Sounds of Haiti?

[aplanchard]

Can anyone recommend sample libraries to help set the tone for a documentary about Haiti. If not specific to that country, presumably libraries featuring regional instruments/performances will do. Thanks.

[P de Caumette]

Aplanchard, I lived three years in the Carribbeans, including one month in Haiti (very poor country, so many people with nothing images/icons/frown.gif
I remember falling asleep at night with local bands playing in the background.

Haitian music is based on a rhythm section (drums, bass, 2 or 3 guitars, rhodes or similar FM type synth, lots of percussions) and horns plus vocals also some cheesy synth lead sounds. Guitar style is rooted in the Zairean tradition with fast arpeggio licks (you can include chorus and reverb to it)

If I was writing for it, I\'d write some percs tracks and some grooves emphasizing the guitar style I described above.

For libraries, I\'d go for Culture, it has a large palette of world percs. For the bass I\'d go for Scarbee finger\'n\'slap, it\'s the best fender jazz bass out there and that\'s what you\'d typically find in this type of music. For guitars, I can\'t help since I am a guitarist I don\'t use libraries images/icons/tongue.gif
Horns are not always totally in tune...(same with african music)

I would also listen to some Haitian music, Taboo Combo, Super Eagles ... to have a clear picture of what you\'re trying to emulate.

Hope this helps images/icons/smile.gif

PS: no steel drums in typical Haitian music. That\'s for Trinidad

[aplanchard]

Hey Patrick,

Thanks for the detailed response -- very helpful. The Haitian music I\'ve been listening to definitely has some dense percussion in it, also some great singing (waivers in and out of tune). Don\'t expect to be replicating any of that. I thought of Culture but given time constraints, I might have to go with percussion performances on a CD-ROM if they exist. A friend suggested Q Up Arts Latin Groove Factory Vol 3 (Caribbean). We\'ll see. Thanks again for the info.

Allan

[P de Caumette]

Allan,

Give me a call in case you need some guitar tracks images/icons/wink.gif