Band Time, the sequel to Band Swing, is designed to be user friendly to musicians, and tunes are written out in a straightforward way, and with phrasing to help callers and dancers. In the Reel, Polka, Jig, Hornpipe and Waltz sections, tunes are arranged so that they can be played down the page. 

Some of the tunes in this book have easier arrangements printed on the opposite page, so that less experienced musicians can contribute to the band and play at normal band tempo. In workshops, I often suggest that everyone plays the easier version once or twice through, and then the more experienced musicians play the full version, while the less experienced continue with the easier version. In this way the less experienced will have heard what their tune sounds like before having to play it against the full version.

A chord is shown under each bar, and guitarists, pianists and accordionists etc. should play two vamps or um-chas per bar for reels and jigs. Where one chord is shown directly above another, the one below is an alternative. Minor chords are shown as e.g. Amin meaning A minor.

On page 43 you will find a couple of American style reels, Dick's Farewell and Crocker's Reel. Callers often ask for 7 x 32 bar reels for a square, which would typically be played: chorus, figure, figure, chorus, figure, figure, chorus. These two tunes work well together when a specific tune for a singing call not required. Play the first tune for the chorus and the second tune for the figures. 
I hope that you enjoy playing the tunes and sequences in the book!

Pete Mac leads folk dance bands and music workshops, often in conjunction with the Camping and Caravanning Club Folk Dance and Song Group. His main instrument is the piano-accordion and he also plays melodeon and English concertina. He and his wife, Nicole, are enthusiastic folk dancers now live on the south coast at Exmouth in Devon. With Nicole as caller they run the ‘Redwing Barn Dance Duo’, and the ‘Pete Mac Folk Dance Band’.

Band Time : Pete Mac