Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,789
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,789
Mac.... that is a problem many traditionally taught piano players have. they do tend to overplay. They play that way in lessons, they play that way in church, they play that way in bands....and they think they have to play that way when recording.

I've had this very discussion with a piano player whom I used to collaborate with quite a bit in the early days.

It is probably one of the major things that separates the amateur bands from the pros.... because it's not only piano players who overplay their parts.


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.
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
.... because it's not only piano players who overplay their parts.


"Dear God, please save us from the full course Grand Barre only chord players..."

*grin*


--Mac

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,789
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,789
That one issue is the secret... if there is ever a secret... to getting a good mix.

The judicious use of envelopes. And not wimpy envelopes..... HARD envelopes.

Envelopes that look like this:


Last edited by Guitarhacker; 10/11/13 05:55 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.
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 604
S
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
S
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 604
Great song, great sound! I have several songs recorded on ZoomR16, all wave and Wonder how much a pro mix and mastering would improve a song,+ what would the cost be per song?

Strat

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730
R
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
R
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730
Herbie, "come and go" is one of my favs


HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,010
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,010
Many in this forum have years of experience working in live venues as well as both analog and digital recording studios. Some forum members such as myself lack either the music theory knowledge, practical recording experience or both. Thank goodness those of you with the knowledge and experience we newbies so desire to emulate are willing to mentor those of us that are just beginning. A simple thank you seems like we are not giving enough in return. I'm seriously enjoying reading and learning about mixing, the ideas of less is more and don't be afraid to really work the envelopes hard.

Why say all this now? Because Brian's "One Man Show" really showcases the great results that can be achieved by following the guidance given in this thread.

Brian, a wonderful performance of a great song. Most of the songs I want to do are covers but, I am green with envy that I didn't write "One Man Show". The song expresses my thoughts so well. Thank you for sharing the song with us.

Meanwhile, add my vote to hoping you will add your song to the showcase. Not only am I impressed by the song and performance, but the dynamics REALLY stand out from the rest.


Jim Fogle - 2026 BiaB (Build 1224) RB (Build 8) - Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 59
M
murf100 Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
M
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 59
UPDATE

Thanks to all for your thoughtful comments. The studio experience continues to be great. Here is an original tune called "64". The engineer (more like a producer) worked with me on vocal doubling and other techniques. It is so much better than my home recorded version, which didn't have any harmonies or doubling.

The style used is FLKTRFG. I added acoustic guitar and multiple vocal tracks. I wasn't happy with either the real band or midi drums, so did a mix of both. Enjoy.

Brian

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12581453&q=hi&newref=1

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 604
S
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
S
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 604
A brilliant pop song!


Strat

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,789
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,789
Good job

old hippie.... been a lot of water under that bridge.

Nicely done.


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.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2

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
Topics86,011
Posts798,931
Members40,010
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
Newest Members
drodger, GTRRO, harshitsharmamusic, PsyChloDelic, obv
40,009 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 151
DC Ron 112
rsdean 101
DrDan 74
Noel96 67
Today's Birthdays
4mrwrkr, Alan59, HELIXT
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5