|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
This song was a production and engineering experiment for me. I had never done anything in this genre. First, the story. There's ALWAYS a story with me! In a Google Hangouts chat with 5 other people, I made the comment that "If you give them a good beat, you can sing ANY kind of lyric you want and these kids today are so stupid they will buy it." That led to a Mary Had A Little Lamb rap freestyle complete with proper vulgarities. So I decided to put that theory to the test. What I found was that this is harder than a "normal" song because it really requires a lot of texture and precision with samples being inserted. I got it to a point and Rog finished it. Some of the experimentation included some industrial sounds I snagged from the internet, a metal door slam sample I did myself, a lot of automation for panning and reversing some of the sound bytes. It was actually kind of fun! The lyrics... The song is called "Titles", because the lyrics are 90% titles of other songs woven into a narrative. It's all done in sprechstimme (speak singing) to mock the rappers. The vocals were recorded into 2 mics at once. One was a Shure 58 that was placed ball down into a 2 quart pitcher, and the other an XML condenser. The echo inside the pitcher was exactly what I wanted. The whole idea came to me because of a guy who came through Cleveland along his career path. I can't say his name because if it got to him he would sue me, as he is very litigious. Some of the stuff he put out was really just noise to me, with banging spoons on pots and such. So I did some of the same thing!!! I will only say that if this was a band it would be called Six Inch Spikes. Draw your own inferences. Song info: _HVYBEAT.STY. Heavy Rap Beat w/ Synth RD: UrbanPopEv8GoodGirl^1-a:Kck1, b:Clap :Ed (Great Oz) Clare - kept drums and shaker - augmented with drum machine RT1936: Synth, Rhythm, EuroDance Chorus7Hit Ev16 120 cut out a section and looped RT1825: Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveHeld Ev16 075 - removed and replaced with live bass M36: Fretless Elec. Bass - removed and replaced with live bass Manual tracks: hi hat from a drum machine African drums from an RB loop high shaker with small shaker eggs kick from a drum machine snare from a drum machine low shaker from a larger home made shaker chord aahs from my ESQ-1 synth counter rhythm aahs from my ESQ-1 synth Rog's guitar tracks, part of which were snipped, reversed, and put back in chant aah to mimic Gregorian chant - left side chant aah 2 to mimic Gregorians chant - right side aah1 autopan.WAV these 2 autopan channels panned the 2 Gregorian chant tracks randomly aah 2 autopan.WAV drone guitar - this was a loop I did with my ebow RT 1936 synth loop from RB bass from Rog booming anvil on the downbeats is a sound I sampled from the web Screech is a metal screeching sound I sampled from the web high anvil plays on the 2s and 4s (comes and goes) against the booming anvil It was a fun piece and good learning experience. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but try to remember that this is a spoof and was done with my tongue as far into my cheek as it can get. Titles Crank it up and get your groove on!!! Phones might be a good idea because there is a LOT of panning on this one.
Last edited by eddie1261; 03/28/18 03:49 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,740
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,740 |
Yo Bro..... that's cool.
There were some country songs years ago...decades more likely, that used a similar concept..... titles from the other hits to tell a story. Novelty songs.
This is not easily identified in that "novelty" category.
That's brilliant work.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414
PG Music Staff
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414 |
This was actually really interesting to listen to, Eddie! Even though it is allegedly a bit of a mockery, it is pretty unique sounding especially for the showcase. I do enjoy music that is rather "noisy" at times and I'm also a big fan or rap/hip hop, so this actually catered to my tastes somewhat! Good work on this, and thanks for sharing 
Cheers, Deryk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,149
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,149 |
That was a fun listen!  And I agree with your theory - if the song sounds good, people won't care that much about lyrics. But that doesn't mean that lyrics aren't important at all. In fact, I think part of the charm of your song is the cleverness of the lyrics. I've not played a Ensoniq ESQ1 in some time. It's good to see yours is still getting used.
