|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Marty. HA! Just as I was reading how you didn't use Maj7th chords I heard one. I should have written "I tried to avoid Major 7th chords".  Yeah, I felt free to skip The Story, but knew I'd enjoy it. It also had me play this cool song 3 times while reading. Man, David, we could talk for hours and hours about all this. We not only have the RhymeZone in common, but most everything you write about. It's funny - all of us are doing the same thing. Most of us are mostly invisible about it. Okay, the 4th listen was not distracted by The Story... Man, there is some great changes going on in there. Thanks! I posted an explanation of what I was trying to do with the changes a couple of posts back. What an incredible job, first in picking the band, and even more amazing was in the mix. So much going on, but nothing goes on unnoticed.  I've got to confess - the BiaB style did most of the work here. That's the real magic. Thanks for listening and commenting!
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, floyd jane. I enjoyed reading your thoughts concerning the write.
I like that you think long and hard about your choices. Probably a bit too long. Lovely vocals and harmonies. Thanks! I really liked how I was able to get Amara to phrase the vocals. I'd lay down the scratch track with nothing but "la"s to make sure it was a good register for her. But when the lyrics were added, I'd tweak it again, to make sure it sounded natural and the words were intelligible. If it were a different SynthV voice, the melody would have ended up different. I really like the piano and mandola. That's why I picked the style. No credit to me on that one. The drums choice is interesting. (Interesting is an interesting word, don;t you think?) Hehehe. Yes, it's an "interesting" word. I picked the drums because I figured the person who made the style was more "hip" to contemporary sound than me. It looks like my ears need to be schooled in the more "modern" sound, because you're not the first one who made the observation. There are also issues with the bass, but since people were kind enough not to mention the anemic sound of the bass, I thought perhaps I'd be able to let that slide as well.  I appreciate the honest criticism.  I ALWAYS enjoy your songs/productions/musings...
I think I've listened 5 times now... Thanks! That's high praise. 
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Misha. Wow, what a detailed song summary! Ha! I figured if I suffered while making this, then you should suffer while reading about it. Although this wasn't the longest it's taken me to come up with lyrics. I recall burning a backing track and listening to it in my car every day for about three weeks before something finally clicked. Super chord progression here. Good balance between acoustic / electronic instruments. Clear mix and listens well. Thanks! I believe you might want to consider d-esser on main vocals. I've considered that, but I thought it was part of her vocal style. It's a bit more /sh/ than /s/ in places. But I'll have a look at it. Normally, I'll just reduce the amplitude using automation instead of using a de-esser, as it gives more control over the result. Maybe second harmony vocals slightly lower. On the second verse? I'll have another listen, thanks! Thanks for listening, and all your helpful feedback!
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,203
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,203 |
Well worth the read & listen.
Super work with the synth vox but the whole package is excellent.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 997
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 997 |
David,
I had to laugh ... 'Nothing's Changed (Updated)'. It clearly has!
I love the new bass and drums - and that mandola closing out with movement left and right. Really good. BTW - thanks for the chord progressions in your previous post.
Andrew
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,516
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,516 |
I like the title Nice lyrics, bit sad, but the conclusion is set nicely in "if we both try..." Cool chord progression and intriguing melody, very original feel, like written by a very experienced guy who has been making hits for decades Nice sounding lead vocalist, but there's something in those backing vocals that feels bit annoying, Felicia's tone perhaps? Nice band, I liked the mandola intro and the effected outro. The drum sound fits well with the pop mood. Professional sounding mix, doesn't feel crowded and gives space to the singer. BTW. You have used name Amara, Arama and Amaya (SoundCloud) for the vocalist... On Dreamtonics page, there are Amara and Ayame, bit confusing Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,981
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,981 |
Hi,David,
Interesting changes and a good write.
I really enjoy your attention to detail! Both with the track and the vocals, so many subtle things going on. That combined with a good mix makes for a great headphone listen.
Listened a couple of times, good stuff!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,236
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,236 |
Excellent tune David. Boy you mastered the vocaloid. Makes the song such a cool listen. Well done
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Ray. Well worth the read & listen. Thanks! Super work with the synth vox but the whole package is excellent. I appreciate that. Amara was a fun voice to work with. I was just happy when it finally came together. There were times I had some serious doubts about it getting off the ground.
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Andrew. I had to laugh ... 'Nothing's Changed (Updated)'. It clearly has! Yep, and I kept making changes after that! I love the new bass and drums - and that mandola closing out with movement left and right. Really good. BTW - thanks for the chord progressions in your previous post. Thanks! I hope you find something useful in them. And thanks for stopping to listen and comment.
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Janne. I like the title Nice lyrics, bit sad, but the conclusion is set nicely in "if we both try..." Thanks - I'm glad that worked for you. Cool chord progression and intriguing melody, very original feel, like written by a very experienced guy who has been making hits for decades I wish! Nice sounding lead vocalist, but there's something in those backing vocals that feels bit annoying, Felicia's tone perhaps? It's likely the high harmony part that you find grating. Felicia is on the vocal, and it's a bit aggressive, and it's set high in her register. I should probably dial her back a bit at some point. Nice band, I liked the mandola intro and the effected outro. The drum sound fits well with the pop mood. Professional sounding mix, doesn't feel crowded and gives space to the singer. Thanks! BTW. You have used name Amara, Arama and Amaya (SoundCloud) for the vocalist... On Dreamtonics page, there are Amara and Ayame, bit confusing Yeah, names aren't my strong point. It should be Amara, thanks!
