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#861801 09/06/25 02:58 PM
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Chasing Your Memory


For three or four weeks following Di's death, I lost myself in Band In A Box.. I would go to the Styles selection tab and then spin the wheel on my mouse anywhere from 2 to 15 times. Wherever it landed, that's the style I worked with (I regretted that a few times!) Anyway, I did what I could with that style.

I spent anywhere from 45 minutes to about 4 hours on each song. I decided to post a few of them. I didn't go back and "fix" or edit them. The way I post them here will be exactly how I left them when I went on to the next one. So, they're pretty raw. This is one of those songs. I spent slightly over an hour on it.

With this song, I think the lead guitar could be dropped back a little bit in the mix. The same applies to the bg ooohs and aaahs.

Thanks in advance if you listen and comment.



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File:Chasing Your Memory.SGU

Key=A , Tempo 95, Length (m:s)=3:22

Style is _FRESNO.STY (Fresno California Songwriter Pop)

RealTracks in style: 3467:Bass, Electric, AmericanaSyncSteveAB Ev16 085
RealTracks in style: 1006:Piano, Acoustic, Solo-Accompaniment, PopCaliforniaSlow Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 2975:Vocal Oohs-Aahs, Rhythm Pop3-part Ev 085
RealTracks in song: ~2267:Synth, BellPad, Rhythm 80sPopPads Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 3200:Guitar, Electric, Soloist RnBPopBrent Ev 110
RealDrums in Song:AmericanaSyncBrushes^1-a:Snare4 , b:Snare24


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Al, like your "BiaB roulette" process. This one has a soothing, breezy feel that I like a lot. Those changes are quite laid back and jazzy to my ears, but the effect with that lead guitar is kind of thrilling. I'd agree with you on the level for the lead guitar, not that I was distracted in the least by it. Really nice job with this!


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The 1st couple of bars of the guitar solo set out a good motif that you used really well...that melody from BIAB that sustains a song - extremely well curated Alan.


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Alan,

There is something beautiful, contemplative and hopeful about this piece. No one can coax emotions out of an instrumental piece like you can.

Exquisite.

Bob

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Alan - I agree with Bob when he wrote "no one can coax emotions out of an instrumental piece like you can",
and your 'roulette' approach is interesting! Lovely laid back jazzy changes underneath Brent's very nice Strat!
Your years of experience as a pro musician always shine through in everything you post on this forum - like
the soothing breezy feel that Ron mentioned, great result for just over an hour's work!
Lovely track - keep'm coming Alan,

Carl

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Originally Posted by DC Ron
Al, like your "BiaB roulette" process. This one has a soothing, breezy feel that I like a lot. Those changes are quite laid back and jazzy to my ears, but the effect with that lead guitar is kind of thrilling. I'd agree with you on the level for the lead guitar, not that I was distracted in the least by it. Really nice job with this!


Hi, Ron,

It's always a delight to see your name with a comment on one of my songs.

I didn't have anything in mind when I did these songs. I just wanted something to break up the monotony and sadness I felt. I needed something to occupy the hours. When I pulled up the chord input sheet, my mind was pretty much blank. Si, I click on the styles tab and said, "I'll let BIAB guide me." So, I rolled the scroll bar up and then down, repeating multiple times. Wherever the mouse pointer landed, that's the style I would use. I did this with close to 30 songs. Several of the results gave me a real challenge - so far beyond my knowledge and experience, it was like a foreign language. But I did what I could.

I set some parameters before I started this binge writing/recording. I could add as many tracks as I wanted, but i could eliminate only two of the original tracks. I wanted - actually needed - a challenge. Last, I would leave them exactly as they were after putting in the chord pattern, choosing a style, and then creating a musical piece. Then do a basic mix, and that was all. So, none of them is a finished product. After getting feedback on the ones I post, I might go back and finish them.

This one pretty much rang true for me - no real problem, it worked out pretty good. But a few of them - not so much!

Thanks for the nice words about thuis one. That was pretty much the feel i was hoping for. This is one I'll most likely go back to.

Again,

Many thanks!

Alan


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Originally Posted by rayc
The 1st couple of bars of the guitar solo set out a good motif that you used really well...that melody from BIAB that sustains a song - extremely well curated Alan.


Good Morning, Ray,

I'm glad you mentioned the first two bars of the lead guitar. Those are two chords I'd never used like that before. It happened due to a mistake I made when playing my guitar. Here is a chord pattern I often use to go from the tonic chord to the 6 minor chord. In the key of A, as this song was created in, I would normally go from A to Abm11, to c#7, to F#m. Well, I accidentally went from a to am11, rather than abm11. I thought, now that's pretty cool. But then i had to figure how I could use it, as it doesn't fit any chord pattern of which I'm aware. The first 4 bars of each verse start as such:

A - Am11 - A - Am11. That's how all of that originated. I'm sure I'll be using it again from time to time.

Thank you for the other really nice comments. Sure do appreciate it!

Wishing you the very best,

Alan


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Originally Posted by rsdean
Alan,

There is something beautiful, contemplative and hopeful about this piece. No one can coax emotions out of an instrumental piece like you can.

Exquisite.

Bob


Hi, Bob,

You always have the kindest and most original ways of saying nice things about my musical creations. Thank you so much. As I've mentioned before, I'm not well-educated regarding music. I neither read nor write notation appreciably. I just hear things in my head and usually know how to create them. I have a system of figuring out chords and how to use them that usually works out nicely. I generally know, within basic parameters, what the music is going to sound like before I click on the "generate" tab. I'm pretty close most of the time. I just hear stuff in my head and, fortunately, through many, many years of experience, and tinkering on the frets, I can apply what i hear to the music. I hope that made sense.

I guess the short explanation is I just hear stuff in my head and have the ability to apply those mental musings to the physical creation and production of the song. It's hard to fully explain!

Thanks again. best to you and say "Hi" to Joliz.

Alan


PS: I might steal Joliz's name for a character in one of my upcoming novels. Love the name!


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Originally Posted by camog
Alan - I agree with Bob when he wrote "no one can coax emotions out of an instrumental piece like you can",
and your 'roulette' approach is interesting! Lovely laid back jazzy changes underneath Brent's very nice Strat!
Your years of experience as a pro musician always shine through in everything you post on this forum - like
the soothing breezy feel that Ron mentioned, great result for just over an hour's work!
Lovely track - keep'm coming Alan,

Carl


Hi Carl,

One of my favorite reviewers! That "roulette" approach was out of desperation to get my head away from Di's death for a while. It was all I could think of to reroute my mental processes. I might try it again sometime in the future - but out of a desire for a challenge next time

I really like the sound of a Strat. But I've never owned one. the neck of a Strat and my hands could never learn to like each other. Fortunately, I can use the tools BIAB gives us to make a Tele sound a lot like Strat, which I've done several times.

Those are some very kind words. Thank you so much.

Stay well,

Alan


PS: I;ve owned three different Teles. There's ome I wish I'd never sold, although I got ransom for it. It was an original '54 Strat that I bought when I lived in Germany. I bought it in 1972 for $1,800.00. I sold it 1975 for $6,500.00 But inb Today's world, I'd think it would sell for close to $20,000.00. Who knew??!!


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Well, shoot! Pretty amazing what you can do in an hour off the cuff, Alan. I'm glad you have music to heal the change and fill the loss a little. I think music is the perfect place to channel all of that energy. I liked this as is. It has a really nice mellow feel to it. I might have to try the "spin and win" approach to creating a new song! Seems like a fun thing to do.

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Hi, Alan.

Very pretty.

It wasn't quite as cohesive as some of your other songs - it was like you have three cool songs all rolled together into one.

But that worked for The Beatles, so why not you? wink


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Alan, that was a fantastic lead guitar instrumental. Loved the laid back rhythm section. You always pick the perfect RTs for your songs. Great mix.
Loved it.

PS in 1963 I had a Fender Jaguar then a few years later a Gretsch White Falcon so I know your "I wish I hadn't sold them back then" pain!


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Alan,

You make Beautiful Music.


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There's a really relaxing flow to this instrumental. One of my favourites of yours. I think the lead guitar is at the perfect level, while I barely noticed the ooohs and aaahs as they blended in perfectly with the rhythm section.


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Good groove and relaxing feeling.

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Good stuff, Alan! Love the groove. I've made note of that style and will check it out at some point.

Not mad about the tone on the lead guitar, a little too harsh for my tastes, but tone is a personal thing. Great playing obviously wink

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Oh, I loved that guitar. Brent is so good. You've given him the perfect musical setting to shine. Well done!!


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Hmm, in just one hour, I would most likely have only scribbled the rough structure of a song on a piece of paper, nothing more shocked
I like your song, it's interesting and never gets boring.
I wouldn't change the guitar; I think it sits quite well in the mix.

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Alan...this is the kind of "easy listening" I really enjoy...I think the mix is spot on...I like the simplicity of the piano with the complexity of the jazz guitar...well done!


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Lovely song, I enjoyed the melancholy feel the title and the SoundCloud picture promised. That chord progression works charmingly, many inventions have arisen by chance, it's like stepping out of the usual patterns into unknown and then fitting that into your normal process, could also happen via subconcious/dreams - I have also hit a "wrong" key and it sounded great.

The band and the mix are very pleasant in my ears and the solo guitarist is an excellent vehicle to carry your feeling. Very professional sounding work, BIAB has been created with love and hard work to be our pro-quality tool and in your skillful hands a masterpiece can easily be composed within hours using it.

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