https://soundcloud.com/phil-leith/in-a-mountain-town-original

[Lyrics at the bottom]

The inspiration for this song came mainly from Estes Park, CO, the doorway to Rocky Mountain National Park. It's an eclectic little town. Quirky, like its sister towns on the front range. An easy place to fall in love with. After a few days hiking in the park, it's nice to go into town, hit a restaurant or microbrewery, and just people-watch while you maybe shop and grab an ice cream cone, and catch Brad Fitch (Cowboy Brad) down at Bond park playing for a crowd of people on blankets and lawn chairs. The autumn storm referred to here is the big flood of 2013. Not the first time that's happened and it won't be the last.

Fellow BIAB forum member Bob Buford heard an early version of the song (actually my third go at the song in 5 years) and encouraged me to get Band in a Box to help fill out my "studio" and gave me some pointers on mixing. So this is my first original that I'm "finished" with since I got BIAB. My 4th "go" at the song and I have to say ... I'm liking it a lot better now. I guess I never feel like I'm "done" with a song ... but ... great advice, Bob, glad I got it.

I use Reaper to mix and add FX. On this track, I actually like my own rhythm guitar style and "western" solo. All of the vocals are me. BIAB info:

_ELECROK 4/4 ev8 120 Uplifting Rock2

but just used these instruments:

Bass: 388:Bass, Electric Metal Ev 120 [Dow Tomlin]
Drums: ReaDrums=RockHardModernEv8^2-ClsdHt, OpHt [Wayne Killius]

I used reverb on pretty much everything to fatten it up, including on the BIAB tracks. Yes, I use some gentle ReaTune on my vocals. (I'm still getting used to the idea of me singing as a primary musical expression. I only sang to accompany my guitar before. It's a weird paradigm shift for me.) Also used Acon digital multiplier to thicken especially the background vocals, and threw Xcomp compressor over the master track (Mastering 3 band smile setting). And the Clap Machine from 99 Sounds as a midi clap track. I toned that down to mostly get lost in the mix, only sticking out in the quiet parts.

Over the next few months I'll be going through my short catalog of originals and using BIAB to a much greater extent on some, and lesser extent on others, to get my songs sounding halfway decent.
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In a Mountain Town (Phil Leith, 2015)

I've been out where the air is bright and pretty
With my head in the clouds and my feet are gettin' gritty
Gonna head into town for an elk steak and cold mountain brew
A coffee house full of hippies and hikers
And a barbeque joint with a table full of bikers
And a cowgirl swingin' on through pulls her hat rim down
In her mountain town

In a mountain town...

There's a Tropicowboy singin' in the park
Playing songs to order until it gets dark
With kids acting out "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road"
He'll be pickin' with friends 'til the sun turns in
A daytime ranger, a nighttime musician
A hometown boy just helpin' make the world go round
In his mountain town

In a mountain town ...

Take a break from walkin' around
Just sit on a bench by the river splashin' down
And watch how life goes down in a mountain town
An afternoon shower is a mighty long way
From the autumn storm tried to wash her away
It's a peak and valley life of ups and downs
In a mountain town

In a mountain town ...


Last edited by Phil Leith; 04/17/18 06:28 AM.
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