|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,944
Expert
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,944 |
I thought this was great the first time I heard it.
I am confused about the reissue though, from the time stamp.
Is it really a reissue from March, or did it resurface from March? I have seen this happen to some songs that are even 3 or 4 years old and I can't quite figure out what is going on.
Is sure is a good song though.
I some times like to go back in time & listen to older songs of posters... sometimes just to compare it with their new work... If you like one well enough to make a comment, it will be resurrected in the Showcase, like this one was... However, I received a PM from a user who was offended by having old songs revived, so I stopped... Now I'll just have to PM the writer with a thumbs up 
Jim
†=☮&♥
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,375
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,375 |
David, very cool piece! In some strange way, not sure if it is a compliment or discourage to you, but your sound reminded me of Pet Shop Boys  Overall dynamics are great and interesting. But since you are open to comments, I will share my opinion, for what it worth... Session Horns.... When I read your comments, and listened to the tune, I have identified them right away. Line is great, but sound texture is "pulling" things in a way. Sort of distracting from otherwise a very well composed and mixed tune. I have Session Horns and whenever I use them I have very mixed feelings. Seems they are doing what they supposed to do, but I found that even a good sound font (SF2) at times yields better results, even when over-dampened with reverb. I know, horns/saxes (and other reeds) are hard to replicate. Maybe thicker, more FX heavy or even doubled Alto+Tenor to give dimension? I am not authority on those things, just speaking as a listener Best regards, Misha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,891
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,891 |
David, this is really great! I really liked the stops and syncopation. It sounds like you have The Tower of Power backing you here.
Thanx for explaining how you pieced this together. There are many ways to make music and it sound like you have mastered a number of them.
Great song!
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,373
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,373 |
Very cool tune. Loved the vocal delivery. Made the song so special. Well done
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,362
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,362 |
I thought this was great the first time I heard it.
I am confused about the reissue though, from the time stamp.
Is it really a reissue from March, or did it resurface from March? I have seen this happen to some songs that are even 3 or 4 years old and I can't quite figure out what is going on.
Is sure is a good song though.
I some times like to go back in time & listen to older songs of posters... sometimes just to compare it with their new work... If you like one well enough to make a comment, it will be resurrected in the Showcase, like this one was... However, I received a PM from a user who was offended by having old songs revived, so I stopped... Now I'll just have to PM the writer with a thumbs up I'm sorry if I did something wrong, I just liked the song and thought it deserved a comment. A few months ago I asked in another forum if it was OK to comment on old songs and it seemed like people in general wouldn't have a problem with it. The thing is that new users of the forum (like me) might like to go a little bit back in time to listen to what was going on here maybe a year ago, etc. And if we hear something nice it is hard to resist commenting on the piece - simply because the creator/artist deserves it. Will
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844 |
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. I really enjoyed this David. Loved the arrangement, especially the horns. Your strummed guitars sound great. I've just started using, and enjoying, Session Guitarist Strummed Acoustic 2: ( https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172/the-forest-and-the-trees-better-mix). Cheers, Mike
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,304
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,304 |
Sorry for taking so long to respond. I've been busy and haven't had much time to check in on the forum. When I first saw the thread had come back, and figured it would be bad form to respond and put it back to the top again. But since there have been several kind comments, it would be rude not to respond, n'est-ce pas? So, thanks! And Mike, I enjoyed listening to "The Forest AND The Trees".
-- 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: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,193
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,193 |
Mr. Cuny...
A big smile spread over my face as I listened to your song, "Bound for Freedom"! Right from the drums/percussion intro that sounded like handclaps, to the surprisingly funky horn and sax section arrangements, all the way down to the bluesy vocal harmonies. To my ears, your sassy, soulful composition sounds like something that David Clayton Thomas and Blood, Sweat, & Tears would have had a lot of fun with.
But the crowning touch was to read that the subject matter was based on the Underground Railroad. That you found inspiration in that dark but ultimately heroic experience is laudable. I'm always impressed when songwriters look to historical happenings for songwriting ideas because it keeps people aware of important events in the life our nation.
I'm gonna be coming back to listen to it, and who knows how many more times?
Thumbs-up!
LOREN
"Music is what feelings sound like."-- borrowed from a Cakewalk Music Creator forum member, "Mamabear".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,173
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,173 |
David, I liked this, the longer I listened the better I liked it.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,427 |
David, I must have missed this first time round, but this mix sounds darn good to me. So many catchy things going on in the mix, especially the vocal harmonies and brass parts. Good stuff!  John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Very cool David!! Has an infectious groove and some cool lyrics! I think all of the elements came together really well. VERY, VERY nice job!! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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 PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,432
Posts805,027
Members40,123
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean