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My older brother, Tom, asked me to write a song about him. He loves the ocean, beaches, and summer, so this is what I came up with. I used Band in a Box for rhythm guitar and drums. Bob Bentley played lead guitars and keyboards. He gave it a Doors (Ray Manzerek) and Carlos Santana feel that I love. https://www.johnwalradt.com/music/songs/summerday-master2026jan05.mp3SUMMER DAY Words and music by John Walradt I miss the wind and the water The days are getting warmer now Days of summer, I’m gonna write you a letter It’ll never get to you in this kind of weather. Oh, she has golden hair And she dances with the sun Like she doesn’t even care. Beaches, silver sandy beaches You know the ocean well and all that it teaches, Girls gather smiles on the sand And they make time disappear With the wave of a hand. Oh, she has golden hair And she dances with the sun Like she doesn’t even care. Days turn to sleepless nights Parties and apartments Blue and yellow basement lights, And your life is reflected in the bay And it melts into the morning Of another summer day. Summer day, summer day, summer day.
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Joined: Mar 2025
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Joined: Mar 2025
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Hi John!
Definitely a summer vibe - the instruments and ooo BVs - created a shimmering heat feeling. Lots of gems throughout the song that all add listening appeal. In addition to The Doors and Santana, I also heard The Zombies in the vocal, Shocking Blue ‘Venus’ and some Seals and Crofts - all which adds up to a super song! Well done to you and Bob.
I’m going back for another listen!
Andrew
PS Which BIAB RealTracks did you use? I ask because forum members may choose to use it on a song of their own if they like it.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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John, definitely a Santana groove - loved it.
Super "Manzerek keys" compliment the groove perfectly
Great vocal and harmonies.
Excellent guitar chops.
All mixed to perfection.
Loved it
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Hi, Andrew. Thank you very much!
I picked these from Style: EMOTION.STY (Emotional Rock w/ Strings)
RealTracks in style: 995:Bass, Electric, HardRockLA Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 4198:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking SongwriterGentleFolkRock Ev 100
RealDrums in style:RockHardEven8^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
When Bob Bentley (a good friend from the UK who was on Broadjam) heard it, he wanted to play guitars and keyboards on it. Solohead from Ukraine on FiveRR did the vocals.
I noticed last night after coming back to this site (which I mistakenly thought was defunct) I was surprised to see how many posts there were for "Stay Here Now" and I recognized your name this morning. I chanced upon how to get all instruments and information by just highlighting the thin window in the instrument bar, pressing CTRL-C, and it gave me the following summary:
[Song] [Title Stay Here Now]
[File Stay Here Now.SGU]
[Key A ] [Tempo 98] [Form 1-71*1]
[.Sty _JBALLAD.STY] [Style Classic J-Pop Ballad]
[Summary]
****** Song Summary *************
Title: Stay Here Now
File:Stay Here Now.SGU
Key=A , Tempo 98, Length (m:s)=3:03
No intro. 71 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 71. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Tempo,Volume Changes,
Style is _JBALLAD.STY (Classic J-Pop Ballad)
RealTracks in style: ~700:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesPush Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 892:Piano, Acoustic, Solo-Accompaniment PopLiverpool Ev 065 (A-simple)
RealTracks in song: 1596:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 065
RealTracks in song: 2975:Vocal Oohs-Aahs, Rhythm Pop3-part Ev 085
RealTracks in song: ~1118:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 3063:Vocal Aahs, Rhythm Pop3-part Ev 085
RealDrums in Song:PopSyncSw16^01-a:ClosedHat, Snare , b:ClosedHat, RollingSnare
*******************
[SummaryEnd]
[Chords]
|a) A| Asus| A| Asus|
|a) A| D/A| AMaj7| D/A| A| D/A| AMaj7| D/A|
| AMaj7| D/A| AMaj7| D/A| AMaj7| D/A... / Esus E| A| Asus|
|a) A| D/A| AMaj7| D/A| A| D/A| AMaj7| D/A|
| AMaj7| D/A| AMaj7| D/A| AMaj7| D/A... / Esus E| A| Asus|
|a) AMaj7| Abm7| AMaj7| Abm7| Bm| A| D| Esus|
| F G / /|
|a) C| Dm9| CMaj7| Dm9| C| Dm9| CMaj7| Dm9|
| CMaj7| Dm9| CMaj7| Dm9| CMaj7| Dm9... / Gm G| C| C|
|a) CMaj7| Dm9| CMaj7| Dm9| CMaj7| Dm9... / Gm G| C| C|
| CMaj7| Dm9|end) CMaj7|
[ChordsEnd]
[Lyrics]
[LyricsEnd]
[SongEnd]
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Hi, Mario. I recognized you from my post of "Stay Here Now," too. As I apologized in previous posts, I mistakenly thought this website group was defunct last fall but that was probably a few errors I made in trying to access it. I got posts from the early 2000s and nothing recent, so I forgot about it. Then last night, I chanced on it to see several people responded. Thank you for your comments! The guitar chops come from Bob Bentley, a good friend in the UK. The funny thing is that Band in a Box was despised by the purists on Broadjam but now I see a lot of members on there are using AI! I'm not a fan of AI as it charges into copyright issues big time whereas a software like Band in a Box is royalty free and its use depends on our originality.
John
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Super sophisticated sound you've got going on this song John, it's a winner.
I really get the Santana feel. Really nice vocal, super smooth, and i'm really partial to those BVs ooohs! Super mix and production, really clear and everything where it should be. You've set yourself a high bar, but looking forward to your future songs.
Most excellent, kind regards.
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Hi, KW. Thank you very much! The sophisticated sound is the genius of Bob Bentley, a very good friend in a small town along the south shore of Britain. On top of the tracks I had, he played lead guitars and keyboards, then mixed the works. Solohead from Ukraine did the vocals. We manage to do all this on tiny budgets. With Bob on there, I'm not sure I could raise such a bar on my own. That's the dilemma of a songwriter with poor physical coordination. I just use a guitar for composing, not recording. That's where Band in a Box comes in! I was so delighted to be introduced to this software! I'll be sure to listen to more of your tunes as well. Thank you again!
John
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Good song, immediately reminds me of the old song "Summertime", probably because of the similarities in the melody. I like how you bring in the Santana vibe, it really suits the song, as does the singer. Good selection of instruments, beautifully arranged and mixed - nothing to complain about. Well done ![[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]](https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/images/icons/default/thumbs_up.gif)
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Hi John. Great vibe with this one. Very good production, vox, guitars! I like it!
Paul
BIAB 2025
Intel i7-4790K, Win10 Pro, 16GB Ram
1TB OS, 2TB Audio, 1TB Samples
Focusrite Scarlett 16i16 4th Gen
Cakewalk Sonar, 64 bit
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The beginning reminded me of Venus by Shocking Blue, but a bit slower. It's quite a nice reference. The song is very good; the vocals and backing vocals are beautiful, as are the guitar arrangements.
Laurent
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All the elements of a good song are here: good melody, lyrics, vocal and instrumental performance. I didn't hear influences so much, I felt like the song had its own unique vibe. Great work!
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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Thank you, TM! It's reassuring to be in a group where the core of a song, music and lyrics, matter the most, and you certainly recognize that. I've been around enough production divas to know that you can only dress up a mediocre song only so much. I'll look around and give your songs a listen as well.
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Thank you, PG. I started off with a lot of Band in the Box tracks which worked nicely. Then I decided to just keep the rhythm guitar and it was pretty nice. Then Bob said he'd really like to work on it. I always start with several Band in a Box tracks and I usually end up that way. There are just a few songs where I delete some tracks.
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Hi, Laurent. I like the song, "Venus," which was twice a #1 hit. I'll take it! It was an enjoyable song to work on. Thank you much! John
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
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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, and much more!
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With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
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Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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- 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)
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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