|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831 |
https://soundcloud.com/lawrence-olivier/its-the-simple-things-remixIf you've ever heard of the state of "mindfulness" then this song might make sense. Lyrically inspired by a night of listening to Tom Waits, I wrote the lyric in fits over the course of a night and when I woke up I picked up the guitar and the music wrote itself as I read it back. It's a simple story of a circus that comes to town and sets up in a rainstorm. and the character goes from lying down to sitting up to walking across his room to looking out of his window at the first tent of the circus. I added a thunderstorm and doubled a piano panned hard left and right. Left is dry and right is wet with reverb, then I recorded the song live - vocal and guitar, and stuck it in the middle. I could stand here all night/ I could sit here all day I don't know what I'm doing/ and I like it that way There's a fan on my ceiling/ right where it should be It's the simple things in life/ It's the simple things I keep pennies in a jar I have two piano keys I've got a crazy brother who gave them both to me there's a window in my wall right where it should be It's the simple things in life It's the simple things Mother oh Mother/ where did I go wrong was it something I said/ is it something I've done look where this twisted road/ has taken me did you know they use cement/ to bind the concrete There's a footprint beneath me/ right where it should be It's the simple things in life/ It's the simple things I could stare at the sun I could lie 'neath the moon I hear that the circus will be here soon there's a tent in a field right where it should be It's the simple things in life It's the simple things
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,645
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,645 |
Gruverider, I don't know what to say. This song is brilliant. The refrain Right where it should be
It's the simple things in life
It's the simple things is incredibly powerful with its repetition and lack of rhyme. Then there's the verse development. Wow! It worked for me. And that ending!!! It left me sitting in my chair reflecting on life - absolutely perfect, I thought. I regret not having a glass of Shiraz on hand before I started listening! I'm sitting here wondering if you tried the guitar in the intro instead of the electric piano. It would be interesting to hear and compare the two. To my ears, the electric piano had a feeling of coldness about it while the guitar in the outro sounded warm and relaxed and reminded me of sitting in front of a cosy fire on a cold and wet night. Ok. I've got to head back for another listen. All the best, Noel
Last edited by Noel96; 09/22/13 02:05 PM.
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,207
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,207 |
Hi gruverider,
+1 what Noel says.
Brilliant
George
Windows 11 64 bit, Biab 2026 (1237), Realband 2026 (10)
i7 Desktop Computer 16Gb Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079 |
+ 2 to what has been said.
Your voice has the lilt of Randy Newman and the song itself is hauntingly beautiful
Alyn
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Gruve, What a great song. Nicely written and performed. I agree with Noel about the intro. It seemed excessively long and I don't know that it added anything to set the mood. But I don't want to take away from the fact that the rest of the song was excellent. It just took a long time to get there. Thanks for posting. Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
you really know how to turn a phrase! The common denominator in your songs is the interesting terminology used to say what you have to say... and you do it so CONSISTENTLY!
I'm impressed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,086
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,086 |
Love the vocal. Cool lyrics.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888 |
Hi Gruverider,
this is a beautiful song and it really
makes you think.
I like the voice.
The thunderstorm is a great idea. It adds a lot
to the mood.
Guenter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,392
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,392 |
Wow what a cool song. I love this style of music. Very well done. Neat story in lyrics
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,987
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,987 |
Lawrence,
Hopefully a night of Tom Waits included a lot of "The Heart Of Saturday Night" and "Closing Time".
If I had to have guessed, it would be you that spent the night listening to Randy Newman. But you can't go wrong with either...
I love everything about this. Man! this is good!!! Every single line. What a fine piece of songwriting!
Excellent vocal.
I liked the long opening, actually. I would have liked to hear a lonesome sax instead of the piano (tho' the piano was well done) - just seems more appropriate in the storm - something similar to the trumpet in Springsteen's "Meeting Across The River"...
Let me say again... MAN! This is good!
floyd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,248
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,248 |
Yeah man, it's the simple things. And a relatively simple thing like this arrangement can be as powerful as that thunderstorm when it includes your vocal and lyrics. Wow. Janice and I enjoyed this immensely.
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497 |
Hi, Lawrence ! All evening I have been listening to the ending of Sibelius 5th and 2 nd symphonies (and some more beautiful music), so I am in the mood for listening to beautiful music like your little sweet tune, which I found just wonderful !  I liked everything about it ! Cheers Dani
Last edited by dani48; 09/22/13 02:06 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725 |
And that ladies and germs is how to sell a song!
Excellent performance.
Later,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,936
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,936 |
Hi Lawrence
Outstanding vocal (I guess I am always biased towards good vocals!) I haven' read all the comments and don't know if it has already been said but it reminds me of Elvis Costello.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,988
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,988 |
I really, really like that song. I'd definitely lose the piano intro and let the guitar start it.
I could hear this playing in a movie.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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 2010
Posts: 1,719
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3
Newbie
|
|
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3 |
new user here. first post. good sound on this cut, nice song... sort of like if Randy Newman joined THE BAND. I think you should work on the bridge/chorus 'oh mama/mother' or whatever it was. the chords/changes seem too similar to the verses to me. I think you need more differentation there, might take it from being a really good song to a really really good song. just an opinion for whatever it's worth, still a really good song. +Rj
+Rj
memphis, guitar,keyboards, BIAB/Realband
... I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink ... matthew 25:35
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,646
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,646 |
Beautiful vocal, the backing track simplicity was PERFECT for the song. Thanks for sharing!
My TunesPsalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831 |
I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to listen and comment. It is a joy to be able to share my passion and to participate in a community with fellow song writers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427 |
This is very special Lawrence. The song drew me in like a tractor beam. First class music from the heart, thanks for bringing this to us. The unresolved guitar motif at the end is a masterstroke. After I heard it all through the piano intro kind of made poignant sense.
John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
Topics86,485
Posts805,608
Members40,130
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean