|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
Another song! (Duh) See notes below for exciting details! Edit: This is a new mix, with some additional harmonies that I'd left off the first time. Hopefully it's an improvement over the prior mix. I also did some editing to add missing consonants to some of the words, turning feels into fields, and so on. Bound for FreedomI've spent a lifetime working for the man Won't let me go until I die But heaven lies far beyond these fields I'm getting ready to fly Tell the conductor of that Gospel Train I've got my ticket in my hand My bags are packed for the Promised Land I'll join that heavenly band Chorus: This is a railroad that's got no track It's bound for freedom and it's never turning back Praise the Lord and get on board We're bound for freedom I hear an angel knocking on my door I see her standing in the light It's time to cross to that other shore She says it's time to take flight Technical DetailsStrummed Guitars - Native Instruments, Strummed Acoustic 1 & 2 Bass - Drums on Demand, Essential Bass (loops) Drums - EZ Drummer, Nashville Basic Brushes Horns - Zero-G, Brass Elements (loops) Sax Solo - Band in a Box, Sax, Tenor, Soloist PopCountryMark Ev 085 #2019 Vocal Processing - Waves Tune Mastering - Ozone 7 Elements Effects - EZMix DAW - Reaper NotesAs part of my personal songwriting challenge, I'm working on incorporating various cool things that I've bought, but never gotten around to using, into my songs. This time, I started with the EZDrummer Nashville Brush kit - lovely sounds! I added the Session Guitars to that, which are my current go-to toy. As usual, I built the bass line using Essential Bass loops. It's probably not the best way to get things done, but I like the level of control. Then I went searching through my hard drive and found Zero-G Brass Elements loops, and went to town with those. Probably way too much horn, but whatever. Horns are cool. I tried adding some other horn elements using Session Horns, but it was sort of blah. Maybe next time. Backing tracks completed, I worked out a melody, which I thought was fairly nice, but verse and chorus are a probably a bit too similar too each other. My daughter concurs, saying the song "sounds the same" all the way through. I thinned out the vocal on the verses, and went with a big harmony sounds, but it's still an issue. Lesson learned. I left a big hole in the middle to drop in a guitar solo from BiaB, and got to work on the lyrics. Speaking of lessons learned, did I bother to check the range of the song this time around? Of course not!  I'm not David Snyder, so writing lyrics ended up taking about a week. Since the song has a sort of bluesy Gospel sort of feel, I went in that direction and ended up with a song about the Underground Railroad. When it came time to fill in the bridge with an instrumental, I couldn't find any guitar solo that worked. I finally hit on the second to the last Sax soloist. The first solo one out of gate fit perfectly.  The vocals are obviously a bit lower than usual - it's a comfortable range, but it tends to be a bit "tubby" and harder to carve out space in the mix for. My son's friend wondered how I got that cool distorted sound on the vocal. Turns out gain staging isn't something I excel at. Sorry about that. The ReLife plugin helped recover it a bit. As always, feedback of any sort if appreciated.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,251
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,251 |
David,
I really like this - it sounds to me like it could be a lost track from The Band's Big Pink era albums...
Very nice indeed.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,615
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,615 |
Wow! Great song. Loved the intro very original. Also like how you added the sax. Great tune and most enjoyable. Rob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414
PG Music Staff
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414 |
What a tune! I really enjoyed this one, dcuny. It's wonderfully catchy, and the addition of those horns was a great touch. I'm just imagining this sounding unreal in a live setting. This is exactly the kind of tune you can you can easily belt the chorus to at the top of your lungs while it's playing on a road trip. Great work, and thanks so much for sharing 
Cheers, Deryk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,547
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,547 |
Dave, This song is A LOT of fun! I like the way you mixed up your different tools from your tool kit on this one.  Great job
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,142
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,142 |
Sensational. Not a lot wrong with this at all. I did really like the lyrics.
The punctuation of the horns throughout added further dimension.
Vocally, it might be easy to break-away from the very straight delivery and try introducing 3rd's as a variation (instead of "and get on board" try "and get on bo-ard" lifting the last syllable by a 3rd).
Just a thought.
