Hello Folks, this is a stranger one for me. It was written in BIAB but there're no BIAB elements left in the track. AUDIO: A PERFECT STRANGER (Killing...) VIDEO:
It was hard to do in BIAB as the chorus is based on a riff that I couldn't replicate or match chords to but I built the structure in the program. I used a Drums In Demand set for drums as I'd paid for the files & needed to use them.
Lots of Squire Bullet Mustang tracks through an ACTONE pedal and a spring reverb pedal...Cab IRs in the box. Vantage bass through a BDI21. Vocals through a Focusrite Condenser mic and through an SSL2 interface for everything.
Lyrics A Perfect Stranger (Killing) V1 I'll do the research I'll find someone I'll chose the target I'll buy the gun pc1 This isn't dogma Or prejudice It's simple logic Not hit or miss c1 A perfect crime No personal danger Just me Killing A Perfect Stranger V2 I did the research I found the one I chose the target I bought the gun pc2 This isn't madness Or consequence It's my expression Not hit or miss c2 A perfect time No Texas Ranger Just Killing A Perfect Stranger V3 I've found a target I've mapped their day I've filmed their movements I've planned my way c3 A perfect crime Tracked social media Passed in the street A Perfect Stranger c4 A perfect crime No personal danger Just Killing A Perfect Stranger c5 My target's in No personal danger They are No longer A Perfect Stranger
Last edited by rayc; 02/25/2205:39 PM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Still a great use of the software. Really cool riff and melody you've got here, Ray. Really like your vocal out front where it belongs. Man, I love that bass track. Scary thought though. Glad we're not strangers and I'm in no way perfect.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
Awright! I didn't have to suffer thru that awful Firehouse Subs Commercial that time... The Guitars & Drums sounded bad-a$$... The Bass performance could be cleaned up a bit (too busy, timing issues) I'd love to hear a simpler Bass part, dead-nuts with that Kick... Did I mention, I love the Lyrics..! Vocals work fine... Way Cool Tune.
A sparse arrangement that’s more melodically focused than one might expect from all the geetars. Rather than sounding like yet another a chord progression topped with a vocal, it sounds like melodies and countermelodies, and that is great.
Your workflow of starting within BIAB and finishing without it is interesting, and has produced good results here. Part of what I really like about this is that sparse, very clean layout, as well as knowing that each guitar is actually you and not a prisoner escaped from “The Box”. If temptation to overproduce was resisted, it was resisted wisely.
I have been playing my (real, physical) Les Paul Studio some lately, and your work makes me want to focus more.
OK, having said all that, I feel vaguely idiotic offering all this nicey-nicey stuff about a song with as grim a theme as this, but on such matters ATM I am mute, I know others will have more to say.
Still a great use of the software. Really cool riff and melody you've got here, Ray. Really like your vocal out front where it belongs. Man, I love that bass track. Scary thought though. Glad we're not strangers and I'm in no way perfect.
Thanks Marty, Using the ABA/form part of the program is really useful...auditioning a structure rather than having to track it and re work it...ace.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Awright! I didn't have to suffer thru that awful Firehouse Subs Commercial that time... The Guitars & Drums sounded bad-a$$... The Bass performance could be cleaned up a bit (too busy, timing issues) I'd love to hear a simpler Bass part, dead-nuts with that Kick... Did I mention, I love the Lyrics..! Vocals work fine... Way Cool Tune.
bloc-head, Thanks. I used a simple bass line for one section of the song to test out that possibility and for contrast. It remains as it was a decent contrast but, for me, didn't work across the song. Timing wise...I did a fair bit of slicing & dicing to get the bass n drums together...if they don't sound that way then I've goofed somewhere. I'll listen again for any timing errors. As to the bass being busy - it, for the most part, follows the guitar except for the occasional run between otes. In fact it the only time it is "busy" is during the chorus as the other sections are very simple chord movements - I think. I will relisten with your comment in mind though. Sometimes "awful Firehouse Subs Commercial" is all I can manage vocally.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
A sparse arrangement that’s more melodically focused than one might expect from all the geetars. Rather than sounding like yet another a chord progression topped with a vocal, it sounds like melodies and countermelodies, and that is great.
Your workflow of starting within BIAB and finishing without it is interesting, and has produced good results here. Part of what I really like about this is that sparse, very clean layout, as well as knowing that each guitar is actually you and not a prisoner escaped from “The Box”. If temptation to overproduce was resisted, it was resisted wisely.
I have been playing my (real, physical) Les Paul Studio some lately, and your work makes me want to focus more.
OK, having said all that, I feel vaguely idiotic offering all this nicey-nicey stuff about a song with as grim a theme as this, but on such matters ATM I am mute, I know others will have more to say.
Thanks Mark, I've only produced one song that was 100% instrumentally BIAB. I started simply using BIAB for the drums and now incorporate additional elements but, while I'm able, I prefer to play along. LPS - a very cool guitar that needs to be heard! The most prestigious instrument I own is a Fender 12 string acoustic - but not MIA - a gift from my wife a couple of decades ago - rough on the fingers too! Thematically speaking..it was a laugh as I had the ending before the beginning.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
ray, LOVE IT! An excellent write. Well executed (pun intended). Perfect development. It was like watching a Netflix movie (or series). Cool guitar. There was a good deal of James-Bond-Theme-Song-ness to it. Your vocal is perfect for it. Good mix. LOVE the drums!!! My favorite PBX song. fj
Thanks Floyd, I'd been playing the chorus riff for donkey's as a finger and thumb E string A string blues. I decided to do something with it and, fairly organically, the three parts came to me. DOD & BIAB set the form and bango. I have a chap in Nashville who wants to sing it but he's been busy with life and I've tinkered non stop with the backing...I figured I may as well have a version by me.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Yep.... when you say " this is a strange one for me" I gotta know because your music is always out there on the edge. This is no exception.
Dark and a little more than slightly psychotic. But who hasn't had those thoughts. The scary thing is the fact that there are people sitting around in their basements and bedrooms thinking this very thing. Takes courage to write something like this.
I caught the James Bond movie song feel that someone else mentioned too. In that light, it is redeemed.
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.
That is some project (music and video). The song is very good. I am impressed that you created all the music by playing the instruments your self. The music is very good. Well written lyrics. The video is superb too. Good one.
Last edited by jptjptjpt; 02/27/2206:41 PM. Reason: Correct typos.
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.
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
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
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
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)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: 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.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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