|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 872
Expert
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 872 |
I've been blessed with a very good life, but like everyone, there have been difficult times. Several years ago a tragedy struck that will probably last the rest of my life. It's something I always live with, but October is always the worst. I usually just withdrawal within myself, which is why I haven't been around for a while. Early this October I was feeling down and sorry for myself while working on my computer in my music room. I decided to kill an hour of downloading time plucking on my guitar and came up with this song. I wrote it and then promptly threw it in the trash. On Halloween my wife was feeling terrible (we just had to put our dog down). She looked at me, tried to smile, but agreed that October can stink. With that, I got home and took the rumpled paper out of the bin, and decided to record it. If you decide to give it a listen, you won't hurt my feelings at all, but I'd love to know if you think I should leave it in the round file or hold on to it for a while - as well as any production hints I could learn from. It's going to take me some time to catch up with all the songs posted while I was away, but I'm looking forward to it! https://soundcloud.com/user-722422510/if-october-never-came If October Never Came If I could take 31 days and make them go away you know, I’d take October and make sure it never came. I’d stay here in September and not remember all the pain. My hurting might be over if October never came. The days would not grow shorter and chase the light away. The winds would not blow colder, or the leaves begin to change. The skies wouldn’t start to snow, and I’d never have to let you go. Oh, there’d be no starting over if October never came. Oh, every year at about this time the memories start to flood my mind. Most of the year I get through okay, but now October’s here, and there’s just no escape. So, if I could take 31 days and make them go away, oh, my hurting might be over if October never came. Oh, every year at about this time the memories start to flood my mind. Most of the year I get through okay, but now October’s here, and there’s just no escape. So, if I could take 31 days and make them go away, oh, my hurting might be over if October never came. Oh, if I could take just 31 days the angels never would’ve taken you away and my hurting, it might be over if October never came. If October never came. Everything but vocals is Biab: Drums: Brian Fullen, _POPH085.STY Bass: Dow Tomlin, _POPH085.STY Acoustic Rhythm Guitar: Tony King, _POPH085.STY Acoustic Finger Picking Guitar: Jason Roller, _POPH085.STY Electric Rhythm Guitar: Darin Favorite, _POPH085.STY Fiddle: Wanda Vick, _TIMEY Pedal Steel: Eddy Dunlap, _TIMEY Piano: John Jarvis, _CPPBSAJ.STY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,219
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,219 |
Brad, It's a keeper. My only nit is the processing on the vocal. It sounds boxy to me. It could be the mic. If it is a decent mic you might want to look into Isotope Nectar. it will make a huge difference. I liked the concept of the song and it is put together well. Keep em coming, Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 1,624
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 1,624 |
I like it, it's a beautiful song with good lyrics.
Like Tom said, the vocals are good but sound boxy.
But, before you invest money in another plugin I'd just give it some EQ-love (mids and highs are too low) and a bit of reverb.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,990
Expert
|
Expert
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,990 |
Brad...so glad you pulled this out of the trash...this is a beautiful and poignant song...the phrasing is exceptional..."oh, my hurting might be over if October never came."...I love the meter and movement of that line...the "over", "October" internal near rhyme is very cool...the solo of the steel and fiddle sound like they were made for this particular song...this is one of my favorites from you...so sorry October has this effect but you captured it in this song for all of us to share...well done brother!
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,048
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,048 |
The song is certainly a keeper,
I agree with B.D. Thomas about the EQ and reverb, but it is not really a problem if you leave it this way.
Good lyrics and music.
And as for any pain is true.... Time is your best friend.
Give the pain time to heal.
Anne-Marie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 2,190
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 2,190 |
Hey Brad, this song is definately NOT worthy.
Not worthy of what? The round file of course.
I very much enjoyed this.
And as far as the pain, try to hold on to and re-live the great memories I'm sure you have.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 2024 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,203
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,203 |
Hi Brad,
First of all, a very good song! Well worth saving from the trash.
Really good writing in my opinion!
Track sounds good too.
As far as the vocal goes, I agree with Tom.
Getting a dedicated vocal plugin is the easiest way to go to get a decent vocal sound without having to be an expert at mixing. As Tom mentioned, Nectar is a good one to have. Also Waves has a couple that are good, CLA Vocals and GW VoiceCentric. In the case of the Waves plugins they all go on sale from time to time for $29.
Good song, thanks for sharing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,360
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,360 |
Hi Brad, it would have been more than a pity if you left this song in the trash.
It was wise to take it out and bring it here in the forum.
About the lyrics; There are a lot more months I like to skip, or at least some days in each month. Otherwise we have nomore years...
But your lyrics are very beautiful and sensitive. You worded your feelings well.
It's a very nice, sad song, with a good band.
I agree with those who wrote your vocals can shine more. Try some reverb and delay, but with care.
Hans
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 5,291
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 5,291 |
Brad,
You have done a great job dealing with tuff stuff! It's ironic that some of the best songs comes from the things that hurt us the most! My hats off to you with the fine work you did with this country tune @
Thanks, Torrey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,796
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,796 |
Every song is worth hearing by others, to let out your emotions, especially when it is personal and touching like this, thanks for sharing the song and its backstory. I was born in October so it is not something I would wish to disappear, but I can relate to the feelings about winds, leaves and snow and what they represent. Great band and enjoyable sentimental vocals. Excellent solo part, really showing the face of sorrow.
Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,145
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,145 |
You've got a real superpower that allows you to sing a lyric nicely into the meter of a song. Not many can do that. As others have affirmed, this song was definitely worth bringing to fruition. What actually happened remains a mystery, but I think that adds to the song's intrigue. Great work.
Windows 10, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 6i6, Komplete keyboard, Sony Acid Music Studio 11, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11,811
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11,811 |
Brad,
"The days would not grow shorter and chase the light away.
The winds would not blow colder, or the leaves begin to change.
The skies wouldn’t start to snow, and I’d never have to let you go.
Oh, there’d be no starting over if October never came."
A good write. Personal, original, fresh.
The BAND fits.
A keeper.
The one thought that I had was that the tempo was a-bit-fast for the story. I wondered how it might work with a more "ballad tempo"?
Sorry for your loss(es).
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 872
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 872 |
Hey, thank you very much for the listen and the suggestion Tommy. I've been fighting with learning this mixing stuff for a while now, so a lot of my problem may just be inexperience and lack of talent, but I will start looking into what you suggested. I think I've got a decent mic, so maybe something like that Isotope Nectar will help. Thanks.
B.D., I appreciate you taking the time to give it a listen and your suggestion. I'm going to try that too. If I can bring my skill level up it may save me a little money!
So glad you liked the song Dan. I used a lot of reverb on the fiddle and a little on the steel to try and help with that lonesome sound. I thought it came off pretty well with the fiddle, but wasn't so sure about the steel.
Thank you very much Anne-Marie for giving it a listen and your kind words of encouragement.
Thanks a bunch Bass Thumper, and by the way, I've been listening to some of the stuff you've posted since I've been gone, and it is coming out great. I've really enjoyed the way you've been thumping that bass lately in particular.
I'm sure glad you stopped by and gave it a listen Dave. I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the suggestions. $30 or so shouldn't break the bank.
Thanks for the listen Hans. I'll give it a try!
I appreciate you giving it a listen Torrey, and I hope your album is off to a great start!
I hope you had a great Birthday Janne! Several in my family were born in October too - me, one of my sons and my mothers all fall in that month.
Thanks for the input TuneMonger. Yeah, I didn't want to get too personal with it. After all, none of us have a corner on the "hurting market". Pain is something everyone deals with, and I was hoping that by not getting too specific it would make the song more relatable. Because it was such a quick write and dealing with my personal feelings at the time, I decided to toss it at first.
Floyd thanks for the comment, especially coming from a writer as good as yourself - that means a lot. I was wondering about that tempo. I thought it may sound better a little slower, but was afraid that would drag it out over 4 minutes and make it boring. You're probably right though.
Brad
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,604
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,604 |
Glad you gave the song another chance. Really sad cool country tune. Excellent backtrack. Well done
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357 |
Brad,
I agree with all the positive comments so far on the quality of this song:its tough to find a balance between raw emotion and good songwriting when you are putting personal pain on the line-your song communicates that and makes it relateable and tuneful.
Other than the good advice you already have on vocal processing, I had a wish for a little more variation in the vocal intensity;for example, holding a line like "never have to let you go" to lead in to the chorus.
I`ll be listening to your journey with this song.
Robert
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,452
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,452 |
HI Brad ...
Definitely a keeper. Indeed, sad. But, it pulled some strong feelings from you that gave you the courage to put this "out there". No round file for this one - just a round of applause. And yes, a little reverb on your vocals would be a real nice touch.
Stay strong!
ALan
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*16GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,330
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,330 |
You tell a story, express an emotion and sing a bunch of not quite rhymes so that they sound fine.
I'd rate that as a win.
Def strip the vocal of all processing and do as little to your voice as possible.
I suspect perhaps a little proximity effect as well so start by looking at what's happening beneath the fundamental peak before proceeding.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,500
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,500 |
This song is part of your life, Brad. It's a keeper. Maybe it's cold here this morning, but I'm getting chills now. It's now November, the 11th month, and I encourage you to write another song about your other months.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,789
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,789 |
Brad,
I agree with Dave.
A very good song! Well worth saving from the trash.
It's a song that makes me feel nostalgic.
And I feel the flavor of an elegant country.
Very good times and difficult times. That is the life.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Best regards.
Shigeki Adachi
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,797
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,797 |
Nice idea and lyrics, Brad.
Something about the vocal not quite right.
Is it doubled? If so, try bringing them closer. Maybe increasing the vol a little too.
Vic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Video: Band-in-a-Box® + ChatGPT = Impressed the BOSS!
Band-in-a-Box User Video Tutorials!
If you've reviewed our Support page, you've probably noticed the Videos page, which separates our Band-in-a-Box® tutorial videos by category: Overview, VST DAW Plugin, Setup, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and there's even an Archive category to go down memory lane... (You'll also find these videos on our YouTube Channel.)
It's always great to hear how other Band-in-a-Box® users create their songs, especially when they explain in detail what they're doing. Like Henry Clarke's YouTube Channel, Henry Clarke - Senior Musicians Unite! There you'll find his ALL Band-in-a-Box Tutorials playlist with over 50 videos! His top-three most watched videos include "How to Get Started with Band-in-a-Box," "How I use the Audio Chord Wizard in Band-in-a-Box," and "How to Create An Effective Solo Using Band-in-a-Box" - however he touches on many other topics and also demonstrates his own Band-in-a-Box® songs in the Band-in-a-Box Created Songs playlist!
You're guaranteed to find some helpful videos when you visit Henry Clarke's channel!
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Italian for Windows is Here!
Ci siamo dati da fare e abbiamo aggiunto oltre 50 nuove funzionalità e una straordinaria raccolta di nuovi contenuti, tra cui 222 RealTracks, nuovi RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 3, Playable RealDrums Set 2, due nuovi set di "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 e altro ancora!
Tutti Pacchetti | Nuove Caratteristiche
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 French for Windows is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 apporte plus de 50 fonctions nouvelles ainsi qu'une importante de contenus nouveaux à savoir : 222 RealTracks, des RealStyles nouveaux, des SuperTracks MIDI, des Etudes d'Instruments, des Prestations d'Artistes, des "Morceaux avec Choeurs", un Set 3 de Tracks Jouables, un Set 2 de RealDrums Jouables, deux nouveaux Sets de "RealDrums Stems", des Styles XPro PAK 6, des Xtra Styles PAK 17 et bien plus encore!
Tous Packages | Nouvelles Fonctionnalités
Video: Making a Song with Band-in-a-Box®, ChatGPT, and Synth V
Take your Band-in-a-Box® project to a whole new level when you incorporate ChatGPT and Synth V to add lyrics and vocals to your song!
We wanted to demonstrate how this is done with our video, where we show you how to go from nothing to a finished "radio ready" modern pop song by combining the features of Band-in-a-Box®, ChatGPT, and Synth V!
Listen to the finished song, so you get a listen to the finished product: https://demos.pgmusic.com/misc/behindthefame.m4a
If you like it, watch the video. Either way, let's hear your comments!
Henry Clarke: Revolutionize Your Band-in-Box® Tracks with Regenerating Function
User Video: Convert MIDI Chords into AI Vocal Harmonies with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums65
Topics81,925
Posts739,795
Members38,646
| |
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean