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Soundcloud: Love's a danger
Intro
Written way back in April 2001, this song has sat dormant patiently awaiting my attention. Recently, after seeing videos from Henry Clarke and JackDogDude, I chose to use the song as a project in which the accompaniment, recording and mixing was completely done in Band-in-a-Box. (I normally export the BIAB backing into Cakewalk and record, replace, arrange and mix there.) The flute solo is a special highlight for me, generated Soloist. I haven't gone anywhere near a DAW for this song, or used any third party plugin or software.

One could never have imagined adding a cowbell, shaker and tambourine (in addition to the drums in the style) could be so problematic. In the end, I created a drum map in StyleMaker with the cowbell, shaker and tambourine patterns, then exported the drum track as audio, then reverted to the chosen Style _GUAJIRA and imported the cowbell et al audio into utility track 4, having to timeshift it and apply volume automation to adjust levels in parts. I did try using a Loop for the cowbell, but the one I had available in BIAB was only crotchet beats, so not enough variation for what I wanted.

Anywho, I am pretty happy with the outcome and learned a few new BIAB features along the way. However, I think I will go back to the BIAB and DAW combo next time.

Band-in-a-Box info
Key=C , Tempo 120, Length (m:s)=2:56
Style is _GUAJIRA.STY (Guajira Trio)
RealTracks in style: 1958:Bass, Baby, Guajira Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 1959:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Guajira Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 1960:Tres, Rhythm Guajira Ev 120
RealDrums in style:SalsaGuajira^1-a:BongoFills, b:Bells
Flute:704:Flute, Soloist Bossa Ev 140 [Soloist] + BIAB reverb
Utility track 1 - Main vocal recorded in BIAB - panned centre vol 94 and volume automation in Audio Edit window; added BIAB 5-band EQ, BIAB dynamics, BIAB reverb
Utility track 2 - 2nd vocal recorded in BIAB - centre vol 42 and volume automation
Utility track 3 - 3 vocal recorded in BIAB - centre vol 44 and volume automation
Utility track 4 - Cowbell, shaker, tambourine - I created a new drum map style, exported as audio, then imported into this UT with some time-shifting to align correctly and volume automation.
Utility track 5 - Backing vocal recorded in BIAB and audio edited
Utility track 6 - Backing vocal recorded in BIAB and audio edited
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Lyrics
INTRO

VERSE 1
Life has taught me it’s a risk – love’s a danger
It’s a world where we go unprepared – love is strange
I don’t quite know why everybody tries
Lovers are at risk – I say that much is plain

VERSE 2
Place your heart out on your sleeve – love’s a danger
On your forehead place a sign that says “Do me in”
Laughter turns to crying, lovers want to die
Who deserves this danger, this heartache and this pain?

BRIDGE
Love is a game, we roll the dice, it’s hard to explain
It’s such a stupid game and still I play again
Roll... once more, and hope you have something to gain
You roll once more

SOLO (flute)

BRIDGE 2
Dance in the rain, to a lover’s wistful refrain
It still keeps pouring I still keep listening
Take ... a vow, loving is worth it again
I make my vows

VERSE 3
Life has taught me it’s a risk – love’s a danger
It’s a world where we go unprepared – love is strange
I don’t quite know why everybody tries
Lovers are at risk – but it’s worth it just the same

Yeah, BIAB is a decent DAW for those who have learnt it and live within it but pulling thing into it always causes me grief.
It's a brilliant starting place though.
The song is pretty cool...I think your voice could be "warmed up" with some EQ and more reverb but it sits in the mix well.
WELL DONE

Thank you Ray!
When you say 'warmed up', were you thinking more mids, or something else? I was cautious with the reverb on the main vocal because I listened to it solo many times, and probably got scared off doing too much because of that, but I think the reverb that is on it has disappeared in the mix.
Andrew D

Youtube: Love's a danger

For those that prefer a video, I have just uploaded it.

Andrew D

Yeah, don't ya love Henry Clarke? Cowbell and all poercussion can change any song or part thereof in a special visceral way. Yeah, I'm with ya on that flute solo, Andrew. I love the feel of this one. Well done. It's amazing what this program in the hands like yours can sound like stripped of all the plugins.

Andrew, hey, this turned out GREAT for leftovers! LOVE your vocals and especially your BGVs. Really like the way the bossa theme plays under the vocals, too. That flute solo was inspired. All mixed and mastered perfectly.

I've tried your experiment half a dozen times but failed to complete the mission even once. Just too many simple things (like cowbells) that I know how to do effortlessly in a DAW but take (me) WAY too long in BiaB. So hats off to you!

Right from when I wrote the song back in 2001, I was struck by the effect of the cowbell - I can't remember which style I wrote in originally as I saved the style under a different name, but I think it was one of the original ZZBOSSA variants.
Andrew D

Thanks Ron! I've got quite a few more in my back catalogue and spending my retirement years (in part) working through these, so one day, the grandkids will say "Granddad was a songwriter". Regarding the flute, the Soloist struck gold on that one - as soon as I heard it, I froze the track. I'm not sure if your IKEA ads in your domicile used to play an ad where a customer thunk they had a bargain and would yell out to their partner "Start the car! Start the car!" to make a quick getaway. That's what it felt like to me on hearing the Soloist flute ... "Freeze the track! Freeze the track!"

Regarding mixing, I have a go, so thanks for the feedback on that. Sometimes when mixing, I am susceptible to 'imposter syndrome' - feeling like I am fudging my way.

Andrew D

Andrew, I really enjoyed this. I esp liked the overlapping in the bridge area—very creative sort of call and response—great idea! The unique soundscape of this immediately gets your attention, and I’m so glad to see an artist go out of the box like this. I wish I had your technical skill with UTs, blended style elements, etc…Very impressed! Great work!

Thank you Tom for your generous words, but besides the songwriting, adding cowbell, shaker and tambourine, the rest came down to making use of an excellent Style that BIAB had available, and a wonderful Soloist.

So great that I live in an era where this sort of tech can support me as a not-so-talented musician but with plenty of ideas I want to express.
Andrew D