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: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
I really like this - it sounds to me like it could be a lost track from The Band's Big Pink era albums... Thanks, Bob!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
Wow! Great song. Loved the intro very original. Also like how you added the sax. Hi, Rob. Yeah, I was sweating when I couldn't find a guitar track that I could drop in. I didn't think the sax would fit the loops, but I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked - it fits, but is different enough to give a nice change in the middle of the song. Pundits have declared the sax as "dead" in pop music, but it sounds great to me.  Thanks!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
What a tune! I really enjoyed this one, dcuny. It's wonderfully catchy, and the addition of those horns was a great touch. Thanks, Deryk. It's sort of hard to go wrong with horns, right? I appreciate the positive feedback! 
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
This song is A LOT of fun!
I like the way you mixed up your different tools from your tool kit on this one.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! As I was working on the lyrics, I kept thinking If I was David Snyder, I'd have done a half dozen songs by now!  I've still got a bunch of instruments that I need to make use of, so I'll try to keep them coming. Thanks!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
Sensational. Not a lot wrong with this at all. I did really like the lyrics. Whenever I get lyrics that work out well, I worry that I'm accidentally re-writing something I've heard before. But in this case, they're intentionally derivative, because I wanted to try keeping to the traditional language of the spiritual. The punctuation of the horns throughout added further dimension. I actually put in the horns before I figured out the vocal. There are some places I thought I really should drop the horns (or at least duck them below the vocal), but they're so darned cool I just left them there. Vocally, it might be easy to break-away from the very straight delivery and try introducing 3rd's as a variation (instead of "and get on board" try "and get on bo-ard" lifting the last syllable by a 3rd). Yeah, rhythmic variety is a good idea. One of the challenges I've set for myself is writing the songs backwards from my normal process. That means building the backing first, then creating a melody, and then fitting lyrics to the melody, with the rule of no changing the melody. That leads to a lot of frustration in the lyric writing step, but it's a good exercise. So I'll leave that line in place "as is", if only because I'm too lazy to re-record it.  Thanks!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 5,665
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 5,665 |
Dave, This song is A LOT of fun! I like the way you mixed up your different tools from your tool kit on this one.  Great job I agree!! I like the vocal sound...kind of puts me in mind of ZZ Top's "I'm Bad I'm Nationwide"! Thanks, Torrey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 13,028
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 13,028 |
David,
It was as much fun reading the details of how the song came to be as it was listening (which was a LOT of fun!).
The vocal "sound" threw me at first, but it took very little time to become accustom to it - and to see it as an integral part of the song.
Cool horns. Cool bass. Cool acoustic rhythm...
I got a David Byrne/Talking Heads vibe...
Enjoyed.
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,008
PG Music Staff
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,008 |
This was such a catchy song, and I really enjoyed reading on how this song came to be. I love story time! Really awesome job here, and I really enjoyed the vocals.
Thanks for sharing!
Cheers, Ember
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
I agree!! I like the vocal sound...kind of puts me in mind of ZZ Top's "I'm Bad I'm Nationwide"! Hi, Torrey. Thanks! I really should have paid attention to when I saw it clipping, but I figured "It's really not bad", but it turns out it was exactly that bad. Lesson learned... maybe. 
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
It was as much fun reading the details of how the song came to be as it was listening (which was a LOT of fun!). Hi, floydjane. (I'm not sure how that gets ProperCased...) Cool horns. Cool bass. Cool acoustic rhythm... Thanks! As I mentioned, these are all toys that I got because of the "cool" factor, and songwriting is sort of an excuse to use them. Sort of the wrong motivation, but...  That's all I ask.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
This was such a catchy song, and I really enjoyed reading on how this song came to be. Hi, Ember. Thanks for the kind words! I'll remember to include song details in the future. I was feeling a bit guilty that I didn't use as many BiaB tracks as I intended, so I also wanted to explain why the song turned out the way it did. I should note - a few people have heard the song, and asked where I found the sax player... 
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
David, I like this one a lot. Great mix. Way to go finding all these different sources and getting them to work together so well. Very much enjoyed! Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,344 |
David, I like this one a lot. Great mix. Way to go finding all these different sources and getting them to work together so well. Very much enjoyed! Hi, Tom. I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for listening.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,669
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,669 |
Great funky gospel song, catchy like George Michael's Faith. Nicely built band from so many different sources, but still sounding very compact, especially horns and the strumming guitar are nice, a big hit on my top 40 radio station Your effected voice is excellent, makes you sound like a grunge artist (Vedder/Grohl style). Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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 amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac 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 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed 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 transcribe 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, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,630
Posts807,709
Members40,178
| |
Most Online64,515 Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are no members with birthdays on this day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|