Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#213517 08/31/13 03:34 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,699
F.M.M. Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,699
hi guys lots of buzyness and distractions thanks for listening and feed back thanks eric https://soundcloud.com/f-m-m/you-got-to-make-it-happen all real tracks except guitar solos Style is =SJAZZC1.STY (Smooth Jazz Cool Slow (75 RT))

RealTracks in style: ~902:Bass, Electric, SmoothCool Sw16 075
RealTracks in style: ~904:Piano, Electric, Rhythm SmoothCool Sw16 075
RealTracks in song: 1767:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Pop16 Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: ~1055:Sax, Alto, Soloist SmoothJazzCool Sw16 075 (Bluesy)
RealDrums in style: SmoothJazzCoolSw16^2-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
*******************


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
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,826
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,826
eric,

Gorgeous guitar - as always. I'd like to hear an identifiable melody/riff from your guitar to really put this where it needs to be.
Something that you come back to several times throughout.

Great mix.

floyd

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Hi Eric,
Originally Posted By: floyd jane

Gorgeous guitar - as always. I'd like to hear an identifiable melody/riff from your guitar to really put this where it needs to be.
Something that you come back to several times throughout.
Great mix.

I already told you that in earlier songs.
Still enjoyed listening a lot.

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Love it, love it, love it Eric. Especially the gorgeous Robben Ford tone.
I always look forward to your work. This is a classic.
cool cool

John


Songs web site
YouTube Channel
BIAB 2024
Cakewalk by BandLab
Studio One 7
User Showcase
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497
Hi, Eric !

Why do I just love those wonderful
chords and chord progressions ?
probably because I could never
play or produce them ! smile
I love this !!!


Cheers
Dani

Last edited by dani48; 09/02/13 01:48 PM.
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,745
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,745
This is the kind of song that NEEDS a signature lick, a melodic hook..... something that repeats in places to grab the listener and make them want to listen. Think of Carlos Santana and Europa.

The tone on the guitar is smoking sweet!! Love that, but the song and the guitar just seems to wander aimlessly and as a result, since there is no hook to grab on and pull it all together, an the average listener will lose interest after a minute or two not hearing anything repeated as a hook.

Here is a link to a song I did using BB and it has a melodic hook in it.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=9414184

so much so that people who first heard it thought it was a cover of someone else's song...... notice that while I wander in the tune to one degree or another, I come back to that melodic hook to hold it all together.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 09/03/13 05:25 AM.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
User Showcase
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,934
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,934
Great work Eric. The guitar(s) do sound fantastic.


LyricLab – Where words become music https://www.lyriclab.net/
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353
ROG Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353
Lovely guitar work, Eric.

What guitar and effects are you using on this one? I'm sure there's more than just me who would like to know!

ROG.

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,987
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,987
Eric,

As always, great sound and guitar tones. Very tasteful licks. I do agree with Floyd, it would be nice to have some sort of recurring melodic "hook". But a very enjoyable listen, nonetheless!

Steve


Steve Young
Music
"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
I agree with pretty much everything that has been said. Your tone is enviable, and you have some really nice licks. You have a way of working yourself into a chord pattern so your playing sounds like it belongs there.

As a decorative guitar player, you excel. But, as a composer, the recurring theme in your songs is ... that there is no recurring theme!

The difference between a backing musician and the song's composer is that the backing musician decorates the song while the composer structures the song.

You do an excellent job of structuring the chords into a pleasing arrangement... I don't think I've ever heard one of your chordal arrangements that wasn't quite interesting.

But the star of the show needs to be your guitar playing because that's your strength. As such, once you get the chords right, your next focus should be to ARRANGE the guitar parts in a structured way (as opposed to jamming along with the chords... the guitar needs to be at least as structured as the chords, if not more so)

Herb's suggestion about listening to Santana is a good one, because what you do is so similar to what he does... (except that Santana is a master theme builder... Europa is indeed the perfect example)

You are such a good guitar player in every way that it drives me nuts to hear you bounce the ball off the fence instead of hitting it out of the park!

I know its tough to hear criticism like this, but I assure you, nobody would bother saying this stuff if you sucked. Bouncing the ball off the fence is the right metaphor for your songs, because all of the elements for a home run are there except for one more inch of elevation. And everybody can see that that inch will come from adding a recurring theme (aka signature lick or passage) to your songs

If you did nothing more than record half the song, then cut and paste it again so the second part mirrored the first part, that would be a step in the right direction. But the real missing ingredient is an identifiable melody


standard disclaimer:
you're already wayy better than I'll ever be, so feel free to disregard everything I say

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,699
F.M.M. Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,699
thanks guys lots of good constructive feed back I realize its hard to deliver it in a positive way however its all good and good advice structured im not but its time that try it on thanks pat for takeing time and effort to write this in very construtive way hey rob I use a boss/roland gt-5 pedal to carvin sx100 amp to delta 1010 pci card playing on a 1968 les paul custom preset I made on the gt-5 thanks 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
User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Eric,

your reply is quite gracious.. thank you for that.

I was thinking about how so many people here in the forum collaborate and learn from one another. I'm pretty much a non-contributing blabbermouth in the forum, but the rest of the people who commented are masters of structure. It might be an interesting experiment to bounce your next song off each of them privately to see what suggestions they make.

When you say you aren't structured, I don't really believe that. Without structure you wouldn't be as good a guitar player as you are. I just think that this particular aspect of songwriting is something you haven't spent a lot of time thinking about yet, and once you do it will come as easily to you as that smooth guitar work already does.

Bud and Janice are two of the most admired contributors to the forum, and they routinely seek the opinions of others. Standing on the shoulders of giants is the obvious way to get tall quickly... and fortunately we have a lot of giants here


Pat (More of a pi$$-ant than a giant)

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,044
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,044
Fantastic, smooth, vibrant and really well structured. Great guitar work and a credit to you.
Loved the arrangement !
Congratulations
Trevor


BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
User Showcase
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,086
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,086
Hey Eric,

Pretty stuff, great backing track to your playing as well.

You've been given some good advice for making your improvisations into more song like structure which is a good thing. I think that would add another level too.

However, I noticed that in the past 7 days you've had 579 plays for this track - read that number and weep all us so called real songwriters. LOL! I'd love it if any of my songs got that many listens in seven days.

So you are doing something right that lots of people want to hear just as it is. Kudos!

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!

PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.

The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.

The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.

Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!

Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.

Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!

Order now!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!

Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!

We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

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 new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!

Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!

Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!

We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.

Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!

Season's Greetings!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!

The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.

Team PG

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.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

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.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics85,879
Posts797,269
Members39,975
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
JMDESILE, holger6810, zxkarass, SteveCanada, Marcel29
39,975 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 180
Noel96 152
DC Ron 118
rsdean 112
Today's Birthdays
Biglad
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5