But not just any music—Argentine tango! If you’ve attended at least our introductory class, you’ve likely heard us urging new students, even before they’ve taken their first steps, to listen to as much tango music as possible. We’re obviously in love with traditional tango music—if for no other reason, at least out of professional duty—but the truth is that listening to music genuinely helps in developing your tango skills. But how?
Tips for Listening to Music
First, you need to get accustomed to its rhythm and mood. Then, it’s worth paying attention to the rhythm, to how a particular tango is structured into sections. Just as a text is built from clauses, sentences, and paragraphs, a piece of music also has a structure—it’s not just an endless sea of sounds, even if that’s the initial impression you get.
As you listen to the same tango repeatedly, you may notice that certain sections, perhaps slightly varied, are repeated within the track. You might also notice that although every tango has its underlying mood, there can be differences between sections of the same track: one part might be more rhythmic, another more melodic. You may also observe that different instruments are used or highlighted to bring out these mood differences. It’s also worth noting what happens when the singer starts singing—how does the orchestra’s playing change?
There’s a lot to unpack here, and we’ve only just scratched the surface! The more familiar you become with these pieces of music, the easier it will be to dance to them: you’ll feel when it’s time to start and stop, when the music “grows” and becomes more intense, and when it “shrinks” and moves toward a resting point. These are all cues that will guide you on the dance floor, helping you express all this through your dance. When watching performances, you’ll also sense the harmony or disharmony with the music—you can just feel whether the couple is dancing in the music or not. George Balanchine, one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century, said: “See the music, hear the dance!” It can be incredibly helpful to get to know tango music as thoroughly as possible.
To help with this, we’ve put together the following collection, offering ideas on where to click when you’re craving some tango music. Let’s dive in!
To Start With
First and foremost, we recommend checking out a brief compilation by one of our best DJs, Balázs Gyenis, on the most famous tango orchestras, singers, and tangos, which you can download from HERE. You couldn’t find a better starting point!
If you feel that 10 orchestras, 20 singers, and 40 tangos are still not enough to start with, we’ve got you covered: Balázs has also put together the Danceable Tangos of the Year podcast, which introduces the most danceable Argentine tangos from 1927 to 2016 in 52 episodes. One hour a week, and by this time next year, you’ll have a pretty good grasp of tango music—though you’re free to go faster if you like 😉
Argentine Tango Radio Stations
● Argentine Tango Radio – Balázs’s online radio station is the most listened-to tango radio channel in the world
If you search on TuneIn, Laut.fm, and Internet Radio, you’ll find even more channels.
Lyrics
It’s not a bad idea to read the lyrics of a tango every now and then—believe me, you’ll dance differently when you know what the song is about.
● Poesía de gotán: The Poetry of the Tango The Poetry of the Tango – tango lyrics in the original and in English translation + you can listen to them right away, sometimes performed by multiple orchestras.
● Letras de Tango – lyrics available in both Spanish and English translation.
YouTube Channels
Tango DJs often have their own channels, where you can even find music arranged in tandas. Here are just a few examples: Yuksel Sise, Xenia Mikhailov, Ramazan Toktay (Ramo is one half of one of the coolest Turkish DJ duos).
Orchestras
There are still tango orchestras today that tour, record albums, and play danceable music at milongas and festivals. It’s worth getting to know a few:
● Orquesta La Juan D’Arienzo (Facebook) – you must hear them live at least once; it’s incredible when the guys start playing on four bandoneons…
● Orquesta Romantica Milonguera (YouTube, Facebook) – a young Argentine group that burst onto the scene a few years ago with their creative and beautifully shot music videos.
● El Cachivache Quinteto (YouTube, Facebook) – the bad boys of tango music; if there’s such a thing as punk tango, they play it!
● Solo Tango Orquesta (YouTube, Facebook) – a brilliant Russian tango orchestra; they’re a hit wherever they play.
● Beltango Quinteto (YouTube, Facebook) – a great Serbian tango orchestra from Belgrade.
Blogs
If you want to read a bit about Argentine tango music and orchestras, related curiosities, or how to put together a tanda, check out these blogs:
Facebook Group
The Tango Now Playing In My Head Is….
If you’ve heard a great song or just have a favorite track stuck in your head, share it with other tango lovers here, and see what tunes others can’t get out of their minds.
Of course, there are many more sources for listening to tango music besides the ones mentioned above. Let’s not forget the popular streaming services: Spotify, Deezer, Google Play Music, Apple Music, Amazon Music, SoundCloud.
If you have a tip you’d like to share with us, send it over, and we’ll add it to the list!
