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Hi, all: I hope everyone is doing well out there. Here’s my latest, though not the song I thought I’d next be posting. I try to record snippets of new songs on my iPhone so I don’t forget song ideas I come up with (melodies and the like). From time to time, I listen to them to see if any new inspiration comes my way. This song was one idea among the many. During a bout of insomnia last week I was combing through those snippets at 2 a.m. and rediscovered this one. I recalled I had started writing lyrics and, to my surprise, when I opened up the file the lyrics were mostly what you see below—in other words, pretty much done. I think I became disenchanted with the tune for some reason (or got distracted with something else), put it aside, and then proceeded to totally forget about it. Anyway, the BIAB version came together pretty quickly, and I’m happy enough with it to share. As always, feedback and suggestions on production are very welcome. I hope you enjoy it. My very best to you all, Deej Here’s the song:A LIFE WITHOUT YOU Here are the lyrics:
I can leave the morning paper on the table Mix up all the staples in the pantry drawer Keep the bed unmade My face unshaved and howl Leave dirty clothes and towels On the bathroom floor And, yeah, I know there’s no end To all the things that I can do But I’m just not ready for A life without you I could change up all the hours that I’ve been keeping Stay up late and sleep in ‘till half past noon And then hang out with my boys at “The Ivory Tower” Hit every happy hour And close the bar at two And I’m sure there’d be some girl Who could make me feel less blue But I’m just not ready for A life without you I could cruise the town in style With my slickly painted smile And learn to laugh like Broken people do But the saddest thing of all Is no matter how far I fall I’m still thinking there’s a chance For me and you So I’ll water all your plants and feed the fishes Clean all the dirty dishes and dust up too And I’ll walk our trail Without fail each Sunday Hoping, girl, that one day you’ll be walking too And, yeah I know to let it go Just move on to something new But I’m just not ready for A life without you And here’s the band:RealTracks 1036: Bass, Electric, NorthernRockBallad RealTracks 1038: Guitar, High-Strung Acoustic, Rhythm NorthernRockBallad RealTracks 3184: Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm GrungeSlowQuinn RealTracks 1767: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Pop16 RealTracks 688: Organ, B3, Background Pop RealTracks 3321: Guitar, Acoustic, Soloist RnBPopDblBrent RealDrums: Rock8ths^02-a:ClosedHat, Snare, b:Ride, Snare
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Hello Deej
What a great song
Really fantastic sung
I like it extraordinarily well
Many greetings
Andi ;-)
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Great song, well-mixed, and a performance worthy of a golden buzzer. Well done 
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This is a true return to the Deej of old ... the one who wrote "Prayer To The World", "If You Stay", "I've Got The Moon" and so, so many more. This is on a par with your very best songs, my friend. You're back with a vengeance - I can only say: bravo, bravo, bravo. It's an honour (for real) to listen to you, especially in this kind of form.
The song just flows. So natural, so beautiful - I'm not going to even start picking at it, by way of "analysis". The lyrics are inspired, the melody ... wow ... the singing is so relaxed, never forced, with your trademark unique voice that we'd all recognise for miles, once heard.
You are (I will say it) the best songwriter, by a country mile, that I know. You bring different kinds of songs to the table, too ... I never know what you will write next. And this - this is, again, Deej at his best. BRAVO.
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Deej,
Another great write, well performed.
As always your vocal shines as the star of this song.
I have only one critique:
-The effects treatment sounds like the various parts are in different rooms.
All in all, a nice piece of work.
moto
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Lovely vocal.
That 2nd vocal on the right after 1.14 is cool but it gets out of time a little in spots which can be a good thing but I'm
There's a ping from the tambourine, (?,) at 1.36 that could do with a little reduction - just not quite on the beat and a little loud.
Other than those very tiny nots this is a lovely musically up sad story.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Deej,
This is an absolutely fantastic song. So well performed and mixed. Loved it!
A real treasure...
Bob
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Deej,
A solid write. Good backing. Well mixed. Nice vocals.
Enjoyed the listen.
fj
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Deej,
It's funny how those ideas we had forgotten about have a way of coming back to us, especially during a dry writing spell! Those little recorded snippets are like gold during those times.
Excellent tune with your always spot on vocals! Love the "Jim Croce" style melody/lyrics/chord structure going on!
Thanks, Torrey
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Great lyrics, nice mundane feeling with dirty clothes and feeding fishes combined with relationship burden. Very nice melody and enjoyable chord progression. Passionate vocal delivery is excellent. The band works, the nice bassline could be more present, but maybe the problem is with my headphones.
Janne
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Deej...this is a brilliant piece of work...doesn't really matter how we get them or when they show up, it's just really cool when we capture them without them getting away...right? loved the marriage of lyric and style...vocals were top-notch...sort of a downer thought (boy loves girl; boy loses girl; boy decides to do the dishes after the girl is gone) but with a light and hopeful tempo and approach...this is a great write...thanks for letting us hear it...Dan
Last edited by firesong; 11/03/21 08:29 AM.
www.soundclick.com/firesongBiaB 2024, Steinberg Cubase Pro 13, Wavelab 11.2, SpetraLayers Pro 10, Audacity, Steinberg UR44 Interface, Yamaha Genos, Roland FP60 and FP10, Windows 10 You are who you are because you do what you do because of what you believe.
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Good song, superbly sung. It's time, I think, to make a Spotify album if you haven't already. You're that good!
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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Man, if you got any more of those great ideas, please put them out there for us before you throw them away. What a treasure you rediscovered in this one, Deej. Such an engaging listen.
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"So I’ll water all your plants and feed the fishes Clean all the dirty dishes and dust up too And I’ll walk our trail Without fail each Sunday Hoping, girl, that one day you’ll be walking too" Nice! That is a great lyric and melody. The combo vocally of lead, harmony and unison also works well. Sorry about the insomnia but we are glad you rediscovered it. If only my insomnia would yield such results Well done. 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! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
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That's so good. Nicely done.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
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Deej
Lovely melody and overall a very engaging song.
Great vocal and production.
Enjoyed.
Peter
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Deej.
really like your 'character'vocals.
nice vocal doubles. and lyrics.
if i might suggest, and maybe others might disagree ...
the thin geetar on one side of the stereo image...
possibly experiment with a different clean gtr sound possibly. still clean and understated but just a bit
different in tonal colour.
well done.
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.)
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A very cool song!!! Love the idea behind this one.....very clever and interesting angle!! Always love your vocals!! Take care. Greg
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Smashing lyrics Deej.
My only sugg is to lose the gap before the second verse or fill it with something.
Vic
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Project M, Ghostgum, musician17, moto, rayc, Bob, Floyd, Torrey, Janne, firesong, TuneMonger, Marty, J&B, Gutarhacker, Peter, om, Greg and Vic:
Thanks all for the listen and all the feedback. Really appreciate your taking the time to comment, and glad the song resonated well-enough. A few thoughts on some of the input:
Captainmoto: I’ll have to go back in and take another listen with your thought in mind—I don’t think anything’s misaligned, but lord knows I’ve overlooked many elements before, so I’ll check the settings on the various tracks and make sure there aligned. Beyond that, maybe just a volume thing, as I have a few of the guitars low and wide. Thanks for the food for thought.
rayc: God bless those ears of yours! I’ll jump back in and see if I can address them—no tambourine in this one—perhaps the nylon guitar or a stray hi-hat from the percussion? Dunno. But thanks for pointing it out.
Janne: I think I have a tendency to downplay the bass—easy enough to make it more prominent here.
TuneMonger: Well, I did put out a collection of tunes (I can’t quite bring myself to say “album”) earlier this year on Spotify and the other steaming services (via Distrokid), and have added a couple of singles. All stuff I’ve posted here, with some tunes still not as polished as I would have liked from a production standpoint. Hoping to put another collection out late this year though more likely early next, which hopefully will be a little more consistent in quality of production. We’ll see. But thanks much for the kind words and encouragement.
om: I auditioned a fair number of guitars for this tune, and for better or worse it’s where I ended up sound wise. But I get you, and when I dive back into this one, I’ll try a few more out. Thanks.
Vic: You nailed the one aspect of the song I struggled with most, and I was wondering if anyone would comment on it. I wavered between deleting one bar before the second verse, adding the nylon acoustic lead, or doing nothing. I thought the first option sounded too rushed as I moved from the chorus to the second verse (though when I play it live that’s exactly what I do), and I couldn’t get a good enough riff from the acoustic to fill it (though I will redouble my efforts on that). So I went with the third option. I think you are right though and I’ll have to address it. Thanks.
My best to you all:
Deej
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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 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!
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Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
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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!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
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.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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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®.
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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!
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