What specific type of music is this?

Ok so I'm writing something that I think is a samba? or maybe it's a rhumba, or a bossa nova, or a mexican hat dance, or whatever. I'm going with samba, for now. It's gotta be one of those, and maybe you can't pick it out because in a way it's kinda up to me....hmm I don't know, give it a listen and see what you think....if you can tell me what sort of latin genre it is, that would be sweet.

Thanks ;)

Green_Samba.MUS

Shoot, uhm...make sure you set it to start playing at measure 1, sorry about that heh it's on measure 33 right now.... ;)

Hard to say -Could easily be a pop tune in the style of Burt Bachrach except you've got that half world-beat, half choo-choo train thing going on in the percusion. Guess you'd have to call it samba if you want to put it in a box.

Here are a couple of observations:

- Jazz styleChanges are awkward and there are too many melodies.

Changes at measure 33 for example (cause that's where I thought the beginning was at first)

Imaj7 - IVmaj7 - 2nd inversion Cmaj to a 1st inv. C maj (not very strong ) Then the last two chords are just awkward - or maybe just strange: a IV7 11th chord to a bIImaj7th - Somewhat typical of the changes you have throughout the entire piece. Sometimes it's voiceleading issues, sometimes its functional - like using maj7th chords where dominant 7th chords are called for.

Like - what's going on in M.28? A G-7/D going to a Fma7/E to a Fmaj7withlesstensions/A - It's just random - not enough function and too much inconsistency with respect to voiceings.

I notice that your right hand voicings on the piano are almost exclusively stacks of thirds; this leads to a lot of awkward voice leading.

Chord scales are awkward in places as well. M. 30. Bnatural in melody, Bb7 below. Maybe if you anticipated the Gmaj7 chord in the rythym section it would help, but the change there combined with the melody sounds very forced. Like you wrote the chords first and then tried to figure out how to stick a melody above it.

M.32. Solo the piano - chord at beat one is messed up. Changes at beat 3 and 4 clash with horns.

I'm no expert, but I've heard a bit of Brasilian music, and I've never heard a Samba that slow. It sounds more like a Cha-Cha to me. There's even a bit of the cha-cha rhythm in the percussion.

It's pretty nifty. To me it sounded like there were a few things too dissonant. Leightwing obviously knows what he's talking about, so I defer to him.

lol...wow....uhm, sorry I don't really have much knowledge in music theory, so that pretty much SOARED over my head like a jet. But yeah, I know it sounds kind of akward in places....maybe I shouldn't delve into something with such complicated guidelines...but thanks guys ;)

I think calling this remotely Latin or anything related would be pushing it. Maybe cha cha, like grahm said, but it's more like jazz. Or maybe elevator music, lol :sleeping:

~Kal

I just played this for my partner - he's a professional guitarist, and his degree was in jazz performance. He said it had elements of both Bossa Nova and Cha-Cha in it, but the character was different. It didn't fit neatly in any Latin category. Definitely not Samba, though.