I would be interested to know what system you listen to Soundcloud on. Computer speakers? Home stereo system? Phone? Bluetooth? Earbuds?
We all spend hours with Ozone, Normalization, LUFS, etc. to make a song sound good on streaming, and it would be beneficial to know what media we're actually mixing/mastering for.
The same Adam monitors I record with and burn a CD and play it in my Nissan Titan Truck which has a good stereo system.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
I usually listen to Soundcloud (and I don't listen much) on my computer, but my computer runs a Focusrite 2i4 interface and KRK Rokit5 monitors as speakers. I rarely listen to music unless I have to learn something.
We listen to SC almost exclusively on our KRK monitors as that is when we are at the Mac commenting at the User Showcase Forum.
To answer broadly:
- Polk Audio Towers w/ Yamaha sub (living room) - Apple HomePod - Apple AirPods - Subaru w/ Harmon Kardon system including a sub
Music of multiple genres is a HUGE part of our life and is playing in the house or in the vehicle nearly all the time. In the evenings we typically watch a series episode and then head to YouTube to watch our fav musicians and search for interesting new artists. But to protect what remains of my hearing I monitor our listening environments to keep it at <80 DB's. My Apple Watch is configured to warn me if that level is exceeded.
Bud
PS I'm an old phart but I love all of the aforementioned tech.
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.
RE....MONITORS. (NOTE...dont slam me for my views. they come from spending many many frustrating years on the question of best monitors to use....and monitors drive me nuts...you name it...ive tried it over the years from big soffit monsters in big studios down to junk.)
i use allsorts. good hphones/bad hphones/good spkrs/bad spkrs/home type speakers. i'm currently useing some thonet/vader spkrs plus sennheiser higher end in ear buds.... until i decide whether to buy say the adams which i really like, but then when i feel like spending the money on adams...i think back to lots of discussions i once had with good engineers in big studios re monitors...viz. 1. why do the "classic hits" of the past that didnt use any of todays speaker tech sound so good even on my baby tv speakers ? 2. are we fooling ourselves spending lots of moolah on monitors ? 3. why do mixes done on big studio monsters sometimes not translate ? happened more than once to me. 4. given that lots of people in the world listen on junk, and given that a musician is lucky to make even a few buks monthly off of streaming...is the spend on hi end spkrs worth it ?
imho...in summary...the topic doesnt have a perfect solution....much as i like the adams. (i also like the tannoy dual concentric speakers, but for some reason i cant put my finger on...not the krk's. if really pushed for buks i always suggest demoing 100 buk edifiers.).
best/peace out. om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Phone with cheap tiny Panasonic headphones (can't stand earbuds). If I'm in the "studio" room - Motu interface with Audio Technica headphones Motu interface with JBL LSR308 monitors.
For Soundcloud, a half-decent external powered stereo speaker system with separate bass module connected to the computer audio. Not terrible. Probably not fantastic either, but it does the job adequately.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
A pair of Samson Near Field Monitors or the headphone.... but none of that really matters because the Lively Hearing Aids do all the sound coloring. Is it just me??
RE....MONITORS. (NOTE...dont slam me for my views. they come from spending many many frustrating years on the question of best monitors to use....and monitors drive me nuts...you name it...ive tried it over the years from big soffit monsters in big studios down to junk.)
........................ om
No I am not going to slam you on your views and in fact I agree with most of them.
When I purchased my SP-5B monitors they were around $200 USD for the pair. At that time they were low end cost wise. I use them for listening and composing because they are all I need.
I have a close friend whom uses his inexpensive home stereo system for everything, listening, composing, and as an amp for his keyboards. He knows how to adjust his system for each of the above. His songs rival anyone with expensive audio monitors IMHO.
I have another friend whom spent a fortune on an audiophile stereo system, everything was top shelf. All he listens to is metal, hard rock, and grunge!
Those classic hits are so great because they were done live and recorded via tape. A lot of today's music that is recorded one track at a time, this includes my music, looses that live feeling, as most all of the songs energy is lost. YMMV
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I don't live out in the country any longer so I can not get away with loud anything. In my first post I did not even think about headphones.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 OHM. I have a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 OHM also but do not like the sound. I am sure there must be better headsets now days but I have spent thousands of hours with 770 on my head to the extent there are depressions in my head where they push on my glasses...lol
I have semi junk speakers on the stereo system down stairs which I used mostly for the TV audio. I have had in mind to build some arcane type of speakers but more as a fun electronics project that a audiophile issue. I have built dozens of tube guitar amps but never got around to building a high end tube stereo amp.
I have hundreds of CDs and cassette tapes but listen to stuff on youtube more often than not. Unlike many or even most musically inclined people I do not listen to music in my car or while I work. It is too distracting because I am always analyzing what I hear. What key was that in? What is the chord progression? What did the lyrics mean?
Some of what I do is just like Pavlovs's dog. The bell rings and....
I am like many musicians and jet pilots, hearing loss at certain frequency which has something to do with the choice of speakers and headphones.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
For me, it's either one or the other..... Altec Lansing computer speakers.... they're cheap ones.... OR.... my decent quality noise canceling ear buds.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
For me, there are a few places and systems I listen to music:
My home stereo, consisting of a nice pair of mid 70's Technics "Linear phase" speakers driven by an Onkyo receiver. Often with a Polk sub, and occasionally with the full surround system that adds a nice Yamaha centre and Paradigm rears (this was set up on a budget hence the mishmash of brands, but they blend together ok).
My studio, with a pair of Mackie HR824mk1's running from an RME Fireface, OR a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50x, OR the built-in speaker in my old Mac Pro or my even older iMac.
My shower, with a 4-dollar bluetooth speaker.
My desk at work, with a Focusrite 2i2 and a pair of mediocre Labtec speakers.
My girlfriends house, with a cheap Panasonic shelf system.
My car, with the worst possible stereo system (the deck sounds ok despite glitchiness, but original Pontiac speakers are terrible).
At the lake, through every teenagers and twenty-somethings Bluetooth speakers all cranked to eleven.
Everywhere else, with the speaker built into my phone.
Apart from that, I don't really listen to music much.
Originally Posted By: justanoldmuso
1. why do the "classic hits" of the past that didnt use any of todays speaker tech sound so good even on my baby tv speakers ? 2. are we fooling ourselves spending lots of moolah on monitors ? 3. why do mixes done on big studio monsters sometimes not translate ? happened more than once to me. 4. given that lots of people in the world listen on junk, and given that a musician is lucky to make even a few buks monthly off of streaming...is the spend on hi end spkrs worth it ?
1: Nostalgia. Also because analog equipment adds distortion, noise, and nonlinearity, and the human brain likes those, but not too much of those (unless you're me). 2: Maybe. Monitors are simply supposed to be accurate rather than sounding "good" - the idea being to find faults that need correcting. 3: As with #2, but also maybe due to a bad reference track. Hard to say. 4: Are hobbies worth spending money on? I think so. If your only goal with making music is to profit, you're in the wrong business.
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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MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
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Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
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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.
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!
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!
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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