Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Hello Folks,
I read, accepted and applied suggestions offered. There was quite a long wait for a guitar solo that didn't arrive so I opted for a BIAB option. I did download a RealTrack set of guitar solos but, as good as they are, they didn't match the style or sound of the song so I used something alien and out of my comfort zone which, it seems, worked quite well.
Construction Paper Heart - FINISHED!

AND the video...
Pygmy Beat Construction video

BIAB components:
Drums - Bright Brit pop
Organ - background blues
Solo - Slide guitar
The rest came from:
Vantage bass
Squire Mustang HH guitar
Yamaha FX500
Joyo ACtone pedal
EHX Mel9 Pedal
Scarlett 8i6 interface
Recorded & mixed in Reaper
Mastered by Fran Ashcroft of Happy Beat Studio UK.
For those interested - I don't master my own stuff because a) I don't have the ears for it & b) a little distance offers a lot of perspective.
Fran is great - he mastered this from a 24bit file I sent to him with WeTransfer. Normally I do 16bit. Currently he charges around 25 UK Pounds to do his thing for me as I'm a regular. He's was only marginally dearer when I 1st approached him.

Construction Paper Heart

A construction paper globe,
Turning beneath a strobe.
From each construction paper heart,
I cut out a little part,

And I glue it to my own.
Which sits unused beside my phone,
As yet to take a single call,
See, I have no hope at all.
See, I have no hope at all.

In my construction paper world,
I make plans that aren't unfurled.
But each brightly coloured page,
Sublimates my mounting rage.

And I glue it to my own.
Which sits unused beside my phone,
Today I pinned them to the wall,
See, I have no hope at all.
See, I have no hope at all.

And I glue it to my own.
Which sits unused beside my phone,
Your number written in my scrawl,
See, I have no hope at all.
See, I have no hope at all.

Now I cut and fold and glue,
So I don't take it out on you.

Any & all comments are welcome. Suggestions I'll apply/try to my next track as this one is done & dusted.

Last edited by rayc; 07/20/18 11:16 PM.

Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,664
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,664
Hi rayc, Thanks for sharing this with us! Fantastic choice of instrumentation and the overall progression is brilliant. The overall vibe reminds me a little bit of the Clash. Great work on the vocals too! smile


Cheers,
Joe
User Showcase
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,685
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,685
As mentioned the Clash, Although defo 80s style, wish you had brought the vocals up more .

Good stuff.


win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 .
https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Cool stuff! I agree with the 1980s comments - a well-orchestrated production that shines throughout. I could see this in a Rock Music stage production. Really cool!

ALan


BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar

Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops

User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,189
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,189
I enjoyed listening, and it definitely nailed the '80s vibe. smile

But I agree that the vocal seemed a bit buried against that wall of sound.


-- David Cuny

My virtual singer development blog
Vocal 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 2003
Posts: 24,678
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,678
Originally Posted By: dcuny
I enjoyed listening, and it definitely nailed the '80s vibe. smile

But I agree that the vocal seemed a bit buried against that wall of sound.


I agree!

This is a very good song and bringing up the vocal would bring it to perfection.


Tips on how to fall asleep in a living room chair:
1- Be old
2- Sit in a chair

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: Joe -PG Music
Hi rayc, Thanks for sharing this with us! Fantastic choice of instrumentation and the overall progression is brilliant. The overall vibe reminds me a little bit of the Clash. Great work on the vocals too! smile

Thanks Joe, you're very kind.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: beatmaster
As mentioned the Clash, Although defo 80s style, wish you had brought the vocals up more .
Good stuff.

Beatmaster,
the vocals are as up as I could cope with - sorry.
I often slag off 80s music only to realize I have 100s of albumbs from that period - most of which I love.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: Al-David
Cool stuff! I agree with the 1980s comments - a well-orchestrated production that shines throughout. I could see this in a Rock Music stage production. Really cool!

ALan

Thanks Alan,
It'd have to be a musical misanthropy but that'd be interesting too.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: dcuny
I enjoyed listening, and it definitely nailed the '80s vibe. smile

But I agree that the vocal seemed a bit buried against that wall of sound.

Thanks dcuny,
I used an 80s FX machine and an 80s bass so had a head start.
In my personal taste I prefer slightly buried or unclear vocals - early REM, The Residents, Pere Ubu etc. In this instance i was trying to hide my voice as much as I could get away with.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: MarioD
Originally Posted By: dcuny
I enjoyed listening, and it definitely nailed the '80s vibe. smile

But I agree that the vocal seemed a bit buried against that wall of sound.


I agree!

This is a very good song and bringing up the vocal would bring it to perfection.

Mario,
If that translates to be just shy of perfection I'll take it. Thanks.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,917
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,917
ray,

This is really well done.

A terrific cohesive sound. HUGE, yet clear. The drums and bass sound great (super bass sound!). The organ, too. Everything, actually...

I like the vocal where it is - just a little "buried" - I think that is right for the style (though I would have liked some "obvious delay" on it).

Excellent. Great listen.

fj

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414
Wow - what a tune! I thoroughly enjoyed this. Someone else mentioned The Clash, and I definitely think this is reminiscent of that band and their output in the early 80's. I love the vocals on this, and the backing tracks worked perfectly.

Not a thing I'd change on this one - thanks for sharing smile


Cheers,
Deryk
User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
Ray,
I enjoyed the original version - this is an improvement with the slide guitar ( nice effects) and a different mix.
I like the slightly buried vocal - fits the style... and if the volume is cranked as it should be , it sounds about right!

Robert

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 785
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 785
Excellent song Ray, so many different shades and tones. Well done!!!

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: floyd jane
ray,

This is really well done.

A terrific cohesive sound. HUGE, yet clear. The drums and bass sound great (super bass sound!). The organ, too. Everything, actually...

I like the vocal where it is - just a little "buried" - I think that is right for the style (though I would have liked some "obvious delay" on it).

Excellent. Great listen.

fj

Thanks FJ,
I did toy with the delay on the vocal and quite liked it but decided against it as I'd already indulged too much in "wetnesses" and feared it was bringing the addiction back. In hindsight - you're right. Thanks for the generous words.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: Deryk - PG Music

Not a thing I'd change on this one - thanks for sharing smile

Thanks Deryk, that's a quote I can live with very happily.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: Robertkc
Ray,
I enjoyed the original version - this is an improvement with the slide guitar ( nice effects) and a different mix.
I like the slightly buried vocal - fits the style... and if the volume is cranked as it should be , it sounds about right!
Robert

Thanks Robert,
I'd had two guitarists promise solos but both fell through for good reasons. I had thrown the slide solo on as a gap fill and to demonstrate my thoughts on building up to as well as playing out of "the slot". In the end it was a clear winner as the last man standing.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted By: cliftond
Excellent song Ray, so many different shades and tones. Well done!!!

Thanks Cliftond,
I appreciate your assessment.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,263
I've added a video link to the original post for those who prefer distraction or a glimpse of my mug.

Last edited by rayc; 07/21/18 11:32 PM.

Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
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!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.

Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.

Holiday Weekend Hours

As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:

April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours

Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!

— Team PG

Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!

PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.

The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.

The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.

Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!

Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.

Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!

Order now!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,157
Posts801,411
Members40,061
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
Armando D'Errico, PhilinPhil, RBDavis1957, Trenamusic, feralearthman
40,061 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 131
DC Ron 101
rsdean 101
zedd 99
Noel96 71
Today's Birthdays
boomerballads, Hogman, Marius1976
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5