|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Blame it on Alan David. The last song I posted Al left me some terrific comments and he concluded with a statement that was something to the effect of I could probably write a song about an empty shoebox. He generously meant it as a funny compliment but I ignored the humor and saw an idea. So if you make it to the end, AD gets the credit. If you don’t, Blame It On Al. There may be another song there but I’ll leave that to someone else. This was written in Biab using the following tracks. I then substituted my Acoustic, Electric and Steel. The bass and drums were built from loops. The only real tracks that made the final starting lineup were 1033:Guitar, 12-String Electric, Strumming Ev 120 Held and 864:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopRockWaltzPulsingClean Ev 140 https://soundcloud.com/ta2-659414413/old-empty-shoebox
https://tommyadamsmusic.com/track/3709074/old-empty-shoebox
1189:Bass, Electric, HardRockWaltz Ev 140 856:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Rhythm RockWaltzStrumming Ev 140 861:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockWaltzSustainHeld Ev 140 864:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopRockWaltzPulsingClean Ev 140 1033:Guitar, 12-String Electric, Strumming Ev 120 Held 900:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming FolkRockWaltz Ev 150 RockModernWaltz^8-a:Snare, Open HiHat , b:Snare, Ride, Busy Kick Royalty Free Loops Recorded in Logic Pro X Plug Ins : Nectar 3, Neutron 4, Ozone 10, Tonal Balance, Waves LinMB, Waves, L3-LL Multi Limiter, Logic Pro Metering, Waves Vocal Rider, Scuffam Amps S-Gear Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Pedal Steel,Vocals, Tom Adams Old Empty Shoebox There’s an old empty shoebox stuck way back in her closet Waiting for the postcards she would send home in the mail works the counter at the truckstop off of interstate 40 Dreaming of the moment she would head out on the trail Where are they coming from where are they going Time is a wastin so maybe in the morning She really wants to travel with no one supporting They say that she’s crazy better listen to their warning She wants to see the mountains to find her family’s roots spent half her weekly tips on her Danner hiking boots She no longer sleeps at night and now she has to choose Between the thrill of the danger or one more poor excuse If she stays and never leaves what kind of life would that be Never going nowhere or seeing what she wants to see Hell of a future broken cigarette machines And one night stands in cheap motels that rent by the week There’s an old empty shoebox stuck way back in her closet Waiting for the postcards she would send home in the mail works the counter at the truckstop off of interstate 40 Dreaming of the moment she would head out on the trail
Last edited by tommyad; 02/19/24 01:29 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,262
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,262 |
Hi, Tom. That's one heck of a write. A great guitar hook that right away says it's going to be a melancholy tale. Pro production, excellent vocals... As usual, sounds like something that should be on my radio, if I actually listened to the radio.  I blame this one on you - an excellent songwriter that can find a great song in a throwaway line. 
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,058
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,058 |
Tom,
"She wants to see the mountains to find her family’s roots spent half her weekly tips on her Danner hiking boots She no longer sleeps at night and now she has to choose Between the thrill of the danger or one more poor excuse"
YES! Wow! Love this song...
You have some big talent. I can see you on a stage in Austin singing this. The write, mix, arrangement and vocal are all superb.
My new favorite from you.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,099
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,099 |
Fantastic storytelling ... I LOVE this song. I totally agree with David, this should be on the radio.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,361
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,361 |
Tommy...man that's a good song...thanks Al for the shoebox...your guitar work is always so appropriate for your music...most excellent...love the storyline and those riffs! your voice is so well suited to the stories that you tell...absolute Americana in its roots with a contemporary feel...loved it!
www.soundclick.com/firesongBiaB 2024, Steinberg Cubase Pro 13, Wavelab 11.2, SpetraLayers Pro 10, Audacity, Steinberg UR44 Interface, Yamaha Genos, Roland FP60 and FP10, Windows 10 You are who you are because you do what you do because of what you believe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,819
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,819 |
Tom, what a fantastic song Great lyrics and vocal Super mix!
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 2,301
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 2,301 |
Brilliant song from a great idea. Does Alan get 1% of the royalties? 
Some favourite Waoist Adages: #1: Play on the Way. #13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you. #58: Bring consciousness to it. #63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made. #92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Hi, Tom. That's one heck of a write. A great guitar hook that right away says it's going to be a melancholy tale. Pro production, excellent vocals... As usual, sounds like something that should be on my radio, if I actually listened to the radio.  I blame this one on you - an excellent songwriter that can find a great song in a throwaway line.  David, that is a fine review. Thanks for all that!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647 |
HI Tom,
It gives me a ton of satisfaction to know a simple comment of mine led to something this wonderful. And - you proved my point!
When you sent me the preview, I told Di about it. She listened and gave it two thumbs up.
All I did was throw a seed out there. You picked it up, planted it, and nursed it into this. Seeds are a dime a dozen. Turning them into something else is a talent. And you have a lot of it. Nicely done!
Alan
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Tom,
"She wants to see the mountains to find her family’s roots spent half her weekly tips on her Danner hiking boots She no longer sleeps at night and now she has to choose Between the thrill of the danger or one more poor excuse"
YES! Wow! Love this song...
You have some big talent. I can see you on a stage in Austin singing this. The write, mix, arrangement and vocal are all superb.
My new favorite from you.
Bob Those are some very generous compliments. I do appreciate them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,117
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,117 |
Yeah, I blame everything on Alan --also give him credit. Credit is definitely due you, too, Tom. Challenge accepted and expectations exceeded. Well done <-- that's the next title Alan gave you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,073
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,073 |
Hi Tom, Love the guitar hook! And I'm pretty sure I say that on all of your songs Nice backstory with the shoebox comment from Alan, it turned into a pretty good song I think. Enjoyed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,771
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,771 |
Another WOW! Great song, fantastic vocals and harmonies, killer guitar hook, tight mix...
Yep, think you knocked that one WAY out of the ballpark.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 617
Journeyman
|
Journeyman
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 617 |
Great job finding inspiration in a comment for another song! Very creative and well delivered.
Dewey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 854
Expert
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 854 |
Mix sounds great. The Drums and guitars, sound so pro quality. This lyrics tell the story. Excellent Job on this one. Can I ask where you got the Loops from?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Fantastic storytelling ... I LOVE this song. I totally agree with David, this should be on the radio. BDT, thanks for listening. I’m so glad you liked it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,517
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,517 |
Man, this is great! I like both the musical hook and of course that empty shoe box hook is just wonderful for the lyric. This is one great sound and tune all around. Man I tell you Tommy, you could probably write a song about an old empty toilet paper roll and it would sound great. I'm not trying to egg you on or anything or say that you might want to think about this, but all I'm saying is man you could probably write a song about an old empty toilet paper roll that someone forgot to replace and it would sound awesome. Not that I think you should actually do it but I think you could write a song about an empty toilet paper roll sitting there and it gives a person some memories of the last sheet of toilet paper that they used in their life before they became so broke they had to start using the newspaper or tree leaves because America was in such bad shape economically or something. Yeah I'm not saying you should do something like that, but all I'm saying is that man is as much talent as you got you could probably write a song about the decline of America just by writing about an empty toilet paper roll sitting there in an abandoned gas station with a person sitting there wondering where all the good stuff went to, while the creaky old metal door of the dirty gas station bathroom is wide open and they're looking out over a desperate landscape of an American apocalypse and an old empty toilet paper roll while some guy is sitting there without any toilet paper strumming his guitar writing a song about America. I'm not saying that you should actually do that but man I know that you could, just write a song about an old empty toilet paper roll. EDITP.S. Never mind...Tommy I wrote the toilet paper roll song last night, I couldn't hold off. Be back next week. You Inspire me man!!!!!!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,572
Expert
|
Expert
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,572 |
Hi tommyad,
Very endearing song. I like the lyrics and the sweetness of the melody. I appreciated. Well done.
Jani
Kindly regards Derochette alias JaniJackFlash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Tommy...man that's a good song...thanks Al for the shoebox...your guitar work is always so appropriate for your music...most excellent...love the storyline and those riffs! your voice is so well suited to the stories that you tell...absolute Americana in its roots with a contemporary feel...loved it! Thank you Dan for all the wonderful things you said, both this time around and previously.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Tom, what a fantastic song Great lyrics and vocal Super mix! Hey there Mario. Thanks for your uplifting comments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,345
Posts803,667
Members40,104
| |
Most Online64,515 Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|