|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
DragonfliesYour head on my shoulder, the sheets on the floor
Remember the days before the storm?
What felt like forever would soon slip away
A love that walked right out the door
And in the end, though we said we'd still be friends
it just wouldn't work the way
I still see dragonflies in summer skies
Close your eyes, close your eyes
A little bit older then we were before
I wonder if you might miss those days
The long lazy mornings, our tangled silk nights
How did we ever lose our way?
And in the end, though we said we'd still be friends
it just wouldn't work the way
I still see dragonflies in summer skies
Close your eyes, close your eyes
I'll keep on dreaming, though I'll never get one more day with you
I still see dragonflies in summer skies
Close your eyes, close your eyes
I still see dragonflies in summer skies
Close your eyes, close your eyesThe Technical Stuff~683:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesPush Ev 120 1533:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopPowerPushArp Ev 120 2935:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm FolkPulse8thsFintan Ev 110 2719:Guitar, Nylon, Fingerpicking CountryBrent Ev 120 1681:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 120 3707:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm 90sAcRockArpPick Ev 120 2452:String Quartet, Rhythm PopSwingHall Sw 110 RealDrums in style:NashvilleEven8^2-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, HiHat Master Buss: Hornet ThirtyOneMk2, Lurssen Mastering Console (Pop) Lead Vocal: SynthesizerV (Oscar), GregWells VoiceCentric (Natural Vocal), Pana, Abbey Roads Plate (Warm Voice) Backing Vocal: SynthesizerV (Feng Yi), GregWells VoiceCentric (Backing Vocal), Pana, Abbey Roads Plate (Warm Voice) Drum: RealTracks, EZMix2 (Room 2) Bass: RealTracks Piano: RealTracks, TrackSpacer (vocal), ReaEQ (No Mud), Pana (Piano) Guitar1: RealTracks, TrackSpacer (vocal), ReaEQ (No Mud), Pana, Abbey Roads Plate (Acoustic Guitar 1) Guitar2: RealTracks, TrackSpacer (vocal), ReaEQ (No Mud), Pana, Abbey Roads Plate (Acoustic Guitar 1) Guitar3: RealTracks, TrackSpacer (vocal), ReaEQ (No Mud), Pana, Abbey Roads Plate (Acoustic Guitar 1) String Quartet: RealTracks, Pana, Abbey Road Plate (Strings 1) Edit 1: I fixed the glitch with the piano, and some phonemes in the harmony. Edit 1: Manually balanced the vocal, extended the ending so it's not so abrupt. Blah Blah BlahAs usual, any comments are appreciated. I've still got a cold and COVID, so I haven't been feeling much like making music. But I had started feeling better, so figured I should take advantage of the three-day weekend and force myself to do something. I was thinking about "Looks Like Rain" that Greg Johnson had recently posted, and figured I'd do something sort of James Taylor-ish. The _ASPEN demo had a bit of a Jackson Browne feel, so I went with that but changed the key and chords. I set the song form and imported it into SynthesizerV to work out the melody. I don't think it sounded much like James Taylor or Jackson Browne, but I went with it anyway. I had recently purchased the Oscar voice, so I used him on the lead vocal. Fortunately, I didn't have to change the key of the song to fit Oscar's voice. That's actually one of the nice things about using BiaB - if I've got to change the key of the song, it's super-easy... as long as I do it before moving everything into the DAW. The next day I sat down and forced myself to write something, and got the first couple of lines. I tried to come up with some sort of imagery, but... nope. I'm not even sure there's much of a rhyme scheme, but I used alliteration to make up for that. At least I snuck a bit of imagery into the chorus.  Once the first verse was written, the second verse was a straightforward. That only left the bridge, which I avoided working on by working out the counter-line instead. That's still the most fun part for me, puzzling out an interesting secondary line. Fortunately, synthetic voices are patient in that regard, and more rewarding than MIDI notes. Once I finished up with that, I worked out some notes for the bridge, put in the first words that came to mind, and called it done. I probably should have finessed the vocal a bit, but I liked the way it was sung, so I left it "As Is". I may go back later and play with it a bit. I'd rendered out a whole bunch of instruments in BiaB - fiddle, mandolin, lead guitar - with the intent of putting them in somewhere, but none of them fit. Fortunately, the string quartet fit under the bridge, and then I worked from there to bring various instruments in and out to give some flow to the arrangement. The drums felt a bit sluggish, so I nudged them forward a bit. I did the same with the guitars so they would hit the beat a bit better. I had intended to perhaps work out a guitar intro for the song - and I still might - because the piano intro is a bit glitchy. But I figured it was "good enough", and left it in for now. For now, it's all BiaB. I'd recently picked up Pana, which is a panning VST from Klevgrand. I threw it on most of the tracks to see if I liked it better than the Panagement VST, which I usually use to place instruments into a more "real" space. I was going to buy the Valhalla VintageVerb and play with that, but I was in a hurry so I used the Abbey Road plate instead. Hopefully everything isn't soaked in reverb. My ears are still congested, so I'm not sure how good the mix is. And I'll normally go through the vocal and hand-edit it and normalize it. But once I start working on that, it can take hours. I'll probably go back and clean it up more in the future, so feel free to make suggestions.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,199
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,199 |
I can empathize about the C19 drain on creativity.
This is a lovely production with a sweet melody.
ReaEQ Mudfree is a very useful preset.
The bass may be a bit boomy in parts - I'm using a different DAC so can't be 100% certain.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,335 |
David, this is a super pop song. Great hook that will stay in my head all day. The vocals are amazing and so real with the independent harmony instead of a third above or below. The mix is stellar. I loved the lyrics and pretty much everything else. I am very impressed and this is surely among your best, Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,695
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,695 |
David,
What a great pop song. These vocals are astounding. You have a way of bringing out a very nuanced performance from them.
Blown away...
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,548
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,548 |
Lovely pop song. Good job with the voices. The lyrics take it over the top, for me. Bravo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,572
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,572 |
Hi dcuny,
Nice melody. Your vocal synthesizer is perfect. The female voice is well arranged in relation to your melody. Pleasant arrangement.
Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash
Kindly regards
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,286
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,286 |
David, this is an outstanding pop song.
Great hook!
Super use of the synth voices - they sound so real!
Great mix.
One of your best.
Principal: Your child always causes trouble in school.
Me: My child causes trouble at home, do I ever call you?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Ray. I can empathize about the C19 drain on creativity. I think I'm finally coming round, although I suspect this cough and congestion is going to stick around for a couple weeks. Fortunately, the other symptoms are relatively mild. This is a lovely production with a sweet melody. Thanks!  ReaEQ Mudfree is a very useful preset. Yeah, as a rule I should throw it on just about everything, but sometimes I forget. The bass may be a bit boomy in parts - I'm using a different DAC so can't be 100% certain. I'll have my bass player son have a listen. I trust his ears on all things bass. Thanks for listening and commenting!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Tom. David, this is a super pop song. Great hook that will stay in my head all day. The vocals are amazing and so real with the independent harmony instead of a third above or below. The mix is stellar. Thanks! There's still a lot of things the synth vocals can't do, but for the stuff they can, they just keep getting better. I loved the lyrics and pretty much everything else. I am very impressed and this is surely among your best, Thanks also for mentioning the lyrics! I'm still trying to figure out what "works", so I'm glad they did here.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Bob. What a great pop song. These vocals are astounding. You have a way of bringing out a very nuanced performance from them. Thanks! "Pop" is something that I find elusive, so it's good to hear I'm making progress in that direction. You're too kind!  Thanks for listening and commenting!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, James. Lovely pop song. Good job with the voices. Thanks! Once I've got the melody line in, working out a harmony is the fun part. No doubt I overdo it. The lyrics take it over the top, for me. Bravo. I'm glad the lyrics work! Thanks for listening.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Derochette. Nice melody. Your vocal synthesizer is perfect. The female voice is well arranged in relation to your melody. Pleasant arrangement. Pleasant is what I was aiming for, so I'm glad it worked for you. Thanks for the kind words.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Mario. David, this is an outstanding pop song. Thanks! Great hook!
Super use of the synth voices - they sound so real!
Great mix. Well... thanks again!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,394
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,394 |
David, joyous tune for sure! Never would have guessed you are under the weather from how peppy your song is. Hope you are 100% soon just the same.
Funny, but I don't hear a pop song, but I DO hear a show tune. I can see the staging and choreography in my mind. The way the vocals weave in and out of each other is very cool, and the vocalists sound very into it. A very vivid production for me, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Thanks for your detailed description. I shake my head after reading because you always make the end results sound effortless despite the obvious labor involved.
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,014
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,014 |
David
Your songs are always so well done.
Laurent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,948
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,948 |
Nicely done, David!
Love the vocals, especially when you bring in the female. Harmonies are outstanding!
Good pop song, nice hook. One of your best I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 2,808
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 2,808 |
Sounds like something out of a Disney movie, but in a good way. I love those harmonies and the arrangement in general. Nice work. Oh: the photo on SoundCloud is a Damselfly, NOT a Dragonfly 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,235
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,235 |
Hi David,
That's a very good song!
I never thought that a virtual voice could sound as well like a real voice.
Kudos to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Ron. David, joyous tune for sure! Never would have guessed you are under the weather from how peppy your song is. Hope you are 100% soon just the same. Thanks! Yes, I'm getting better, thanks for the positive thoughts. Funny, but I don't hear a pop song, but I DO hear a show tune. I can see the staging and choreography in my mind. The way the vocals weave in and out of each other is very cool, and the vocalists sound very into it. A very vivid production for me, and I enjoyed it a lot. That's the "problem" with interweaving the second vocal - it becomes part of the song, instead of a background accompaniment. I was tempted to turn it into a duet by having the singers trade off a couple of the lines, but decided to leave it "As Is". Maybe I'll do that anyway later, just to see how it works. So you're right about that, even thought that wasn't the original intent. Thanks for your detailed description. I shake my head after reading because you always make the end results sound effortless despite the obvious labor involved. Well, it is labor, but it's enjoyable to have the song come together as it's being worked on. It's sort of like magic - just the same way that BiaB will come up with a solo. Sure, it requires some work, but it's a lot easier than singing it myself. This was a relatively quick song for me - I got it "done" in two days, which is fast for me. Of course, I spent all last evening tweaking the final mix, but that doesn't count! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,143 |
Hi, Laurent. Your songs are always so well done. Thanks!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,751
Posts795,789
Members39,950
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean