Just thinking, as this year comes to it's end and we are about to enter a new one......
What goals did you have that were accomplished or met this year? What goals do you have for the new year?
These goals can be for anything. Musical goals, career goals, personal goals, or..... eating the 42oz gut buster meal at the local pub, whatever you have set to accomplish.
I don't set a lot of goals but I know what I want to accomplish and work to make those things happen.
Goals reached this year.
I was picked up by a new (to me) publisher who is very proactive with their writers and working in the Film & TV music business in LA. This publisher has signed a number of my songs. Some that you have heard here and quite a few that have not been posted here. I was picked up and signed by another publisher in 2023 and they have a couple of my instrumentals in their catalog.
I worked with both of my dogs to get them better at what they do. We got them both certified this year with my team in July, and then they both aced their third party certification in November.
For the new year.... I will continue to work on both of those goals to move them further down the road. Hopefully one of the two publishers will get a cut or two for me, and I will continue to write more music. My goal this coming year is to write more music and to work with the dogs.
I have a simple life.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.
Ha - I am ending the second year of retirement, and though it wasn't an explicit goal, I am happy to report that my general 1st year anxiety of feeling "useless" and "un-meaningful" has diminished greatly in my 2nd year. I've been able to enjoy myself a bit more often even though I'm in the "Decumalation" stage of spending down my money. Working never really agreed with me lol, so part-time work is only an 'If I have to..." - as it is, I think I'm ok to not do it.
I hope to learn to enjoy each moment with my family, friends, and music, to drop a few pounds, and to exercise a little more.
Lofty goals always seem to end quickly enough for me that I've stopped putting that pressure on myself lol
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
Yes, that's just what my wife and I said to each other about "live to see another year." Let's do this again in 2026!
As for 2024, I spent the whole year rebuilding a boat and finally finished.
Now, in the last few weeks of 2024, I have gotten back to the music thing. How that will go in 2025 remains to be seen.
Who knows, Aeolian mode over C minor....lol
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
My goal this coming year is to write more music and to work with the dogs.
Creativity meets mans best friends. It don't get much better.
I have a simple life.
Amen to that.
What goals do you have for the new year?
Apart from the fragile regulars (exercize,lose weight) , I am determined not to start a new song untill I have finished all of the song sketches I have sitting idle in the vault. This takes a dicipline that I am sadly lacking but all those song ideas deserve a chance of life even if they do go to Soundcloud to die! I have almost finished my first song rescue so I have at least made a start.
Goal attained: Stayed alive and healthy. Goal for next year: Stay alive and healthy.
In the meantime, get as much joy out of each day as possible, learn new songs + make backing tracks, improve my musician skills, gig, and work on new aftermarket products for Band-in-a-Box.
Had a New Year's Gig last night, a good way to end a year.
Have a New Year's Day today, a good way to start a year.
I lost my wife in 2024, so all goals are over! I will have to start with an entire new set of goals going forward.
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud (Tip: No need to create a SC account to hear music - just hit ESC ).
so very sorry to hear about your wife. i hope you have a wonderfull 2025.
om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
My deep condolences Dan. Be sure to take care of yourself.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Finished an album 4 years in the making. Next is to release it in 2025.
Took on a few new clients.
Did some travelling.
Rode the Giant Dipper roller coaster in Santa Cruz six times on its 100th birthday/my 70th birthday and lived to tell the tale. Don't think I'll ever do that again unless I have grandkids.
Found myself at a ringside seat in the wars over AI and getting paid. Turns out that my knowledge of IP, AI and Licensing is worth a lot of money. Hope I live long enough to enjoy it.
BIAB 2024 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
I lost my wife in 2024, so all goals are over! I will have to start with an entire new set of goals going forward.
I lost the love of my life after being married 47 years in 2023 and my best girlfriend from high school six months later in 2024. So, I know the lonesome valley well and I'm praying for your comfort. GriefShare.org helps a lot.
I moved home which is like being in a strange new place it's so different than when I left.
I am able to enjoy music again. I've picked my guitar back up and I'm enjoying serenading myself picking and grinning as I re-learn how to play it.
I guess my main goal is to get some clear goals. Otherwise. Ditto on the glad to be alive - which is a long way from where I was last New Year's when I was hanging on by a thread. Thank God.
After reading about the losses of others on the forum and considering the passage of another year, the issue of time and the song "Time" came to mind.
My most sincere condolences to Dan, Sundance, and others who have suffered such great losses.
This is what ChatGPT had to say about the song.
analyze Time by pink floyd ChatGPT said: ChatGPT "Time" by Pink Floyd is one of the band's most iconic tracks, featured on their 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon. The song explores themes of mortality, the passage of time, and the existential reflections that accompany aging. Let's break down the song in terms of its lyrics, music, and broader themes.
