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floyd, This is a strong write that tells a story that is not often heard in song form. The lyrics are great but the real star here is the arrangement and production. Quite a feat of engineering. I have listened to this many times and never fail to be amazed. This is without a doubt the most ambitious and complex piece to ever hit this forum. Every accolade and every standing O you receive here is well deserved. You continue to inspire all of us with your mastery of the software. Much care and many hours went into this. The horns sound amazing. As Charlie so aptly said"This song ends the debate of BIAB track's use to create a first class, unique and commercial production. " Thanks for pushing so far and showing us all what Biab is capable of. Tom
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floyd,
...absolutely wonderful songwriting, arranging, performing and mixing.
There are so many intriguing writing and arranging musical twists turns that I was left mesmerised... captured by the music. I can only begin to imagine the amount of time and effort that has gone into getting such an incredibly polished sounding production. I don't think that any single song has ever showcased so many of your musical capabilities in one location as this song. This is a remarkable work on so many levels.
I'm pretty sure I just heard the forum bar ratchet up at least a dozen more notches!
All the best,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
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Yep. It's loud, all right.  That's a pumping and thumping rollercoaster ride you've got there. I'm impressed. Minor nits: The mix seems overly compressed, with the midrange a bit lacking. Not nits: Holy freaking toledo. Once that train starts rolling, it just keeps chugging along without a misstep. It's organic and musical, and the occasional odd time signatures work really well. A huge amount of work, I'm sure, but it pays off 1000%. Wow. 
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I'm in Nashville - typing on a phone so will be short... Hi Floyd,
you know exactly what you are doing!
And here you did a lot. After reading your
description I was surprised how it started. And
after going on listening I was even more surprised
how it developed. And that arrangement fit the lyrics!
A masterly production. Like Ian said a real opus.
Great use of the brass and the different basses.
I love the Janettes! And what awesome mix. I'm listening with my Stax headphones and it's a revelation.
I'm still listening without counting the listens.
Guenter
P.S. Thanks a lot for the hint to the remix contest. I'm going to give it a try.
Guenter - so pleased that this works for you... a bit outside my usual...thanks for the nice review....
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Wow! Monster complex production. Extremely good . Sounds almost orchestral rock opera in places. Cheers. Thanks Richard Pretty Amazing production. I thought I was listening to the King. So he is alive. Wow! Thanks david
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That's a huge project right there. I kept thinking of Tom Jones as I was listening.
Fairly unique chord progressions there too. I liked that aspect of the song. The Minor to major change was interesting. Took a few listens for it to sink in and grow on me.
There's some others above, who referred to this as a train moving along. Yes, there's alot of power and momentum and energy in this once it gets moving. There's one place where it drops for a second and that's the one place where it really needs to be powerful.
You have a break in there at 3:42. The break is absolutely the perfect thing to have there and it's the perfect place for it. However.....On the word "doesn't" the music really needs to hit hard. It doesn't. Right before that... as it leads up to the stop.... the kick is running hard like Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run.... Come back in with that same energy and groove. That's a really tiny nit.... but IMHO I think, an important detail. I hear a snare smack on 4 with the band coming in on 1.... hard and wide open and running hard like they went out on 1. pull the tails down too (quickly) after 1 so the silence behind the vocal track is dramatic. If you're gonna use silence, use it right and make it count.
Great production, and very little else in the song to complain about. Like I said it's just a nit, but I'd do some touch up work on that silence break and make it really big.
just my opinion and 2 cents worth.
GREAT JOB!!!
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.
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It has been cool to read the responses to this song. When floyd invited Janice in on the harmony we were knocked out by the production. Janice was both excited to be invited to participate and somewhat intimidated by the lead vocal -- both the range and the phrasing. But the little ole bluegrass girl did fine...in my hugely biased opinion!
As she was working up the part I had quite a few listens...and my thoughts then are all mirrored by the above comments and in particular Tom's remark that the star here is the arrangement and the production.
I'm gonna drag out the old war horse that I rarely call upon:
AWESOME!!
Bud
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 are here on our website.
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WOW!!! Opus is certainly the word for this! Pretty mind-blowing arrangement. The music is really complex too. It reminds me of Todd Rundgren in the sense that just when you think you know where it's going, there's another turn. Lyrics are really cool-paint just the right picture. This is just over the top in so many ways. Awesome accomplishment Floyd!! You are a master! Take care. Greg Greg appreciate that...Todd...ha... I'm out of town...will have a go at your new one when I return
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Well now, a little Chicago, and BS&T, holy crap!!!!! Now that is a tune, a great composition and layered out perfectly, another great tune from the master, FJ!!!!!!!!!! Now those are the types of horns we need at PG Music, even if midi based, fantastic!!!  +1 Even when you stop out of your comfort zone you nail it! Super song-super mix!
Whenever I get something stuck in the back of my throat, I dislodge it by drinking a beer.
It's called the Heineken Maneuver.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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I've wondered this, so I will finally ask...(looks around)...are you from the future? Is this where BIAB will someday be? There is clearly NO other explanation!
Feel free to drop the mic and walk off the stage now.
That was astounding!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Floyd
A huge production - that does not typically sound like Band In A Box.
Excellent use of brass - great arrangement.
Vocal - both lead - and backing vocals which gave it a sort of big 60's feel (that 60's soul bass contributing to the feel)
Really interesting song structure and quite a showcase for what can be done.
Overall an excellent song.
Thanks Peter
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Good grief!!! I originally came on here to see if I could fix my broken BIAB - again.  I think I'll throw it away instead!!! How could anyone top this? I was not expecting such an Opus. Tremendous creation in the music itself, the lyrics and the amazing Brass. The feeling was almost of a Live performance. You never cease to amaze me, Floyd. cheers ian Yep. What Ian said. Talk about a testimonial for BiaB. Sounds like a live performance with a full orchestra and a choir of backup singers, all under the direction of a maestro. What a powerful vocal, Floyd! Wow!!!!!
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Wow Floyd and Janice! Now this is definitely something else. This could almost be part of a musical . The vocals: Floyd, we never heard you sing this high pitched before! Janice: very rhythmic and tight backing. The music: These brass samples definitely dominate the song in a good way. RTs very well chosen. Altogether a totally different kind of song, but very good! About the free samples: in my case (serious RSI) not really usable, unless somebody creates a Kontakt shell, or Sampletank mapping. Anyone???? Rob Thanks, Rob.... The brass samples are tedious to work with... for every couple of seconds, I had to walk through them to find the "moment" that I wanted to use.... sometimes that was 50 samples in... then you have to get it to the right key... But the end result was worth it - and it is sort of fun... it's music...
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Quite a production Floyd! I am sure this didn't happen overnight. Those kind of horns are the ones that I wanted BIAB to provide but maybe like you said it would be too difficult. Very nice piece...from start to finish. I keep reading that this is different for you, but I personally like for people to branch out away from their comfort zone. Variety is the spice of life for me (well with the exception of most Rap). Enjoyed!
Sonny Thanks, Sonny. If you look back the 80 or so songs that I've posted, there is a good deal of variety, I think... it's the singer's fault - he always sounds the same... Wow FJ, You sound marvelous! Love that vocal. And the horns sound so real! Opus indeed - what a complex arrangement and production. Great job on the harmonies with Janice too. I felt like I was listening to the finale of a show in Vegas. Kudos for all the obvious work that went into this one. Color me amazed... Thanks, Josie. Appreciate that. (the horns are real, actually). Just a Vegas-kind-a-guy, ya know...
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very interesting and ambitious project... and you pulled it off! I'm always won over by horns when they're well done (and these are)
But above and beyond the horns, I thought the chord progression and arrangement were both very unique.
The high energy stage show feel isn't something I've ever heard from you, (but I'm pretty sure I haven't listened to all of your songs... maybe you've done it while I was off doing other things and not paying attention to the forum)
You generally go for a pretty clean composition, but this was quite busy. In the hands of a lesser composer that much activity would almost certainly get tiring.. and in the hands of a lesser mixing engineer, it would probably be muddy too... the fact that your project avoids both of those problems is a real testimony (once again) to your wide range of skills.
Good luck following yourself on this one. ;-) If this were indeed taken from a stage show, it would probably be the last song, the grand finale that leaves the audience's jaws on the floor, and after which nobody else wants to perform.
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Hey Floyd,
Just home from 11 days in the hospital after prep and then surgery. Not feeling real good but thought listening to the great talent here on BIAB User's Forum might brighten my mood. Wow, did it ever!
Something totally different from you... at least from what I've previously heard. I can tell how much work when into this...more than a lot! Your attention to detail shines through.
You said you don't know what you're doing. I'd like to protest that statement! I would classify this as Symphonic Rock. I thought of Blood Sweat and Tears as I listened.
Everything about this is par excellence. Wonderful piece of music performed to perfection. Wow, still taking it all in!
Alan Hi, Alan! I was thinking about you guys a few days ago... hoping you are doing well... Thanks for the listen and the nice comments... Hope we will see you around more... get strong and well... Floyd, You're starting to scare us with your endless talent!
How good is that song? What an absolutely remarkable arrangement.
You provided a Full, rich, driving, top class delivery.
And Janice's contribution is superb. No surprise there either.
No doubt a big effort. This is Way up there.
Trev
Thanks, Trevor... I certainly enjoyed reading that!... Well now, a little Chicago, and BS&T, holy crap!!!!! Now that is a tune, a great composition and layered out perfectly, another great tune from the master, FJ!!!!!!!!!! Now those are the types of horns we need at PG Music, even if midi based, fantastic!!! Thanks, Steve... always good to have you drop in... that was the type of thing I was after, Chicago, BS&T... Boz Skaggs... something that makes you "feel" those horns...
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floyd, As sixchannel said that is astounding! your voice, the tune, the brass, the janettes, the everything The only thing that was normal was the mix. Altho' by normal I mean it was up to your usual extremely high standards. I have tried using those brass samples but got absolutely nowhere but I did use some of the vocal asides!! and noises  I understand and fully appreciate, from listening to the song, how much effort went into the final product. I can't even see the bar you have just re-set as it is so high now. and you berated me for the number of RTs I used in Train Surfer.  excellent, absolutely excellent Alyn Hi, Alyn! - I just noticed that I skipped over your comments... that was not intentional... (I wonder how many times I've done that without realizing it...). We should keep a running count of who has used the most RTs in a song - I think you are winning at this point... Using the brass samples is both tedious and fun. It has to be done a few notes at a time - searching through all the available mp3s (85 of them). I was lucky that most of them were in the same key as my song... I only had to bump a few notes to the right spot... Thanks for the nice review...
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Unique. Outside the proverbial box. A lot of work in this one – kudos!
Regards,
Bob Thanks, Bob. (I think) - I know this is a bit too busy (chaotic?) for some... (my wife doesn't like listening to it...) Floyd, I hope you didn't nick your fingers too bad with all the cut and pasting you did on this one.
I love the level of complexity and sophistication you achieved here and I think this is your best out of pocket genre song since "Diamonds" which I also found to be complex and sophisticated in its production.
This song ends the debate of BIAB track's use to create a first class, unique and commercial production.
Enjoyed this from start to finish and looking forward to see you top yourself because I can tell you are enjoying pushing the BIAB limits as well as your own imagination. You are taking us on quite a journey and it's really a fun ride. I do appreciate all that, Charlie... Personally, I think that debate has been answered many times over - in this forum - Tom's productions are studio quality... Bud's productions sound like a top-tier group of musicians caught live on their best day... Guenter is simply astounding... it is also surprising the level of writing in a community this size - Tom, Bob, Greg, Lawrence (where has he gone?) to name a few... Isn't it about time you posted another???
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"Thanks, Bob. (I think) - I know this is a bit too busy (chaotic?) for some... (my wife doesn't like listening to it...)"
That was not a left-handed compliment. I like "out of the box" music.
Regards,
Bob
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Nice song and voice as usual
Great Jeanice on background.
Sergio
Sergio
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