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Noel96 Offline OP
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Using loops for inspiration seems to be very productive for me. I haven't written so many songs in a long time!

Here's another...

I started writing "Can You Imagine" just before John Lennon's birthday. As the song title indicates, that event provided a bit of inspiration, too.

In addition to creating a video using BIAB, I have also included a lead sheet that was generated by BIAB. I've provided this so that anyone interested can get an insight into what bar settings I used in the software. (This lead sheet can be found on Soundcloud via the audio link below.)


BIAB-made Video:Can You Imagine

Audio (Soundcloud):Can You Imagine


Recently I bought Miroslav Philharmonik and I used this and Roland VSC/DXi to create the midi sounds heard in the arrangement.

Comments and criticisms welcome.

Regards,
Noel


BIAB Details

Style: _PNO16BR.STY (16ths Piano Pop-Rock [85 RS])

RealTrack 1759: Bass, Electric, Pop16ths Ev 085
RealTrack 1767: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Pop16 Ev16 085
RealTrack 1764: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Pop16thsA-B Ev16 085
RealTrack 1761: Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 085
RealTracks 1856: Cello, Background PopCountry Ev 085

RealDrums: RockBritDrivingEv16^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride


Lyrics

Can you imagine a scene like this?
We're standing with one another, side by side
And singing together in harmony
With confidence, heart and a mountain of pride

Can you imagine a sound like this?
An ocean of people who sway and sing
In chorus together, friend with friend
Making the heavens reverberate and ring

It all begins with a single voice
One voice to lead the way
Sooner or later another joins in
Then it starts to grow
And hundreds join the show

Can you imagine the power and strength
If a world full of people were singing strong
Flooding the planet in the sounds of peace
And everyone singing the same song

[Instrumental]

It all begins with a single voice
One voice to lead the way
Sooner or later, another joins in
Then it starts to grow
And millions join the show

Can you imagine the power and strength
If a world full of nations were singing strong
Flooding the planet in the sounds of peace
And everyone singing the same song
Everyone singing the same song


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Wow Noel, not only have you stepped up production but you are also maintaining your normal well thought out lyrics, melody and production.

IMO, your lyrics match well with John Lennon's Imagine and it's easy to imagine this doing quite well commercially recorded by a major artist.

Because of the arrangement and your slight accent, I also could hear this with Barry Gibb doing the honors. That would be a nice birthday tribute to the late Mr. Lennon.


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Very nice Noel. It's refreshing to hear a song about peace. There used to be a lot of them.

Enjoyed it.

Regards,

Bob

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Nice Noel
I really like the use of non-even bar numbers. It introduces an interesting level of anticipation.
Yes the Miroslav Philharmonik really provides a fantastic dynamic, rich and full.
Did I notice a choir sound in the background too? It worked perfectly.
Top job.


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Hi Noel,

very uplifting song! Like your lyrics and
delivery. I especially like the part where the
choir comes in.
I enjoyed my listens a lot.

Guenter

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Noel, If everyone had your attitude the world would be a much better place. I am beginning to think that you never get depressed. I like the unusual chord progression and the unusual rhyme scheme. (at least to me anyway) The dropping of the drums except the snare during the cello solo was inspired arranging. And what a big big overall sound! The choir sounded great-money well spent. You keep moving forward in your singing, writing, arranging and production. I can hardly wait to hear what comes next. Excellence lives here. Bravo! Tom

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Hello Noel,

This is the perfect Christmas song!
Appropriate lyrics, beautiful music and vocals (yes, nice chorus!).
We could imagine John Lennon singing it.
Very well done!

Rob and Anne-Marie


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

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


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Love the chord changes and the melody of this, so nice, not to mention the lyrics. enjoyed.

Kenny

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Hi Noel.

A beautiful song with admirable sentiments.

The cello solo was perfect.

Great production and mix.

ROG.

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Well done again sir.

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nice song and great voice as usual.

I like the real tracks you choose.

Sergio



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Originally Posted By: Charlie Fogle
Wow Noel, not only have you stepped up production but you are also maintaining your normal well thought out lyrics, melody and production.

IMO, your lyrics match well with John Lennon's Imagine and it's easy to imagine this doing quite well commercially recorded by a major artist.

Because of the arrangement and your slight accent, I also could hear this with Barry Gibb doing the honors. That would be a nice birthday tribute to the late Mr. Lennon.


Hi Charlie,

Thanks for taking time to have a listen. I enjoyed putting this one together. What BIAB makes possible these days is just brilliant! It's such an amazing tool.

