Are there many types of tango music? How come sometimes I hear some waltz-like music at the practica and some tangos are so fast?
A typical music play list for a tango dancing event like a practica or a milonga consists of 3 types of tango music: Tango, Milonga and Vals. Tango – in 2/4 (count 1-2, 1-2…) or 4/4 (count 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4…) time; usually in walking speed; melancholy, grief, pride. Milonga – in 2/4 time; faster than tango; rhythmic, lively, playful. Vals – in 3/4 (count 1-2-3, 1-2-3…) time but sounds like 3/8; faster than waltz; romantic, grief, feels to forget. Tango is played the most during the event with intervals of Milonga and Vals. The music is usually organized in “tandas”, which is a set of 3 to 6 songs, in similar style or type, and sometimes by the same orchestra or band. There may be “cortinas” (means curtain) of non-tango music in between each tanda to separate the sessions.
