The Maldives The Dream Islands become the scene of the karmic love of the soul mate of the tour guide Salia and the local Mohamed. In an odyssey, she battles her heart against culture and religion, and ultimately against herself, against the backdrop of one of the world's last paradises. Love knows no fear. Let your faith in it grow like a flower. Give it water, let the sun shine on it and take care of it. At night you will not be able to see it, but it is still there. It will take time, but you will get a sign ... - "
The song is based on the book PARADIESLEBEN by my girlfriend and author PETRA RIEWE. LIVING IN PARADISE shows only a part of this incredible true story.
When I told DJ LEKICH about my new project, I could only present him with a relatively poor demo. But he went along with it right away anyway. With his help, we first put the song on a completely new musical foundation. When DJ then presented his first vocal track, it was clear that we were on the right path. As a bass player, only Marty came to mind. I knew his great playing style would give the background track the right touch. But I also needed string accompaniment. Especially for the big finale of the song. Since my musical skills are not sufficient for something like that, I asked Shigeki if he would like to join the project. Fortunately, he said yes, because his brilliant work was the missing piece of the puzzle for a fantastic song. I hope you like it as much as we do.
This project has been an extraordinary amount of fun. I would like to thank everyone involved for the great collaboration. ANDI ;-)
Can you hear the waves of the ocean They’re telling us all about our life There are so many fantastic emotions And the love between us must survive
But it’s not too late To say the words to you And I’m feeling happy Cause the words are true
And now I’ll wait Wait for your answer I’ll wait for your smile
We are living in paradise And now I’m ready to sacrifice I’m still loving you Still loving you
I hope that you can change your view So that our dreams can all come true I’m still loving you Still loving you
Look to the sky stars are shining for us Every light a reason for our love Fate’s the only thing that we can trust And for a perfect life you are enough
But it’s not too late To say the words to you And I’m feeling happy Cause the words are true
And now I’ll wait Wait for your answer I’ll wait for your smile
We are living in paradise And now I’m ready to sacrifice I’m still loving you Still loving you
I hope that you can change your view So that our dreams can all come true I’m still loving you Still loving you
We are living in paradise And now I’m ready to sacrifice I’m still loving you Still loving you
Our emotions are jumping high Flying fishes for a lullaby I’m still loving you I’m still loving you
****** Song Summary ************* Title: LivingInParadiseV2 File:LivingInParadiseV2.SGU Key=D , Tempo 80, Length (m:s)=4:45 1 bar intro, 90 bar chorus, from bar 2 to bar 91. Repeat x1 chorus Melody has 2429 notes, Melody harmony is <no harmony>(0) Soloist track has 524 notes, Soloist harmony is <no harmony>(0) Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0, Song is saved with bar changes for Styles,Volume Changes,RealDrums Changes, Style is _HARTBRK.STY
RealTracks in style: 1839:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075 RealTracks in song: ~~365:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 085 RealTracks in style: 1831:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopModernGrooveBrightA-B Ev16 075 RealTracks in song: 1037:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm NorthernRockBallad Ev 065 RealTracks in song: 3438:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritPsycPopBallad Ev 065 RealTracks in song: 1543:Synth Pad, PopBelieve Ev16 065 RealDrums in song: RockBritDrivingEv16^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
Pretty song with a great intro! I like the different type of chord structure in the verses! Nice work with your synth sounds! Vocals sound really good Deej! Marty once again delivers some great bass work! Andi, I feel this is some of your best work that I've heard! It's a very good song!
Thanks, Torrey
Edit: I didn't realize that the strings were done by Shigeki. They are wonderfully done!
We enjoyed the backstory and know you must be very proud of your girlfriend’s book.
Deej’s passionate lyric interpretation is great. Marty’s bass is smooth as butter. Shigeki’s strings truly were the icing on the cake.
And, of course, your lyric and BiaB tracks are the wonderful cake. Great drums and a very good mix.
Awesome collaboration!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos are here on our website.
Andi...what a gorgeous piece of music...and super arrangement...Deej's vocals are killer and you can never go wrong with Marty playing bass...I love ethereal songs with sound effects if their done right and the ocean sounds are so appropriate to lead in and out of the song...love the melody and you're right the strings always cap off a soaring chorus...just super all round!! BRAVO!...Dan
www.soundclick.com/firesong BiaB 2024, Steinberg Cubase Pro 13, Wavelab 11.2, SpetraLayers Pro 10, Audacity, Steinberg UR44 Interface, Yamaha Genos, Roland FP60 and FP10, Windows 10
You are who you are because you do what you do because of what you believe.
Great collaboration. The vocal is a little strident and could be EQ'd to deal with that, (some where between 750Hz & 1.2Khz), though it might also be the result of limiter clipping - it's a hot mix.Lots of dunamics - so not brickwalled or crushed but HOT. Shigeki's strings are cool & inventive as always, Marty's bass is solid with the right notes in the right places and cool phrasing, Deej's voice and expression are always a joy. Very cool song Andi. The backstory made me think I was reading a Justanoldmuso post for a moment but it didn't end in caveats so was refreshing.
Lyrically the "...I'm still loving..." bothers me as it suggests impermanence or, even worse, a situation that'll change if circumstances don't suit the narrator. That's just me grinding against modern idioms like impermanent verbs and "being there".
The whole mix is solid though the rhythm section does come in quite strongly & suddenly plus the rim shot is really loud and dominant.
The intro sound FX were, to me, vaguely amusing/ominous given that The Maldives is slowly, but inexorably, being inundated by rising sea levels.
I came back to listen again as it's a sweet song. I tried to tame the distortion/clipping and the rim shot with EQ across the stereo mix. It was interesting that with everything flat and no gain it popped into the red a fair bit. with the EQ subtraction it wasn't as often so the unpleasant sounds may be in the player rather than the mastering but the high level would cause that in most players until the volume is reached for. I've inserted an image of the EQ I used. The deep notch for the rim shot is over doing it but all I could do in a stereo mix...in the mixing project it's be a simple level thing I assume.
Last edited by rayc; 07/18/2204:30 PM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Well you did it again, finding the right musicians for your song. You are very good at that! And they are very good in what they did, Marty, Deej and Shigeki!
I enjoyed the song and it's build upo very much. At first Deej sings a bit under his favorite key, but that was needed for the finale. And what a finale it was! Marty is always steady in what he does. Playing the bass creativly. And Shigeki's strings were indispensable in this epic song. Still, the thunder at the end didn't promise much good...
Hi Andi really great work on this peace the best to date so well done love it thanks for sharing Eric
AMD (TM) 5950 4.9 GHz 16Core Processor 64 bit 32 bits of ram windows 10 pro 64 bit os. sound card Antelope ZenQ guitars Ibanez 2202a 1968 les Paul Custom and Cavin ae 185 Guitar boss Gt-100,GT1000 pedal Yamaha HS8 studio monitors
Very nice to read that you have got so many talented musicians to join your project. The end result sound really good, excellent collaboration, everything and everybody works together, romantic story with beautiful melody, enjoyable chord progression and great selection of instruments and artists. Deej's vocals are great as always, but I agree with Hans that the song key was bit low for his range.
Fantastic Andi. Great ideas and loved the process - two writers to draw from with you and your girlfriend make a great and original story. You cannot ever go wrong with Deej on vocals. The mix was perfect (IMHO). Marty always puts down a great bass line, but I loved the way you had it stand out in the mix - and the strings - terrific! The modulation at the end was great, and though I didn't understand if the thunder was trying to bring out something more of the story, but I hadn't expected the ocean outro and it sounded good. Another great collaboration project!
3m12secs on very nice....loved the high vocs at the song outtro.
happiness. om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 07/20/2212:14 PM.
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.)
Hi Torrey Thanks for your great words To get praise from such a top musician is already great I think I speak for everyone involved when I say I'm glad you enjoyed it. By the way: If I had composed the string accompaniment, your feedback would not have been so positive ;-)))) Many greetings Andi ;-)
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.
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.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
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!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
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!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, 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, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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