|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
https://soundcloud.com/phil-leith/im-alive-originalThis song ... literally came to me in a dream. Like, last wednesday morning. Ok, sort of. What came to me was the "I'm Alive, I'm Alive blah blah blah blah" part. Complete with the melody and harmony for that snippet. Picture yourself in a convertible, driving up the Pacific Coast Highway on a warm sunny day, reflecting on your life, when you listen. Here's the cool thing about BIAB. Less than a week later... this. Not possible without BIAB. Not for me anyway. Wrote, arranged, and produced, and sang all the vocals except for the quiet ooh's and aaahs leading up to the chorus ... I tried their ooohs and aaahs. Mechanical ... probably because they were sampled at 085 and my song is at 140 BPM, but at this volume, they work ok. I kept them pretty subtle. I bounced all this off Bob Buford, who was adamant that I find filler instrumental for the breaks between lyrics. It's a thing. He was right, though, it's better. I was looking for a decent dobro soloist, but I ended up using the Knopfler style "Dire Bluesey" and I think it works. Very close to what I had in mind. Lyrics are on SoundCloud. ****** Song Summary ************* Title: I'm Alive File:I'm Alive.SGU Key=E , Tempo 140, Length (m:s)=3:47 No intro. 131 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 131. Repeat x1 chorus No Melody Soloist track has 868 notes, Soloist harmony is < no harmony >(0) Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0, Style is _BOWE110.STY (Acoustic Guitar w/ Even Bow Bass) RealTracks in style: ~2488:Bass, Acoustic, Bowed Held Ev 110 RealTracks in style: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealTracks in song: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealTracks in style: ~522:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 512:Guitar, Electric, Soloist Dire Ev 140 (Bluesy) RealDrums in style: NashvilleEven8^3-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, HiHat Open RealTracks Vocal Oohs-Aahs, Rhythm Pop3-part Ev 085 David Wise/Shelly Justice ******************* Produced in Reaper using Xcomp, ReaVerb, Acon Digital Multiplier, ReaTune. And Bob Buford to bounce it all off of.
Last edited by Phil Leith; 04/30/18 11:31 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 266
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 266 |
I'm doing something else while I listen and the lyrics keep making me pay attention, the way the singer matches the rhythm and chord , the nice guitar work. Really nice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 728
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 728 |
I bounced all this off Bob Buford, who was adamant that I find filler instrumental for the breaks between lyrics. It's a thing. He was right, though, it's better. Produced in Reaper using Xcomp, ReaVerb, Acon Digital Multiplier, ReaTune. And Bob Buford to bounce it all off of. Someday you'll learn to listen to me.  A fine job, indeed. Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
"I'm doing something else while I listen and the lyrics keep making me pay attention...."
Excellent! A lyric man. Then I have succeeded :-D
Thanks for giving it a spin!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Someday. :-)
Yeah, I really thought it would overpower the intentional pause in the melody, but it didn't. It does make it more interesting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,349
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,349 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,168
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,168 |
Thanks for sharing the dream.
We enjoyed the upbeat feel of this via the lyric, vocal and arrangement.
Nice!
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: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,605
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,605 |
Song ideas that have come to me in dreams are usually very simple and that's why they usually work so well, like in your case. Very nice upbeat pop song with positive feel good message. Good production.
Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,936
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,936 |
Phil,
A really nice "feel good" song. A really nice overall sound, an infectious melody.
The track works really well. And a nice mix. (at times I thought the bass needed to come up a hair).
Your background "aaahhhs" are terrific. Some of the best I've heard done here..they really made the chorus shine. Nice.
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,892
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,892 |
Nice.....
Love the chorus.
Reminded me in places of John Denver.
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: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Thanks, Floyd.
You and my wife would butt heads over bass. :-D When the bass is about perfect for me, it's a few db too high for her. I do want a nice solid bass in it. I was playing it in our living room and in our cars and it was overpowering so I dropped it 4 whole DB. But I haven't re-tested it in the car since then, I just uploaded it because it didn't sound too bad on my monitors.
I should do the car-stero test again. But I've been riding my bike to work, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Well, Guitarhacker, I am a big JD fan, to be sure.
If you can't tell, I'm also a big Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan. And a Jimmy Buffett fan. And a Mark Knopfler fan. The way this song worked out, I think it sounds like Jimmy Buffet and the Beach Boys met at Mark Knopfler's house for a jam session.
I really wanted the harmonies in the chorus to hit you like a tsunami. Hope I succeeded!
Last edited by Phil Leith; 05/01/18 10:33 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Doesn't happen to me very often, jannesan, I have lost a few of them by not writing it down and recording the basic tune. I ALMOST lost the tune on this one, but it did come back to me eventually. It was just that one snippet "I'm alive, I'm alive blah blah blah blah blah ... " that I had anything for ... and why I'm saying blah is I had no words there at the time, just the tune.
This tells me GET UP and SING IT INTO YOUR PHONE or something. Before you forget!
Last edited by Phil Leith; 05/01/18 10:39 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2,060
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2,060 |
Phil,
Some really strong work here—catchy melody that just flows, accentuated by some solid lyrics with great lines throughout. Terrific job on the harmonies. Very nicely done.
Best regards,
Deej
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
I fixed all the little issues I had with my vocal last night (I introduced one other, but I'll fix that tonight. Mixing issue) and I brought up the bass just a touch just for you :-)
Well, no, the "car stereo test" told me it could come up a smidge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
Phil, You can really sing! Great lead vocal and BG vocals. Nice job on the editing of the guitar parts. Mix sounds good. I seemed to be getting an imbalance on the bass. Maybe check to make sure it's centered and in mono. You are sounding good and getting the hang of everything very quickly. Glad you're here, Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Thanks again, Tommy.
I'm still trying to get used to people complimenting my voice. It's a pretty new concept to me.
Bass is (or was... sometimes a finger slips on a touchpad) intentionally set about 5-7% to one side for panning. I need to re-mix that "oo-oh" harmony in the first verse tonight (it is not balanced the way I want it - mistake I made last night). When I do that I will listen for that bass and see what I think. I did bump it up a bit at Floyd's suggestion. That may have made the panning more noticeable so it might need a tweak. I will likely leave it just a tad off center, like arranging a band on the stage.
The ending is the way the style played my chords I entered. I liked what it did so well that I wanted it in the beginning so they'd mirror each other. So I just went in and put the same chords I ended with at the beginning and BAM! Just what I was looking for. One of my favorite things about how it turned out.
Glad all of you are here. This is a neat community. I'm hearing some really good stuff and getting so much input.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Guess I should add, re: editing the guitar parts.... yeah, I generated the solo track for the entire song, and just edited it down to the places I wanted it. Had to fade the bits and pieces in and out sometimes (not always), but I am happy with the result.
Next time I'm going to use envelopes in Reaper. Bob just told me about them. I looked them up. Oh yeah! That's what I need! Those will be very useful. Where has it been all my life?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,033
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,033 |
Phil,
This is a great song. I love the James Taylor / John Denver vibe. A very cool singer-songwriter piece.
Nice mix as well.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,313
Posts803,226
Members40,094
| |
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