Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Cold Plate

An attempt at a harder hitting production … at least for Janice’s vocal from the solo on. Peter plays some very complementary solos, fills and rhythm tracks. The title was inspired by the saying “revenge is best served as a cold dish” that dates to the 16th century.

Yep another “I’m outa here and done with you” theme. 😀 Lyrics are on SoundCloud and below. Thanks to Peter & PG Music and if you choose to listen your time is appreciated. Comments are welcomed.

Janice Merritt: vocals, arrangement & melody
Bud Merritt: lyric, mix, arrangement, mastering & photo
Peter Fulham: solo/rhythm guitar, mix & arrangement

Tech Stuff:
Bass: RealTrack 1036 Electric, Northern Rock Ballad > Izotope Neutron 3

Piano: MIDI SuperTrack 3102 Electric, Rhythm Americana > Logic Pro Grand Steinway sound > Waves CLA Effect

Pedal Steel: RealTrack 2542 Background Modern Ballad Atmosphere > Logic Pro Grit Pedal

Drums: RealDrums Nashville Even 8ths > Waves CLA Drums (multiple fills comps)

Snare: RealDrums Nashville even 8ths kit > Waves Magma BB T > Izotope Neutron 3 > Logic Pro ChromaVerb

Cymbal: RealDrums Nashville even 8ths kit

Mixed in Logic Pro X
Mastered via six Izotope Ozone modules starting with a Lucinda Williams reference song.

Cold Plate
© 2024 J. Merritt, B. Merritt & P. Fulham
V1
How many times have I been told not to leave
Guess I need to find a long bridge to burn
Wanna see glowing embers in my rear view mirror 
You’ve shoved me past the point of no return

Chorus
I think I could make a profession out of revenge
But folks say it’s best served as a cold plate
So I need a little distance, I need a little time
Your days coming but it may be a long wait

V2
I’m not going to worry if my past defines me
In a few minutes I can leave where I lived my whole life
No more you  no more them  only me and the horizon
Any direction will carry me away from the strife 


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
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,808
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,808
You always produce winners.
As always the perfect style for the song, an outstanding vocal and guitar leads, and mix.
I noticed a slightly different chord progression from your norm - sounds great.
When I see that you three are on the same song I know I'm in for some sweet ear candy!


Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?

Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,285
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,285
I can't comment on the sound much as I'm using a 15 year old laptop with bad converters and a dull sound...still waiting for my replacement computer...
The song & arrangement are excellent.
The narrative is personal but universal.
The bite in the solo is classic rock at its best.
The vocal after the solo is a little more up front and IYF as suits the story.
It's a lovely thing.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Originally Posted by MarioD
You always produce winners.
As always the perfect style for the song, an outstanding vocal and guitar leads, and mix.
I noticed a slightly different chord progression from your norm - sounds great.
When I see that you three are on the same song I know I'm in for some sweet ear candy!

Thank you Mario. And we appreciate the mention of the progression. It grew from Janice experimenting on her old Martin box with some suspended and diminished chords. Not something we’d play back in the bluegrass days. 😀

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
User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,253
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,253
I only noticed the "interesting" chords after seeing Mario's comment. I was too focused on the lead guitar and Janice's vocal. That's probably where that "early Jackson Browne" vibe is coming from.

To my ears, this seems a very bright mix... but my ears are still congested, so there might be some weird attenuation going on there. But it's very clear, and there's nothing that distracts from the vocal or lead guitar, which makes it perfect in that regard.

Despite the length, my first impression was that the song was short. Also another great sign in my book.

Nice work, y'all. laugh


-- David Cuny

My virtual singer development blog
Vocal 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: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,165
L
Expert
Online Content
Expert
L
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,165
It's a beautiful song, very beautiful voice and the guitar part in the middle is very pleasant.
Laurent

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Originally Posted by rayc
I can't comment on the sound much as I'm using a 15 year old laptop with bad converters and a dull sound...still waiting for my replacement computer...
The song & arrangement are excellent.
The narrative is personal but universal.
The bite in the solo is classic rock at its best.
The vocal after the solo is a little more up front and IYF as suits the story.
It's a lovely thing.

We hope the new tech arrives soon. Your comments are much appreciated as you mentioned several of the objectives we had hoped to achieve. We tried to orient the mix and mastering into a more rock direction … so thanks!

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
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,884
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,884
Great arrangement, production and performance. Enjoyed this from start to finish.


BIAB 2026:RB 2026, 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: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Originally Posted by dcuny
I only noticed the "interesting" chords after seeing Mario's comment. I was too focused on the lead guitar and Janice's vocal. That's probably where that "early Jackson Browne" vibe is coming from.