Thanks for the visit,
Noel


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Originally Posted By: 90 dB
Very nice Noel. It's refreshing to hear a song about peace. There used to be a lot of them.

Enjoyed it.

Regards,

Bob


Hey Bob,

Good to see you. There have been some fantastic songs written about peace. Some of them have really made a difference, too. As a theme, I sure it will be recycled again one of these days - most things seem to come and go like a merry-go-round.

All the best,
Noel


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I agree with all the comments that everyone else have submitted. To me, your harmony at bars 56 and 57 sounds very much like the Beatles harmony on "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". I had noticed that in another song that you did. You do a superb job on everything that you write.
Sonny

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A very nice write, Noel. It has the feel of a classic "group sing" type song..."We Are The World"..."I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"... the melody goes to all the right places for that...

The background voices are a nice touch. The drums are especially nice, too.

By my third listen, I could hear the world singing along...

floyd

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Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
Nice Noel
I really like the use of non-even bar numbers. It introduces an interesting level of anticipation.
Yes the Miroslav Philharmonik really provides a fantastic dynamic, rich and full.
Did I notice a choir sound in the background too? It worked perfectly.
Top job.



Thanks, Trevor.

I've always been impressed with David Cuny and his arrangements using Miroslav. So when the software was $49 recently, I purchased it. Talk about a bargain! The sounds are amazing. The choir comes from this software. I used the 'Female Ah' sound and wrote a couple of small sections of 2-part harmony. I wasn't sure how it would work but it seems to have done the job.

Also, part of the "anticipation" you feel with the 9th bar in some sections is certainly due to the odd number of bars (although 9-bars per section was not unusual in Bach's day), it's probably also enhanced by the fact that the 9th bar is 2/4. I've heard the song so many times now that I can no longer feel this sort of movement. Your comment gave me an insight and I appreciate it.

Thanks for taking the time to listen.

All the best,
Noel


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Originally Posted By: boehm
Hi Noel,

very uplifting song! Like your lyrics and
delivery. I especially like the part where the
choir comes in.
I enjoyed my listens a lot.

Guenter


Hi Guenter,

Thank you for visiting, listening and commenting. The choir and church bell were late additions to the arrangement. My main reason for adding the Miroslav Philharmonik vocal sound was because I couldn't get my own vocal harmony to work effectively and I really wanted to use voices to lift the last section of the arrangement. When I wrote a couple of simple midi counter-melodies and channeled them through the Miroslav plugin, it sounded good so I left it.

Thanks again for taking the time...

Regards,
Noel


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Noel,
I can think of nothing much to add to the other comments except to say having watched the video a few times that the presence of Bar 13 initially threw me and I thought that as this song would fit as "the last dance" type of song this would not make dancing easy, but then I am no Astaire. The 2/4 bar seemed to work better before the chorus.

I also thought the song would sound great with just a solo acoustic guitar, no other instruments, in verses 1 and 2. Then a build up.

Up to your normal standards grin

Alyn

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Originally Posted By: tommyad
Noel, If everyone had your attitude the world would be a much better place. I am beginning to think that you never get depressed. I like the unusual chord progression and the unusual rhyme scheme. (at least to me anyway) The dropping of the drums except the snare during the cello solo was inspired arranging. And what a big big overall sound! The choir sounded great-money well spent. You keep moving forward in your singing, writing, arranging and production. I can hardly wait to hear what comes next. Excellence lives here. Bravo! Tom


Hey Tom,

hmm.... I suspect that 'me' in real-life and 'me' in my songs might be two different people! ... LOL ... I'll keep that just between you and me, though. Thanks for passing through. I always look forward to reading how you hear my work and I appreciate the insight you give me.

In relation to the chord progression, I wanted to use the flat seven chord.... I, bVII, V7.... (in this song that's G F D7). It's a chord that I picked up from Jai Josef's book "Writing Music for Hit Songs". Once I became aware of it, I realised that I'd heard it a number of times over the years but never appreciated what it was.

I'm glad the choir worked for you because I was in two minds about using it! Onto the next song now.... (I've already got the loop happening!)

All the best,
Noel


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Originally Posted By: RnAM
Hello Noel,

This is the perfect Christmas song!
Appropriate lyrics, beautiful music and vocals (yes, nice chorus!).
We could imagine John Lennon singing it.
Very well done!

Rob and Anne-Marie


Hi Rob and Anne-Marie,

Thank you for your uplifting thoughts. Thanks for the idea about Christmas, too. That wasn't something that occurred to me as I wrote it. I appreciate the visit.

All the best,
Noel


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