I am wondering what you think of this waltz music. it's actually in 6/8 but I always have preferred 6/8 over 3/4.

let me know what you think. I can provide an mp3 if you want because this link has some video background noise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoCWmNtrmow

it is on the quick side, but that is also my preference.

thank you for your comments.

Norm

It is too fast for a waltz but will work as a Viennese waltz. If you're really good, you could pull it off. Difficult to stay on beat otherwise.

A Waltz is 3/4 timing. Modern Waltz should be 28 bars of music per minute .
A Viennese Waltz should be played at 58 BPM. March Time music is played 6/4 and should be 60 BPM.. The Paso Doble is played in March Time which is 6/8 at 60BPM
How one is able to dance a Waltz routine to March time music beats me.

Mr O.Z. - I believe "Beats per Minute" is a more common definition of music speed compared to "Bars per Minute". Bars per minute could be misleading in the case of many pieces of music, and this piece is an example. To me, this piece of music was written in 6/4 timing, which can fit Waltz perfectly since this is double the waltz timing (3/4 to 6/4). In the bars per minute world, one of your bars would equal 6 beats. What would you do with 6/8 timing?

I timed the music at 148 beasts per minute which means it would be a "slow" Viennese, good for practice and shows, but too slow for competition. I believe that the International Ballroom rules use 168 to 172bpm for Viennese and American Smooth uses the same.

For better or worse the bars per minute expression of tempo is AFAIK universally used within the ballroom dance community. There are arguments for and against both methods, and both can be confusing in some cases. The abbreviation bpm leads to even more confusion but provided both parties in a conversation understand the system in use then either method can be used as best fits the users requirements.

Regarding your tune, I count it slightly faster than you (around 160) and would make it a slow Viennese waltz which would be useful at a social dance.

Your statement that 6/4 is double waltz timing of 3/4 may be mathematically correct, but that does not allow for beat emphasis.

I think it would be almost impossible to dance a conventional ballroom waltz to that music. Simplistically, you would need to step on beats 1, 3 and 5 of each six count bar to be able to waltz at half speed. However the music has a heavy emphasis on beats 1 and 4 which most mere mortals would be hard pressed to avoid.

Given that the third step of many basic waltz figures is a closing step there is often a tendency to shorten the time taken for this step. Add that factor to this music and my guess is that most people would dance three steps, each of different beat lengths, stepping on beats 1(23) 4(5) and 6. Three steps per bar, but not a waltz.

We should look deeper into the Technique currently being used by our peers in the Modern Waltz. A Closed Change, commonly called a Change Step.
In between each step there is a space, just as there is between each beat. This space must be used. Which makes the count 1 and 2 and 3 and. You will notice that the foot closes on 2 and. Feet together on 3, at which point we are at our highest. We then lower on the count of and. We are now at our lowest. There is no more lowering only the natural loss of height when we drive on beat 1.
Ref. Richard Gleave Dance Vision 4.