christian music

[Jayme]

mmmmmm Interesting!
I Was wondering if anyone could help me with a problem?
There are 2 Spanish girls that have come to my studio for some help with there songs and they are Christians. (i don't have a problem with Christians but i've heard the Christian music has it's own sort of style and i thought that it might be a good idea if mentioned it)
the trouble is that they want a Spanish style (not flamenco) from what they explained it needs to sound like "the Latin stuff you get on tv", the only way i can get it to sound Spanish is by using Spanish instruments like the box, nylon guitars and claps (i don't like using castanets because they are only used by the dancers when they dance. they tend to make the music sound like it's been written by some tourist when there put on the track) and by using the phrygian mode. But........
They have written the melody in the ionian mode!!!!!
The other problem is that one of them wants me to do a dance version of her song and i'm having trouble with blending the melody in with the beat (140 bpm). The tune has a key change for the chorus but the chorus sounds like a bridge and then it jumps abruptly back to the key it started in on the verse. i am a bit stuck so if anyone could give any advice (or even some tips to inspire me!!) at all i would be very grape full!

 

[BJW]

I don't have any experience with Latin music, but I can comment on the Christian music part. Christian music isn't really it's own style. I write, play, and listen to both Christian and secular music, and Christian music has about as much diversity in sound as secular music as far as I'm concerned.

Take for instance the band "Switchfoot". They do the song "Meant To Live", which is pretty popular in the secular rock genre. It sounds just like anything else out there by any other rock band, but Switchfoot is a Christian band (they used to be on a christian label, I think - if they aren't still). Same with the group Chevelle ("The Red", and "Send the Pain Below") - another christian band that's popular in secular circles.

Hope this helps a bit. (can you tell I listen to rock/pop?)

 

[Cosmic]

Jayme,

Since you don't have a link of anything to hear, this will be pure speculation....

Get the song structure straight before you record; it sounds like you already are realizing that something's amiss with the structure of the song, so if it sounds weird now, it's not going to get better by itself when you record it.

As for style, although you say you won't be doing it flamenco style (and thank you for not pioneering christian flamenco...), your instruments are still: accordion, guitar, hands, which is about as traditional as you gan get. From the description, they don't want 'Spanish', they want contemporary latin pop.

I am no expert on that market, but I know there is a dizzying array of sub-genres in latin pop now: norteno, rock en espanol, cumbia, tropical; heck, the old standby Mariachi is alive and well. They have to pin down the sound they want, and give you examples on CD to hear.
Listen to someone like Enrique Iglesias...mainstream latin pop with strong hooks and melodies. This, to my ear would be a style that would blend with the Christian mainstream stuff which tends to be strongly melodic as well...
Finally, if the song doesn't lend itself to a club version, tell them. Better that than recording something they won't like anyway.
They sound like they know just enough to be dangerous...

Hope this is of use,

Best,

CC

 

[mikeh]

I agree with Cosmic. When people come to me with some overly general idea of a musical "style" I try to pin them down to an artist and when ever possible to a song. I either play songs from my music collection, or I ask them to bring some recordings as reference (you will likely want some reference tunes during mixdown anyway).

As Cosmic indicates, there is a strong chance that your clients are looking for some type of latin pop (which is still a rather wide spectrum). I also agree that this type of client can be a problem - if they can't explain what they want, odds are you can't give it to them - which means they won't be satisfied with the final product, and everyone is a loser in the end!

Not all songs lend themselves to dance mixes. If you don't think you can achieve what they want - be upfront about it.

As far as inspiration - whenever I get involved in music that is not my normal music of choice, I simply listen to that style of music almost exclusive until I finish the project.

Like most people, my early musical influences were rock. As a kid I listened to rock, non-stop, so that what I could identify with. When I was offered a country project, I listened to country music non-stop, until I "got it". When I got involved with jazz, I listened to nothing but jazz, etc.

Interestingly, I now rarely listen to rock, since I gained an appreciation for country, jazz, reggae, classical, etc. after non-stop exposure to each style - as the need to learn those styles presented itself.

I find I enjoy time off between projects, to allow me to listen to something else (or even talk radio for a change).

 

[cheetah23]

la llave es la clave, la clave es la llave