My New Years resolution... try to record at least 1 song per week.
This week... "Seoul Purpose", by me, Steve Mohacey. I wrote this song right after I returned home after a year long assignment to the Eighth United Sates Army Band. I was stationed at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, Korea from 1998-1999. It was supposed to be a "hardship tour". For those who don't know, when Soldiers are assigned to Korea, we do not take our families (hence the hardship part of the tour). What could have been a truly miserable year turned out to be one of the best assignments I ever had.
This was due to 3 things: 1. My command team was fantastic, 2. The Soldiers I was serving with were fantastic, and 3. The Korean people were fantastic. If you have the time and means, I highly recommend visiting Asia.
I hope you enjoy "Seoul Purpose".
Saxophone was recorded using a Sennheiser 441 with the "FETHEAD" to boost the gain. The Sennheiser 441 is a dynamic mic. The Fethead gives it a 27db bump via the pre-amp built into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gen 4. Dynamic mics do not require phantom power. The FETHEAD uses phantom power to boost the gain and just plugs into the XLR out on my mic.
Backing tracks via Band In A Box 2024 ultrapak for Mac.
Recorded in Logic Pro 11.
Selmer Reference 54 Tenor sax. Mouthpiece- Dave Guardala MB1 (handmade). Reeds- Boston Sax Shop Black Box 3.5 (BEST REEDS EVER!!)
Filmed on iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This video was edited using Final Cut Pro
All stock video is royalty free and was taken from:
https://www.pexels.com/search/videos/... Memo: A slow and modern R&B style that comines reggae and smooth jazz elements. Instruments are steel drum, electric guitar, electric piano, electric bass, and synthesizer smooth jazz drums. -Examples: Babylon Too Rough, No More Trouble, Genre "Intensity" Score=60/100 _YALLAHS.STY. Yallahs Modern Smooth Island RnB All RealTracks. Quintet. Tempo=75 (65-90) Instruments: El.Bass, El.Piano, El.Guitar, Steel Drum, Drums RD: ElecSmoothCoolJeffSw16: a: Snare, Busy b: Snare, BusyKick :Jeff Lorber RT902: Bass, Electric, SmoothCool Sw16 075 , Vernon Barbary RT904: Piano, Electric, Rhythm SmoothCool Sw16 075 , Jeff Lorber RT1158: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ReggaeSlow Sw 075 , Sandy Williams RT3615: Steel Drum, Rhythm ReggaeSlowSwing Sw16 075 , Todd London
Wow, you make that Sax sing so sweetly. What a fantastic arrangement. The Electric Piano sits beautifully throughout. Sensational mix. Yes, sweet - very.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Super playing, lot of choice licks! Never met a military musician that wasn't first rate. I'm not familiar with FEThead, but I know Cloudlifter. I never got one, though, because the Shure SM57 dynamic mic that I use (besides being inexpensive and indestructible) removes some of the problems of recording in an untreated room. And the latest Scarlett preamps got a pretty good db boost, so I think I'm good. 27more db might make my recordings a nightmare. Seems to be working well for you. Maybe I should try one, after all.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
Well... I'm still getting the hang of making videos. When I originally put the video together, I used a bunch of "free to use" video footage I found on a site. Well... one video was apparently NOT "free to use". So, this is the "new and improved, free of video copyright infringement" version.
Wow, you make that Sax sing so sweetly. What a fantastic arrangement. The Electric Piano sits beautifully throughout. Sensational mix. Yes, sweet - very.
Electric Piano works so well with just about any groove. Thanks for giving my song a listen. Still learning the in's and out's of BIAB and Final Cut Pro. I'm feeling much more confident with Logic Pro (at least with how I mic and record the tenor sax. Alto sax... that is another story).
Good groove and excellect sax and electric piano keeping wake and wanting to get more. Reminds me of the nice sunny summer days in the 1970s lying in the grass at the Pori Jazz Festival listening to the great jazz musicians.
Great selection for the BiaB rhythm section. Love the saxophone!
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.
Super playing, lot of choice licks! Never met a military musician that wasn't first rate. I'm not familiar with FEThead, but I know Cloudlifter. I never got one, though, because the Shure SM57 dynamic mic that I use (besides being inexpensive and indestructible) removes some of the problems of recording in an untreated room. And the latest Scarlett preamps got a pretty good db boost, so I think I'm good. 27more db might make my recordings a nightmare. Seems to be working well for you. Maybe I should try one, after all.
I tried pushing the gain up through Logic Pro, but it just sounded really noisy. The FetHead seems to be doing the trick with the Sennheiser 441. The FetHead can boost "up to" 27db. I'm not really pushing it that hard. Maybe 3-5 db max. But it's quieter than trying to do it through the Scarlett or Logic (not sure why, but it works so I don't wonder too much).
Great title turns into a terrific sound. Masterfully done, Steve. Man, you have talent with those reeds and pads. Excellent composition, too. I like the backing band --well picked.
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
Steve, nicely done. Very smooth. Can't beat a cool bass and EP for a relaxed backing. Like the EP solo, too. Sweet composition and on point playing.
Camp Humphreys is shiny and new and awesome, but Yongsan was a unique little enclave in the heart of Seoul. Love my too brief time in Seoul...
DC Ron-
You were at "The Hump"? I only got there 1 time for a change of command ceremony. Yes... Yongsan and the surrounding areas were a cool vibe.
Yep, was there in 2016 when Humphreys was still building out and Yongsan was going strong. Flew to Humphreys in a Chinook with the rear ramp open. That was a blast, too...
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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!
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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®.
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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!
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!
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Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
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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.
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!
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This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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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)
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