Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#233046 01/05/14 02:41 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 128
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 128
It's part of our "Stolen Words" project: give music to British literature poems. This poem was composed by Stephen Spender (1909-1995).

Music: Roberto Maffione
Arrangement (using BIAB): myself
Vocals: James Higgins

http://alonetone.com/alfstone/tracks/what-i-expected

Enjoy!

Alfredo

Last edited by alfstone; 01/05/14 02:42 AM.
User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,250
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,250
Nice one, Alfredo and Ensemble.
Clever idea to put a Poem to music.
Works well with the Singers voice being just right.
I enjoyed the fiddle and mandolin solo breaks - fitted just right.
Ian


Old Guys Rule.The older I get,the better I was!
BB2023 ULTRA, 1013, Win 7 and 10

ALL TRACKS - https://app.box.com/s/501rnzrbadng1elvi45hbf7y08kl5oxp
SOUNDCLOUD-tracks using BB-
http://soundcloud.com/sixchannel
Videos-
https://youtube.com/user/Sixchannel1
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,319
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,319
Beautiful way to bring the poem back to life. Loved the banjo in the background. Excellent singing +1 on the mandolin and fiddle


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,851
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,851
Nice job on this. Poetry is a hard blend quite often when it comes to putting it to music.....especially when you want to stand strong with the original lyric.

Main reason being is that there is no chorus to return to in a poem like there is in a song lyric, poems and poets continue forever onward, and their rhyme structure often doesn't jive with what one expects it to be in a song.


I must say, regardless of those issues, you did a fine job with this poem in putting it to music. I really liked the music to it. Nice instrumental breaks.


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 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Guitarhacker wrote: Nice job on this. Poetry is a hard blend quite often when it comes to putting it to music.....especially when you want to stand strong with the original lyric.

Main reason being is that there is no chorus to return to in a poem like there is in a song lyric, poems and poets continue forever onward, and their rhyme structure often doesn't jive with what one expects it to be in a song.


I must say, regardless of those issues, you did a fine job with this poem in putting it to music. I really liked the music to it. Nice instrumental breaks



+1 to everything Herb said. Hope to hear more. Tom

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,910
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,910
Alfredo,

So very interesting. Loved the sound of the words - similar to listening to an early Dylan song for the first time - you become captivate by "the sound of the words"...

A good vocal and a good mix. The first fiddle solo seemed to "jump out" at you a bit. The next one (after the mandolin) was blended better. Everything else settled in nicely...

Cool stuff.

floyd

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Hi Alfredo and Company,

a nice job putting this poem to music.
I hope you don't get copyright issues with
your "stolen words".

Guenter

User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,546
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,546
Hi Alfredo, Roberto and James,

I'm sitting here on my computer tonight looking at all the songs I've missed out on posting comments for. It's going to be a daunting task catching up!

I'm really glad that I didn't miss this one altogether. As floyd has said, the sounds of the words are incredible. It's easy to tell that Stephen Spender spent a great deal of time getting the sonic fabric of the poem in place.

This is not the usual form of Art song that I've been accustomed to hearing. It's a real credit to all involved.

All the best,
Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2026
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,108
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,108
Definitely something Dylanesque here. I like it a lot! Both the arrangement and vocal are perfect for the lyric and the production sounds great on my monitors.

I'd back off a bit on the gain of the fiddle on the first solo (as already mentioned) at least re the first few notes and maybe introduce the fiddle in a fill prior to it's solo appearance so listeners will know that "it's there."

This one really sticks with me. Just had a third listen. Thanks for sharing.


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: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,086
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,086
Guys, A really nice arrangement there.

With a super Country feel. Really liked the Mandolin and Fiddle solo, even though a tiny bit 'up front'.

A very fitting tribute and delivery of a beautiful poem.


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: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Roberto & All...

Very, very nice! It's often very difficult to put poetry to music. You did a great job on it. nice arrangement...and the vocalist was perfect for this. Great job! Best to you...

Al & Di


BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar

Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,114
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,114
You mixed it very well. The music supported the poem as you no doubt intended. Nice job.


My stuff:
https://soundcloud.com/scott-h-olson
https://www.youtube.com/@ScottHOlson

Sonar Platinum, Studio One Pro 4, Windows 10, Hybrid Home Studio
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
Holiday Weekend Hours

As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:

April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours

Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!

— Team PG

Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

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.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,090
Posts800,893
Members40,056
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
anjones85, BigJoe24, daylan, JamaicaBob, csgul
40,056 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 117
DC Ron 107
rsdean 91
zedd 64
Noel96 60
Today's Birthdays
Beagle, Jase Rogers, MisterZ, paxon
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5