|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
Hi Forum friends, My last couple of songs on the forum have been blues or jazz numbers. This one, RAPTURE, is a love song featuring flute, strings and piano, as well as guitar, bass and drums. Rapture The only RealTrack is the drum track: RealDrums-NashvillePop16. I would be grateful if you have a listen (or two), and feel free to provide any feedback on the song, the arrangement or production. I hope everyone is well. Cheers, Mike
Last edited by mkg50 (Mike G); 05/05/20 04:10 AM.
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,987
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,987 |
Beautiful song, nicely done.
The volume fades on the strings are a little too extreme. It’s a common tool to bring a little more realistic dynamics to the digital strings sound. I use it all the time. To my taste (and there may be others that disagree with me) this is just a tad extreme. Also, I would add just a little more reverb tails to the strings to help blend in the dynamics, Not so much that it buries the real timbre of the strings, but enough to give it that real concert hall, or sound stage “live” feel.
I enjoyed this one.
Steve
Steve Young Music"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Very pretty song Mike!! Rapture is a perfect name!! Really well done! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,696
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,696 |
Excellent song. I do agree with Steve about the strings. I also think they are a tad loud when compared to the flute.
But this is still one fantastic song that needs just a little polish. Great work here.
OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
Beautiful song, nicely done.
The volume fades on the strings are a little too extreme. It’s a common tool to bring a little more realistic dynamics to the digital strings sound. I use it all the time. To my taste (and there may be others that disagree with me) this is just a tad extreme. Also, I would add just a little more reverb tails to the strings to help blend in the dynamics, Not so much that it buries the real timbre of the strings, but enough to give it that real concert hall, or sound stage “live” feel.
I enjoyed this one.
Steve
Thanks Steve. This is precisely the honest feedback I was hoping for. I, too, was not totally happy with the swelling on the strings' sustained notes but I couldn't find a way to change it. I read on the Kontakt forum site that that's just the way it is, and the only option is to spend more money and buy a better strings instrument. I haven't given up though and am working through a few options. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. As always Steve, thanks for your valued input. Cheers, Mike
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,093
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,093 |
I think the previous comments articulate the overall impression quite well.
A little work with the balance will bring a lot of polish to this song. Overall it's very beautiful, with a lot of potential.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,259
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,259 |
Mike,
Interesting tune. Very suitable for kids show. Rich arrangement, yet listens well.
I was trying to come up with meaningful suggestion and looked above. I could not of said it better than Steve. Fades on strings are a bit aggressive. I listened as whole, then couple of separate parts... I see that it might be tricky to maintain a single instruments, especially on articulation parts around 2:40. Perhaps using 2 separate string instruments would help? Thank you for sharing.
Misha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
Excellent song. I do agree with Steve about the strings. I also think they are a tad loud when compared to the flute.
But this is still one fantastic song that needs just a little polish. Great work here. Thanks for listening Mario. Following helpful comments from you and others, I have reworked the strings (they are now quieter and have less unnecessary swelling on sustained notes). The link to the song (in my original post) is the same but I have replaced the track with the new mix. Thanks again, Mike
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,264
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,264 |
Is melodic string part mean t to lean left - (the flute does that also) ?
The string, generally are loud and they blur a bit when those fast descending runs happen.
Perhaps shorten the delay and lengthen the reverb.
I'm not in the room with you so am, really, only guessing. The final note of the piece end abruptly tooo.
As a composition and arrangement - NICE ONE Mike.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,223
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,223 |
Nice job, I enjoyed it. As someone who has wasted too many hours trying to get the sounds I want out of Kontakt, you did pretty well, much better than I can do. Stick with it, you got skillz and you'll get there.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
Very pretty song Mike!! Rapture is a perfect name!! Really well done! Take care. Greg Thanks Greg. I agonised over the name for a long time so your comments are very well received. Cheers, Mike PS I'm working my way to listening to everyone's recent songs but the coronavirus seems to have prompted so many new submissions to listen to. Stay well.
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,065
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,065 |
Rapture is the perfect title. This is a very interesting and dynamic tune. Wonderful writing, and I agree a better mix will bring this to the higher level it deserves. The strings may be a bit overwhelming at times, but everything still comes through. Well done, Mike.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
I think the previous comments articulate the overall impression quite well.
A little work with the balance will bring a lot of polish to this song. Overall it's very beautiful, with a lot of potential.
Thanks for your encouragement VideoTrack. Working with strings is quite frustrating but I will keep at it. Cheers, Mike
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497 |
Hi, Mike !
WOW ! What a beautiful piece
of music you´ve created !
Absolutely instant classic !
I´m out of words for this
masterpiece !
Congrats Mike !
Stay safe !
Cheers
Dani
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,081
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,081 |
Nice. It creates a very relaxing atmosphere. I like it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,062
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,062 |
Beautiful piece! Nice composition, nice arrangement.
Sounds great to me, Mike, well done!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,647
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,647 |
Sounds good to me - some very nice multi instrument playing as well.
Pretty piece.
Peter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,132
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,132 |
Lovely, and enjoyed on a lovely day in the forest we
are so fortunate to live in.
Great arrangement and the strings and flute create a
very atmospheric piece. Quite cinematic also.
Well done!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
Is melodic string part mean t to lean left - (the flute does that also) ?
The string, generally are loud and they blur a bit when those fast descending runs happen.
Perhaps shorten the delay and lengthen the reverb.
I'm not in the room with you so am, really, only guessing. The final note of the piece end abruptly tooo.
As a composition and arrangement - NICE ONE Mike. Hi Ray, Thanks for your usual honest and forthright appraisal. It is much appreciated. Re the strings and flute leaning to the left, the panning for both instruments was set at zero, but when I look at the audio tracks I can see that, in places, the left channel is slightly stronger!?! I have attempted to ameliorate this in a remix (see below). Re the strings being a bit loud, I have edited this to soften the passage. Re the final note ending too abruptly, I have fixed this. If you are interested, I have uploaded the remix with these changes (plus others) to SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172/rapture-remixThe original version/link is still up: https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172/raptureThanks again Ray, Mike
Last edited by mkg50 (Mike G); 05/11/20 09:01 PM.
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
Mike,
Interesting tune. Very suitable for kids show. Rich arrangement, yet listens well.
I was trying to come up with meaningful suggestion and looked above. I could not of said it better than Steve. Fades on strings are a bit aggressive. I listened as whole, then couple of separate parts... I see that it might be tricky to maintain a single instruments, especially on articulation parts around 2:40. Perhaps using 2 separate string instruments would help? Thank you for sharing.
Misha. Thanks for listening Misha. I've adjusted the strings a bit, and remixed the song, after a few forum comments. You can have a listen here: https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172/rapture-remix Cheers, Mike
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,192
Posts801,786
Members40,063
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean