Hi Music Lovers,

Well, I've gone and done it. I've completed my first BIAB/RealBand song. I hope I can get a few listens and some constructive feedback (please be gentle but honest). I'm not new to singing or lyric writing but I am definitely new to literally everything else. I didn't mix/master much ('cuz I don't know what I'm doing), so any tips in that arena are especially appreciated. Here's the song which is about recognizing that the love we want comes from inside:

https://soundcloud.com/divinemetime/the-love-inside-1

Here are the lyrics:

My heart suddenly thrown open
I’m by myself no one is around
That must mean its inside of me
Growing strong like the great oak tree
A smile breaks and everything is clear

No object of devotion
I can go there when I want to
When grace is on my side
There’s no place love can hide
I can sit and be with what is true

The love inside of me
Is the love inside of you
Love is love it’s what we are
The love inside of me
Is the love inside of you
Love is love/shining star

It breaks my heart, tenderly open
so many look outside themselves
for the love they’ve always longed for
how was it so damn easy to ignore
and miss the inside where it dwells
like a fountain and ringing of soft bells

May I bring light/ to darkness/
May I bring love/ to the pain of shame
Be in integrity/ and let go of the blame
and may I know/ the love inside myself

May I be happy, healthy and fulfilled.
May you be …
May we be ...
and may we know the love inside ourselves

Regarding the technicals, I had the melody and lyrics in my head and serendipitously discovered BIAB a few days later, so over the past two weeks, I've been using the song to learn BIAB and using BIAB to arrange the song. I then moved it over to Real Band. I must say, I owe a lot to Joanne Cooper's Youtube course, bless her!

I used a style called SJCOOLP. Not all that crazy about the drums but that's a whole 'nuther learning curve, so I made do. I somehow managed to figure out how to add strings using Midi; I really struggled to get a solo in there and I'm not crazy about some of that (too loud, weird progression?) but it needed something. The harmonies are mine; I didn't care for the generated ones. I didn't do much to the vocals. I may have added a little reverb (lol...I can't remember!) and compression.

I'm using such a small computer screen, it really strained my eyesight. I hope PG takes on board the visually impaired, which if I wasn't before I started I probably am now!

I think I've covered the requested info.
Thanks for listening if so inclined.

Last edited by BYOBand; 08/29/24 03:16 AM.