Hello forum Members. My latest offering is based around a medical episode I had/have recently, and this is why I've been a little absent on the forum lately, my apologies. Nothing too serious, I'm sure I've been a little self indulgent with this one, and should count my blessings. For someone who is on the whole healthy, when something catches you off guard and off your feet, it makes you consider your mortality. I'm all good, and I realise it's all in my head in, just got to work through it. I'm not sure if I even like this song, I've been working on it for quite a while, and they do wear thin after a while. The vocals are a bit fragile, but I guess that lends to the subject matter. I'd be interested if listeners are hearing enough variation in my songs, I don't want to get stuck in the same vein all the while.
Thank you for listening and your feedback, kind regards.
Lyrics: Laid down beneath an aging Jacaranda, Sky above weighed down where I lay. Hold on to daylight and not fade to grey. Earth spinning faster, focus started to wander. Unsteady, grasping for breathe, feeling uneasy, An angry racing heart, pounding my chest within. Time, body and mind diverge, aflood with adrenaline. No longer twenty-three, time to back off, take it easy.
Wake up call, coming through loud and clear, howling in my ear. Wake up call, the universe is telling me, you’re no longer twenty-three, I got my wake up call.
Left alone with my high anxiety, Muddling my senses with it’s false narrative. Sleep don’t come easy, lord give me sedative. Mind stuck in fight or flight just won’t let me be. Lay my head on the pillow, not feeling too sleepy, A loud troubled heart, thumping in my temple. Time, body and mind converge, aflood with cortisol. Tell myself I’m gonna be alright, dwelling on my vulnerability.
Wake up call, coming through loud and clear, howling in my ear. Wake up call, the universe is telling me, you’re no longer twenty-three, Wake up call, wake up call, wake up call. No longer twenty-three, I’m sixty-three that’s my vulnerability . I got my wake up call.
BIAB Info.
Style is _CEDAR.STY (Cedar Woodblock Acoustic Praise) RealTracks in style: 1255:Bass, Electric, PopShiningA-B Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 1277:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopUpliftA-B Ev16 120 RealTracks in style: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealDrums in style:PraiseWorshipShine-01-SCHt,SRCy [Multi]
Real Instruments: Seagull Coastline Electro-acoustic - rhythm Vox - yours truly BVs - me too.
Welcome back! Sorry for your recent medical episode, glad it wasn't too serious. Many of us have had that wake up call telling us we weren't 23 (or 53) any more. Sounds like you've put it in the right perspective, which is of course important.
Cool song! That Seagull sounds great early on, and sets up the rest of the tune nicely. Super harmonic progression and strong arrangement to keep momentum throughout this long-ish song form. Think your vocals are perfect for the tune. "Fragile" works perfectly.
Great example of making lemonade when all you have are lemons. Nice one!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Hi Lee! I wondered when you were going to post next - and this is a good re-entry. We’ll have to give it a strum next time we meet. That initial chord change I - III (e.g. C - Emajor) is the gift that keeps on giving and never grows tired - well deployed by you. I like that piano break in the middle - some very tasty notes in there. Listened three times already.
One question - is that you (with FX) or the missus in the intro?
Lee, Great intro. "No longer twenty-three, time to back off, take it easy" what great line that I can relate. Great vocals, guitar, and mix. As I have had a wake up call I can relate to the entire song. I loved everything about this song.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Good autobiographical lyrics and story, beautifully and openly told. Real life (unfortunately too often) writes the best stories. Good to hear that your life is (more or less, I guess) back to normal, whatever normal is...
I’d like to take the credit for playing the Seagull early on, but in fact it’s the Realtrack for the intro and first verse. The Seagull comes in when the bass does and it’s overpowered by the bass as I tried to imply a sense of foreboding in the second verse. Then the chorus comes in and the Seagull is a bit more prominent. I think you’re right that the fragile vocals work well with the subject. I recorded them whilst I was still in that worried headspace and it adds to the feel.
Thank you for your listens and review. I’ve caught you out buddy, that initial chord change is C to Cmaj7. I just played C to E major, whilst that works, C to Cmaj7 has that little bit of extra melancholy to it. As per the message to DC Ron, I can’t claim credit for the piano either, that’s BIAB too. I did think about putting a solo in the break, but I gave it to the Piano because as you say, there were a few tasty notes in there.Yep, we’ll definitely give it a crack at the next meet. Alas, I again can’t take credit for the opening or give credit to the missus, it’s a sound bite off the net. It would be ironic though if it were her, as if anything it would be me waking her to stop her snoring!!
Yes, the intro and first verse came up well, and as I mentioned in a prior post, up until that point it’s all BIAB. I said in other reviews that singing, playing, writing and recording is great therapy, and I felt I needed to get this song “out of my system” as part of my recovery and mental healing.
Im glad you could relate to it, and that enjoyed the song. Hope all is good for you after your wake up call. Much love buddy.
Thank for the listen and kind words. I can’t agree more about real life writing the best stories, good or bad. Yeah, getting back to normal mentally can take a while after the physical event, but really mine was minor compared to what other people go through. But it does hammer home, to not take things for granted and live in the moment.
Many on this forum are no longer 23, and health problems often appear with age. So you need to take care of yourself by maintaining a healthy lifestyle: a balanced diet and regular physical activity. It sounds silly, but many people believe that age has no effect on them, but unfortunately, that's a denial of reality. When you accept this and correct certain harmful lifestyle habits, you often feel much better as you get older.
Jacarandas can be spectacular can't they? A lovely canopy to sit under. Cool song and mix. Some of the intro percussion could be softened with some reverb but that's just me. At my age, 68, every thing, from putting things in the dish washer to mowing, is a wake up call. Once the songs settles in your vocal is perfect in it's slightly fragile emotional state.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Yes agreed, Jacarandas are beautiful in flower. The street we moved into 12 or so years ago are lined with them. Come November/December here in Australia, they come into flower and drop their flowers. It prompted my daughter, having come from England five years prior, to comment upon seeing all flowers on the road, “look, purple snow!”
Thank you for the listen and review. Yep, we have to consider our next action at our age, we don’t know what’s going to hurt or drop off!
Very cool, Lee. The fragility you mention in the vocal effectively delivers the lyrics that can draw out gobs of empathy from even the youngest listener. It sounds like something John Lennon would've written and played in his white piano room if he lived long enough. I like Beth's comment on Harrison too. Yeah, when the song progresses with the harmony I hear the Wilbury's too.
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
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.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
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!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 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!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
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.
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