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Well I thought I would join in with contributing a Christmas song. I'm excited about this one, because I was able to coerce my wife into singing with me on it. (Although she sings with me all the time, I think it is easier to get a personal phone call with the queen of England than it is to get Rachel to slow down enough to stand in front of a mic in my little studio and sing!) The instruments are RT's/RD's, and I threw in some organ, percussion, chimes and bells. Hope you enjoy this! It's Christmas Time (My Favorite Time Of Year) - VIDEOIt's Christmas Time (My Favorite Time Of Year) - SOUNDCLOUD It's Christmas Time (My Favorite Time Of Year)© Stephen W. YoungThe frost is on the ground, and the days grow short And the children dream out loud of all they're hoping for And the embers in the fireplace are crackling as tender as a prayer There's a sound of carols ringing in the air And it's Christmas time, my favorite time of year When the meaning of this life becomes so clear And the angels sing, the hosts of heaven Rejoice before the throne 'Cause in Bethlehem, the Savior has been born I love to hear the laughter in the afternoon When the smells of a home cooked dinner fill the room And the mistletoe starts working, and love is flowing in the air And the joy of Christmas time is everywhere And it's Christmas time, my favorite time of year When the meaning of this life becomes so clear And the angels sing, the hosts of heaven Rejoice before the throne 'Cause in Bethlehem, the Savior has been born Here are the RT's/RD's...RealTracks in style: ~~519:Bass, Electric, Pop HalfNotes Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 2933:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking SongwriterFolkSlapQuinn Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 2930:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm FolkRock8thsBrent Ev 100 RealTracks in song: 3162:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Rhythm BluesyPopHeldEmbelBrent Ev 100 RealTracks in song: 2681:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Pop8thsZaneLow Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 646:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopRockBritEdgy Ev 120 (A:arp) RealTracks in song: 2904:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm GrittyBluesyPopBrent Ev 100 RealTracks in song: 2618:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Funk16thsMutedWahWah Ev16 100 RealTracks in song: 2906:Piano, ElectricVintage, Rhythm BluesyPopMike Ev 100 RealTracks in song: 3203:Guitar, Acoustic, Soloist RnBPopBrent Ev 110 RealDrums in song: NashvilleEven8^1-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride [b][/b]
Steve Young Music"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
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Hi Steve, This is really, really wonderful listening. When I looked at the musical ensemble, my first thought was, "How on earth does Steve manage to get such a warm, cohesive and inviting musical sound using such a wide range of Realtracks!" If I was wearing a hat right now, I'd tip it towards to you in acknowledgement. Without doubt, you are are the master  I feel bubbles of panic rising in me when I only have 4 tracks to mix and arrange! Back to the music... I thoroughly enjoyed this. It has commercial quality and is so very, very friendly on the both the ears and the psyche. As I listened, images of all that makes Christmas special for families drifted through my mind. The duet between you and Rachel really is the icing on a very fine musical Christmas cake. All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
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Surprise, great vocals! lol. Man, top notch all the way around. Love the song! It just sounds so good. The perfect song for this time of year!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Nice one Steve. This feels like a genuine paean to Christmas.
As usual the production is first class. Rachel's voice is indeed a pleasant surprise - solo and harmonising. In fact, you sound great together.
Merry Christmas,
Mike
Mike Garry BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7. https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
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Harmonies made in matrimony - your voices were a treat.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Steve & Rachel,
Everything about this is good. No surprise there.
A beautiful Christmas write. Exceptional vocals throughout.
Exquisite production - with a "modern" flair... nice! So many nice, subtle touches...
Sounds like a classic right out of the gate.
fj
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Excellent Christmas song... I really enjoyed listening... Rachel has such a lovely voice... And it compliments your own voice so well... That I look forward to hearing more duets from you two . Merry Christmas to you & your family.
Jim
†=☮&♥
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Wonderful Holiday tune, full of warmth, light, love and vivid Christmas images. Super vocals from both of you. All wrapped up in a sweet flawless musical package. Thanks for this ear candy, merry Christmas!
Janne
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Wow, super good production, excellent voices, great Christmas song
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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Hi Steve, This is really, really wonderful listening. When I looked at the musical ensemble, my first thought was, "How on earth does Steve manage to get such a warm, cohesive and inviting musical sound using such a wide range of Realtracks!" If I was wearing a hat right now, I'd tip it towards to you in acknowledgement. Without doubt, you are are the master I feel bubbles of panic rising in me when I only have 4 tracks to mix and arrange! Back to the music... I thoroughly enjoyed this. It has commercial quality and is so very, very friendly on the both the ears and the psyche. As I listened, images of all that makes Christmas special for families drifted through my mind. The duet between you and Rachel really is the icing on a very fine musical Christmas cake. All the best, Noel Thanks so much Noel! Always enjoy reading your very thoughtful comments. Glad you like this one! Surprise, great vocals! lol. Man, top notch all the way around. Love the song! It just sounds so good. The perfect song for this time of year!
Really appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment! Glad you enjoyed this! Nice one Steve. This feels like a genuine paean to Christmas.
As usual the production is first class. Rachel's voice is indeed a pleasant surprise - solo and harmonising. In fact, you sound great together.
Merry Christmas,
Mike Thanks, Mike! Your comments are very appreciated. Yep, Rachel has always been one of my favorite singers. We've been singing together for 45 years now. But I really married her for her money. (Her maiden name was Nichols.)
Steve Young Music"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
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Nice melody. Your wife has a lovely voice. I enjoyed the whole package here. What a joyous holiday song!
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PG Music Staff
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What a fantastic holiday song! The vocals suited the song wonderfully. Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Ember
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Steve,
Great vocals on this—nice production touches on it, and it really fits in the mix. A fresh take and feel on a Holiday song . . . warm and genuine. This is polished to a shine; first rate all around on the production.
I’m not sure my next comment is going to make sense or that I’ll say it right . . . but I’m just going to put it out there for what little it may be worth. The verses tend to be very new world (almost commercial) while the close of the choruses strike me as a more traditional carol. That is, there’s a contrast in tone between the verse and the more traditional “Bethlehem” references at the end of the chours. Again, not sure that makes sense, nor that there’s anything to change—it just struck me, is all. And as it doesn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the song, not sure it’ve even worth raising . . . but there it is for you to ponder, and most likely, rightly dismiss.
Admirably done, Steve. Enjoyed it!
Regards,
Deej
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Catchy chorus, with excellent harmony. You two sound really nice together. I love like how your vocals are always up front, but never harsh. Great production - instruments are supportive and clear, but never get in the way. The tubular bells are a nice touch. Thanks for the Christmas present!
-- 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.
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Awesome Christmas tune Steve. You are one of my favorite vocalists on the forum. Love it when you post new tunes. Your wife has a lovely voice as well. Such perfect harmonies. Well done. Guitar was very cool
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Wow Steve that is fantastic! What great pure sounding vocals all around on this! A really top notch Christmas song! Thanks, Torrey
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Stunningly beautiful. At the risk of contradiction...it's a modern classic!
You have one of the finest voices on the forum and now what a joy to hear Rachel...wow!
Great band and that rhythmic chime sound is perfect for the theme.
One to play for the family!
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 are here on our website.
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BEAUTIFUL!!! JUST BEAUTIFUL!!! Absolutely love this line:
And the embers in the fireplace are crackling as tender as a prayer
And it stands out even among lyrics which are all wonderful! Glad your wife could lend a hand.....great voice, and the song works so well as a duet!!
LOVE IT!!! Take care. Greg
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Love hearing all the holiday/Christmas songs this time of year!
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I've been in and out of town for the holidays, and working a lot in between! Just want to say thank you to all who posted such nice words about this song! I hope all of you had a great Christmas, and a Happy New Year (and Happy New Decade)! I pray you all have a wonderful year this year, and look forward to sharing and hearing a lot of great music from you all!
All the best,
Steve
Steve Young Music"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
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Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
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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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