|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249 |
Hi Folks. If you can not tolerate slightly depressing song, I suggest moving to the the next post. Inspired by a recent song by Ray & Torrey, I decided to write a song long due. ...Once I met a man from former Soviet republic. From our casual conversation, I understood that he was collaborating with Nazi during WWII. It was not what he said...but what he didn't say that made me quite uncomfortable. For a long time, this subject had hunted me, so finally I was able to express it musically/verbally. Critique is always welcomed. Thank you for listening!
Distant Echoes
Lyrics: Humid July Breeze as a breath of obsidian night Ghost from the past Standing by fence and casting long shadow He looked at me with sarcastic grin, Devils dancing in his watery eyes I could swear I've heard legions marching Ripping throats... achtung! Many moons had passed Memories are fading of those- Who stayed forever young And those, with beating hearts Keeping to themselves I turned around and walk back home Could not fall asleep in my bed I can swear I've heard song of a hot wire* humming in my head Butterflies are flying on wild clover field like the ashes twirling and falling on burning...and crumbling Berlin That gangrenous wound will never heal spreading sweet scent of death... Seems like history is moving squeaky wheel While we forgetting our past. Things used: BIAB: 366: Bass Electric 686: Organ RealDrums: CountryEven16 1004: Guitar, 12 string 2495: Pino Electric 2890: Accordion 3242: Vihuela parts of Hitler/Stalin speaches. Recorded and mixed in Cakewalk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,360
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,360 |
love your songs,
you were inspired to write this and it's strong
Butterflies are flying on wild clover field
like the ashes twirling and falling
on burning...and crumbling Berlin
could quote the whole song but these lines and images
struck a chord with me
nice mix and choice of instruments
Kenny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357 |
Misha,
The jaunty music makes a good contrast with the serious subject; some telling images in the lyric and your ever theatrical delivery is entertaining as ever.
There are some places where the vocals might need to come forward (or the accordion move back )in the mix for clarity, otherwise sounds good to me.
The use of those speeches sends shivers.
Robert
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,944
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,944 |
IMHO You are becoming the resident poet here...
No one else (to my knowledge) writes the way you do...
Each work could well stand alone without any musical backtrack...
Yet you seem to choose musical tracks to emphasize your carefully chosen well-written lyrics...
For "Needle In Hay" you created a funeral dirge...
For this piece, the music reminds me of the Russian & Cossacks music from WWII documentaries & movies...
Well done Misha... I really admire you work!
Jim
†=☮&♥
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,970
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,970 |
Misha,
This song is incredibly creative... Your mix is tremendous - excellent job!
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,223
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,223 |
On Memorial Day, I watched Ken Burns' The War (12 hours) and this song was like a soundtrack to it. Great job with a difficult subject.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,196
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,196 |
Good write, interesting arrangement, well sung. I really like the song.
The drum breaks were especially effective, as are the fragments of the speeches.
Since English isn't your native language, it's a bit hard to make out what you're singing. I think the balance of the mix is good, but perhaps you need to can do some selective EQ cuts in the other instruments, or perhaps boosts on the vocal to make the consonants more distinct? Just a thought.
-- 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
|
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,362
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,362 |
Hi Misha,
It is a very, very good song and a good production as well.
I wouldn't mind if you did the singing in Russian language - it might make the song even better.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
Will
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249 |
Kenny, Thank you for listening and nice words! ---------------- Robert, Thank you for listening and honest review! I will try to play with vocal balance to get it even throughout the tune. ---------------- Jim, thank you for listening and kind words! I believe you are generously overestimating my abilities  ---------------- Bob, thank you for listening and your feedback here and on SC! ---------------- TuneMonger, Thank you for listening! It is a very powerful film, I watched parts of it. ---------------- David, thank you for listening and for honest thoughts! I believe, you are absolutely right. I mix on headphones. They are a very nice set, but a bit on a high/neutral side. When mixing, I should probably compensate for average, more bass oriented monitors so the mix is not muddy. ---------------- Will, thank you for listening and kind words! Hmmm, you gave me an idea, I might just try that one day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,921
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,921 |
"That gangrenous wound will never heal
spreading sweet scent of death...
Seems like history is moving squeaky wheel
While we forgetting our past."
WOW. THAT is powerful!! Another amazing write.
The backing tracks are the perfect vehicle.
As others have said, the vocal could use a bit of something to pull it up out of the track a little in spots.
Quite a song! Excellent work.
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,129
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,129 |
My father and six uncles fought in WWII. Janice's father was a marine in the south pacific during WWII.
We will never forget. Hopefully your song will remind others not to. Powerful lyric!
Beyond the message the song is creatively composed, well performed, and the mix sounds really good on the monitors.
Thanks for sharing!
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: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381 |
An important subject tackled personally and powerfully. Something about that upbeat, happy sound of accordian in a minor key is always unsettling to me. I think it captures "...sarcastic grin, Devils dancing in his watery eyes..." brilliantly.
Oh well. We're all just following orders anyway, even in disobedience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,264
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,264 |
AND AGAIN you nail it.
Deceptive backing, escaped NAZI, chance meeting, the ghostly voices of dictators/mass murderers/totalitarians bind together to remind me that the world does seem interested in avoiding the same mistakes.
Lyrics and delivery are very well thought out.
there's probably a good case for some automation of your vocal line to rid the backing - though I had no problems listening/reading/understanding.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,596
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,596 |
Lyrics paint a powerful picture, scary at places, true work of art. Your voice is excellent for the song. Great arrangement and mix, the backing track and your musical style reminded me of a band called Gogol Bordello.
Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,491
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,491 |
Misha,
Really nice! Very creative.
I really enjoyed the production!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249 |
FJ, Thank you for listening! And special thanks for that: "The backing tracks are the perfect vehicle." I had doubts about the "happiness" of the tracks for the subject, but then the song evolved and I felt I should leave it the way it is. -------------- J&B, Thank you for listening and your nice feedback! WW2 chewed my family tree quite a bit. The subject is a giant bruise without boundaries. I am very curious if people who promote nationalism understand what it can lead to, or it is just a game to them? -------------- Tangmo, Thank you for listening and nice comments. This is a very interesting thought: "We're all just following orders anyway, even in disobedience." -------------- Ray, Thank you! "Deceptive backing" this was not intentional, but I like how you described it The only hope is that those with influence step up to cool things down. I took your advice and inserted vocal rider on vocal bus to even things a bit. -------------- Janne, Thank you for listening and kind words! I remember some years ago I watched movie Everything Is Illuminated with Gogol Bordello. My mother in law played on couple of soundtracks for it. ------------- David, Thank you for listening & nice comments here and on SC!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,062
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,062 |
Hi Misha,
Man, what a powerful song! You have such a way with words, it's a true gift.
Also like your vocal delivery and the production.
Very good indeed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Cool song!! Quite intense! Some wonderful lyrical images.....sometimes darkness must be brought to light. Really good job!! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,647
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,647 |
Misha
Very emotive, and a powerful write. I liked the mix and all your production choices.
Excellent work all round.
Peter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,249 |
Dave, thank you for listening and your generous feedback!
---------------
Greg, Thank you for your time and positive comments!
--------------
Peter, Thank you! Still needs a lot of work, but I appreciate your kind feedback!
Misha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,184
Posts801,710
Members40,062
| |
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