|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427 |
This is another song using lyrics written by my friend Richard. The song is a warning to the vain and the greedy that they too will face their fate in due course. BIAB details: Style _DRDUN_G.STY Slow Rock Ballad RealTracks. (Tempo increased from 85 to 95-97) for rhythm guitars (L, R and C), and bass. Style BOSEPMD.STY Med. Bossa El.Piano Trio RealTrack. (Tempo slowed from 140 to 95-97) for electric piano. I added lead guitar fills and a solo, plus vocals and a second electric piano part for a 'choppy feel'. I programmed the drums in Addictive Drums. Direct Link. Lyrics and Tech Notes. John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,851
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,851 |
This reminded me a lot of the Eagles in their Hotel California phase.... Yeah... I really think this is Eagles influenced in it's many aspects.
The first few verses were a smooth jazz style.....when you hit the (what I thought was) the chorus.... "It's no good running..." I really liked that part of the song. I'm on the second listen now...and the verses make more sense musically now....
The song is really, really long running to well over 9 minutes in length. (9:23)
The guitar solo is really nice, but didn't start until 7:30 minutes into the song. I would have eliminated the 37sec intro and started it at 38 sec.
Lyrically, there's a lot of cool mental imagery in the song. It reminds me of a cross between the Eagles and Neil Young's Down by the river..... especially in the solo, but with better guitar playing and tone than Neil ever used. IIRC correctly NY's DBTR was over 9 min as well.
A cool concept song.
I give it a thumbs up.
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: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427 |
Thanks for taking a listen and the kind comments Herb!
It's actually 6:24 to the end of the fade. I did think of taking out the middle 8 but it's totally intrinsic to the song. Richard's lyrics were so superb I didn't feel there was anything that could be cut!
John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
John, Now this is absolutely FANTASTIC! I hear Steely Dan and Pink Floyd influences. Excellent solo and fills. The vocal is great. The lyrics are great. What an arrangement. The production quality and mix stand up against the best ever posted on the forum. Loved all 6:22 of it. Going back in for another listen, cover me. Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,851
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,851 |
Richard's lyrics were so superb I didn't feel there was anything that could be cut!
John I used to think that way too. Until I stated to work with some writers in Nashville on some of my songs. One started out as close to 5 minutes with 4 verses, prechorus, chorus, and bridge, the other was similar in style and length..... on the advice I was being given, I cut away the non-essential parts, dropping 2 verses, combining the best parts from the existing verses, dropping the bridge, shortening or eliminating the guitar solo's and intro's .... basically boiling it down to the essential and best parts of the song. 2 songs that I did this with are Come & Go and The Best Christmas, both of which are on my music pages in their finished versions. But all of that really only matters if you are seeking to use the songs in a commercial manner. For personal use and fun, write, record, and don't sweat the other stuff.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 10/31/14 05:47 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: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,900
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,900 |
John,
Your stuff is always top-shelf - studio quality. I had to go back for a second listen to pay attention to the parts - the mix is SO good, I got lost in it the first time through - the mark of a quality mix.
The hi-hat sounds incredibly good (and I'm no fan of hi-hats) - the whole kit sounds good. Nice job on the entire drum track. The bass is super (did you process that at all? how?). Love your guitar tone. Nice vocals. Terrific arrangement.
Now on my 3rd pass through. Amazing mix. Big wow stuff.
floyd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427 |
John,
Your stuff is always top-shelf - studio quality. I had to go back for a second listen to pay attention to the parts - the mix is SO good, I got lost in it the first time through - the mark of a quality mix.
The hi-hat sounds incredibly good (and I'm no fan of hi-hats) - the whole kit sounds good. Nice job on the entire drum track. The bass is super (did you process that at all? how?). Love your guitar tone. Nice vocals. Terrific arrangement.
