|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 66
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 66 |
So .. . .not a demo this time, all mixed up and mastered. I slapped on a button ending and re-did the kick drum to have a nice heavy smooth hit, then I mastered the whole thing for great vocal presence and warmth overall. Well. . . an EZMix master anyway. I pushed a button, I am sure that counts. Ok, any thoughts on this version? Sound Cloud Joe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 277
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 277 |
Joe,
I ABed them headphone and in the house. I like your first run better. I Feel the second one buries your vocal skills to much. You have a great voice and a lot Of nuance in your delivery which really comes thru to me in the first version along with an inviting space created between you and the banjo. I have no idea technically why, just my ears. Great tune. Great vocals and hope to hear more from you. Thanks so much for posting it.
Last edited by nobilis; 09/10/14 08:52 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,884
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,884 |
Hi Joe. The master sounds to be a little brighter overall than the demo where the subject and tone of the song seemed better suited for the darker mix of the demo. Great song either way and the bottom line is if you are satisfied with it.
Charlie
BIAB 2026:RB 2026, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 277
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 277 |
+1 Charlie "Great song either way and the bottom line is if you are satisfied with it". Well put.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,911
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,911 |
There's a bit more to "mastering" than to slap a few new FX on the mix and EQ it a tad and throw a compressor on for good measure..... but you probably know that already.
I listened to a few short segments in each....same approximate area A/B between them.
The first "demo" version has a much better overall sound quality to it. It has an open sound and is a few db louder. Hopefully you saved that version and the new one is a copy.
Personally I would go back to the older demo and do just a few things with it.
First, Reduce the overall reverb level. The reverb is really apparent when the vocals come in. If you have a verb on the mix and another one on the vocals, first try turning the vox verb down. Turn it off completely and listen on cans. turn it on and adjust the levels.... experiment to where it sounds good and a natural fit to the song.
Second thing is to find that magic sample or patch that makes that kick drum sound right in the mix. Since it is a steady simple quarter note hit, you could easily use any drum synth to do that. Think back to the period of time that this song represents. What kind of a drum would they have used? Most likely a large tom laid on it's side or an old worn out marching bass drum. You should be able to hear the ringing of the head, the slap of the beater, and yet none of this is captured in the sound I hear in either of the versions. What I hear is more of a muffled thud in both. Keep in mind that if you don't have a good drum synth and what you have is all you have to work with.... try layering a few tracks together.... use the existing thud kick, then layer a large tom on top, then slap a cardboard box and layer that in as well. I can't vouch for what might turn up out of such an experiment but you never know. Sometimes you have to think out side the box to get something right.
Then of course, button the ending on the demo. On the updated "finished" version, I guess you could call that an ending.... however, the editing is sloppy. It doesn't have a "natural" ending feel. Kinda like the volume faders were simply pulled down rather than the musicians ending it. It might take going back to BB and rendering a new version..... but if that's what it takes.... you should take the time to do it. I like what you did there at the end.... let the instruments stop and let the kick continue for 4 more beats.....and don't fade the volume on the kick.
The song is good, now, it's a matter of getting the engineering and the production up to the same level as the writing and vocal performance.
EDIT: tip on endings. Don't always use the 2 bar or 4 bar default BB default endings. This song is a good example of WHY NOT TO USE THE BB DEFAULT ENDING. Instead.... simply either remove the BB default ending or use a simple work around. The workaround is to add 8 or so MORE measures to the song immediately before the default kicks in. Then simply use the "chord hold" for the appropriate instruments at YOUR ending point..... let the kick play on for one more measure and then stop..... and let the natural decay/reverb tails fade..... edit this in the DAW and you have YOUR natural ending and not something that BB thinks it should do to end the song. I have started using this on a number of my songs and it works really nice. You can even use this method on future songs to retard the ending.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 09/11/14 05:09 AM.
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: Nov 2012
Posts: 66
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 66 |
lol, yes, my wife liked the original better as well. I have to agree. And that's an absolutely wonderful idea on the ending. I can do that! I hear a number of issues with this version and I was sorta wondering if it was just me or if others could hear them as well. Sure enough, you folks picked up on them and saw a couple I did not. Great advice I will get to work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,911
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,911 |
lol, yes, my wife liked the original better as well. I have to agree. And that's an absolutely wonderful idea on the ending. I can do that! I hear a number of issues with this version and I was sorta wondering if it was just me or if others could hear them as well. Sure enough, you folks picked up on them and saw a couple I did not. Great advice I will get to work. the trick to being better than good at production and engineering is to hear the things that you know are wrong and go ahead and fix them. As you do this, over time you will start to hear the "other things" in there as well. Never be afraid to make changes even if that means scraping 2 weeks worth of work and starting again from scratch if that's what it takes. The pro's give it everything they have and accept only the absolute best, whereas the amateur thinks his first, or second effort is good enough and the brilliance of the song will overshadow the mistakes left in the mix. (because they're only small ones...right?)
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 09/11/14 10:40 AM.
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: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,357
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,357 |
Very neat song. Incredible voice. Banjo very cool
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067 |
Hello Joe,
I do agree with others that the demo version was better.
But this song is great. And man, I love your voice!
Regards,
Rob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,646
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,646 |
Excellent vocal on this one, love the simple arrangement and the banjo, nice 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: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Didn't actually A/B but the dynamics hit me more emotionally on the demo version. Really great song, and performance!! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 66
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 66 |
Yes, I agree. I am terribly guilty of this. For me it came from the time I didn't take my music very seriously back before record deals, TV sales and well paid concerts. Everything was "good enough." The bar has gotten higher though. I see I must rise with it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,812
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,812 |
I'm in two different camps about this one.
I really liked the first version. But I really like the fact that this one is sadder and darker. So the real question is what is your aim for this song?
I also think that both songs could use a little more mixing, such as in the second song the banjo gets in the way of the vocal IMHO. A few minor fixes like that would take both version over the top.
PS - either way this is one great song.
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,063
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,063 |
I haven't hear the demo so my comments are about this version. Your voice is a good match for the song; you sing with great emotion. However your voice does not sit well with the banjo and fiddle. The voice is too upfront. The banjo and fiddle sound a little tone starved to me.
Unfortunately I'm at the stage I can tell something in the mix is not right. I am not proficent enough to recognize the issue(s) and suggest corrective actions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647 |
Hi ...
We didn't hear the original demo. We love the song and your voice is simply fabulous for this genre! The only technical nit we have is the ending does sound clipped. But, regardless, it's a great song and you have a terrific voice! Good luck with it ...
Alan & 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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,340
Posts803,529
Members40,100
| |
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