Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839 |
Despite the title, this song is not about covid. BACKSTORYIn 2020, shortly after the appearance of signs that covid was becoming a pandemic, my part of Australia went into lockdown. And because I was a school teacher, my classes were conducted as remote lessons over the internet. I was teaching senior high school chemistry at the time. To try and make life a little more interesting for my students, I encouraged everyone to do something different as our remote classes progressed and something that was fun and outside of lessons. Some examples of what eventuated include: a boy who took up making fine cheesecakes; a student who developed a trombone-based comedy show; a girl who decided to learn to draw, etc. For my part, I took up trying to teach myself rock piano. I also told my students that since this was most likely my last year at high school, I'd write them a song to send them on their way at the end of the year. My idea for the song was based on what advice I could pass onto my students as they journeyed onto university/college in 2021. I also wanted to encourage them to make the most of wherever they find themselves in the future. This is that song. Please feel free to be constructively critical. Regards, Noel ====== The BIAB & Friends BandBass: 1843, Electric, CountryBoogieRootFive Sw 110 Guitar: 2721, Nylon, Fingerpicking SwingBrent Sw 110 Ukulele: 1142, Strumming FolkSwing Sw 110 String Quartet: 2452, Rhythm PopSwingHall Sw 110 Organ: MIDI using Dimension Pro softsynth Drums: AfucheShakerSw8^01; Hand claps (loop); Woodblock, EZ Drummer 2. Processing in Reaper and RealbandGuitar: CLA Unpluggeed; JS Channel Time Delayer Vocals: Nectar 3, ReaEQ, ReaDelay, ReaFir, ReaComp, ReaTune Harmony: PG Music's Harmonizer in Realband Final Output: Ozone 9
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 5,468
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 5,468 |
Noel, it's always great to see you come back around with a song! You've always been one of my favorite artists here! Every song is always put together with a loving touch and are enjoyable! Loved this one! The vocal is super, and the backstory makes it all the better! Take care, Torrey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,264
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,264 |
Great to see you back!
A great song with a very important message
Super mix and a great vocal
"You’re the captain of keeping happy", what a great line
Two thumbs up
I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor. It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,085
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,085 |
This song is just beautifully done. True for all the days of our lives.
Also, you are one cool teacher - wonderful backstory.
Josie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,373
Expert
|
Expert
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,373 |
Excellent song/production with a refreshingly positive feel... The vocal sounded perfect to me. The arrangement was very good, but I thought the initial percussion track may have come in a little early and strong, and then ended abruptly, (first impression). I loved the lyric and performance... Wonderful!
Bandcamp Soundcloud Win-11; BiaB-2025 Audiophile Cakewalk; Melodyne-5; Scaler 2; NI Komplete: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,979
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,979 |
Swimming against the current, (affairs), with a hopeful and encouraging song. An uncluttered and solid mix supports a cool melody. The shaker (?) could be faded in just a tad, remain a tiny bit lower in level and cut clean rather than that tiny fade tail after the 1st round. It's really important we bolster positivity and you do that in spades.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 708
Journeyman
|
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 708 |
Nice to hear a new one from you, Noel. Inspiring backstory and an uplifting song with your usual great vocal. A breath of fresh air in these trying times. Regards, Leon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 4,443
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 4,443 |
Love that backstory, Noel. "...a trombone-based comedy show"? Wow! That's worth an A. So is your song here. Great advice from an obviously caring teacher. When the shaker came in without without the kit, it sounded a bit disruptive to me, but later it was perfect. I like the hook in the title.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839 |
Noel, it's always great to see you come back around with a song! You've always been one of my favorite artists here! Every song is always put together with a loving touch and are enjoyable! Loved this one! The vocal is super, and the backstory makes it all the better! Take care, Torrey Hi Torrey, Thank you for taking the time to listen and to comment. I always appreciate your thoughts. All the very best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,052
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,052 |
It's easy to be carried away gently by this song. Soothing and reassuring.
I love the subtle intensifying on the choruses with superb backing vocals.
Rob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,609
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,609 |
This has all the hallmarks of your best songs: upbeat, positive and toe-tapping. A bit overly sentimental for my taste - not really a complaint! - but it left me feeling better than before I started listening. So... well done!  I really liked the echo on the chorus. Harmony was nice as well. On the critical side, the mix felt quiet. I kept boosting up the volume. It could just be that you aren't playing the same volume wars that the rest of us are.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,327
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,327 |
Noel
Both a sensational tribute and wonderful advice that you have offered to your young team.
Prudent advice, delivered with quality guidance: 'And enjoy life like it's a fine wine'
Sensational vocals, including an impressive vocal backing.
You really have delivered, and there must be many young people who are honored to be part of "Noel's Band".
Trev
BIAB & RB2025 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,271
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,271 |
Really lovely musical advice, not just for your students but for every one of us. Melody walks nicely with confident and optimistic steps. The instrumentation develops like more people were joining the march forth, pun of today  Very enjoyable vocals. Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,468
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,468 |
Noel,
A nice song. Great positive message.
Cool BAND. Don't think I've heard anyone use that nylon guitar - nice choice.
Excellent vocals.
Great to see you posting!!
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,678
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,678 |
I took a journey back in time a few days ago to have a look at my first ever Forum post. I read forum posts for about six months before ever venturing to post a comment. What prompted me out my shell was to comment a song you posted. Some things never change so it's appropriate to repost my first comment because it's fitting and suits your latest post: "I enjoyed your song and It stands well as it is. The song is well written and produced..."
Charlie
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839 |
Great to see you back!
A great song with a very important message
Super mix and a great vocal
"You’re the captain of keeping happy", what a great line
Two thumbs up Hey Mario! It's always great to read you. I hope that things are travelling along well for you and yours. Thanks for mentioning the lyric line. It took a while to find that one. As always, though, when a comfortable lyric arrives on the scene, I was left wondering why it took so long to find! I appreciate that you had time to have a listen, thanks. All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839 |
This song is just beautifully done. True for all the days of our lives.
Also, you are one cool teacher - wonderful backstory.
Josie
Hi Josie, It's super to see you! I don't know about being a cool teacher, it was just a strategy that I thought of to help me keep my students motivated. Learning over the internet is pretty tedious because there is no direct interacting with people. The approach I adopted ended up working great. It gave us all something to talk about and helped keep everyone liking learning. Last year, I came across the philosophy, "Learn to enjoy the inconvenience." I think that was what I was trying to accomplish... That with a bit of creative thinking, it's always possible to find something positive when the going gets tough. Take care. And thank you for listening and commenting. Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839 |
Excellent song/production with a refreshingly positive feel... The vocal sounded perfect to me. The arrangement was very good, but I thought the initial percussion track may have come in a little early and strong, and then ended abruptly, (first impression). I loved the lyric and performance... Wonderful! Hi bloc-head. Thanks for dropping in and for taking the time to listen and to pass on your thoughts. I appreciate the comment about the percussion. You and RayC have similar thoughts regarding the shaker. I'll definitely go back to the mix and have another listen. Thank you for drawing my attention to this. All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,839 |
Swimming against the current, (affairs), with a hopeful and encouraging song. An uncluttered and solid mix supports a cool melody. The shaker (?) could be faded in just a tad, remain a tiny bit lower in level and cut clean rather than that tiny fade tail after the 1st round. It's really important we bolster positivity and you do that in spades. Hi Ray! I hope that all is going well in your part of Queensland. The floods have been terrible. Thanks for passing through the thread. I always appreciate your thoughts. You have a great ear when it comes to identifying those areas of a production that can be improved. Bloc-head also thought that the shaker could be placed a little better in the mix. Now that you've drawn my attention to it, I'll definitely go back and have another listen and play around with the mix. Much appreciated. All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 15,410
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 15,410 |
Bud here: As likely the oldest guy on the forum I can more than appreciate this! J&B here: We love the lyric, the melody, the band and your performances. I (Janice) am reminded of many of George Harrison's songs that always make me smile, as this one does. Your vocals are great and those counterpoint voices are ace. The chorus should be printed on posters and sold to remind folks of the treasure of each day! "Give it your all, my friend." YES! Those sure are some lucky students to have had you for their teacher.  And the band choices and mix set up a wonderful open soundstage. Great choice of FX! Excellent. 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2025!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
Check out all the 202 New RealTracks (in sets 456-467)
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
The 2025 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2025 49-PAK!
Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 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 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
- Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
- Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
- Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
- Playable RealTracks Set 4
- RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
- SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
- 128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
- Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
- Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
- RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®!
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 9 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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 9 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.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
Join the conversation on our forum.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums58
Topics84,377
Posts778,423
Members39,632
|
Most Online25,754 Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|