Now on my 3rd pass through. Amazing mix. Big wow stuff.
floyd Many thanks Floyd, much appreciated! Bass part: I was very pleased with the bass in this song - mostly thanks to BIAB. I took the BIAB RealTrack into Sonar and then, using Melodyne, converted it to MIDI. I then played it through SampleTank3 using a finger bass sample. I didn't have to apply any EQ or any effects at all. I find I'm using SampleTank all the time now for MIDI sounds, I'm very impressed with it. John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079 |
John, +1 to all said before me. I can find nothing to say but compliments. The intro is wonderful and I too see a Steely Dan influence. The lyrics are above excellent, pass my compliments to Richard especially for When Dan’s on a roll, oligarch style, leading Mammon’s armies around the square mile This song needs quite a few listens and at each pass something new pops up to impress me. A truly professional production. Alyn
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888 |
Hi John,
a great song! Excellent solo and fills.
Great lyrics and vocals. Great arrangement and mix.
A throughout impressive production.
The layout of your Lyrics and Tech Notes are made very tastefully.
Guenter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Killer song John!! (some pun intended but absolutely true). Very timely on Halloween as well. Although I'm listening on a IMac, even these speakers reveal a great mix. I can appreciate a lot of the others' comments. The EP is very Eagles, some Steely Danish chord changes (I am a huge Dan fan), guitar solo is pure Gilmour. It is truly a masterpiece from beginning to end!! Love it. Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
John, you have clearly had that guitar slung around your neck for quite a long time... great songs just flow thru your fingers it seems. I'd have to agree with everybody's comparisons to the Eagles, Steely Dan and Pink Floyd... but I think you also have quite a signature sound of your own.
I'd have to give this song the three-P award:
Polished
Professional
Punchy
I greatly respect your talent.. it is many-faceted and highly developed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647 |
John,
That dreamy intro was a real teaser for the punchy music that followed! Nice surprise!
Super production of a great song. everything works perfectly. there are so many elements to this song and you placed each one in it's perfect place. And your vocal was outstanding! Everything done professionally.
"You used all that power, it didn't use you" Great line!
Thanks for a terrific listen! Best to you ...
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,364
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,364 |
Hi John.
I always like to listen to a song before I read the comments by others and yes, Steely Dan was my first thought. Interesting then, to see how many others said the same thing. Being compared to Steely Dan has to be a good thing, right? They're certainly favourites of mine.
Regarding the length of the song, my take on it is this -
A song is only too long if the listener loses interest before the end.
Personally, I loved every second of it and judging by the number of people who've gone back for another listen, others did too.
Everything about this song says "professional". Certainly one of the best tracks I've heard on here in a long time.
ROG.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067 |
Hello John,
This almost sounds like jaded gigolo part 2.
I detect a similar build up and modulations.
The lead guitar sounds great!
And again, very cool vocals and a very steady and professional production.
Always looking forward to your songs, they are among the best on this forum.
Regards,
Rob
Last edited by R & AM; 11/01/14 08:47 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,861
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,861 |
This is a great write and production. Plus +1 all the way.
Captivating song. Really enjoyed your guitar work.
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: Oct 2014
Posts: 33
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 33 |
I too have to agree with all the comments about Steely Dan, The Eagle, and Pink Floyd. I am not sure why, but the first band that came to my mind was E.L.O. It really doesn't matter who the song reminds us of, the point is that it is a wonderful offering and well worth listening to. I think the mix was great and hope you don't mind that I added this to the playlist I am currently listening to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427 |
Many thanks Herb, Tommy, Floyd, Alyn, Guenter, Greg, Pat, Alan & Di, ROG, Rob & Anne-Marie, Charlie, John. It means a lot to me when the fruit of many, many days' work is enjoyed by my peers.  A third song with Richard's lyrics is on the blocks, so I must get back to work! Cheers John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
Many thanks Herb, Tommy, Floyd, Alyn, Guenter, Greg, Pat, Alan & Di, ROG, Rob & Anne-Marie, Charlie, John. It means a lot to me when the fruit of many, many days' work is enjoyed by my peers. A third song with Richard's lyrics is on the blocks, so I must get back to work! Cheers John John, your songs never disappoint! I look forward to hearing your next offering!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,057
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,057 |
John,
I agree, big production values in there. I really like the message too.
SD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,021
Posts800,527
Members40,051
| |
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