I used BIAB for drums, bass, guitar and the background aaahs, which I auditioned to fit the piano, which I'd written in EZKeys. I and a Fiverr freelancer, Yamille, sang. I added a bit of Orange Tree Samples' Passion Flute, and I mixed everything in Mixcraft, using various basic VST fx.
On the master buss I used upward compression to reveal detail, using a preset named, oddly enough, "Reveal Detail" in ToneBooster's multiband compressor, dialing in the wet / dry mix to taste. I'd suggest trying the trial version. Used judiciously, it can be a nice magic fairy dust plugin. I fed its output into a normal compressor (Tokyo Dawn Labs' free Kotelnikov) set very lightly, i.e. ratio of 1.5, with the threshold set so that gain reduction ranged between 0 and -1-ish.
Whatever your thoughts, I'd like to know what you listened to this on (cans, ear buds, studio monitors, grok box, hi-fi, phone speaker etc). So tricky trying to mix fort so many devices!
Sweet sounds, Ken. Excellent mix and I really like all the pieces you've mixed in there. Each one does so well to lift the song. Cool lyrics, and a terriric job with the synths, especailly those neat harmony lines. Because you asked, I listened on 3 of the speaker configurations I use here. It's sounds good on all three, but my headphones got me closer. The final test would be the car speakers.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
This is a lovely sounding track! All the different elements you've pulled together in this work/fit seamlessly! IT has a beautiful melody and the vocals are very well done!
Really interesting song and production. Plus thanks for that Abbey Road technique link.
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.
This is a lovely sounding track! All the different elements you've pulled together in this work/fit seamlessly! IT has a beautiful melody and the vocals are very well done!
Thanks, TB
Thanks for the kind words, Torrey. I'm not going to tell you how many iterations it took to decide which elements to include/ exclude. BAIB threw out so many good suggestions it was hard to choose!
Really interesting song and production. Plus thanks for that Abbey Road technique link.
Thanks WaoBand. The Abbey Road trick has been a game-changer for me. Really excels when you want to get a vocal out of your face without obvious trickery. Often gives good results which you don't actively hear until you mute it
Really lovely, intimate tune. Love the you-are-there, up front feel of the production. Nicely textured vocals, and those harmony parts are very inspired. (There's an ever so slight vocal glitch at 1:08 on the "will" lyric that may be fixable)
I use Abbey Road Reverb Plate on just about every vocal, but had not used the trick you referenced. Will give that a shot. Have been using a side chained compressor to cut the vocal FX a few dB, which has a similar mud-clearing effect. But your trick is definitely worth a listen...
THANKS for posting!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This is a very promising song. Loved the piano intro and rich backing. Also the vocals are excellent.
Lyrics - a suggestion: You seem to have one too many words in many of the lines which stops the flow and rhythm of the vocals. - just a suggestion on a very good song.
Well done.
Best Regards Nigel
Nigel Spiers Christchurch, New Zealand info@nzacoustics.com
Really lovely, intimate tune. Love the you-are-there, up front feel of the production. Nicely textured vocals, and those harmony parts are very inspired. (There's an ever so slight vocal glitch at 1:08 on the "will" lyric that may be fixable)
I use Abbey Road Reverb Plate on just about every vocal, but had not used the trick you referenced. Will give that a shot. Have been using a side chained compressor to cut the vocal FX a few dB, which has a similar mud-clearing effect. But your trick is definitely worth a listen...
THANKS for posting!
Thanks, Don, that's validating, I'd sweated and fretted over the harmonies (which I've only started trying to write recently) and vocal mix (vocalists should not mix themselves), so I'm glad to worked in your book!
This is a very promising song. Loved the piano intro and rich backing. Also the vocals are excellent.
Lyrics - a suggestion: You seem to have one too many words in many of the lines which stops the flow and rhythm of the vocals. - just a suggestion on a very good song.
Well done.
Best Regards Nigel
Thanks very much, Nigel. There are indeed some metre "cowlicks" in there. I'm glad the backing managed to poke through, initially I'd almost "released" it as just an instrumental.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean