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Red Dirt Roads #875028 01/03/26 08:44 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Red Dirt Roads - Soundcloud Red Dirt Roads - YouTube Development: This composition was born from the latest assignment I've set for my group of friends that includes Andrew Dee (avert your ears Andrew if you don't want to listen before our next get together). You can listen Andrew, having completed this assignment I'll probably try and do a second shorter song now. The theme was to write a song where the lyrics don't follow the conventional rhyming patterns, ie AABB, ABAB etc., or they don't have to rhyme at all. So for this song I have been inconsistent as to where the rhyme (if any) falls. So I'd come up with an opening F#m7 - B7 intro that had a choppy, almost train or travelling rhythm. This got me to thinking of a song by Flash and The Pan's song, Waiting for a Train, an Aussie pair from the 80's. That song has an "um, um, cha; um, um, cha" beat that references the train/driving beat. Unfortunately I couldn't find a style in BIAB that came close to the feel, and I nearly settled on a dance style , DANCE6, but in the end I didn't think it was going to work that well. I then came across the "SHOCK" style in rock, and I've settled for a more conventional genre that I'm more comfortable with. So this was originally going to be called Open Roads, a song about someone who lives a nomadic lifestyle on the road. I later changed it to Red Dirt Roads just to give it that extra sense of being away from civilisation and desolation. So, again as is with a few of my songs, no great insights lyrically, and I've probably concentrated on lyrics that work musically. I play the acoustic rhythm and obviously vocals, hard to believe they're not AI right?!?! The lead, bass and drums are BIAB. I'm conscious that BIAB lends a huge part to these songs, but I always want to try to add a human element, warts and all. I just feel that if I let BIAB do it all, I'd be selling myself short and not learning how to play. I really ought to go back and try to learn some of the BIAB solos, does anyone in the forum try to do that? I hope it's to everyone's liking. BIAB Info: Title: Red Dirt Roads File:Red Dirt Roads.SGU Key=F#m, Tempo 118, Length (m:s)=4:58 Style is _SHOCK.STY (Shock Choppy Blues Rock Soloist) RealTracks in style: 1717:Bass, Electric, TexasBluesRockStraight Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 3360:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm BritBluesRock70sChoppy Ev 110 RealTracks in style: 3362:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritBluesRock70s Ev 110 RealDrums in style:RockHardEven8^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride Human Info: Acoustic Guitar: Seagull Coastline Vocals: 64 year old vocal chords Song: INTRO VERSE 1 So long, been a drifter for so long. This old pickup it rattles and jangles my bones. Down a red dirt highway, destination’s always round the bend. Moonshine and blinding headlights, Make it hard to stay alive tonight. A roadhouse is a friend for the night. VERSE 2 So long, this red dirt goes on and on. Four pieces of rubber that know no home. Every day’s a long haul, been crossing state lines. Always someone cutting me up. They gotta get in front of you, Must pushing hundred and fifty-two…. k..p..h CHORUS … hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah. …ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh. Living on red dirt roads, a way of life I’ll never fold. Chasing endless horizons to the sea. SOLO VERSE 3 So long, Rusty at my side for so long. She don’t care, as to where, she’s got her bone. Ain’t nothing better than bombing along red dirt roads. With your best friend at your side. She’s not trying to catch you out. She’s just a ….. along for the ride. CHORUS … hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah. …ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh. Living on red dirt roads, a way of life I’ll never fold. Chasing endless horizons to the sea. … hhh-heyyy… …hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah. …ooh-ooh… …whoa, ooh-ooh, ooh. ………….. red dirt roads, ……………… I’ll never fold. ……….. endless horizons to the sea. OUTRO Last edited by Knee Wobbler; 01/05/26 08:56 PM. Reason: Link to YouTube video added

