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Traditional Christmas Music


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I was just curious why I don't here a lot of people using traditional Christmas music. Is it because of the beat or what. I know that to me it is more like christmas when I here that type of music. If anyone know of a video of some please post a link for me.

I am going to start sequencing my music and was just wondering.



Thanks

Roman

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I think if you start looking, a lot of people use traditional music. At least mixed in with other stuff. My music is all Christmas related if not traditional. I look for arrangments of songs that let me "see" the movement in my head. Songs without a heavy beat are harder to sequence but I've seen several excellent videos of some.
The traditional songs I did are Jingle Bells and Russian Dance from the nutcracker and can be found here

http://www.mychristmaslights.net/brian/

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Brian, I was wondering what all those "sparkling" things that were up in.... trees maybe? Were those just strobe lights that you put up there? If the were, how do you control them? Just on one channel and they do there thing or do you have to have each on a separate channel?

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Hi Roman,

I echo Brian's comments. I use what I think of a "traditional" Christmas music. That does not mean religious, I just mean tunes that most people will recognize as Christmas.

Having said that I did use some music from Christmas Movie Soundtracks (Miracle on 34th Street - The Overture; Polar Express - Spirit of The Season; and, an excerpt from Home Alone) in last year's show.

The rest of the music would probably qualify as Christmas Standards -- Jingle Bell Rock (Wayne Newton's version), Whoville Chorus (from the Cartoon), Here Comes Santa Clause (from the Cartoon), Sleigh Ride (Boston Pops Version)

Personally, like Brian, I look for music that I can "see/imagine" the movement of the lights. So, soundtrack arrangements or big orchestral arrangements work best for me -- when I'm looking to do some "big" FX or get the "WOW" factor going.

I used the sing-a-long songs from the two cartoons ... because I knew kids and adults would like them. By the way, they were a hit. It was not uncommon to look out the window and see (and hear) people sitting in their cars singing along to the songs. (But, these songs are very repetitive ... easy to animate ... but can be a little boring for you to do ... but the audience enjoy the heck out of them.)

When laying out the music for the show this year ... my goals are much the same:

1) A Big Overture-like piece for the beginning -- something I can "wake" the lights up with ... build some excitement

2) Several songs in the middle that kids and parents will recognize and enjoy

3) A big "show stopper" in the middle -- maybe "Hot Chocolate" from "Polar Express"

4) One more Christmas Scmaltz tune -- probably something slower but dripping with Christmas memories -- I'm tempted to go with Bing Crosby's "Count your blessings" or something similar

5) And, a FINALE number ... probably a bigger version of last year's hit (that's show biz talk ) "Spirit of the Season"

And NO TSO tunes. Personal preference. I was inspired by the folks who did those songs well (Carson, et al) ... but it doesn't sound like Christmas to me. So I'll let others do that ...

Later,

T.

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Does anyone know the artists for the songs in Mike Z’s Christmas video??

App. Time Song title? artist

0 Happy Holidays

0.40 Sleigh ride

1:15 Jingle bells

2:18 Believe Josh Groban

3:40 Frosty

5:26 Holly Jolly Christmas Burl Ives

6:47 Run, Run Rudolph

8:30 Spirit of the season



I have lots of Christmas music and thought I knew alot about it. The first 3 songs sounds like Manhattan Transfer. I have Happy Holidays and Sleigh Ride by them but they’re not the same. A couple sound like Harry Connick, Jr. I have Run, Run Rudolph by him and it’s not the same. No idea who does the last song.


Ralph

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  • 2 months later...

These are mike Z's songs from 2005

Happy Holidays - The Carpenters
Jingle Bells - Michael W. Smith
Believe - Josh Groban
Frosty the Snowman - Harry Connick Jr.
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives (Rudolph soundtrack version)
Run Rudolph Run - Jimmy Buffet
Spirit of the Season - Polar Express soundtrack

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Here's my list of songs...

Linus Christmas Story mixed w/ Hark The Herald Angels Sing Musical Sound Track

Carol of the Bells-MS

Deck The Halls-Musical Sound Track

Oh Christmas Tree- Kenny G.

Joy To The World-MS

Feliz Navdid- Jose Feliciano

Charlie Brown Christmas (Linus and Lucy)

Holly Jolly Christmas-Burl Ives

Jingle Bell Rock-Bobby Helms

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree-Brenda Lee

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem-The Judds

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mountainwxman wrote:

Here's my list of songs...

Linus Christmas Story mixed w/ Hark The Herald Angels Sing Musical Sound Track

Carol of the Bells-MS

Deck The Halls-Musical Sound Track

Oh Christmas Tree- Kenny G.

Joy To The World-MS

Feliz Navdid- Jose Feliciano

Charlie Brown Christmas (Linus and Lucy)

Holly Jolly Christmas-Burl Ives

Jingle Bell Rock-Bobby Helms

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree-Brenda Lee

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem-The Judds

You sound like you have my taste in music... I LOVE old classics. Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin Around the Christmas tree, Feliz Navidad.... those songs have been on my play list 8 years now and got imported from Dasher to new system. I dont know when a song has become 15+ years old, it seems to add a nostagia and a touch of class and elegance to a light show I think.

I also dig some the disco christmas songs from the 70's, for some reason nothing ever looked better in lights then the one and only music designed specifically for flashing lights (even though I personally dont like disco music, go figure).

You can add to this list, Frank Sinatra has some just incredible Chrismas songs, Perry Como. From the 40's there are some songs I am wanting to do, Glen Miller and the Modernaires, the Pointer Sisters, Bing Crosby.... all this stuff is REALLY good stuff for lights.
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