One more time!

[brindabella]

Redid my cha cha cha, changed instruments and I think I got the drums "out of the kitchen" Also, some times there was a slight difference in tempo between the drums and piano, and I discovered it happens when I freeze the synth in Sonar. Anyone else have that problem? Please listen and tell me what you guys think!http://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_ ... tream=true

[avillaronga]

Hi,I like the piece, it is melodically interesting and the dynamic changes are just enough to keep the interest of the listener, adding enough variety so that it doesn't sound too repetitive but keeping with a central theme throughout the piece. That's a hard thing to balance and you managed quite well.The first thing I notice is the sustain on the lowest notes on the piano. Generally, in a style like this you would sustain very little. That almost seems like it's supposed to be a bass part, it would sound really nice with an upright bass which would also be shorter notes. There's so much else going on in the mid-range on the piano that having those low notes sustain really muddies the sound to my ears. I think if that low part was turned into a bass part it would improve this piece tremendously.I have lots of comments about the percussion. I should warn a lot of it are technicalities that come from having studied Latin percussion so it may seem like I'm being a pain but if your goal is to have this sound true to the style then maybe applying some of these concepts would really help this piece.Congas and bongos: it almost seems like the conga parts are played on a tumba and not a conga, since you have so much sound going on the lower mid-range it would really help to have a higher pitched drum playing that part, maybe even a quinto. Or perhaps give more emphasis on the bongo than the conga. I don't hear the slaps on "2" on the conga, that really helps keep the whole rhythm together. It may also help to have the bongo playing a regular "martillo" pattern before it comes in with the ad-libs otherwise it sounds a little like it came out of nowhere. I also hear a lot of "1" played on the open tone on the conga which should be used as an exception rather than a rule otherwise it sounds like the conga is accenting the "1" and "3" instead of the "2" and "4" as it should. Bells and shakers: I think you are going for variety and that's a good goal but a few of them don't quite work. The first bell I don't think it's suitable for this style. The second bell sounds like a real cha-cha bell. The shaker on the last section (I think it's a cabasa) doesn't quite work I think because you have the 16th notes on the up-beat, that variation is usually played on the down-beat. To most listeners it probably doesn't make a difference but since I'm used to hearing it "on the other side" of the measure it sounds weird to me. The guiro is fine, it gets a little loose sometimes but it's a good variation. What I'd love to hear is, instead of adding the variation with several different instruments playing at different times, to hear the variations on the same instruments as a real percussion ensemble would play them. So start with bongo and cha-cha bell and then add the bongo bell while the timbale bell switches to a fuller pattern and go back and forth, work the dynamics by matching the changes in bongo/bell with switching between maracas and guiro on the same sections, etc. Just like a real ensemble would do it. Listen to Cachao, he's got a few pieces that are mostly piano and the variations in the percussion are excellent even though it's the same 3 or 4 guys playing the same instruments, just adding the pattern variations that are typical of the style. I also think the percussion could come up a bit more on the mix. If your goal is to submit this for libraries I think the ending needs to be tidier.It is a very nice piece and it would work well for library use, IMO. I think some adjustments on the percussion to make it sound like a "real" percussion ensemble would go a long way to make this resemble the style more closely. I hope that helps, let me know if you need me to clarify anything I've said.Good luck,Antonio

[brindabella]

Thank you SO much Antonio! No, it makes perfect sense to me. I didnt like the Cabasa either but yes,I was trying for variety. And yes,I was playing the bass with the lower notes. I agree it would sound better with a bass, trouble is, you have no idea what I can do with a bass, I can make it sound like an accordion Ok, let me run and dug out my Cachao's THANK YOU!!!

[heinsite]

hi brinda!IMHO, (and no offense....) i like the piano just by itself, feel the percussion is a bit contrived.now this is a compliment, from a non-musician...the piece to ME without the percussion, is reminiscent of a nice vince garaldi piece--the "peanuts" guy...?i like it without the snippets of percussion, which to me is distracting....but hey, i can't play much of anything this well, take it with a grain...all the best,warrenps: i'd also shorten it a bit....leave out one of the "verses"?

[brindabella]

Thank you Warren! I like Vince Guaraldi too, that is a very nice compliment! Yeah, the reason the drums sound contrived is simply because i have no idea how to play them!