|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62 |
Hey All, This is my third song creating the music tracks using Real Band, I am really having fun experimenting with all it has to offer. Now that I think I got it the way I want it to sound, I am hoping for some constructive comments from you all, as I value your ideas. This is a traditional song called “angels watching over me” – which I wanted something whimsical, BUT a country sound to it. I am also doing the backing vocals. I always struggle with that, as I tend to always hear the lead and always have to do alot of re-takes to sing the right notes...  Let me know what you think! Here is the link to the song: www.dannyriddle.com/AngelsWatchingOverMe-VOCAL.MP3THANKS! Danny www.DannyRiddle.com
Last edited by DRiddle; 03/14/09 08:29 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,630
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,630 |
Hi Danny, WOW!!! That song sounds like it's out of a recording studio. A very professional effort. You've got a great voice. Please treat the below comments as "ideas" because what you have is really good. The below thoughts are how I heard the work on that important first occasion. (Cn = nth chorus, Vn = nth verse) - Intro: Excellent stuff
- C1: Excellent, well balanced
- V1: Excellent, well balanced
- C2: I really love the harmonica though I'd soften it a little as occasionally it sounds in the foreground rather than background. Have you tried compression to even the sound out a little? The volume of the harmonica drew my hearing to that instrument rather than keeping me focused on the vocals. This acted to reduce the power of the vocals.
- V2: I'd soften the banjo a little (or maybe adjust compression so that peaks are less noticeable).
- C3: The fiddle seems a little loud to my hearing because of the octave it's placed in; I'd try reducing it by 0.5 - 1.0 dB.
- C4 & C5 - A very uplifting sound that really got my foot tapping. There's a great deal happening and my ear was not quite sure what to listen to. To me, it sounded like Banjo, Fiddle, Harmonica, and Vocals were all in the foreground and fighting for attention. I'd experiment with reducing the banjo so that it was more aligned with the background rather than foreground. This should help to make the vocals a little clearer. Rightly or wrongly, the principle that I use is that the foreground is reserved for either vocals or solo instrument (just one) and everything else serves to highlight and focus the listener's attention to what's in the foreground. That being said, though, I'm still a novice in this area
- General Groove/Feel: Brilliant. 10/10
I hope I haven't come across as being super-critical because what you have is excellent. As mentioned, the above impressions are from my first listen. I always put a lot of faith in that first listen because that's the time I hear a song without any preconceived notions. Congratulations on a great job. Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62 |
Hey Noel, Never feel like you are being super-critical, it's all about sharing and learning. I am a novice too and you are pointing me in the right direction, my problem is that when I hear that harmonica/fiddle or banjo and I like what it is playing, I have a tendacy to say to myself that I want that to be heard, and I raise it up a few notches... thanks for your constructive pointers - I will remix this later this week and repost it... AGAIN THANKS! Danny www.DannyRiddle.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,630
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,630 |
Danny, For what it's worth, here's a technique that I use that seems to give me some results. Between now and working on a song "later in the week", - I don't listen to your song at all. After a couple of days' break, I find that my head has cleared of the sounds and I hear it with new ears.
- I get myself into a good, comfortable, stereo position.
- I close my eyes and let myself relax into the music.
- I have a notepad handy on which to make notes.
- I play the song and when I hear something that doesn't quite work, I write one or two word comments to remind me about things to adjust after the listening has finished. I try not to write too much, though, because that distracts me from the primary task of listening.
The notes that I make on this first time through after a break are the most beneficial to my song's production. I don't let re-listening change my impression about what I heard that first time. I've found that re-listening often clouds the judgment because the brain starts to get used to the sounds. I'm looking forward to hearing your next version! Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 809
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 809 |
Cool. I liked the harmonica as well. Love those real tracks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,576
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,576 |
Danny. I, too, was impressed. I'm with Noel on adjustments. I use a slightly different technique. The parts where I'm singing I lower everything except bass guitar, snare and bass drum in just those instances. In that way everything has the fullness but not fighting. If a lead instrument comes in I raise its volume and then dance the music the same way, but not quite as much. Just a little. I do a lot of karaoke on Sing Snap and I've been paying attention to how the best music sounds and that's what I've found it to be. I just let it play the first time before I start singing so I know how the background singers are going to come in and how I can fit my own singing style into their music. Sometimes I listen a bunch. Sometimes I don't, and you can tell when I don't.  Good on ya Mate. This is a fine tune. I think I saw The Lord up there clapping his hands to it. 
Russ Anyday above ground is a good day Computer is Hp Pavillion Vision 6 Ghz quad core AMD processor 8 Gig memory 1 TB hard drive 6 GB hard drive Windows 7 Premium Loose nut behind the keyboard 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,122
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,122 |
Overall excellent effort. I tend to have the same mixing issues on my own stuff. Whatever part I'm working on at the time seems to be the most important and I either use too much of it or make it too loud etc. Then after a day or so of not hearing the song I listen again and go "sheesh, what was I thinking"? I still tend to do battle with the same issues today, but maybe a little less so.
I applaud your music ministry and pray that God blesses you in that effort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,889
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,889 |
Danny, this is an excellent song. The lyrics, vox and production were right one. I personally was not put off by the backing track. I thought everything was fine.
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62 |
Thanks Noel, russ, tourcher and marioD for the good ideas for for listening to the song, I have not been able to log in the past few days, BUT I did remix the music a bit with Noels great ideas. Let me know if this sounds better to the ear It is in the same spot: www.dannyriddle.com/AngelsWatchingOverMe-VOCAL.MP3Thanks again for listening and for guiding me along in this new adventure let me know how this one sounds (music). Keep the music alive! Danny
Last edited by DRiddle; 03/18/09 09:09 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,630
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,630 |
Hi Danny, Your latest version of the song was brilliant I was with you all the way. Nothing distracted me. By the 3rd chorus, I noticed that my foot was tapping and my head was swaying from side to side in time. You've developed a good emotional contour in your production of the song. When chorus 5 came in, I felt really uplifted. I don't know if you can hear the difference, but that little extra effort you put in was well worth it (in my opinion). 10/10 in all aspects Regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,122
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,122 |
Great remake Danny.......the key modulations, always help to keep the momentum going especially in a live situation. I should do more of that myself on my faster songs. Check your Private Msgs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725 |
I liked the first one as it was, but I love the second one!
Very inspiring, foot tapping here on my end!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. 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!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
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.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
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.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,426
Posts804,911
Members40,122
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are no members with birthdays on this day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean