Please stop using 'Down to Midtempo' as a description...

[Salty]

Ive submitted a couple of things where the description was 'down to midtempo' and the screener came back with this is not 'downtempo'-
right, because it was a 'medium' tempo, and actually on the slower side.
Mostly its not worth arguing about with a given screener, but it would be great if we could get on the same page here and realize these are misleading terms without an actual meaning.

Now I understand that perception of a tempo might vary depending on feel- but the words down to midtempo implies slow to medium-
well, if there was an actual musical term like that.

This is especially true in genres of music where the tempo ranges from Quarter note = 50 or so to Quarter note = 250 or more;
then there is a huge range of what medium or even slow might be, no?


anyway, feel free to weigh in and correct me if there really is a musical term 'downtempo' or 'midtempo' that has an actual meaning.

Thank you

[niallyboy]

Hi Salty,

It's my feeling that mid-tempo or below is a walking-- andante-- bpm of 120 or less. Perhaps the screener had his downtempo-only blinders on. Did your track implying a lot of energy, or did it have subdivisions imply a double-time feel? Post it, please, so we could give it a gander.

Cheers,

[Salty]

Hey Niall-
Thanks for paying attention and responding.

My point is actually that these non-terms are too easily interpreted or misinterpreted (which is why I cant fault the screener here) precisely because they don't have actual definitions, so are completely left to the ear of the beholder.
If I conceive of 'uptempo' about 280-300 then technically if one were to place a definition on 'midtempo' it would be about 140 or below.

(BTW- I did have a 3rd track forwarded so in this case Im not griping because of grapes- its important that descriptions are as clear as possible- especially when we are talking about music where clear definitions exist and are in common use)

Would strongly prefer actual musical terms or even a 'slow' 'relaxed' 'laid back' 'andante' 'medium-slow' feel if that's what they are looking for b/c
there is no such thing as 'down to midtempo'. (downtempo to me sounds like where you want to avoid when a skunk sprays)



Anyway the 2 tracks are Damp and Shalom and Salaam on my taxi page- they both are medium tempo tunes, but I get that they can be perceived as exciting- but that's not the same as 'tempo'.


Whats done is done- I really just want to fix this for the future-
I would also like to fix the term 'vocals', and also figure out which decade 'contemporary' is but Ill tilt at those windmills another day.

[Salty]

after much trials and tribulations, think my taxi link is finally working...

Go for it!

[Casey H]

I think you can't use BPM as the *only* benchmark for what meets descriptive words such as downtempo, uptempo, fast, etc. There are too many other factors in the overall "feel" of a track.

My experience has been it's more important to check out the feel of the "a la" reference samples as a guide.

In other words, it's not math, it's "feel".

Best,
Casey

[Salty]

I think you can't use BPM as the *only* benchmark for what meets descriptive words such as downtempo, uptempo, fast, etc. There are too many other factors in the overall "feel" of a track.

My experience has been it's more important to check out the feel of the "a la" reference samples as a guide.

In other words, it's not math, it's "feel".

Best,
Casey

Thanks Casey! always appreciate your input.

When I see 'uptempo' I know what that means- why?
B/C musicians use this term all the time on gigs- Ive played tons of Uptempo tunes- never played anything 'downtempo' though.

Also in these cases the Ala's are just artist references- the problem being that these artists
play music in ALL tempos and feels.

Im sure I sound like a curmudgeon (I know I feel like one), but my goal is to really make sure we have more clarity.

[Casey H]

I think you can't use BPM as the *only* benchmark for what meets descriptive words such as downtempo, uptempo, fast, etc. There are too many other factors in the overall "feel" of a track.

My experience has been it's more important to check out the feel of the "a la" reference samples as a guide.

In other words, it's not math, it's "feel".

Best,
Casey

Thanks Casey! always appreciate your input.

When I see 'uptempo' I know what that means- why?
B/C musicians use this term all the time on gigs- Ive played tons of Uptempo tunes- never played anything 'downtempo' though.

Also in these cases the Ala's are just artist references- the problem being that these artists
play music in ALL tempos and feels.

Im sure I sound like a curmudgeon (I know I feel like one), but my goal is to really make sure we have more clarity.

On a lot of listings, the a la references include links to specific songs by the reference artists. Not always but fairly often. That's what I was referring to.... I agree it's a lot tougher when there are no a la SONG references.

Casey

[jonnybutter]

I feel your pain, Salty. Nice track btw!

Several years ago my biggest video client had a super rush job for me (weren't they all?): a 'laid back version of Take Me Out To The Ballgame'. I got to work and created a relaxed, fairly slow, sort of lopeing version. I really struggled with it for some reason, but was pleased with the result. I dropped it off at his edit suite, and got a frantic call about half an hour later: "Why is it so slow?!' I said I thought he wanted a 'laid back' version of that song. He said, 'Yeah, laid back, you know, fun, energetic!'. Apparently 'laid back' meant something like 'informal' to him (is *formal* the default way to do that song?!). So the term is kind of like the word 'funky'. I have it on good authority http://youtu.be/uldt6Y-CE3s that funky originally meant bad or stinky or dirty. Then it was a type of music of course, but now it is sort of like 'laid back' - it doesn't mean anything, or rather means whatever the speaker wants it to. Or something!

good luck

[Salty]

I feel your pain, Salty. Nice track btw!

Thanks Jonny;
and what a great story that is
Its unfortunate that this kind of thing happens with a good bit of frequency- had it happen to me, but your story is a million times better;
terms get thrown around without knowing definitions- in some cases although a real headache, you can then turn around and give the client
what they actually wanted rather than what they asked for.

Which goes back to why its doubly important that the screener and the artist have as close to the same understanding as possible, yeah?

Yes, I know Taxi does a better job than some libraries of getting more information- but that information has to be understood in the same way.

[jonnybutter]

you can... turn around and give the client
what they actually wanted rather than what they asked for.

Exactly!

good luck