Finally been able to record something with my own vocals again! I wrote this a few weeks ago but I've not been too well, so I was glad to finally be able to actually put the song together.
I have found that there it is so much harder to put together a song with a vocal recorded at home than the vocal samples I've been working with. My singing is improving but I still struggle with pitch control but it's also the other sounds in the room which is making it harder to mix it all. I'm not sure if the microphone is part of the problem as well. I've used a De-Verb plugin on this one but it's hard to get the balance right between removing the sounds in the room and taking away from the vocal performance. Any tips for improving recordings at home will definitely be appreciated!
I mixed this in Studio One and used the CLA Vocals plugin and a saturator plugin on the vocals as well as Waves Tune for pitch correction. I also used Waves AudioTrack on the instruments and the vocal, I do like that plugin for compression and EQ.
_NEONROK.STY. Neon 80's Rock w/ Synths RD: RETROPOP^08-a:Bass, LoudSnare, b:Bass, HardSnare :Ed (Great Oz) Clare RT639: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockThrash Ev 085 , Darin Favorite RT642: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockThrashHollow Ev 085 , Mike Durham RT2324: Synth, Rhythm Rock80s Ev 120 , Miles Black
Lyrics: When I look right through the crowd I can see that you're standing alone And you're looking right back at me
I take the time to catch my breath And find the courage to take a step Cause somehow I know we're meant to be
Now that I've found you I know that I see
When I look in your eyes I hope that I Find The future in your eyes I can leave the past behind
As I move across the room I don't know what it is that I should do But so much is said without words
I can't picture the words to say But it doesn't matter anyway Cause you take my hand and speak first
Now that you've found me I hope that you see
When you look in my eyes I hope that you Find The future in my eyes And you can leave the past behind
When I look in your eyes I hope that I Find The future in your eyes I can leave the past behind
And when you look in my eyes I hope deep down that you find The future in my eyes Cause when I look in your eyes I know what it is that I find I can leave the past behind
When I look in your eyes I hope that I Find The future in your eyes I can leave the past behind
There are reflection filters for reducing room reverb, but as this video points out, what you really want to do is minimize the reflections that are coming in from in back of you. If you can somehow hang a blanket behind you, that can be pretty effective. So can placing the microphone in a clothes closet, albeit often not very convenient.
Oversaturating your vocals makes sense in this style, but personally I think your voice sounds better without effects.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure I have any way of hanging a blanket behind me at the minute. But I've ordered one of those things Rustyspoon recommended. Hopefully it'll help!
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure I have any way of hanging a blanket behind me at the minute. But I've ordered one of those things Rustyspoon recommended. Hopefully it'll help!
It's isn't perfect but it's a cheap start & portable etc. I use a pop filter and screen that curves across the back of the mic. I'm lucky enough to have a room for my noise and it's filled to the brim with stuff including book shelves and 1000s of cds to help diffuse any reflected sound. I also have a couple of bass traps etc. The more stuff in a room the better - the more uneven surfaces and soft things to break up & partly absorb stuff the better too. Better still is an uneven room with bass traps for the corners, diffusers, clouds and good monitoring but that's expensive and unattractive in the living room or spare room in rented premises. Rustyspoon uses one and his vocals are pretty clean.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
There's a lot of skill on show here from creating the song through to arranging it, performing it and producing it. You've got talent!
In relation to recording... my setup is similar to rayc's. I have a mic with a sponge rubber semi-circle behind it (to absorb some sound echos) and a pop filter in front of the mic.
Recently, I've also started using 'subtracting' background noise in Reaper using a Reaper plugin called ReaFir. I like this.
With this plugin, what I do is to find a section of vocal track where the mic is on and recording and there no vocals. I then build up a noise-frequency profile of this section and subtract those frequencies from my vocal. I find this works well. If you are interested in how this is done, have a look at the 13 minute video clip below...
That's a good suggestion, hopefully that plugin works in Studio One and I can give that a try. I've been using the SPL De-Verb Pugin and it's OK but it seems to take a lot away from the vocal when you set it at any high levels.
Thank you very much for the positive feedback and taking the time to listen to the song. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you very much for taking the time to listen and give feedback. I've put together a slight remix with different effects on the vocals but I'm not sure which version is better so I thought I'd link it on here.
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!
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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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows 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 Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows 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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 60 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until December 31, 2025. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49. Browse the full contents of each package and listen to demos here.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
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Note: 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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 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.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
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I thought it flowed nicely, and you made good use of those RealTracks. Nicely catchy as well. Thanks for sharing!
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