Soundcloud: Tongue-tied YouTube: Tongue-tied DEVELOPMENT I wrote this in 2017 on guitar, which isnât unusual in itself, but I probably do most of my song development in Band-in-a-Box, then sing and play it on guitar to ensure its âsingabilityâ. My recollection is that I was inspired by 'The Hard Way' by Thirsty Merc and the chord extensions they used in that song. While the songs are completely different, it motivated me to write this song. The title âTongue-tiedâ came to me while I was working out the chords and melody and I kept it as I felt it was going to be a useful concept for writing the lyrics. Once I had the melody, I put the chords into BIAB and chose a style. Here is the BIAB file rendered to mp3. Soundcloud: Original BIAB MGU Regarding the lyrics, some of them can best be described as âobliqueâ â meaning they only have a thin connection to the theme. In fact, just last week, I was still wondering if I should try and replace some of these lines, so in order to avoid effort, I asked Copilot AI what it saw as the connection between these lines and the main song concept. It responded âŠ
âYour lyrics are rich with poetic imagery and emotional nuance, and the oblique lines youâve marked beautifully reinforce the central theme of being âtongue-tiedââemotionally overwhelmed, inarticulate, or hesitant in moments that demand vulnerability or clarity.â Thank you AI, you sycophantic devil, you! Copilotâs full interpretation of each line is included in the attachment.
I made a partial recording in 2018 after completing the lyrics, then in 2022, recorded my bass, rhythm guitars and added layers of vocals - probably too many layers. My vocals were a bit flaky, so I always intended to come back to them. In this 2025 remix, I add piano, smarten up the mixing of the vocals and add a guitar solo outro. The guitar solo is the sort â pinching one of my own phrases â âRhythm guitarist decides to have a crack at lead guitar and lead guitarist shakes his headâ. I decided to make the intro vocals acapella (I think that's what it's called) â also influenced by another Thirsty Merc song âMy Completenessâ, which IMHO is an absolute banger.
BIAB SUMMARY While there is not much left of the BIAB band apart from the drums, I have included a link (above) to Soundcloud where you can hear my original chords and melody in the BIAB MGU file. Style is _RCKWLZM.STY (Rock Waltz w/ Muted Electric Gui) RealTracks in style: 778:Bass, Acoustic, PopWaltz Ev 085 (B:energetic) RealTracks in style: 861:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockWaltzSustainHeld Ev 140 RealTracks in style: 858:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockWaltzMutedSteady Ev 140 RealTracks in style: 856:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Rhythm RockWaltzStrumming Ev 140 RealDrums in Song:PopRockWaltzBrushesEv: a: Brushes b: PopRockWaltzBrushesEv M-Audio Oxygen 49 MKV using Spitfire Audio LABS Autograph Grand instrument SE X1 Condenser mic 2 x lead vocal tracks 9 x BV tracks Recorded and mixed in Reaper. On the first recording, I had used ReaTune to manually pitch correct all BV tracks (yes, it took ages!) but took it all off in the final render as it did nothing.
LYRICS INTRO
VERSE 1 Thereâs some things unsaid, so it goes Itâs a quiet wind that runs between the trees When one ship passes by, one cloud in the sky Always moving, always changing but never alone
VERSE 2 The stream â down from the mountain it flows Thereâs joy in friendship - everyone agrees When the players play as one and the marathon is run Together, lonely never, free and found
PRE-CHORUS 1 Though I want to say it loud My throat is gagged and bound Can I ever? Will I never? Will I freeze?
CHORUS 1 I donât know what to say, Iâm lost, yes Iâm tongue-tied I know itâs only words theyâre the only words I know You say you never hear me say â my heartâs so hard to find a way The stakes are high, you call my bluff My good intentions just ainât quite enough But youâll ease me through the tough times when Iâm tongue-tied
VERSE 3 Thereâs a time when all things must said But itâs not a place Iâm comfortable being in Why do the words I want to say quickly slip away If the truth be told, yes it must be told, yes it must
PRE-CHORUS 2 Words will fail me, disengage me Thoughts will come and then escape me (n.b. I should have gone with 'assuage me') Floundering and listless on my knees
CHORUS 2 I donât know what to say, Iâm lost, yes Iâm tongue-tied I know itâs only words theyâre the only words I know You say you never hear me say â my heartâs so hard to find a way The stakes are high, you call my bluff My good intentions just ainât quite enough But youâll ease me through the tough times when Iâm tongue-tied
Well that opening was really interesting, it really didnât give any indication where the song was going to go and for a moment there I thought perhaps there wasnât going to be any lyrics at all. How did you go about compiling and producing that sound, itâs almost a mesmerising chant. I really like the intro and whilst it set the opening mood, I was left wondering why there wasnât a reprise, either in the middle or at the outro. I donât suppose it had to be and thatâs where artistic expression comes into songwriting and as listeners we shouldnât be anticipating what the musician is going to do, even though we naturally do. Your vocals were steady and measured throughout and the backing Vox were excellent. The lead guitar on the outro was also really good, you neednât worry about that. Another good write, Mr.Dee.
Andrew, another very hummable rock gem. Like your vocal ensemble in the intro and transition to the main song. Cool BGVs. Super lead vocals. These doubled tracked vocals are a bit of a change of sound, but I like them a lot. The BiaB drums work fine, and very fine playing by you everywhere else, most conspicuously in the guitar outro. Sublime stuff.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Well that opening was really interesting, it really didnât give any indication where the song was going to go and for a moment there I thought perhaps there wasnât going to be any lyrics at all. How did you go about compiling and producing that sound, itâs almost a mesmerising chant. I really like the intro and whilst it set the opening mood, I was left wondering why there wasnât a reprise, either in the middle or at the outro. I donât suppose it had to be and thatâs where artistic expression comes into songwriting and as listeners we shouldnât be anticipating what the musician is going to do, even though we naturally do. Your vocals were steady and measured throughout and the backing Vox were excellent. The lead guitar on the outro was also really good, you neednât worry about that. Another good write, Mr.Dee.
Thanks Lee! I recorded the intro with 9 tracks - 3 x 3 - so I mapped the chord progression with the notes in each chord and worked out the high, mid and low notes of each chord and worked out the notes each set of 3 could take with minimal movement - I think this technique is called âvoice leadingâ? Three takes per note were to smooth out any vocal deficiencies and to provide depth. It is the very same stems from the intro copied and pasted sitting under each chorus. Thanks for listening! Andrew
Andrew, another very hummable rock gem. Like your vocal ensemble in the intro and transition to the main song. Cool BGVs. Super lead vocals. These doubled tracked vocals are a bit of a change of sound, but I like them a lot. The BiaB drums work fine, and very fine playing by you everywhere else, most conspicuously in the guitar outro. Sublime stuff.
Thanks Ron! Iâm reasonable happy with the guitar solo. Listening back, there are a couple of phrases where I wished I had used hammer on and pull off rather than picking each not - to add some smoothness to it. I learned a new lick trick for this solo and pretty happy how it came out. I think I need to experiment with different amp and fix settings to understand how what I hear âliveâ translates to the recorded results. Thanks for listening! Andrew
Andrew, this is an outstanding song. Great vocal. Loved the background aahs. The guitar lead fits like a glove; you should play more leads. You picked the perfect backing band for this song. Super mix also. An outstanding song.
I'm no longer allowed to go caroling at the psych hospital. I guess Do You Hear What I Hear was a bad song choice!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Liked this a lot, Andrew, especially the chorus. The intro was fine, but felt detached from verse one - something to musically connect them would be nice. Vox good, lyrics good, a fine outing here!
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
Andrew, this is an outstanding song. Great vocal. Loved the background aahs. The guitar lead fits like a glove; you should play more leads. You picked the perfect backing band for this song. Super mix also. An outstanding song.
Thanks Mario for your generous comments! I don't have a lot of 'licks' in my lead toolkit, so I tried to base a lot of the solo around phrases in the chorus melody. I heard someone say once to play lead like you want to sing it. Given I am not a quick singer (syllables can trip me up), that suits me fine. Andrew
Liked this a lot, Andrew, especially the chorus. The intro was fine, but felt detached from verse one - something to musically connect them would be nice. Vox good, lyrics good, a fine outing here!
