjjo
2 - El Pinche - Canaro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKkXlAQ2quM
3 - Don Esteban - Canaro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMPCWTCAgTY

Tanda 4
1 - Yo Soy el Tango - Calo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgIEMNi5810
2 - Dos Fracasos - Calo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH5wMyxEgFo
3 - Jamás retornarás - Calo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h-WSxjR-cA

Tanda 5
1 - El Retirao - Di Sarli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IoqrkvZMgo
2 - Shusheta - Di Sarli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eI6XwGQWB4
3 - Ciudado con los Cincuenta - Di Sarli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JWYx2HHXz8

Tanda - 6
1 - La Bicoca - D'Arienzo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrPxG_PztE
2 - De Pura Cepa - D'Arienzo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCtSlnz-Lq0
3 - Corrales Viejos - D'Arienzo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWZcV_0Hd_Q

Tanda - 7
1 - El Tabano - Pugliese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3A1ynA54Gs
2 - La Mariposa - Pugliese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG31SnoNXag
3 - Pa la Guardia - Pugliese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKJSrjdSZU

Posted March 27th, 2020

Another resource. Building a tango music library: https://www.tejastango.com/tango_music_collection.html