-- 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
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
I've not played a Ensoniq ESQ1 in some time. It's good to see yours is still getting used. And it's the original one from 1988!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,699
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,699 |
hi eddie love this great job very engaging thanks eric
AMD (TM) 5950 4.9 GHz 16Core Processor 64 bit 32 bits of ram windows 10 pro 64 bit os. sound card Antelope ZenQ guitars Ibanez 2202a 1968 les Paul Custom and Cavin ae 185 Guitar boss Gt-100,GT1000 pedal Yamaha HS8 studio monitors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 785
Journeyman
|
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 785 |
sounds great I cant do anything with keyboards or synths, my son has an ensoniq MR 76, and I had a sq1 back in 91 I think, I could not play it, sold it quickly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 65
Enthusiast
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 65 |
Definitely tres cool. Nicely done!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,353 |
My involvement in this started out as simply supplying a bass riff and some random guitar, but as a bonus I got to finish the mix as well.
Eddie had got it about 90% done, but felt that there was still something missing, so I got sent the SEQ file - 22 tracks with an amazing amount of stuff going on. A lot of the tracks were very percussive and it was hard to maintain a decent level, so I moved the project over to Harrison Mixbus 32C where I had sweep EQ, high and low pass filters and a buss compressor on every channel. By compressing at track level the whole thing tidied up nicely and I used an Eventide Ultra Harmoniser plugin for effects and a Harrison G-Plus reverb. The only mastering needed was a Teletronix LA-2A compressor plugin on the main stereo buss.
I thoroughly enjoyed helping out on this project and my hat goes off to Eddie for an amazing, original and inventive track.
ROG.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,445
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,445 |
This is a lot OF FUN! I think you reached that state of perfection everyone is talking about! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
This is a lot OF FUN! I think you reached that state of perfection everyone is talking about! If nothing else, I know now how many roads a man must walk down before people call him a man..... Or in this case, how many tracks I have to add before I can call it a song.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,728
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,728 |
Eddie,
Very cool and creative - I really enjoyed this!
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,615
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,615 |
This is very clever. I love the mood this a develops as the song continues. Reminds me a little of Pink Floyd. Great production well done with the mix. Excellent all over. Rob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,236
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,236 |
This was really good. Have to agree on the lyrics. Proof is in the pudding. Super backtrack. Some excellent guitar and a well delivered vocal. Well done
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
I should have said this in the original post but I will do it as a PS here. You will not get the true experience of this song if you listen to it on a cell phone with the speakers 2 inches apart. There is a lot going on with panning and movement and cell phone speakers will flatten that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,513
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,513 |
Very clever idea nicely implemented, the backing track kicks hard, very lush arrangement, the groove is catchy, and the spoken vocals really fit in. Well done, must have taken some time to put all this together.
Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
Very clever idea nicely implemented, the backing track kicks hard, very lush arrangement, the groove is catchy, and the spoken vocals really fit in. Well done, must have taken some time to put all this together. Probably 12 days from head to toe. And mostly on my end. Rog turned it around in a day from the engineering side. We had been going back and forth about guitar tracks for a month before though. Trying to explain to someone what you hear in your head is like is like trying to explain what "red" is to a person who can't see. I was like "I want it ANGRY". "I want it dirty." "I want it to scream." "I want short, stabbing parts that do all of the above." I mean, given that, it's pretty hard to interpret what my mind's ear hears. He sent me a good long sample of phrases put together and I cobbled a solo out of it by cutting and pasting. And on his first phrase, I actually took the sound waves and flipped them so you are hearing guitar played backwards. Doing that added "passion" to it because the attack was different when reversed. He did a great job on a very difficult piece that I did not think was going to be that involved. That was 22 tracks, my record.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Eddie, you did a fabulous job on everything here. It sounds spectacular in the headphones. The time spent really paid off in a big way. ROG played some great guitar lines and put some of his magic in the final mix. I really enjoyed it! Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
Thanks to all for the kind words and feedback. It was almost funny that what I thought would fall together quickly and easily took MANY days of tweaking and adjusting. Then I had to do all the automation to get the panning to move just right. When it went to Rog it was okay as far as balancing instruments. He did a lot of hi and lo pass filtering, as well as applying some compression at the mastering level. It came back sounding HUGE and very much more alive then when it went over.
Making those song titles fit together as a lyric took some work too. It was one of those things that looking at the bands I referenced, they had SO MANY song titles to pick from, yet as I sat and wrote that I drew a blank because there are too many.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 15,996
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 15,996 |
Man, I can't imagine how long it took to think that through and put it all together.
Yeah, it makes a great statement but as others have mentioned it has legs of it's own.
Fascinating.
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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 PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,840
Posts796,846
Members39,969
| |
Most Online25,754 Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|