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Soundcloud - The river has run dry
Youtube - The river has run dry In the Youtube video, I attempted to create a watercolour effect on the footage, with moderate success. I wrote this song back in 2001 around the time that I renewed interest in playing, singing and writing. Prior to this, I was essentially a bedroom strummer, and very few had heard my songs or my singing. As a younger man, I was very introverted other than with friends - I would now class myself as an 'ambivert'. In my late 30s, work colleague encouraged me to join a group of musicians jamming along - initially I refused, then got up the gumption to have a go. At this time, I became interested in collecting chords and lyrics of well-known songs and as a result, started writing songs again - I hadn't since my early 20s. This song was written before I owned Band-in-a-Box and was one of three songs I wrote around 2001 in quick succession. Once I purchased BIAB in 2002, my songwriting exploded as I had a means of illustrating all the ideas in my head. The song was encouragement to me about being more adventurous, particularly performing in public. The bridge was added sometime in the last couple of years. The other two songs of 2001 I wrote at the same time are on my to-do list! ****** SONG SUMMARY ************* Style is _FOLKRCK.STY (Folk-Pop Waltz Medium) RealTracks in style: 776:Bass, Acoustic, PopWaltz Ev 085 RealTracks in style: 898:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Strumming FolkRockWaltz Ev 150 RealTracks in style: 900:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming FolkRockWaltz Ev 150 RealTracks in song: 3195:Guitar, Acoustic, Soloist WaltzMellowBrent Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 2568:Accordion, Rhythm OldWorldWaltzHeldPlus Ev 180 – used in the Bridge RealDrums in style:RockModernWaltz^2-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride, Busy Kick Mixed in Cakewalk Sonar I didn’t play any instruments, but I promise I will next time! Vocals – triple tracked lead vocal; 4 BV tracks ******************* LYRICSINTRO VERSE 1 He’s making his plans, plans that will no doubt be scrapped Endlessly tinkering, tuning every detail Oiling each working part, putting it quietly away VERSE 2 So, another is lost, lost to the stockpile of frozen style Gems gone all frosty, vines that have withered and died Wasted and forgotten, pots that have turned into clay CHORUS Why don’t you make up your mind (Make up your mind) Cast off those ties that bind you (Ties that bind) Someday you’re going to find (Going to find) That the river has run dry VERSE 3 Designs carefully drawn, designs that will never see the light of day Blueprints of perfection, waiting for implementation Concepts now deceived, then neatly filed away CHORUS Why don’t you make up your mind (Make up your mind) Cast off those ties that bind you (Ties that bind) Someday you’re going to find (Going to find) That the river has run dry BRIDGE The floodwaters came and carried off my songs And washed them so far downstream The fear had perturbed me, confused and disturbed me I became lost and alone in a dream SOLO OVER VERSE CHORUS x 2 OUTRO
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Andrew,
Great song and some really excellent vocals. I really like the guitar flourishes in this piece - so creative and musical. Love the mix as well.
I really enjoyed this.
Bob
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Andrew, an excellent song. Great vocal and outstanding lyrics. Loved the groove on this one. You picked the perfect RTs for your backing band. The mix was excellent.
One of your best for sure.
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
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Andrew, you perfectly described a situation that I live with every day regarding someone very close to me, to whom I would ask exactly the questions you posed in your song!! you really distilled this idea very well!! I especially liked the lyrics and how you handled them particularly in the chorus. I was immediately drawn by something that maybe goes unnoticed in the first verse—it is filled a stream of “-ing” words. Consciously or unconsciously, it demonstrates a mastery over lyrics construction. Overall a nice, gentle pleasing composition, and I’m so pleased that I took the time to listen this morning
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
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Hello Mr Dee
A really nice clean fresh sound to this song, I wonder what your 40 yo self would have thought of your 60 odd yo’s production. Really good clean vocals, and all elements work well together, I really like it. Great job.
Regards Mr Bee!
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Hey this is a really cool song Andrew and I liked hearing all about your musical evolution!
Speaking of air 😃, this song is a perfect example of giving the song some air!
I really like the simplicity of the arrangement and the lack of clutter.
It's a very straightforward arrangement but in many ways it reminds me of early Beatles.
And look where it got them!
The song structure and the approach kind of reminds me of the early Beatles as well.
Enjoyed it a lot!!
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This reminded me of some early David Bowie and a fleeting taste of the Beatles in the melody (Hey Buffalo Bill). Good to hear you have some early stuff worth digging up. I've thought about digging back through my early stuff but there's really nothing there that grabs me.
I like this.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
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Great song and instrumentation, Andrew. It sounds like it's time to do some dam-busting and get those rivers flowing again!
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.
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… I wonder what your 40 yo self would have thought of your 60 odd yo’s production. … He would say he was glad that I kept the diminished chord in the verses. 
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... I really like the guitar flourishes in this piece - so creative and musical. … Thanks Bob - I sensed that an acoustic solo would work best - given it is folk rock. I am really happy that this BIAB Soloist worked out. It faded (lost busyness) a bit in the second half of the solo, so I copied and pasted from the solo over an earlier verse that had a bit more in the second half. I’ve learned from previous songs to export the tracks in full (not to mute sections in BIAB) so that I have more to make use of in Sonar/Reaper in situations like this - and mute the sections I don’t need in the DAW. Andrew
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Andrew, an excellent song. … The mix was excellent. One of your best for sure. Thanks Mario! With input from folk on this forum and more experience, I feel that I am getting better at mixing and arrangement, but still a long way to go to match the standard of others on this forum. Life-long learning! However, the ultimate thrill for me is still… writing a great song … I’m forever in pursuit of that goal. Andrew
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… I was immediately drawn by something that maybe goes unnoticed in the first verse—it is filled a stream of “-ing” words. Consciously or unconsciously, it demonstrates a mastery over lyrics construction. … Thanks Tom … but it was pure fluke. All I remember when writing the verses was that I framed it from the perspective of someone looking on at what I was doing - or not doing. I can see what you’re saying. Maybe if I ever do a rewrite, but probably not - I’ve got too much in my back catalogue to still get done, plus I need to stop writing more! Andrew
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… Speaking of air 😃, this song is a perfect example of giving the song some air! I really like the simplicity of the arrangement and the lack of clutter. … Thanks David - after our forum discussion, it has been in my mind (decluttering) and I wondered if I should pull some tracks, but it was like choosing which of your children you’d leave behind when you went to the fair. Glad it sounds good. … It's a very straightforward arrangement but in many ways it reminds me of early Beatles. … The song structure and the approach kind of reminds me of the early Beatles as well. … Ah - there we go. Mission accomplished! It makes me wonder if I wrote *this* earlier in my songwriting journey, am I now in my ‘White album’ era? Ooo, what a wonderful place that would be! Andrew
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Nice job, I like how you found the RTs that worked and used them.
That's not easy sometimes.
Last edited by rharv; 08/17/25 02:11 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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This reminded me of some early David Bowie and a fleeting taste of the Beatles in the melody (Hey Buffalo Bill). … Thanks Herb - yeah it’s there isn’t it! (Humming it to oneself “He’s making his plans…” = “Hey, Buffalo Bill…”.) It was completely unintended, and 3/4 vs 4/4. I sometimes wonder if, as songwriters, we are sub-conscious mimicking machines, piecing together snippets from our listening past? Maybe I’m no better than AI, but at least I’m doing it sub-consciously. Andrew
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Great song and instrumentation, Andrew. It sounds like it's time to do some dam-busting and get those rivers flowing again! Amen, brother! Andrew
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Nice job, I like how you found the RTs that worked and used them.
That's not easy sometimes. rharv, Yes - a good reason why were required to list BIAB tracks used. A ‘meh’ track in one context can be a gem in another. Andrew
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We're not 'required' to, according to the rules, but it *is suggested to.
I try to do so when I use them, too.
And that's excellent advice on whether they work in one situation or not. They are worth considering on any new project. It's surprising what works sometimes.
Last edited by rharv; 08/17/25 03:13 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Hi Andrew.
I enjoyed listening. Your song, its arrangement and production sat really comfortably in my headphones. As others have noted, there is a definite hint of the classic British rock sound present. (That's a compliment, not a criticism.)
--Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Hi, Andrew. I really like this. The chorus is especially memorable.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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