|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752 |
Hi All, Here's something new - this is called Charlottesville. The sun sinks low in Charlottesville On an evil August night You can smell the citronella You can see it burning bright The fear is rising slowly From the windows up above You can almost hear the footsteps And their words have run amok The sun comes up in Charlottesville There's a new day ahead You can see the strangers gather You can almost feel the dread The streets are filling slowly From the first light of the day You can read the printed signposts And the flags now on display The sun comes up in Charlottesville In the middle of the day You can see the monsters prowling You can smell the pepper spray The crowd is in slow motion From the blinding metal weather You can see the flowers scatter And the tears upon the heather The sun sinks low in Charlottesville On a somber August night You can see the shadows running You can feel their vile delight The house is in disorder From the streets and all around You can hear the voices singing And the rising of this town The sun sinks low in Charlottesville The sun sinks low in Charlottesville The sun sinks low in Charlottesville The sun sinks low in Charlottesville The sun comes up in Charlottesville The sun comes up in Charlottesville The sun comes up in Charlottesville All BIAB Tracks: 1253: Bass, Electric, PopShiningHeld Ev 120 1262: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Ev 120 634: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopAmericanMuted Ev 120 RealDrums: MetalSlowTomGroove: a: Toms, b: Busy Toms As always, thanks for listening. Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,447
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,447 |
Great lyrics.
One thing that bothered me personally about the whole scene was that Time magazine photo center spread of some twenty something year olds smiling and cheering while a young person beat a crippled old man with a crutch while he was lying on the street helpless and undefended.
No one stepped in to say don't beat an old man with a baseball bat.
No, they cheered and smiled while old old man was beaten and it is all on camera. But hell, at least they were on the right side. Media Heroes. I am sure Jesus was very impressed and will show them which door to take when they make it to the other side.
If I could move to a different planet I would.
This one is messed up.
Glad you kept the song murky because it is all murky.
Murkier than Satan's innermost hellhole.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,979
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,979 |
Excellent writing! Spoken word really works well here.
Man, what a powerful song! On my second listen ....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,005
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,005 |
Wow! That is strong stuff.
The spoken word, the band and the arrangement are all in sync with the ominous feel.
This deserves a ton of listens!
The mix is pro level sounding on our monitors and is a classic example of how often less is more.
Great!
J&B
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,086
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,086 |
Heavy and deep. Not easy to write a song about tragedies like this. Impressive how you wrote this through unbiased eyes of a poet capturing the high emotion with such great imagery. Great job on the arrangement and production too Bob.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752 |
David,
Thanks - much appreciated. I like your description of murky... I also wanted to take a bit of a LoFi approach with the mix / recording.
Thanks again.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 433
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 433 |
Hi rsdean
I've wanted to post some of my political views, in my songs. I mentioned a one world order religion, that I wondered was doomed to fail... My song (hello world), but I think your song is better fashioned for that, kodos to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,057
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,057 |
Great writing. I wish i had the courage to write on such an important topic.
Well done.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,236
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,236 |
That blew me away Bob. As soon as the started I sat up in my chair. What a powerful song. Life at is worse and song writing at its best. Well done. Incredible delivery..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Powerful lyrics Bob!! This is a fantastic production, and great mix. One of my faves of so many by you that I really like!! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752 |
Dave,
Thanks - much appreciated.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,615
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,615 |
You painted a word picture masterpiece. Very clever write this one. Very moody and captivating. Thanks for listing. Rob.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,827
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,827 |
One of your all-time best, Bob - and THAT is saying a lot...
Excellent write - start to finish.
Excellent production. You used that piano SO effectively...all the instruments for that matter. Exceptional!
Powerful writing and producing and vocal. Bravo.
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,460
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,460 |
Heavy and deep. Not easy to write a song about tragedies like this. Impressive how you wrote this through unbiased eyes of a poet capturing the high emotion with such great imagery. Great job on the arrangement and production too Bob. Bob, I second Josie's comments. She said exactly what I was thinking as I listened. You've done a spectacular job with this. It's a very powerful composition and your arrangement and your performance catapult it into the territory of exceptional songwriting. Regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,752 |
Janice & Bud,
Thanks very much.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,992
PG Music Staff
|
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,992 |
I had to play this song a few times so that I could really appreciate it. It has so many subtleties that I really appreciate, and I think you did a great job with making the song really pop even with it being more mellow with its sound.
Rad job. Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Ember
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 723
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 723 |
Nice arrangement and song. It's really tough to write a political song. No matter what side of the isle you are on you risk offending at least 50% of your listeners. We always think we're right and have the moral high ground. However a little humility will tell most of us that we all have blind spots, facts we don't know and many issues are very complicated. I remember the old saying "The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions". I think it helped that you kept your lyrics a little vague. I was just reading comments this morning about Tim McGraw as it seems he collapsed on stage in Ireland and some of his fans are done with him and his music due to some recent comments and positions he's taken. We all have a right to our beliefs, but if you're out there making music and money, there's a responsibility to not alienate your fans, unless I guess you've made all the money you want or need and don't really care. My two cents.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 65
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 65 |
Robert...another excellent, excellent write. You have a real gift for creating strong imagery through verse. There is real craftsmanship here. Not to mention the excellent production. Well done!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357 |
That blew me away Bob. As soon as the started I sat up in my chair. What a powerful song. Life at is worse and song writing at its best. Well done. Incredible delivery.. Bob, I agree with Scott and those that appreciate how fine a line you`ve balanced in writing this. Wonderfully stripped down production... the pulsing end without a solo instrument allows the effect of your lyrics to sink in. Definitely up there with your best work. Robert
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353 |
Hi Bob,
A very intimidating song, but in a very good way. Bearing in mind the subject
matter, the feel is spot-on.
A very clever write which is thought provoking and leaves you with an uneasy
feeling, but also with the need to play it again.
Excellent.
ROG.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,887
Posts797,333
Members39,976
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean