Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,289
rayc Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,289
All We Knew
Written by Janice Merritt & ray cochrane
Vocal recording, engineering & production by Bud Merritt.
Vocals & vocal arrangements by Janice.
Mastered by Fran Ashcroft Happybeat Studio

This as total collaboration. It started as a lyric. Janice had written something resonant when discussing events from the past. That something stuck in my head. Weeks later I wrote a stanza that quoted Janice's words and, I hoped, her intent. I added a couple more, developing that stanza into a narrative. I then made contact & asked permission to develop the ideas into a song. With Janice's nod I did a bit more and sent the lot to her for editing, reworking etc. I also built a simple backing in BIAB. Janice read & listened, modified words so that the voice was authentic and modded the backing to support the melody developing in her head.
That done I tweaked & tracked away, updating J&B when I made a solid step forward. Bud recorded & processes Janice's "scratch" vocal. That "scratch" is the lead vocal still..some impressive itch. An harmony was added, the song went through a few mixes iterations, mainly as I fought with the solo track, and, once we were all comfy, it was off to the M.E. and it became what you now hear.

BIAB info:
NewWave Light 80s
Drums: RealDrumsSoulRock70sEv^4
Baritone Guitar solo: 2444 (there were huge problems with this...glitch sounds that weren't carried by the trem which suggests they're edits...much multiriffing and cut paste later it seems okay)
Piano: 2825
Organ: 673
ray bits:
Trem guitar: Squire Bullet, J.S.Trem & Spectrum Matcher
Bass: Vantage -> Alesis Microlimiter -> ReaEQ

Mixed in Reaper with NOTHING on the master/stereo bus
Exported as 24bit .wav file and sent to the M.E.

Lyrics:
When I asked my Mamma
why we moved here anyway.
Mama simply looked at me
There/Wasn't much to say:
Well, honey, your daddy
Your daddy he wanted to.
See, in those times,
those cultural climes.
That is all we knew.

When I questioned granny
As I was want to do.
Granny'd turn and smile at me
Like she always used to:
Well, baby, your grandaddy
It's what he wanted to do.
See, in my day,
Only men had their say.
& That was all we knew.

When I asked my daughter
What she proposed to do.
She turned her face and smiled at me
Like she always knew:
Well, mamma, any man I take
Will do what we agree to do.
See, this new day,
I will have my say.
& he'll believe in me too.

Last edited by rayc; 07/10/24 10:38 PM.

Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,821
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,821
Ray, Janice, and Bud, WOW this is fantastic
Super vocal, as usual
great mix
Super groove and backing band
Outstanding guitar lead, super tone
This is a fantastic song


Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,777
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,777
Wow, what a nice song! Love how the vocals are both warm and clear. And such a nice vocal performance this is! And that guitar break sounds GREAT. Those Squier guitars are KILLER, especially for the price. Loved your song!!

Last edited by DC Ron; 07/07/24 02:21 PM.

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: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Originally Posted by MarioD
Ray, Janice, and Bud, WOW this is fantastic
Super vocal, as usual
great mix
Super groove and backing band
Outstanding guitar lead, super tone
This is a fantastic song

Thank you Mario! It was a pleasure to join in with Ray on this song. Your comments are encouraging given my very limited songwriting over the years. 😀

Janice


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: Nov 2023
Posts: 48
Enthusiast
Offline
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 48
I agree with MarioD; it was a great vocal and a great mix. Really captured the mood of the song.


Gayle Snyder
Shares recording studio with the incredible David Snyder
https://gaylesnyder.hearnow.com/
User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,099
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,099
This is (I think) the second time I've listened to a collab with you two, and again I'm amazed that it works so well.
It's a typical Ray song (that's good), and a Janice who leaves her "normal" life behind and dives into Ray's world like she's never done anything else.
That's really, really good from both of you!

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,064
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,064
Ray, Janice & Bud,

There are not enough good things to say about this song... Love lyrics, vocal and production. Everything about this project just works so well.

I absolutely love the vocal here by Janice. The lyric and mix completely supports her wonderful performance.

AWESOME!

Bob

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,930
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,930
That was interesting, engaging, well done, and enjoyable.

Really nice work.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Originally Posted by DC Ron
Wow, what a nice song! Love how the vocals are both warm and clear. And such a nice vocal performance this is! And that guitar break sounds GREAT. Those Squier guitars are KILLER, especially for the price. Loved your song!!

