Besaid Island latin jazz mix

[Kanthos]

Current Version:

With synth lead

Without synth lead

[DrumUltimA]

I'm sure you're aware of this but a lot of the opening isn't lined up, and i think you could do with a better set of drums. But I really like the bass line you've got going. Also, are you using any sort of standard latin pattern? I think making the congas and stuff more prominent would add a lot to the authenticity of this. Look online and see if you can find a guide to different authentic latin patterns. If you can't find anything, i might have a list somewhere around here.

I played in the latin jazz ensemble at my school the past two years. Lemme know if you want live vibes or marimba ;D

[Kanthos]

Just getting my comments on our IRC discussion down before I forget and the conference call starts up again.

Yeah, I could probably find a better kit. This track was originally not going to be latin at all (for that matter, wasn't going to be a remix at all either; I was working on something for a friend and started playing around and realized I was pretty close to the Besaid theme, so I've tried two other very different rhythmic styles before settling on a latin pattern). The kit is a pop kit from Battery 3; while they don't exactly have a latin kit, I'm sure I can find something better. Also, I haven't applied any effects to the kit besides panning, so that'll affect the sound.

I can see two things that make the drums sound "off". One is that the fill going into bar 8 is a little sloppy, particularly the first two notes. The other is that the 3-2 pattern I use on the claves at bars 1-8 and the snare at 9-12 and the last 4 bars is an authentic latin pattern that sounds a bit off because it's been americanized (the american version has the hits on beats 1, and of 2, 4, and then beats 2 and 3 in the second bar; the latin version has the last hit on the and of 3). I could easily go to the american version or use the opposite pattern (a 2-3; one is Brazilian and the other is Cuban, can't remember which).

I agree with your comment about velocities, especially for bars 9-12 and the end: while all the drum parts have varying velocities, the rides can definitely be more varied than they are.

Lastly, about melody: while marimba is perhaps a bit more authentic to the sound, vibes would probably go better with the piece because they'll ring out more. The melody is pretty sparse, even in the original version, and while there's definitely freedom to play around with it, the fact that vibes sustain longer than marimba will make a difference. Let me get more of the piece down, and we'll talk about what you could do and what kind of notation you'd want.

[SSB]

At places it all sounds just.. not together rhythmically. Actual arrangement is solid, though. Keep it up.

[Kanthos]

Ok, got some editing done last night. Please give me feedback/comments about anything and everything.

Some notes:

1) All percussion and drums will change. I know the drum part is uniform all the way through; I did that just so I'd have some rhythmic thing to work off as I did the piano and bass. There will be three different drum patterns, all of which will be similar and won't use the off-beat 3/2 pattern I mentioned in the last post. I won't use the sixteenth-note hi-hat pattern that I currently have either. Stay tuned for better drums and percussion.

2) The synth lead will be replaced mainly with vibes played by DrumUltimA; the first solo (8 bars in E major before the keychange) will be sax, played by me. I'll also have some sax licks throughout, but want the melody recorded first. The version of Lulu's Theme played by the synth in the first 8 bars will be sax as well. Lastly, on the verse and chorus after the solos, the sax will be playing the melody behind the vibes on the verse and playing a harmony line with the vibes on the chorus.

3) The 4 bars of silence coming out of the solo (when changing keys from G back to E) will be filled in with a percussion break.

4) The rhythm when Lulu's theme is quoted at the end of the chorus is slightly off. I'll fix that tonight. Last night at 1 AM, I wasn't sure how I wanted to fix it, and this morning when I was less tired, I realized that all I needed to do was change the rhythm of the piano and bass part slightly to make it mesh well with the melody.

[avaris]

Great stuff Kanthos. Vibes will be a nice touch. The soundscape is very well crafted. IMO I def agree with you on all the needed improvements you mentioned. The Sax licks will help create a very dynamic give and take feel to the arrangement. My only real complaints is the feel of the entire arrangement and how the song flows from part to part. The song itself great, but as it goes along I don't feel a natural proggression from one section to the next. This is mainly throughout the middle of the song. IMO just a lil repetative right now in that respect. Can't wait to hear the vibes and added percussion.

[The Derrit]

I'm going to mirror most of what avaris said, and add that at times, the percussion felt a little off beat. Given that's the percussion's job, to keep the beat, it feels like a pretty major problem, but not likely to be one that's too hard to fix. Keep it up, I love the sound of it and it can definitely go somewhere.