To my ears, this seems a very bright mix... but my ears are still congested, so there might be some weird attenuation going on there. But it's very clear, and there's nothing that distracts from the vocal or lead guitar, which makes it perfect in that regard.

Despite the length, my first impression was that the song was short. Also another great sign in my book.

Nice work, y'all. laugh

Howdy, thanks for all the positive comments. Yeah, it’s long for two verses and a chorus but we didn’t want to raise the tempo or shorten the solo. 😀 The brightness may be a bit due to the register Janice is singing in. It harkens back to the bluegrass days. Also I felt some of my mixes of late have lacked an “edge” so hopefully I didn’t overdo it!

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
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,647
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,647
Originally Posted by MarioD
You always produce winners.
As always the perfect style for the song, an outstanding vocal and guitar leads, and mix.
I noticed a slightly different chord progression from your norm - sounds great.
When I see that you three are on the same song I know I'm in for some sweet ear candy!

Thanks Mario
Peter

User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,759
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,759
Oh my. I try to listen before reading the credits, and I was going crazy trying to figure out how a RT could do those guitar parts. Ha! Nice one, Peter!

Beautiful write. Janice, you really crushed these vocals. Reminds me of Linda Ronstadt without sounding exactly like her. Just a beautiful, big emotional punch.

Bud, the mix is perfect. This is a fabulous song every way I think about songs.

Really enjoyed it!


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: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,043
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,043
Janice, Bud & Peter,

Rock n Blues at it's absolute best... An awesome production!

I love the way Janice comes out swinging on this one - gritty and edgy. She sings everything here with a great intensity. Really excellent.

Love Bud's production - clear and glassy with edge to match Janice's vocal. I also really love the reedy tones Peter is getting from his guitar. That's a great sound.

Just great music all around!

Bob

User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,618
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,618
This one grew on me 😀 At the beginning, I was just relaxed, but, as it went on, it really grabbed my attention. Mrs Merritt: really beautiful singing, you know I love the way you phrase. A great production all round, with the singing as its crowning glory. Loved the guitar tone colour, too. Well done!!!

User Showcase
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,108
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,108
ALL of your productions are hard-hitting, J&B. Really like the write, Peter's solo and fills, then Janice nails the vocals like no one can. Bud, you should hold a class on mastering, Mastering The Master Like The Master. I like the rearview mirrow, too. Yep, everything you guys do is a little above what others would call top-notch.


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
User Showcase
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,632
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,632
Janice can add that sparkle to any song.
Guitar is a nice addition too.
Not so keen on that "in your face" drum rhythm at the beginning but that's an easy fix if you feel the need to change it.
Maybe that's just a personal thing with me though.
Good job.

Vic

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Originally Posted by vicarn
Janice can add that sparkle to any song.
Guitar is a nice addition too.
Not so keen on that "in your face" drum rhythm at the beginning but that's an easy fix if you feel the need to change it.
Maybe that's just a personal thing with me though.
Good job.

Vic

Thanks Vic. I guess by “drum rhythm” you mean choice of components. The drums have a snare on all solos and choruses while the verses are sticks. So there is no difference in the intro from the above. And the gain and processing is the same throughout. It all works for us as our objective was an in your face vibe. 😀

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
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,936
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,936
PB&J,

Excellence from every angle.
Janice has never sounded better.
Peter is in top form.
The mix is impeccable.
There is a brewing tempest in the singer that is a bit scary. smile

Music.

fj

User Showcase
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 194
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 194
Love the lyrics and vocal. the style quite reminded me of Jackson Browne whose songs I like very much.

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,181
Originally Posted by laurent4114
It's a beautiful song, very beautiful voice and the guitar part in the middle is very pleasant.
Laurent

Thank you for the nice comments!

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
User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,090
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,090
Man, the first verse plus chorus plus Peter is longer than most of my songs and yet I wasn't bored for a second [Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]
Definitely a winner!
Great chords, killer guitar, and I have yet to hear a Janice vocal that I don't like.
And, Bud, what you do with the faders is as good as it gets.
Winners all around!

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
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.

Holiday Weekend Hours

It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:

Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Regular hours
resume Tuesday, May 19th!

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!

Don't wait - order today!

Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

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.

Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!

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)

Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

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!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,329
Posts803,448
Members40,097
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
kmmwlton32, Hikes77, guitarharry, Duncan-RTFM, 65Jaguar
40,096 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 122
vicarn 96
DC Ron 83
rsdean 83
dcuny 64
Today's Birthdays
There are no members with birthdays on this day.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5