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I'm so behind on catching up with everyone's songs, it's real bad (it's been, as usual, crazy around here)  I will, however, do my utmost to make amends, not because I feel I should, but because you guys and gals write some of the best music I'm aware of, and I don't want to let it pass me by. With that said, here's a Christmas song from me. There is a moment where I've put a chord in the wrong inversion, and it kinda shows (to my ears, at least), but hey ... I think I like the effect (even if obtained by mistake), so I may leave like this, for now ... unless loads of people dislike it, haha  Thanks for listening and for any comments Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to ALL. A Christmas Wish THE LYRICS:An angel, so bright, turned up at my door So late, at night, and, gently, once more, He asked me, so clear, what it be I'd desire ... Behind him, singing, a soft Christmas choir. I looked around me, and lo and behold, I thought "what to ask him?", when all done and told, Would it be world peace? or kindness, perhaps ... I turned towards him, in tears, at last. "You know, there is so much I could beg you for, I'm skint, I'm hungry, the world is at war, And yet, I want back the one whom I love, And that'd be indeed my gift from above". *** A child looks up, his window so cold, He writes a letter to Santa, so old, He tells him his toy has long been broke, so ... And yet, there's something he wishes for, more. His father, you see, 's been long fighting, hard, The border, the troops and him, standing guard ... The little one sighs, he picks up his pen, And writes down his hope to Santa, again: "You know, there's so much I could beg you for, I'm skint, I'm hungry, the world is at war, And yet, I want back the one whom I love, And that'd be indeed my gift from above". THE BAND:****** Song Summary ************* Title: A Christmas Wish - 8 December 2024 File:A Christmas Wish - 8 December 2024.SGU Key=C , Tempo 60, Length (m:s)=4:16 No intro. 60 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 60. Repeat x1 chorus No Melody No Soloist track. Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0, Song is saved with bar changes for Key Signature,Volume Changes, Style is _HEARKEN.STY (Hearken 12-8 Folk Pop Piano Solo) RealTracks in style: 2938:Bass, Fretless Electric Slow12-8Rene Sw 065 RealTracks in style: 3055:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Folky68Mike Sw 050 RealTracks in style: 3054:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm Folky68Brent Sw 050 RealTracks in style: 1883:Piano, Acoustic, Soloist Country12-8John Sw 065 RealDrums in style:AmericanaSlow128^01-a:Kick Sidestick , b:Kick Snare ******************* Voice recorded and mixed in Mixcraft Pro Studio 10
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James, nicely done! Endearing little Christmas parable. Adventurous chord movement that works really well. Nicely spoken narrative. You may wish to experiment with vocal compression to see if you can get the vocal to sit more evenly against the backing track. Or not. That's just my thought.
Merry Christmas!
DC Ron
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Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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James,
A hard look at the world... Very well done. Great selection of instruments and excellent narration.
Bob
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Hi James. It's good to hear you again I like this a lot. Your narration is very smooth and suits the lyric content very well. You have a knack for using the spoken word to set to music. I really like the backing band you assembled. Every time I listen to one of your works, you set my mind thinking. Today, after listening to this presentation, I'm sitting here thinking about how the world needs a huge multi-vitamin shot of love and peace. It seems that being able to be happy gets a little bit harder with each year that passes. All the very best for a happy Christmas and prosperous 2025. --Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
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Very nice indeed. Loved the chord progression. Not to worry, I'm very far behind too.
Mike B
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Hello, James ...
Your spoken word songs are among the best I've heard.
Nice band! I like the hint of Floyd Kramer on one of the piano tracks - the right channel.
A hopeful lyric, expressing what many of us feel.
As ever,a pleasure to listen to.
Merry Christmas and hoping for the best New Year.
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
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Ron: thanks! I tried a little experimenting with compression, this is as best as I got it to sound. I gotta try some more, right? Anyway, thanks so much for listening and for your kind comments! Bob: thank you. So glad you enjoyed it Noel: thank you ever so much. Always great to hear from you. I absolutely agree, life is getting harder as each year goes by, it seems. Then again, I'm an incurable optimist, and still somehow believe in the inherent goodness of humankind - go figure, haha . Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to listen and for such nice comments ... again, always a real joy to hear from you. Mike: you are kind. Thanks for such nice comments! Alan: God bless you and yours. Good to hear from you - such a nice review. Take good care, hope you have a wonderful and wonder-filled Christmas, and a New Year which is easier for you, for all yours, and indeed for all of us, if possible. Thanks again for listening and for your comments.
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As Bob said, “a hard look at the world.”
As Noel said, “Today, after listening to this presentation, I'm sitting here thinking about how the world needs a huge multi-vitamin shot of love and peace.”
Truth.
Well done in a very contemplative manner,
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 are here on our website.
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A nice seasonal sentiment, James.
Just a suggestion to smooth out the spoken flow: Maybe cut a few words out as you don't need them all. It would sound less mechanical.
I hope you have a nice visit from Santa.
Vic
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Very nice instrumentation has gentle feel of a warm fireplace while holding a warm drink in hand. And then the tears of the storyteller express the longing of a dear one. Sentimental, but still keeping the fire of hope alive. Your voice is like a warm blanket to curl up under. And of course the chord progression keeps the interest going throughout the song. Thank you for this musical gift, happy holidays Janne
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James, you have posted a new Christmas masterpiece.
I really liked your spoken lyrics and chord progression.
Great choice in sounds
Excellent work.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Hi, James. You're back with the spoken word. Nicely done.
-- 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.
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Janice, Bud: thank you! So kind. Vic: thanks! It would be nice to cut a few words out ... if only I could figure out which ones, lol Merry Christmas to you, too, thanks for the kind wishes! Janne: thanks for such a nice review! So good to read. Merry Christmas! Mario: thank you. Don't know about "masterpiece", but thank you so much for such wonderfully kind words, and for listening!!! David Cuny: haha, I'm back with my usual style, once more, yes ... felt like the right time to come back to it. Thanks for listening, glad you liked it
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YES!!! The James Delsono sound with vocal is back! Love it, James. Hey I think I hear that inversion you mention even when I listened before reading your post. Then I thought, Wow, that's really cool. You always have some very creative chord changes, and this one is no exception. What extraordinary lyrics. So vivid, so emotional, they create magical images in my head. Love this one, James. Merry Cristmas, my friend.
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Marty: thanks ever so much. Far too kind, as always, though I'll take every drop of kindness you so generously offer. I'm so glad you enjoyed the song. Merry Christmas
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An interesting Christmas song, James.
Good to hear your vocals again.
fj
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Really well done, James, I could hear this being played on those all-Christmas radio stations.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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James,
Like that Charlie Rich piano feel out of the gate. Terrific lyrics and story, deliver well by spoken word. There are a couple of spots where I found the chord changes too quick and distracting . . . for example, at 0:27 to 0:30. Chord changes that are very much your sound, but just a tad too quick for my ear to feed on. Agree with Vic, that I'd look to smooth the flow of the spoken word. Lot's here to admire and enjoy!!
Deej
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floyd: thank you. TuneMonger: far too kind, but thanks Deej: thanks. I'm not sure how I can change the flow of the words, since the lyrics have to have their own rhythm, and altering them might alter that, too, unless I'm super careful. But it's nevertheless something to definitely think about, if I have the skill to do the changes seamlessly, that is . As for the chord changes, there are a couple of clangers I dropped in there ... I'll see if it's worth doing a revision Thanks again ... ... and Happy Holidays to one and all
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Nicely done. I really like the lyrics and what you're saying in the song.
Softly spoken works for this.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
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We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
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Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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