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Dave. Interesting changes and a good write. Thanks! I really enjoy your attention to detail! Both with the track and the vocals, so many subtle things going on. That combined with a good mix makes for a great headphone listen. I've got to give credit to floyd jane for pushing me to make this better. I thought I was done, and he gently suggested it needed some more work. Of course, he was right. Thanks for stopping and commenting, I appreciate it.
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,747
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,747 |
I'm curious how you realized you had copied the indigo girls. No, on second thought, nope, I don't.
Your songs are quite an undertaking and I really enjoy your story as much as the music, which, incidentally, was good.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Scott. Excellent tune David. Boy you mastered the vocaloid. Makes the song such a cool listen. Well done Thanks! If there's a trick to using SynthV, I think it's to write songs to the strengths of the voices. It's a lot easier to have them sing songs they can sing, instead of trying to force them to sing something they can't. And if they can't... it's easy enough to change things. The nice thing is they don't complain when you decide - yet again - to make some minor change to the vocals. Thanks for listening and commenting!
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Herb. I'm curious how you realized you had copied the indigo girls. No, on second thought, nope, I don't. Ha! As I mentioned, I changed the lyric while doing the writeup for this thread. The prior line felt a little clunky, so I made the change, re-rendered the song, uploaded it, and changed the lyrics in the writeup. Later the next day, I was still trying to re-work the lyrics (which is easy when you've got an AI vocalist) when it struck me. Funnily enough, neither of my daughters noticed it. And The Indigo Girls get a lot of play in our house, so they should have caught it. Your songs are quite an undertaking and I really enjoy your story as much as the music, which, incidentally, was good. Thanks! I used to have a guitar book by Tommy Tedesco. He had a bunch of neat stories in it, because he figured most of the people wouldn't end up doing the guitar exercises, so he may as have amusing stories so they felt like they got their money's worth. Thanks for listening and commenting!
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,460
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,460 |
Hi David.
What a fantastic song! I love what you've done. The lyrics and melody are great and the production is brilliant. Your use of Synth V is excellent. It seems to me that your creativity was most surely firing on all cylinders when you put this song and its production together.
I enjoyed my listen a lot.
--Noel
P.S. Thanks for the detailed insight into what you did and how it was achieved.
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,158
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,158 |
David,
Great production! Very pleasant song.
As always, it's a very elaborate production and I was impressed.
The instrument selection is excellent and the effects are exquisite.
I imagine it must have taken a lot of time.
I would like to emulate that kind of effort.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Best regards.
Shigeki Adachi
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,647 |
Hi david,
So, what's not to like about this one? Just one thing - I didn't write it. Dang!!!
I found the chord pattern to be very pleasing. You know, I'm pretty sure, that I play around a lot with chords and chord patterns. This was a delight in that regard and excellent in all regards.
I don't have an elaborate system. I hear something in my head and go straight to the chord input sheet. Chords come to me pretty quickly and easily. I then finish the song by filling out the melody I hear in my mind as the chord pattern plays. As I listen to the demo of the song that BIAB creates, I start imagining what instruments would fulfill what my mind is hearing. That's about it. Not fancy, but it seems to work - just like my recording process. Now lyrics don't come as quickly or as easily in most cases. Di was just the opposite - she wrote the entire lyrics to two songs in one 30-minute session using a tablet and a pen. We only changed three words - two in one song and one in the other. They were two of our very best songs!
Sorry, I got a little off-track with that diatribe. Your process is very intricate and well thought out. I'd probably go crazy trying that! I once told Di, "You're driving me crazy!" Her reply was, "Talk about a short drive!". Ha!
Your music always showcases the effort and skill you put into it. I always enjoy y\our work and your efforts. i really like the percussive elements of this one.
Nice stuff!
Alan
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,672
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,672 |
Hi David,
Well, I'm impressed with everything you did to create this song. What a story!
And then I listened to your song four times. Not to even begin to appreciate your efforts, but because there's so much going on in the song, that I like.
The mandolin really stood out sonically!
The vocals were very good, although I agree with Janne (and others) that more differentiation in the vocals (lead and backing) could have been more exciting.
And since you're such a whiz at working with AI vocals, you could easily have tried that ;-)
And by the way, a nice rhyme for "Fire" could have been "Desire." Bob Dylan knows all about that...
Hans
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,173 |
Hi, Noel. What a fantastic song! I love what you've done. The lyrics and melody are great and the production is brilliant. Your use of Synth V is excellent. It seems to me that your creativity was most surely firing on all cylinders when you put this song and its production together. Thanks! Although I should say that what "creativity most surely firing on all cylinders" often feels like panic and despair. It seems that despite typically coming out with something, I've got trouble trusting the process. I suspect that subliminally I'm wishing the song is going to turn out a different way, so I keep fighting it. When I finally stop being a whiny baby, sit down and do the hard work, something eventually happens. But once the lyrics are done, if the song feels coherent, it starts being fun again because I can put on my Producer hat and go through all the libraries I spent good money on and try to figure out how to justify the purchases by using them in the song. I appreciate your positive comments!
-- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,890
Posts797,399
Members39,981
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean