Technicals: Song Form: A-A-B-A-A-B-A-A-Outro Tempo: 70 BPM Key: Em
BiaB: Style MIDI Instruments are : Acoustic Piano (1), Acoustic Guitar (26), Voice Oohs (54), RealTracks in song: 1856:Cello, Background PopCountry Ev 085 MIDI Drums :1 Standard Drum Kit (1) RealDrums will be substituted :RockEven16: a: Snare, HiHat b: Snare, Ride
Me: Bass Guitar Korg: “Infinite Voices” Open Source Audio
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's briefing on 2/24/2022
Recorded and mixed in Studio One. Listening and commenting are much appreciated.
Edit: Warning: This is not a 3 minute arrangement and may not be suitable for those with short attention spans. I consider this a “docu-song”; an arrangement not meant for short term entertainment purposes but rather one that attempts to educate, enlighten, inspire and capture historically meaningful content.
Last edited by Bass Thumper; 11/08/2206:10 AM.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
That crying baby really got to me. The NATO guy, OTOH, got a little tedious. I wasn't expecting him to be the focus of a seven minute song. It was fine otherwise.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
That crying baby really got to me. The NATO guy, OTOH, got a little tedious. I wasn't expecting him to be the focus of a seven minute song. It was fine otherwise.
I'm sorry you found this tedious. It is intentional that "the NATO guy" is the focus, that is the point of the song.
I edited my post to warn others that are similar.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
This is a pretty good song, I love how you put all the individual parts together into one cohesive song. It's a bit too long for my taste though.
Thanks for the listen and comment. Putting the individual parts together stretched my mixing skills to their limit but was worth the learning experience. Yes, this is not a 3 minute song . . . intentionally.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
A dramatic piece - thanks for your support of Ukraine.
Best Regards Nigel
Hey Nigel, thanks for the listen. Some may not have heard the briefing in its entirety. So my goal was for it to be dramatic and to capture the entire briefing.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Personally liked yours better but I thought you might be interested in hearing it.
Hey Mario, "brilliant", "super", "liked yours better" . . . all I can say is WOW ! (and thanks). I'm glad you get what I tried to accomplish.
I really struggled with the mix. Did I want the baby to be featured? Yes The bombing? Yes Jens? Yes Cello? Yes Female vox at the end? Yes Everything else? Not so much. It was a challenge but my new headphones helped tremendously and Studio One is amazing.
And thanks for the 7 O'clock News video. Somehow I never heard that before . . . "Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again"
I wonder if there are other songs in the vein of voice-overs out there.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
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
Much appreciated guys. The good news is that Ukrainian forces have entered Kherson, hopefully the tide will continue to turn in favor of the freedom-loving Ukrainian people and that they won't suffer very much this Winter.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Very impressive! As a matter of fact this music needs a video. Then it will become a real documentary.
Great work!
Rob and Anne-Marie
Rob & Anne-Marie, thanks so much for the kind words and the idea to add a video, what a great idea. If you know a creative person with video skills that would like to collab on this, let me know. --Steve
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Really sad song, feels like the final news broadcast in an apocalyptic movie but unfortunately, it's all happening in our real world. You have captured that sadness in the excellent backing track, cello, bass and drums work hauntingly together and those choir voices are served suitably.
Really sad song, feels like the final news broadcast in an apocalyptic movie but unfortunately, it's all happening in our real world. You have captured that sadness in the excellent backing track, cello, bass and drums work hauntingly together and those choir voices are served suitably.
Janne
Many thanks for the listen and feedback. You're right, there is nothing Hollywood about this, it's as real as real can get. We're in the 21st century and still witnessing war crimes. Calling Putin barbaric is an understatement and we can hope he will be brought to justice in a criminal court. So many innocent lives lost but one day Ukraine will be a part of NATO and the Ukrainian people and culture will not vanish.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Really well done. The music supports the speech perfectly. Quite effective. Dramatic. Nice job on the Bass.
An Excellent mix.
fj
Hey fj, many thanks. The mix was challenging, especially at my skill level.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Yes it is long, but I'd not heard this speech before and I thought your backing of it made it all that more powerful. I thought it was great.
Hey Brad thanks for the listen.
You put your finger on something that was on my mind while designing this arrangement. Like you, not everyone has heard this breifing in its entirety and so making the trade-off between a lengthy "song" vs a snipet of the briefing seemed to make sense to not truncate it. Not everyone will agree, hence the warning.
Hopefully, for most people this will be a positive use of some of their life-minutes.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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 new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
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.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean