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Songwriting
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I was responding to the comments about a lot of songs today being a formula and just wanted to state that it's easy to judge and voice our personal preferences, however those artists are trying to make a living with their music and the industry is competing in the market of selling songs to those who buy or listen on the radio. I think when we look at it from a business perspective and not a personal one it makes perfect sense. I did clarify my comment a little more above. Thanks for noticing that I needed to make it more clear.
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snip ... The bro-rock pickup truck theme is as old as 1992, and maybe older than that. I'm pointing to Chattahoochee (sp?) by Alan Jackson. The beer party in the woods theme goes back at least that far. At least that song wasn't warmed over rock, but the lyrical theme is there. Maybe someone here more drenched in the genre can point to an earlier example than Chattahoochee?"Settin' The Woods On Fire" A 1952 Hank Williams recording. Written by Fred Rose and Ed G. Nelson Jr.
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Hey Scott,
I will try one more time. Your points are very insightful and very well taken and thank you. I have plenty of finger snap loops and clap loops to last until Jesus comes back (hope it's soon too) and I will use them when it is right.
However, I believe my first original question has not been answered by anyone but Floyd and I see it may be my fault for not articulating it clearly in the beginning.
I will try again.
Since I am working with some country writers--including great female lyricists--I am asking if anyone has any FAVORITE STYLES or FAVORITE INSTRUMENT COMBINATIONS they use for demo and pitching purposes.
If you have been involved in Nashville pitches--and people on this forum have, and will know what I am talking about, instantly--there are two types of pitches that work in the real world.
1. ) A very bare bones stripped down demo. Sometimes just a guitar and voice, maybe a little extra, but nothing too fancy.
2.) Something that sounds like it was produced and mixed at Big Machine.
There is no in between.
SO, with that in mind, again, does anyone have any favorite, simple, stripped down styles they use for song pitching???
It is just a simple, simple question and I do not believe we need another forum to accommodate it. Just asking.
Does anyone have any favorite, simple styles you personally use for demoing purposes, styles that you build upon???
I am not saying I want to sound like Luke Combs on every song. I am just saying that song I referenced is a good example--ONE--of what I would consider to be a good, solid, sturdy, strong construction for a modern country song. I cannot reference 10,000 songs so I picked one.
I will now begin the process of listening to all 7,725 styles one by one until I find what I am looking for.
In the meantime, thanks to everyone for their input, I have learned a lot and now I am putting my headphones on to go sample styles and keep writing songs.
If anyone besides Floyd comes up with an answer or suggestion to the original question, thanks so much in advance.
As for being "in it" myself and the people I am talking about ARE "in it" and that's why I asked the original question.
Back to work.
Thanks guys.
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Songwriting
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Joined: Aug 2010
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David, I would gladly answer; but I don't really pick a specific style, as is. And to say what I "pick" beyond that, it's always changing. Actually, the way I do it is probably WAY more complicated than need be. I'm not a pick a sound and just let it go for the song kind of guy.
My process is more that I pick a song or group of songs I like from an artist and write down everything I hear or see they are using. Then I go to band in a box and build as much of that as I can; generate tracks, then get rid of a few instruments and add a few others that are in the list of possibilities. This is because I can't add them all into BIAB in one go.
On a side note, as many of you do, I generate the part multiple times and export them. So, my pitches, and there have NOT been many, are pretty fleshed out. In the last 2 years, I've had 2 songs be put on hold. I've had another that is sort of an odd project (not country) that will probably get used; but more for marketing of a song that already exists.
Everything gets dragged into my DAW and I pick pieces here and there from each of those and add in my own drums about 50% of the time.
This process actually takes me a fair amount of time because I don't know off the top of my head what many of the instruments sound like. I do know the banjo options pretty well now though. lol
It's usually meshing a bunch of different instruments from a lot of different styles.
The last thing I will say is, I'm not a master of BIAB. I simply put in chords, change them until I find what I like and keep changing instruments. What FJ sent you, I'm not even sure of. If he sent it to me, I would even know completely what to do. I'm guessing I just open it in BIAB; and the parts are there and you add your chords? Sorry; I'm not better at this part of it.
For the record(pun?), I just assumed you picked that song because one of the writers on it is "Rob Snyder"...are you holding out on us?
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Songwriting
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I was responding to the comments about a lot of songs today being a formula and just wanted to state that it's easy to judge and voice our personal preferences, however those artists are trying to make a living with their music and the industry is competing in the market of selling songs to those who buy or listen on the radio. I think when we look at it from a business perspective and not a personal one it makes perfect sense. I did clarify my comment a little more above. Thanks for noticing that I needed to make it more clear. Got it! Thanks for the explanation. You did clarify, and I had missed it. Attempting to multi-task is not my thing. Great comments btw! 
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Caaron, Thanks! Good stuff!! Congratulations on your holds. And-- Daggone it man! You said you weren't going to blow my cover!!!! My God, My God man, what have you done!!!!!!!!! Should I tell everyone your real name is Shirley S....and that the lady in the picture is you and the man is your husband? How would that feel, if I told everybody that man???
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Songwriting
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Expert
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Expert
Joined: Oct 2016
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Try (4)(8)rest(8)(16)(16)(16)(16)
(Swing the 8s)
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Songwriting
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sure seems like this is a thread about production and style, not songwriting but whatever.
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Songwriting
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Expert
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Expert
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David: Maybe if you sent the link to Dr. Gannon and told him what you needed, he could get his combo to make a style. He might want a lead sheet. After all, this Luke Combs is a country musical sensation, young, and probably will be around for a while. It is "She Got the Best of me." You already know the song I think you should run by him
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Songwriting
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Ed,
I made a mistake.
I have repeatedly stated I am not looking for only that one Luke Combs sound-alike per se. I was speaking in broad terms and I should not have done that. I caused massive confusion. I should be beaten.
I am sorry for the inconvenience I have inadvertently caused by not being more clear. I will try and correct in a new post.
My aim is not to use midi or have Dr. Gannon build another style.
Again, forget this thread ever existed. It was my mistake. I was woefully, woefully, woefully wrong. I will try here again in a sec.
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Songwriting
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Expert
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Anything you are into, David, and interested in sharing, is bound to a warm reception among this group, that's for sure.
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Songwriting
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Charlie, I read the title and David’s responses about the point being to make the demo sound like Luke Combs, and to do demos that were full arrangements. Seems you thought I didn’t read any of that.
I did. Must be our definition of songwriting is different.
That’s ok.
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Songwriting
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Charlie, I read the title and David’s responses about the point being to make the demo sound like Luke Combs, and to do demos that were full arrangements. Seems you thought I didn’t read any of that.
I did. Must be our definition of songwriting is different.
That’s ok.
I have to agree with you as it seems David himself feels the thread got off topic. My post was a mistake. I'm a team player and if I'm in the wrong spot at the wrong time I fix it. I've removed my posts and have a sticky note on my monitor to look closer before posting.
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Songwriting
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Joined: Sep 2017
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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I find social media really hard to communicate in. You only have someone's written word which can easily get misinterpreted. Sometimes, I have clients who read an email I've sent and they'll only read the first question or paragraph and address that and fail to see the rest of what I'm asking. When we speak to someone in person we get a lot more information we see someone's facial expressions, we hear their tone of voice and we see body language. All this adds to our communication, so without all these added things it's really hard to communicate just with words. But that's our world today.
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Songwriting
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Posts: 2,296
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Charlie, I read the title and David’s responses about the point being to make the demo sound like Luke Combs, and to do demos that were full arrangements. Seems you thought I didn’t read any of that.
I did. Must be our definition of songwriting is different.
That’s ok.
I have to agree with you as it seems David himself feels the thread got off topic. My post was a mistake. I'm a team player and if I'm in the wrong spot at the wrong time I fix it. I've removed my posts and have a sticky note on my monitor to look closer before posting. That's really unfortunate in my opinion. It was a great post.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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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.
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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