Thanks a lot Rob - I'm glad you liked it. The original recording had the full band playing with the intro BVs, but I felt it was a bit much, so I muted all the band then brought the drum fill in to lead into the verse. I recognise there is not a lot of melodic movement in the intro ATM. If I revisit, one idea to build more connection might be to put a subtle chorus instrument melody over the intro (the intro is the chorus chords) so there is some familiarity with the chorus when it reappears. Andrew
Ooooo Ooooo Oooo I like your ooopening, and then hte rest of the song really jumped out as an wonderful mix of the opening and the melody you brought to it. I understand what TM Bob is saying about in connecting them, but you did exactly what I would have done. Drums. Man, that video is perfect to accomany the lyrics. You extend the definition of tongue-tied, and didn't stutter once.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 11, EZDrummer
Hi Andrew, I listened to this earlier on youtube and then just now on Soundcloud. I have to say I liked it more the 2nd time around. It has a kind of nostalgic rocker feel. I hear Beatles; I hear Thompson Twins. I like oblique lyrics (think Michael Stipe) because the listener gets to impose a unique and personal meaning to them.
Just popping back to add... I'd heard the progression you used in the beginning somewhere somewhere before. I couldn't pin it down, it was such a distant memory. Now I remember! It's the Beauty School Drop Out song from Grease!
Ooooo Ooooo Oooo I like your ooopening, and then hte rest of the song really jumped out as an wonderful mix of the opening and the melody you brought to it. I understand what TM Bob is saying about in connecting them, but you did exactly what I would have done. Drums. Man, that video is perfect to accomany the lyrics. You extend the definition of tongue-tied, and didn't stutter once.
Thanks Marty! Glad you liked it - and the video. When I found the stock footage of people standing frozen in crowds, I yelled âYes!â No stuttering, but I did have a minor lisp when I wath younger, and tho did my wife, but mosthly dithappeared for both of uth. Andrew
Just popping back to add... I'd heard the progression you used in the beginning somewhere somewhere before. I couldn't pin it down, it was such a distant memory. Now I remember! It's the Beauty School Drop Out song from Grease!
Hi Beth! I remember that song. I had to go and listen and also look at the chords on Ultimate Guitar. Unfortunately (fortunately for me) there are NOT a lot of similarities in the chord progressions of the two. My progression jumps out of the key signature quite a bit more than Beauty School Dropout. However, they do sound similar. I think the similarity in sound is aided by the 6/8 time signature and the comping of the piano in both songs which were prevalent in songs of the late 50s and early 60s - which is what I was aiming for. In reply to your first post, I am only aware of one Thompson Twins song - Hold me now - but my favourite Beatles song off the Abbey Road album is âOh Darlingâ which also has 6/8 and piano comping (or is it my favourite? Ahhh! So many good ones to choose from!) which is nowadays only receiving the popular acclaim that it deserves. If forum members have not heard that song, please listen to the masterclass that is Paul McCartneyâs vocals on that song - something he dares not perform live. Thanks for listening! Andrew
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-BoxÂź 2025 experience to the next level? Nowâs the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKsâpacked 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-BoxÂź 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-BoxÂź 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-BoxÂź 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-BoxÂź. (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.
Donât miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setupâat a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-BoxÂź 2025 for MacÂź and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-BoxÂź 2025 for MacÂź, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, thereâs 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-BoxÂź 2025 for MacÂź here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-BoxŸ 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!
Weâve expanded the Band-in-a-BoxÂź RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worshipâfeaturing your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449â455):
These RealTracks includes âSoul Jazzâ with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy âRequested â60sâ jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks firstâTango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456â461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass â70s/â80s pop, modern and â80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique âSongwriter Potpourriâ featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. Youâll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and âProducer Layered Guitarâ styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462â467):
Weâve 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 moreâoffering 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 âtic-tacâ baritone guitar for vintage country.
Youâll also get slick â80s 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 âSongwriter Americanaâ 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-BoxÂź!
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 youâll 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-BoxÂź. (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-BoxÂź 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 youâll 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-BoxÂź. (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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