Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
This is part of Joanne's project. I selected Fools Errand to work on. A partial re-write and structural changes and this is the result.

FOOLS ERRAND

I will post the tracks later.


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: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
As I sat listening to this the 1st time around I thought this needs a solo and then it appeared. Really nice in the superlative version of nice!

Beautiful, wonderful excellent Herb, if those are good words for such an awful subject.

Joanne, You write some impressive songs and about some thought provoking subjects, well done!!
And you certainly picked some stars to perform the songs.

This is a mega project!! Anyway time for another listen smile

Alyn

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
G
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
G
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Beautifully done!! Love the whole feel. I like that kind of heavy rhythmic feel. Vocals worked incredibly well. Piano was perfect. Herb was the perfect choice for this one. Another home run, no grand slam!! Take care. Greg

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Tracks and misc info:

Bass 1036
Drums Real drums Nashville even 16 HH ride
RB guitar 367
RB guitar 1538
Piano 1725
B3 688

Live tracks & midi tracks played

Guitar 1 Taylor acoustic mic'd
Guitar 2 Taylor acoustic mic'd
Guitar lead: Tele into my Mesa Boogie mic'd
Midi piano with sampled piano Piano part starting final choruses

vocals:

JT 2 leads, 2 layered leads, 2 high harmony, 2 low harmony, one spoken word track

HH 1 lead, one each high, mid, low harmony.... I cut myself short on the vox tracks.... some are in the muted track list.

total of 32 tracks in this BUT, not all of them are being used. 6 tracks are entirely muted. There are
4 busses in use.

FX include reverb & EQ, and Ozone. Melodyne was used on the lead vocal tracks.

Any other questions.... simply ask.


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: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Gibson & Greg..... thanks for the kind words. This has been a fun project from the start.

I'm glad you listened and commented.


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 2010
Posts: 1,719
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719

Magnificent!
One of the best, most interesting and well produced songs I have heard on this forum.
Don't know how you do it Herb and Joanne but this one is epic. Cheers.

User Showcase
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067

This is beautiful guys! The bridge in particular followed by the a capella part.
Vocals, everything sits well in the crystal-clear mix. A very nice ending too. And then we almost forgot the guitar solo!

Rob & Anne-Marie


We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1gsdNLE7_Gy8qavoOplQow/videos
http://rnam.net/


User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353
ROG Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353
A moving song with a great arrangement.

Lots of changes in texture which hold the attention right through.

Nicely performed with a good recording and mix.

ROG.

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Rich: I was thinking as I was working on this.... man, this is going to be an "epic" tune..... glad you saw that in this, Thanks


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: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Originally Posted By: RnAM

This is beautiful guys! The bridge in particular followed by the a capella part.
Vocals, everything sits well in the crystal-clear mix. A very nice ending too. And then we almost forgot the guitar solo!

Rob & Anne-Marie


RnAM: The bridge didn't exist in Joanne's original version. Joanne had a really strong basic draft idea waiting to be polished and structured a bit. She had the chorus twice with different words, and me, being who I am, and how I think...suggested that we eliminate the "B" chorus and convert it into a honest to goodness bridge..... then, we needed to release the tension of the bridge for the final chorus......simple piano part with unison vox seemed to work perfectly there. The solo actually started life as an acoustic guitar solo, but again.... the overdriven guitar won the day. Thank you for listening and commenting. I almost passed on this song in favor of a different one but changed my mind ...and I'm glad now that I selected this tune. Joanne is a great writer and super person to work with.


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: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Originally Posted By: ROG
A moving song with a great arrangement.

Lots of changes in texture which hold the attention right through.

Nicely performed with a good recording and mix.

ROG.


thanks.... I don't ever like to have the same thing going from one verse or chorus to the next....got to shake it up and got to keep it interesting. I try to think how, if this was a real band, on stage, how would the parts be arranged, to keep everyone in the band happy, and to have a moment in the spotlight....well kind of.....


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: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,753
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,753
This song is so impressive. Herb your input put everything in the right place and provided that extra little push to bring this to the epic proportions the song deserves.

Joanne, don't ever let anyone fool you, this project and the distinctive touch and uniqueness these forum artists are bringing to your songs showcase the fact you are establishing yourself as a talented, first rate songwriter.

Everyone one of the project songs have proven to be top notch and this one is excellent on every level.

Bravo,

Charlie

Last edited by c_fogle; 04/24/15 01:48 PM.

BIAB 2025:RB 2025, 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 2008
Posts: 20,257
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,257
Herb and Joanne,

It's very easy to hear the amount of effort that has gone into creating "Fools Errand". It's a terrific listen. Congratulations on a fine collaborative accomplishment!

Regards,
Noel




MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2026
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Charlie: Yeah, I have to agree. Joanne is writing some really strong stuff..... a bit of polish and an edit here or there and the result is impressive. A word that occurred to me during the mix on this , especially towards the end...... Anthemic.


Noel96: This was a lot of work. Especially the editing of the tracks and the mixing..... but worth every second of that time. I had a song with "good bones" to work with so that made it easier and a ton of fun. And.... JC was a pleasure to work with. Thanks for listening and commenting.


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: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Hi Joanne and Herb,
Originally Posted By: Greg Johnson
Beautifully done!! Love the whole feel. I like that kind of heavy rhythmic feel. Vocals worked incredibly well. Piano was perfect. Herb was the perfect choice for this one. Another home run, no grand slam!!

+1 from me. Great guitars.

Guenter

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,901
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,901
Jo and Herb

this is a great remix. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks.


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: May 2012
Posts: 2,934
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,934
Hello all.
I am just back from a weekend of sailing so please excuse my absence from this thread thus far.

Thank you Herb for how you have turned this song around from dirge to epic.

With a few expert touches Herb made the lyrics more easily understood. He then turned to his production, vocal, arrangement and guitar playing skills to produce this wonderful version of Fools Errand.

Alyn – I certainly did pick some stars. Thank you!

Greg – Thank you so much. We appreciate the listen

Rich – Thank you. Herb has definitely made this one interesting and the production is excellent

Rob and Ann-Marie – Thank you so much. Are you referring to the spoken word part when you say “the a cappella” part? If so, thanks, I was a little worried about my delivery in the spoken word section.

ROG – Thank you. I agree that the changes in texture are exactly what makes this so interesting.

Charlie – Thank you. All the artists on this project are really making my songs shine! I love this forum!

Noel – Certainly a lot of work went into this production (and it shows)

Guenter and Trevor – Thank you both.


LyricLab – Where words become music https://www.lyriclab.net/
User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,679
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,679

Hi

this is one of the most beautiful song I've heard
on the site

Great melody, voices and background vocal.

Very fine.

Hello



Sergio
User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Super job! I think maybe the combo of the piano and "protest" lyric bring John Lennon to mind.

I really appreciate the thought and creativity that went into the arrangement and its varied movements.

well done!

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,683
Boehm: Glad you liked the guitars.... psssstt... me too.

Videotrack: Glad you liked it Thanks

JosieC: this was a fun project.... working with you was a breeze.

Sergio: Thank you. Yes, I think this song has a great melody in it. Especially that killer chorus....

Gruverider: I didn't start out thinking that this would be a piano based song. As I work, things just tend to take their own path.

I've said once or twice in the past that a song will tell you how it should be written and produced if you just listen to what it's telling you. This one is a shining example of that philosophy.


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 1 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
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!

Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®

With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
  • Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)

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 PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

Video: New User Interface (GUI)

Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics85,476
Posts792,496
Members39,902
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
steve jonas, odooexpress314, jacksmith243, davyb, matteob
39,902 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 198
DC Ron 120
jpettit 119
Noel96 99
Today's Birthdays
Kapiti Keith, Togman
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5