I had a bit of fun putting this one together. I used the Style SurfTom - Classic Surf w/Tom Drums. I just used drums and bass from the style. I added organ and rhythm and lead guitars.
Can you have too much reverb and delay on a surf guitar?.... Nah!
One can't have too much spring reverb...the drip is very important to the genre. Clean, undistorted/not overdriven tone was also a basic component. Tremolo picking, and occasional a trem pedal, was used as well as extensive downward pressure on the whammy bar. Add drums, electric bass occasionally sax or vocals and it's a pretty simple, fast paced straight dance beat. You made a good variant...I did miss the drip though.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Enjoyed my trip out on the surf..reminded me of my youth in Huntington Beach in the 1960’s...I was focused on the drum/toms element...could anyone, in real life, play at that tempo??! The middle part with the organ called to mind a weakness that I see in BIAB—I wish there was a way to generate interesting drum solo’s, esp in a section like this one. All in all, enjoyed catching your wave.
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
Hi Chris I'm a big Oz Surf fan and this is excellent. Yes, people DO play at that speed - The Shadows 'The Savage' for starters and Martin Cilia too. RayC - can you explain 'the drip' please? Bests Ian
Old Guys Rule.The older I get,the better I was! BB2023 ULTRA, 1013, Win 7 and 10
Chris, OOh...love that guitar tone over relentless drums; the section @2:08 where you bring in some rock aggression is especially cool. Very good fun showing an understanding of the genre.
I thought at first with the drums, we were experiencing a reincarnation of Wipe Out, I was raised up in southern California during the 60s and the Beach Boys were it. Great job
Re 'the drip'. RayC is talking about the difference between spring reverb and digital reverb. Spring reverb has more 'bounce' to it, being an actual spring. I did try the spring reverb first because it is more 'authentic' but I find these days that I prefer the control offered with digital reverb.
Tano: " The middle part with the organ called to mind a weakness that I see in BIAB—I wish there was a way to generate interesting drum solo’s, esp in a section like this one."
Yes, the best I could do was to generate 3 versions of the drum part and cut and paste the best bits. Another 'problem' with the Surf Toms is that the part A had a lot of hiss in it. Whether this is distortion or sympathetic resonance from the snare or cymbals I can't say but it did mean that the piece has less drum variation than it might have had as I just used part B for the whole song. I just got a bit of variation by adding plenty of bar markers. I tried writing a drum part in Logic Drummer but couldn't get anything to match that relentless tom sound. The tempo was dictated by the BIAB real style so yes, whoever played the drums did play at that tempo!
Re 'the drip'. RayC is talking about the difference between spring reverb and digital reverb. Spring reverb has more 'bounce' to it, being an actual spring. I did try the spring reverb first because it is more 'authentic' but I find these days that I prefer the control offered with digital reverb.
Close but no Kewpie, (Cupid), Doll. It's the sound that comes with the attack in a spring reverb...
Last edited by rayc; 10/02/2002:52 PM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
First ... I really like this! A lot!!! I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s. In the very early 60s, Frankie and Annette were the real deal, along with The Beach Boys, Ventures, etc. Your song is very close to that original song. Re: the discussion about reverb, I use nothing but spring reverb ... even on vocals. For me, it's warmer and fuller (less cutting) than most digital reverb. At least, that's how it comes across to me.
Second ... I tried, three times, to leave you a comment on Soundcloud. But for some reason, it simply disappeared each time I pressed the "Return" key. I did try, though!
Thanks Alan, one of your comments made it through on the 'vintage version' so thanks for listening and commenting.
I remember back in the sixties one of my friends had what must have been a very early spring reverb unit which he used to sit on top of his amp. It didn't have a cover on it and you could really see the spring bounce and jump about. RayC says the official term for the jumping / bouncing is 'drip' but 'doink' would also describe it quite well :-)
Great! Made Bud wanna wax up the board! Oops he sold it in the 60's
We have no desire to parse it out. It was simply a fun listen that we enjoyed and your guitar performances are outstanding.
Fun!!!
J&B
PS Like Al we couldn't leave a comment at SC ??
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
Chris - This was a total blast. Loved it from start to end. Those guitars were top notch. It was "strap in here we go" from bar one and then a wild ride from there on.
Outstanding - loved it!
Ed Z
Soundcloud profile https://soundcloud.com/user-415064494 BIAB user since 2019 iPad Mini, Garageband for iOS, BIAB for Windows 2020 UltraPAK, Xtra Styles packs 6-9, Windows 10 Lenovo PC, Kontakt Player, SpitFire LABS, SampleTank 4 CS, some Soundfonts
Chris, Fun paced surf goodness! Yeah, I liked that spacy guitar. I believe surf music is very underappreciated. This is a good reminder how fun it can be. Thank you for sharing.
Hardcore, toms-driven, chest-pounding and breathtaking surfs-up number with impressive multi-instrumental performances by you, particularly on the rhythm and lead guitars. 'Retro' on, man !
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 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!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 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!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 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.
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
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