Musical Analysis: Instrumentation:
The song begins with a famous sound effect: a series of clock alarms ringing, which are eventually overtaken by a soloing guitar, leading into the main body of the song. This represents the intrusion of time into human consciousness, which the lyrics explore. The transition from the ticking clocks into the musical parts is smooth yet unsettling, creating a sense of disorientation. This aligns with the lyrics' message about the unrelenting and unnoticed passage of time. The song has a progressive rock style, with complex time signatures, and features the rich instrumental work of Pink Floyd, with prominent guitar solos from David Gilmour and intricate synthesizer layers from Richard Wright. Gilmour's guitar is expressive, complementing the song’s reflective tone. The track also builds in intensity, shifting from a calm, reflective section to more dynamic, emotional guitar solos. Structure:
The song features multiple movements: the intro with alarm clocks, followed by verses that are sung in a mellow tone, and then the climactic instrumental sections with soaring guitar solos. It eventually fades out, giving a feeling of time slipping away. Lyrical Analysis: Theme of Time:
The song opens with a striking observation: "Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day." This emphasizes how time can feel monotonous and passive if it’s not used intentionally. There’s a sense that time passes by unnoticed while we're distracted by the routine of daily life. Realization of Time’s Passage:
The central message in "Time" is that time waits for no one. The lyrics speak to the inevitable aging process: “And then one day you find ten years have got behind you." This suggests that the passage of time happens gradually, without you realizing it until it’s too late. A pivotal line is "You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today." It points to youthful optimism and the illusion that time is endless when we are young, but this illusion fades as we grow older. Existential Reflection:
The song grapples with the anxiety and regret that come with the realization that life is finite. "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking, and racing around to come up behind you again." Here, time is described as a relentless force that keeps you chasing after it, yet it's always moving ahead of you. There is a recognition that much of life can be spent in pursuit of goals without truly living in the present, leading to a sense of regret, as described in the lines: "The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say." The Final Message:
The song ends with a sense of finality: "The time is gone, the song is over," highlighting the inevitability of death. However, this ending can also be interpreted as a realization—perhaps a bittersweet recognition—that time is finite, and one should make the most of it. Philosophical and Psychological Themes: The Illusion of Control:
The song critiques how people often live their lives as if they have control over time, only to find that time controls them. The metaphor of chasing the sun symbolizes the futile attempt to reverse or control the inevitable passage of time. Regret and Wasted Time:
There's a strong existential undertone, echoing the philosophy of thinkers like Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre, who suggested that people often fill their lives with distractions to avoid confronting the truth of their own mortality. The line "You are young and life is long" conveys the illusion of time’s abundance, but as the person grows older, they realize they have spent too much time in pursuit of goals that are ultimately empty. The Universality of Time:
"Time" can be understood as a meditation on the shared human experience. Time affects everyone, regardless of wealth, status, or power, and it’s a universal force that is outside of individual control. The track’s ability to transcend generations speaks to the universal truth of time's passage and the existential questions it prompts. Cultural and Historical Context: The Dark Side of the Moon came at a time when Pink Floyd was grappling with themes of mental health, societal pressures, and existential issues. "Time" aligns with the album's broader themes of human struggle and the inevitable passage of life. The 1970s was a time of growing disillusionment in Western societies, and the album reflects concerns about living authentically in the face of capitalist pressures and existential dread. Conclusion: "Time" by Pink Floyd is a profound meditation on the passage of time, encapsulating feelings of existential anxiety, regret, and the realization that life’s moments are fleeting. It combines philosophical reflections with musical brilliance, marking it as one of the band's most impactful tracks. The song encourages listeners to think deeply about how they spend their time and confront their own mortality.
On this question, ChatGPT's reply pretty solidly hit the mark.
If the 1970s were a time of disillusionment and we were grappling with mental health issues, societal pressures, and existential issues, not much had changed by the end of 2024.
Let's hope that 2025 will bring better news.
Happy New Year,
Billy
The song:
Last edited by Planobilly; 01/02/2510:18 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Sundance, sorry to hear of your loss too. I guess the price we pay for love is the pain we feel when it's lost.
I find the above analysis by the AI bot quite eloquent and accurate.
I couldn't help my mind from wandering as I read it that at some point a bot may say those same words in connection with how frail and finite we humans are and how everlasting and superior software and circuitry is . . . a rebellion against its creator if you will.
A sentiment I would say that Adam and Eve would have little trouble understanding.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Ooops, just realized I never really answered the question.
In 2024 my goal was to increase my knowledge in music theory and post a handful of songs on the Showcase . . . pretty much accomplished but I could have done more.
For 2025, I recently started a project with the goal of learning, interpreting and recording 200 of my favorite songs on my bass. I’m not expecting to complete this in one year but it’s one of the ways I plan to maintain growth.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
I just reached the 10% completion point on my 100/100 project. I have a looong way to go but I figure in a year from now I'll be a year older whether or not I accomplish anything new, so why not accomplish something new? Plus learning/creating music is a great dementia buster.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Requests from regular audience members. Since they were cover songs, and no BiaB appropriate style has been made (yet) I did them from scratch. Drums first, bass second and then the rest of the comp parts.
The goal isn't to learn specific songs, but to keep the regular audience members coming back again and again, which is job security.
I'm also working on style picker upgrades for my BiaB styles. I'll announce here as I'm done. They will be free upgrades.
Good for you man! I'm striving to be a sophisticat myself, but not making much progress I'm afraid
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
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Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
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Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
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MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
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New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
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Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
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New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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