Latin music from a Gringo... is this believable

[VanderBoegh]

The urge to break out my trumpets overwhelms me on nearly every song I write nowadays, but this Latin listing really called to me. And it gave me a chance to play flugelhorn too! But - newsflash... - I'm as white as they come. Does this song sound at all like an impostor trying to do something he's not genetically predisposed to play?

Comments about authenticity, as well as mix/production notes are most welcome!

Tijuana Tango: https://soundcloud.com/vanderboegh/tijuana-tango

For this listing:
LATIN INSTRUMENTALS in ALL STYLES are needed by a highly successful Production Music Library that has placed a TON of music in a truckload of the hottest shows on TV today. It's important that your instrumentals sound authentic, and not stiff or MIDI sounding for this company. Give him authentic Latin instrumentation for this pitch. All tempos are welcome.

~~Matt

[2lane]

Really cool Matt! Everything sounds well balanced and tight...human tight that is.
Love the trumpet @ the 34 sec mark or so....

Good luck

Steve

[funsongs]

Comments about authenticity, as well as mix/production notes are most welcome!
~~Matt

I like this, and your jump into the horns.
re the mix: (to my ears)
the piano is pretty prominent...
when the high horns come in that sound like they are carrying the lead/melody...I wish they were more out-in-front, with the rest of your foundation & rhythm music sitting a little back/lower.
Those are cool parts, but they kinda sound secondary, rather than taking a lead/solo role.

Hope that helps.
Looking forward to how this polishes up...very nice.
Cheers,
Peter R.
www.soundcloud.com/funsongs-1

[AntonioV]

Matt, if I didn't know any better I'd though you wrote this after a round of dominoes and cigar smoking with the old Cuban men in Little Havana. Surely Latin sounding, great work on the trumpets and trombones, they really sound authentic, the parts fit the style perfectly. The only change I would suggest is the piano sound. A lot of modern salsa uses the more electronic sounding piano like you have here but I think this listing is asking for the real traditional sound so a grand piano or an crisp upright would work better than the current sound.
So to answer your question, hell yeah it's believable.

Cheers,

Antonio

[LamarPecorino]

Seems believable to me. Good luck.

[Kolstad]

Arriba, Matt!
I too am a Gringo, so comment on authenticity in composition, sorry muchachos!

But I like it, in plain Gringo terms.
It's really great sounding.

Maybe I would consider nudging the tempo a litte up to get the cigars rolling..
Maybe the piano was a little midi sounding (how about doubling it, two layers, we can do that no problemo with Vi's? )
Maybe consider a higher inversion of that particular defining chord at 4sec, as it sounds a bit bottom heavy?

justsomeaddedmaybes to put you further in doubt.. damn gringos, huh!

[MartyH]

Nice track, Matt. So I have to ask... Did you perform any the trumpet, or all vi? Thanks.

[mobster85]

Matt I must say that i really like this track. As you know we are both writing for this listing and you have found a different Latin groove than the 1 I am using. I love the crescendos and slides in the horn section. As far as the mix goes I think a little too much piano also. The trumpet sounds great and very real. Other than that I would like to hear an ending on the tonic chord with the whole band playing a staccato da da da da da da. I am not sure how to put that into words but 8th notes like 1 and 2 rest 3 and 4. I hope this helps and thanks for your help on mine.

Peace,
Bob LoGrasso

https://soundcloud.com/bob-lograsso
www.taxi.com/boblograsso

[AntonioV]

Matt, forgot to mention: you should think about changing the title. A music sup may read it and think he will listen to a tango and this is not in that style. Or, read "Tijuana" and think this is Mexican music which is also not the style of your piece.

[funsongs]

Matt, forgot to mention: you should think about changing the title. A music sup may read it and think he will listen to a tango and this is not in that style. Or, read "Tijuana" and think this is Mexican music which is also not the style of your piece.

Good observation, Antonio; +1.