393 - How To Construct a Winning Medley (Dojo Conversations Episode 63)

Pipe band medley sets are the perfect chance to showcase your band's musical range and creativity. But why do some medleys sound more musical than others? Should you use harmonies in every tune, or is less more? Plus, what do judges actually listen for... and is that more important that putting together a creative set that an audience enjoys and players love to play?

This week, Andrew and Jim delve into what decisions and strategies you might want to consider when constructing a medley for your band, looking at how to balance the judge's expectation, the audience's enjoyment, and the performer's preference for tunes. They discuss the importance of tune selection, changes, harmonies, and how music theory ties in, and the practicalities of introducing and changing tunes mid-season...

Got a question for a future episode? Leave a comment or email [email protected]!

This week we cover:
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Medley Construction
01:01 The Art of Building Medleys
02:11 The Role of Key Changes in Medleys
03:05 The Strategy of Starting a Medley
04:03 Balancing Judge, Audience, and Personal Preferences
11:49 The Role of Harmonies
14:06 The Impact of Tune Selection on Performance
17:20 The Secret Ingredient: Nostalgia
19:22 The Importance of Timing
19:43 The Challenge of Changing Tunes
20:10 The Value of Testing and Refining
20:49 The Influence of Popular Culture
21:02 The Art of Recycling Old Medleys
21:47 The Balance Between Creativity and Audience Expectations
22:12 Get Professional Help
22:34 The Importance of Mentorship
23:41 The Creative Process in Music
30:07 The Evolution of Harmonies
31:42 The Impact of Music Theory on Medleys
35:50 The Importance of Enjoyment
37:45 The Role of Tempo