This might be an involved post. Thanks to those who have the time and inclination to read it. So first, I've been working on this song for weeks and I'm having a hard time trusting my artistic choices. I could really use ears to help with three different issues which I list below.
First, I want to say something about the song. It was inspired by a book called The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho, a story of faith and courage during times of testing. I wrote the lyrics back in 2009 after reading the book. Thanks to BIAB, it's finally taking some shape and I find it quite a synchronicity to be working on it because it feels like a relevant message/tribute for friends in Western North Carolina (some still unaccounted for) who were my family for 10 years. I would really like to get it right.
Style is PNOMOOD1.STY (PianoMood1 - Reflective Soundtra) RealTracks in song: 2046:Piano, Acoustic, Solo-Accompaniment CountryPopJohn Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 695:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ElecRockArp Ev 120 (A:arp) RealTracks in song: 1255:Bass, Electric, PopShiningA-B Ev 120 ReadDrums Congas Ev 16 (single) Loop Chillout_autumn_82_flute_e_minor (treated with flanger and reverb)
My questions in order of importance are:
Is the hissing of the flute too annoying? Is there anything I can do about it?
Do the congas work or is it just messy? I could not find the drums I wanted. I'm open to suggestions if you think something in the Pro pack could work.
What genre would you call this?
And of course, anything else you notice or care to offer...
Beth, lovely song. Do pray your friends are ok. Know communications are crippling the ability to know the extent of the damage and loss, even still. What a mess...
The "hissing flute" really wasn't noticeable to me. Most flute patches have a breath envelope in the attack. If your flutes were MIDI (and not a loop) you could edit the patch in the synth to reduce the breath attack. But I think it's fine.
The congas at about 2:00 sounded a bit out of sync to me, or at least they didn't feel like they contributed. But I liked the congas at about 4:00 as they seem a nice extra dynamic to drive the song to the conclusion.
Genre? Hmmm. New Age? The relaxing music and message of hope and redemption seem to fit. But I'm neither an expert nor a fan of genre categorization...
BUT...I did love your song!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Beth - to my ears any genre 'confusion' possibly arises from the unusual chord structure, some changes are 'edgy' and although I understand them and can follow them instantly on ac guitar, they twist my ears in places? Having said that - the fact that you've put the sequeence together and can sing over the top indicates a substantial talent on your part, how it sounds directs it towards potential listeners (or puts them off). I wouldn't select chords 'because you can' or because they are possible - great songwriters work with chord sequences which 'feel right' and sound harmonious, you have huge ability as a song writer and singer and I get the impression you're about to do great music & recordings!! Push on Beth, many new discoveries just round the corner!
Carl, you're a sweetheart for saying such nice things. I will push on because I'm having fun. God must have given me weird ears because I honestly don't hear what's so unusual about my chords (though I've been told before I "have the wrong ones"). I guess I like a bit of dissonance; it's truer to life. Not that I really know what I'm doing!
Is the hissing of the flute too annoying? Is there anything I can do about it?
Do the congas work or is it just messy? I could not find the drums I wanted. I'm open to suggestions if you think something in the Pro pack could work.
What genre would you call this?
And of course, anything else you notice or care to offer...
Firstly re genre, I have no clue, but more often than not I haven't a clue what genre a lot of my material is. There are so many genres, subgenres, sub-subgenres and sub-sub-subgenres these days I haven't a clue how so much of my own work.
It's hard to criticise so much that's posted on this forum as so often it comes down to taste and preference, but I personally thought that both the flute and congas were the wrong instruments for the song.
What key is the song in and what's the tempo? Also, which program do you use for mixing the tracks? I only use Audacity as I was familiar with it prior to discovering BiaB, plus it's free and doesn't use up much disc space. I'd actually like to have a go at creating BiaB instrumentation for this song, but I've found through working with vocalists on Fiverr that the way they envisage how to produce a song around lyrics is totally alien to mine. One vocalist totally misunderstood clear instructions re what I wanted and produced her own version, completely ignoring my music, and while what she produced was actually quite brilliant just wasn't at all what I wanted. Re your song, I relate to the lyrics, so I'd choose more positive instrumentation.
Some favourite Waoist Adages: #1: Play on the Way. #13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you. #58: Bring consciousness to it. #63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made. #92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
Yes, a lot comes down to personal preference. Ironically, the flute was somehow essential to me, just wasn't sure the best way to work it in. I appreciate that the lyrics spoke to you (the book is a great read too). While I'm not interested in collaborations on this song at this point, you're always free to play around with it.
Ooo, cool how the harmony comes in on the right, then moves towrad the center. Extraordinary lyrics of human compassion. Hope your friends are doing well. I, too, have some folks in the way of the storm. The piano is so good. Nothing about the flute annoyed me. The conga don't really add anything, so I'd dump them. The drums are there for a sense of time, and the seem fine for the song. The song itself is too good to care. I'm not big on any restrictions genre classification imposes. Just create like you do and let others decide where to file it in the music store.
Second, This is really good. Loved your vocal and chord progression. I found the congos distracting and if this were my song I would delete them. IMHO this song does not need any percussion or drums. The flute is fine. For a genre I would put this in the good music category.
The fitness trainer asked me, "What kind of a squat are you accustomed to doing?" I said, "Diddly."
64 bit Win 11 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I think the congas are just fine - but I seem to be in the minority with that opinion. If anything, I would simply drop them and not replace them with anything.
Genre? That's often a conversation that will present more than one or two opinions. As Mario suggested, it's just good music. But if it were manditory to need a genre for this (posting on some sites require that), I'd go with Alternative Acoustic.
Wishnh you the very best and hope your friends back the States will be fine. best to you,
Is the hissing of the flute too annoying? Is there anything I can do about it? The version I heard has the flute too far in the background to even hear any hiss. I didn't even remember hearing it once the song was done.
If you've got issues with flute hiss, you can use a low pass filter to cut off some of the high frequency noise.
Do the congas work or is it just messy? I could not find the drums I wanted. I'm open to suggestions if you think something in the Pro pack could work. Drop the congas, they don't really add much.
What genre would you call this? It's folk with New Age lyrics - at least, that's what an average listener would discern from the lyrics.
Yes, a lot comes down to personal preference. Ironically, the flute was somehow essential to me, just wasn't sure the best way to work it in. I appreciate that the lyrics spoke to you (the book is a great read too). While I'm not interested in collaborations on this song at this point, you're always free to play around with it.
Key F Tempo 105 The chords are attached.
I've copied the chord sheets. I'll play around with it when I have some free time.
Some favourite Waoist Adages: #1: Play on the Way. #13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you. #58: Bring consciousness to it. #63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made. #92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 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 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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