What does this mean?

[Salty]

"New Listing TRIP-HOP/LOUNGE SONGS with JAZZY FEMALE VOCALS are needed by an A-List Film/TV Music Licensing Company. They need completely original, Down-to-Mid-Tempo Songs that have an Electro backbeat, retro sounding vocals, with a distinct Jazz influence. Quoting the source: "I need Songs that sound like a remix from the '90s of a classic Jazz Song. The best way to explain it is: if you took a classic Nina Simone song like 'Feeling Good' and created a Trip Hop/Lounge type track around it, that would hit the mark for what I need." Your vocal performance should be expressive, with an authentic Jazz delivery."


what does this mean?


PS- I know the Nina Simone tune well, always considered it the Blues. (I realize that part was written at the source rather than taxi)

Thanks,

Salty

[EricB]

I'm thinking a song for this listing should play like a hip-hop remix of a Nina Simone tune. Think of hip-hop meets down-tempo/electronic and that's the kind of instrumental track you should have underneath pure jazz vocals.

[Salty]

Hey Eric-

Thanks for taking a minute to reply.

Ive been asking this on another thread too- (im on my horse on top of my soapbox)


What is 'DOWNTEMPO'?

What is 'Jazzy'?

Its making me nuts-o because this is like saying I want you to draw me a picture with an 'interesting sky' or a tree that's got 'relationship issues'.
Ill come back with, thats more of a tree that's having issues with itself than relationships, and while the sky is interesting it lacks some of the dark blue overtones I would like to see in it for this project.

PS- IM in no way suggesting that everything said is incorrect, only that waaaay too much can be interpreted in a lot of different ways.
Nina Simone is singing the Blues here.


PPS- my goal in my saying all of this is to get a lot more clarity on things of this nature- think it will avoid frustration for some a month from now.

[belindacoomes]

Down tempo is just referring to the beats per minute. Trip-hop as a genre is slower than hip-hop so just be mindful of the bpm you choose for your song. For example, I would pick a bpm around 80 myself.

And the 'jazzy' bit to me means they just want a jazz vocalist, someone who's got a jazz style with their voice. They don't want the song to sound jazzy.

This style was big in the 90's.

[Salty]

Oi!

Belinda thanks-

If we want something in the range of 80 to whatever BPM for example, that is a specific and relevant piece of info that can be used--
then if a screener comes back with, its not in the range of such and such- I can dig that- it makes sense.

If you tell me something is not Downtempo though, Im going to be cursing for the next 24 hours about how there is no such thing.

Is a ballad always 'downtempo' for example?
Is 80 BPM always 'downtempo'?

Shouldn't we use correct terminology in listings? Wouldn't that also make the screeners job - which is very difficult- easier?
as in the listing suggested between 80 and 100 BPM this is too fast.

Ill address why "jazzy" 'Jazz vocals' all of that is still just wrong, next go. Im feeling like Harry Connick Jr. on American idol trying to explain to Jay-LOW( not that u are her) what pentatonics are.

Erect Windmill- Charge!

[cassmcentee]

Salty, the quickest way to avoid confusion would be to track a little bit and post in the peer to peer forum with a link to the recorded bit along with the question "does this sound down tempo?"
With so many musicians around here to answer your question, I know you will get good answers!
Besides the bpm, Down Tempo has a lot to do with how a tune feels
I think of down tempo as:
Somewhat slow
Mellow
For me, many times a Minor Key
Not much of a driving beat
etc. etc...

[andygabrys]

If we want something in the range of 80 to whatever BPM for example, that is a specific and relevant piece of info that can be used--
then if a screener comes back with, its not in the range of such and such- I can dig that- it makes sense.

If you tell me something is not Downtempo though, Im going to be cursing for the next 24 hours about how there is no such thing.

Is a ballad always 'downtempo' for example?
Is 80 BPM always 'downtempo'?

Shouldn't we use correct terminology in listings? Wouldn't that also make the screeners job - which is very difficult- easier?
as in the listing suggested between 80 and 100 BPM this is too fast.

Ill address why "jazzy" 'Jazz vocals' all of that is still just wrong, next go. Im feeling like Harry Connick Jr. on American idol trying to explain to Jay-LOW( not that u are her) what pentatonics are.

Erect Windmill- Charge!

IMO - I would look at something where the feel of the song was in 8th notes at 70-90 or 95 bpm. Too much 16th note feel on the hats might seem too active. The bass might be active but not a port of entry 16th note jaco kinda thing, more in 8th notes too to help propel the groove. that to me is going to hit the right spot for "downtempo" - which I agree with Cass is more a descriptor of song type and feel than a tempo marking. I don't think they would put a tempo marking in anyways unless it was for a temp track replacement for a commercial spot that was already cut. Even then, too active on the subdivisions can disqualify your track.

the Jazzy vocal thing is funny...but to me it means exactly what it says. a track as I described above, forsaking the traditional jazz changes - like this some versions you hear of bossa nova stuff where the chords are gone and its a groove in one key, with a standard over top - like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D8HgCTKYfc - this one is a little too up feeling on the beats for what I think of downtempo though.

sometimes - its good to just search out exactly what they are looking for:

Nina simone remixes on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BbVTGidzk8 downtempo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHI92uVNF8E definitely not downtempo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEIOf1COPHo bingo - electro beat, relatively downtempo. maybe not the bass drop though. that might be a little much for what they are looking for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiVXbv6GPDA downtempo - but would be hard to call this anywhere close to an electro beat. sounds like a hip hop samples version of a 12/8 feel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... dbEM#t=171 - sort of downtempo, maybe too fast - kind of an electro-lite beat.

anyways ........

[Len911]

"Feelin' Good" a blues song??


Hmmm, trip hop producer, jazzy Nina Simone 'Feelin' Good'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pxnkri6cm0

[andygabrys]

Hmmm, trip hop producer, jazzy Nina Simone 'Feelin' Good'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pxnkri6cm0

bingo.

[cassmcentee]

Oh That's Nice!!!