Thank you,
Your comments are very generous!

Janice
PS Bud has been using the same slight EQ, light compression and reverb on my vocals for the past 12 years.
Sometimes we experiment but almost always return to our standard no matter what the genre. smile Glad you like it!


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
Ray & Janice,

Lovely work, stunning vocal and a great production. Good work on getting the guitar solo to work so well.
Moody, and interesting throughout.
Well done.

Peter

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,361
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,361
Ray, Janice and Bud...really great collab...Janice the vocal so very good! the clarity of the mix is so pro sounding...love the lead guitar...the essence of the spaghetti western guitars with that baritone lead...great performances and production!


www.soundclick.com/firesong
BiaB 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: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Originally Posted by GayleS
I agree with MarioD; it was a great vocal and a great mix. Really captured the mood of the song.

Thank you!
Janice


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 2011
Posts: 16,187
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Originally Posted by B.D.Thomas
This is (I think) the second time I've listened to a collab with you two, and again I'm amazed that it works so well.
It's a typical Ray song (that's good), and a Janice who leaves her "normal" life behind and dives into Ray's world like she's never done anything else.
That's really, really good from both of you!

I much appreciate that! Bud has long kidded me about behaving like a method actor when I sing. 😀

Janice


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: May 2019
Posts: 5,117
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,117
Wow, outstanding, Ray. You gave Janice another terrific melody upon which to stretch out her magnificent voice. So well done, Janice. I love how the notes slide in and out. That baritone is an excellent choice. Yeah, I definitely get that method actor feeling for each song. A song created as only you can, Ray, and a powerful vocal as only you can sing, Janice. Love it!!


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 2017
Posts: 844
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 844
Wow! This is different from Janice. That Ray, he's an influencer.
This is really interesting.
The melody and chord progression, the lyric, Janice's vocal and the instrumentation make this one of the most striking tracks I've heard on the forum.
It's not a catchy singalong but a slow-working earworm that eventually gets inside your head. Give it more then a couple of listens.
The guitar solo works beautifully.
Naturally, the production is first class. Well done everyone.
Mike


Mike Garry
BIAB 2025/RealBand (5), UltraPak, Kontakt, EZmix, Ozone 9 Elements, Audacity, MSi PC, Windows 11, 64bit, 16GB ram, CPU: Intel i7.

https://soundcloud.com/user-952388172
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Originally Posted by B.D.Thomas
This is (I think) the second time I've listened to a collab with you two, and again I'm amazed that it works so well.
It's a typical Ray song (that's good), and a Janice who leaves her "normal" life behind and dives into Ray's world like she's never done anything else.
That's really, really good from both of you!


Originally Posted by rsdean
Ray, Janice & Bud,

There are not enough good things to say about this song... Love lyrics, vocal and production. Everything about this project just works so well.

I absolutely love the vocal here by Janice. The lyric and mix completely supports her wonderful performance.

AWESOME!

Bob

Thank you for the kind words Bob. As Ray mentioned it all sprang from a conversation about family events. That made it easy for me to relate to while working on the tune!

Janice


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: 8,263
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,263
Hi, Ray & Co.

Cool moody sound, with a matching vocal from Janice.

I enjoyed listening. smile


-- 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: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,609
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,609
Very convincing lyrics and performance, Janice really had her say. I enjoy the dark mood in the melody, chords and the arrangement. The baritone guitar sounds great and the introduction of the organ works well. Collaboration at its best, the most interesting things happen when two quite different "voices" come together.

Janne


Hear My Music:

Soundcloud
YouTube

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,187
Originally Posted by Guitarhacker
That was interesting, engaging, well done, and enjoyable.

Really nice work.

Thank you Herb. We appreciate that and are glad you liked it.

Janice


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 2014
Posts: 8,517
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,517
Really great song and production!

This has a very Carly Simon radio hit feel and sound to it.

Superb.

All I can say is:

Wow, Ray you just produced Carly Simon.

Janice, you just went all Carly Simon.

And Nobody Does It Better. Makes me feel sad for the rest. Cause baby baby you're the best.

What else can I say?

😂

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
Topics86,352
Posts803,780
Members40,104
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
tractorkharido, Kaluma Arthur, emilysmith, tomek jan, Jeff Prenevost
40,104 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 133
rsdean 92
DC Ron 87
vicarn 84
WaoBand 75
dcuny 67
Today's Birthdays
jacques herb
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5