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875033 01/04/26 02:29 AM User Showcase
Joined: Mar 2025 Posts: 1,222 Adelaide, Sth Aust. Andrew Dee Expert
Andrew Dee Expert Joined: Mar 2025 Posts: 1,222 Adelaide, Sth Aust.	Ahhhhh! I tried to look away … but once I had seen it, I couldn’t unsee it, and once I couldn’t unsee it, I had to listen to it! And glad I did Knee Wobbler! A really good choice of style - I’m not sure I understood what style you were looking for, but this sounded great. That bass is good, and I love the way your verse vocal slips into the chorus. Good choice of solo sections as well. It will be a pleasure to accompany you when we play it live. For my submission, I’m about 15% of the way there. Gulp. Better get a wriggle on. Andrew Regards, Andrew D Adelaide, Sth Aust Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/SQE4btVvNVkLq74e9 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewoftheantipodes

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875047 01/04/26 04:49 AM User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 3,783 DC Ron Veteran
DC Ron Veteran Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 3,783	Cool exercise, Lee. Nice job sustaining the snappy musicality of your song throughout. Love your (doubled?) vocals and where you have them in the mix. Though I LOVE lyrics that rhyme, they of course don't have to. The song just has to SOUND pleasing, and this is quite pleasing indeed. Good use of BiaB soloists, too, though the ending sounds unresolved to my (68 year old) ears. Nice one! My grandfather's farm was on a red clay road in the southern United States. The iron content of the soil was so high you could pick up small rocks with a toy magnet. Kids today just don't have that kind of fun any more... DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875049 01/04/26 05:19 AM User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,300 Maryland TuneMonger Veteran
TuneMonger Veteran Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,300 Maryland	I'm always a fan of experimenting with rhyme schemes, or eliminating them altogether. I really like this song, especially that uber-catchy chorus! Best use of heys and oohs that I've ever heard on here. Kept listening to it over and over. You've got a great tune here, congratulations. The BIAB guitars fit perfectly, sounded like Stephen Stills. The first time I heard the ending it seemed abrupt. But listening again, it felt like an artistic choice - worked for me. Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875055 01/04/26 07:00 AM User Showcase
Joined: May 2019 Posts: 5,121 Dallas, PA, USA BabuMusic Veteran
BabuMusic Veteran Joined: May 2019 Posts: 5,121 Dallas, PA, USA	Excellent result of your exercise, Lee. Cool guitar solo, too. You're so right about BiaB and you, It's a great learning/teaching tool, and you shoulrn't cut yourself short. I heard ryhmes all over the place --some of them likely not even intended. Fun feel, excellent lyrics and a smooth vocal surrounded by a fine backing band. 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

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875065 01/04/26 09:07 AM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 9,067 Northeastern USA rsdean Veteran
rsdean Veteran Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 9,067 Northeastern USA	Lee, Great song, excellent vocals and a very cool & open mix. Thoroughly enjoyed! Bob SoundCloud Channel YouTube Channel

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875068 01/04/26 09:19 AM User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2022 Posts: 3,104 3rd rock from the sun B.D.Thomas Veteran
B.D.Thomas Veteran Joined: Jul 2022 Posts: 3,104 3rd rock from the sun	A pretty cool song, even without a title or image it immediately says "dirt and driving". The vocals are almost too smooth for dirty roads, but they work quite well. Enjoyed my listen! Goldmania Bella Listen on Spotify Watch on YouTube Buy on Amazon

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875082 01/04/26 11:32 AM User Showcase
Joined: Mar 2022 Posts: 1,171 France Normandie L laurent4114 Expert
laurent4114 Expert L Joined: Mar 2022 Posts: 1,171 France Normandie	I really like the singing; it sounds a bit like a duet and goes well with the song. Laurent.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875112 01/04/26 12:49 PM User Showcase
Joined: May 2023 Posts: 2,316 UK WaoBand Veteran
WaoBand Veteran Joined: May 2023 Posts: 2,316 UK	Great use of BiaB in this song. Balanced mix of well chosen instruments and great solos. 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.

Re: Red Dirt Roads Andrew Dee #875131 01/04/26 02:02 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Hi Andrew Thank you for not unseeing it and listening. When I came up with the intro I felt it had a chugging feel to me and my mind went to the train feel or motion that “waiting for a train”. So I went looking for that sort of 80s new wave style, but couldn’t find a suitable style. Yes the slipping into the chorus from the verse really catches the ear and seemed quite natural. One might say I short changed the chorus of lyrics using the “heys” and “oohs”, but im happy with the way it transitions and sits in the song. Looking forward to our next catch up. Long time between drinks this time. Thanks Andrew, regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads DC Ron #875135 01/04/26 02:14 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Ron, It is a good exercise, we come up with a different theme or exercise every time we meet… we don’t seem to run out of ideas. The vocal tracks were trebled, panned L&R at a lesser volume and also centre at a higher volume. Not totally happy with the vocal, there are audible phrasing differences between the tracks which I overlooked. It’s funny, you can listen to a song repeatedly and not hear anything that concerns you, but as soon as you upload it, there they are. I agree with you about kids today. We used to play in a pile of dirt with our Matchbox cars, making roads and homes, in the baking sun for hours. Kids today….don't know what they’re missing!

Re: Red Dirt Roads TuneMonger #875139 01/04/26 02:23 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Hi there Tunemonger Yes, it’s surprising how the ear craves for the rhyme, but a lot of the time it’s not necessary, and the song benefits from not having it. Yes, the heys and oohs, just flowed straight out of the verse and into the chorus so well, it almost didn’t need any lyrics at all. I did review the outro and tried several different finishes. I get that it sounds a little unresolved, but to me it sounds like an open ending, as if it’s saying this travellers journey is still ongoing. As you say a closing artistic choice. Thank you for the listens. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads BabuMusic #875144 01/04/26 02:42 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Marty The guitar solos were brilliant, took a while selecting each one and I think it eventually came up a good variation….a lot were rejected! Yeah, I am worried that by using BIAB that there are skills I’m not focusing on and letting Tech take control of it them, solos are a prime example. There are things like drums, bass and to a lesser extent keys, that I will struggle with and gladly let it BIAB create. There were rhymes there but I was trying to make them obscure or in irregular places. Thanks for listen Marty. I appreciate your thoughts. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads rsdean #875165 01/04/26 07:52 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Bob, I had to work on the vocals to get the right balance. They initially sounded too airy, I had to add some low end otherwise they’d floated off into the ether. It’s worked out really well, after deliberating which style to use. Glad you enjoyed it. Kind regards

Re: Red Dirt Roads B.D.Thomas #875166 01/04/26 08:00 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you BD, First time anyone has said my vocals are too smooth! More often than not they have a rough passage out. It’s amazing what imperfections can be disguised by a little bit of doubling, trebling and digital witchcraft! I’ll have to summon my inner Joe Cocker for any future tunes! Glad you enjoyed it, kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads laurent4114 #875167 01/04/26 08:05 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Hi there Laurent Thank you for listening and your kind comments. I did have three vocal tracks and there are times when my phrasing didn’t match, so I guess those moments when they are out of sync lends to a duet feel. Glad you found it enjoyable, kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads WaoBand #875168 01/04/26 08:11 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Hi Chay, I couldn’t agree more. The BIAB style, solos and rhythm have taken this song to an extra level. I did spend a quite a lot of time auditioning each solo to get the best (to my ear) and which blended the best together. It was definitely worth the effort to find the best combination. Glad you enjoyed it. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875250 01/05/26 05:29 PM User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 7,289 Cooran Queensland Australia rayc Veteran
rayc Veteran Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 7,289 Cooran Queensland Australia	Cool song & performances...I like the "feel" of the vocals. Mix wise I think you could move that electric rhythm git away from the center..in fact a little more spread for the acoustic & electric would be cool. Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe

Re: Red Dirt Roads rayc #875274 01/06/26 03:45 AM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you for the listen and advice Ray. I’ll give your suggest with the spread of acoustic and electric a whirl tomorrow and see how it sounds. Cheers, kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875283 01/06/26 05:31 AM User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 10,937 Middlesex, NC Guitarhacker Veteran
Guitarhacker Veteran Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 10,937 Middlesex, NC	Very cool. It has an early 70s Carlos Santana vibe and feel to it. I like song challenges like this. They kinda force you out of your comfort zone. It seems to have worked out well. The nits .... For me, the guitar is a tad too far forward and dry. Back it down and add a tad more verb to the guitar to make it smoother. Let it be a part of the mix. You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.

Re: Red Dirt Roads Guitarhacker #875324 01/06/26 05:50 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you for the listen and your comments Herb. I’ll tweak the guitars as you suggest and I’ve also had some tweaks suggested by RayC. Im just waiting for the AC to bring my music room down from 35 degrees C. It’s roasting in Adelaide today. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875376 01/07/26 04:42 PM User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 24,823 Hamlin NY MarioD Veteran
MarioD Veteran Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 24,823 Hamlin NY	Lee, this is fantastic. Your rhythm guitar and the bass together make this song. Great choice in backing tracks. Outstanding vocal and mix. 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

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875379 01/07/26 07:06 PM User Showcase
Joined: Mar 2024 Posts: 591 Izzy Journeyman
Izzy Journeyman Joined: Mar 2024 Posts: 591	Hi Lee Excellent lead guitar. Good melody over a solid rhythm. Good vocals. Good listening. Good song. Izzy https://soundcloud.com/search?q=izzy%20seriass

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875430 01/08/26 11:39 AM User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,609 Finland jannesan Veteran
jannesan Veteran Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,609 Finland	Music for driving, sure, I shook in my chair to the music so I can imagine it would work well also in a car in Australian heat. the endless feel in the lyrics reflects the steadily advancing rhythm. Nice gravelly mix which matches with the title. Well chosen "driving" guitar and I like the solo parts, great work to get them sound so alive and fitting the mood and the whole, reminds me bit of Mark Knopfler. Pleasant vocals. No problems with the rhyming scheme or the lack of it, roads - fold works fine for me. Thanks for the ride! Janne Hear My Music: Soundcloud YouTube

Re: Red Dirt Roads MarioD #875436 01/08/26 12:48 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Mario, I took a fair while auditioning the lead guitar tracks, I wanted to make sure they all flowed well into each other. Im working on an updated version just to open up the sound and add some reverb. Stay tuned. Thank you again for listening, kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads Izzy #875437 01/08/26 12:52 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Izzy, Yeah I was really pleased how this turned out considering I had no theme in mind when I started playing with chords and writing lyrics. It was definitely a case of the music leading and the lyrics born from the feel of the music. Cheers Izzy, kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads jannesan #875438 01/08/26 01:04 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Janne I’ve never made anyone shake in their chair before - missus included! You sure it wasn’t an earth tremor! It does have that relentless beat of a long drive doesn’t it? I am working on an updated version as a few have mentioned it needs opening up a bit, and on playback I tend to agree. We’re in the middle of a heatwave here in Oz at the moment. I went to work on it yesterday, put the headphones on and couldn’t last more than 10 minutes. It’s amazing how much heat your head generates and how wearing headphones magnifies that heat. Hopefully the heatwave will break later today, so I’ll get back onto it, stayed tuned. Thank you for the listening and kind comments. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #875831 01/12/26 07:59 AM User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 8,357 Edmonton, Ab, Canada Scott C Veteran
Scott C Veteran Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 8,357 Edmonton, Ab, Canada	Loved this tune. Very cool vocal and lyric. Excellent groove and instrumentation choices. I agree is with Herb on the guitar. One trick I use is to put a reverb on aux buss. I then use a send on each track which you can blend the reverb to each accordingly. This will balance and give the song a same room feel. Scott Collingwood https://soundcloud.com/scottt709 https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/

Re: Red Dirt Roads Scott C #875990 01/13/26 09:25 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you for the listen and advice Scott. Glad you enjoy the song. I’ll certainly take note of your advice, I’ve already noticed the benefit of adding reverb to the guitars as per version 3. I still have to work and understand some of the mix and production techniques. As long as we’re living, we’re learning…..well, most of us!! Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #876058 01/14/26 02:45 PM User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 16,194 GA USA Janice & Bud Veteran
Janice & Bud Veteran Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 16,194 GA USA	“So long, Rusty at my side for so long. She don’t care, as to where, she’s got her bone. Ain’t nothing better than bombing along red dirt roads. With your best friend at your side. She’s not trying to catch you out. She’s just a ….. along for the ride.” We have hundreds of miles of red dirt roads in our area and frequently bicycle sections of them. And we've spent plenty of miles in a pickup on them. All meaning this tune is very relatable. Your vocals sound good for a 64 year old. Hey, just kidding they are fine - Janice is 68. ) Great band and regarding your BiaB thoughts … well RTs and RDs are played in a studio by humans - often famous ones. To us, FWIW, BiaB’s magic to make it fit your song doesn’t strip out the humanity. You did good work with the soloists too. And, man, those video clips were so supportive of the song. Well done! J&B PS Comments based on reading both posts and listening to both. Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #876184 01/15/26 01:06 PM User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 8,264 Sacramento, California dcuny Veteran
dcuny Veteran Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 8,264 Sacramento, California	Hi, Lee. Cool song. Light and breezy as the guitars strum along. Hard to believe those vocals aren't AI! All kidding aside, they sound fine. -- David Cuny My virtual singer development blog Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing? BiaB 2025 \| Windows 11 \| Reaper \| Way too many VSTis.

Re: Red Dirt Roads Janice & Bud #876208 01/15/26 05:05 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you for your comments and feedback Janice and Bud, It makes the song even more worthwhile when others, like yourselves, can relate and share their experiences to it. It’s even more so because I’m basically a city slicker, who only on odd occasions ventures outback, so to be able to paint a picture lyrically that you can relate to, tells me my story telling is working. You’re correct about the real tracks and drums. It’s easy to forget that someone has actually recorded it, so I had in mind it was all digital wizardry rather than AI. Still it would be nice to do all those parts myself, but I know with my limited abilities and time I’ll not achieve perfection….. at least not in this lifetime, maybe the next!! Thank you again for your kind words and comments, kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads dcuny #876209 01/15/26 05:10 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you David, I think I got the mix as best as possible by the time I got to v3, without starting over completely. There were a few fluffs in the vocals that were glossed over and I really should have gone back and re-recorded them. But I thought I’d worked it too much and leave them before the song lost its sheen with me. Thank you for your comments and feedback. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #876284 01/16/26 11:37 AM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 12,950 Florida floyd jane Veteran
floyd jane Veteran Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 12,950 Florida	Lee, I listened to the version linked here then switch over and listened again to version3. Cool song. The solos are nicely chosen. I like your 64-year-old vocals. They have a Grateful Dead-ish-ness. So do the write and the production. A good listen. fj 150+ Songs produced using BIAB RealTracks And 50 more... and some more...

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #876302 01/16/26 02:15 PM User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2016 Posts: 2,803 Netherlands, Haarlem Birchwood Veteran
Birchwood Veteran Joined: Sep 2016 Posts: 2,803 Netherlands, Haarlem	A cool song, Lee. I got the 'old days memories' back in my head with it. The harmonies are very smooth, well... everything sounds smooth. I can't see any 'but', no, just a lovely song about driving in the dirt. And what a place it is! Hans Hans Berkhout (Birchwood) https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130

Re: Red Dirt Roads floyd jane #876440 01/17/26 03:49 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you for the listen fj, I feel someone else mentioned the Grateful Dead on one of my prior posts. I’ve heard of them but I’ve never checked them out…perhaps I should. I did audition the solo quite thoroughly so that they all matched/flowed. Glad you enjoyed it, kind regards

Re: Red Dirt Roads Birchwood #876441 01/17/26 03:51 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Hans, I’m glad you found it a good listen. It’s always nice to hear that it resonates with the listener. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #876446 01/17/26 04:35 PM User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 20,615 Australia Noel96 Veteran
Noel96 Veteran Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 20,615 Australia	Hi Lee. I really enjoyed listening to this. As you sang, images of those road trains that we have in the long-haul desert regions of Australia kept appearing in my mind. What began as an exercise turned into an excellent song. --Noel MY SONGS... Audiophile BIAB 2026 audios on Soundcloud

Re: Red Dirt Roads Noel96 #876557 01/18/26 01:22 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Noel, Yes the long haul road trains here are impressive indeed. I did have half a mind to include some obscure Aussie place names in the song at one stage, if only to confuse some of our international members. Glad you enjoyed it and that it conjured up some great imagery for you. Kind regards.

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #877292 01/22/26 11:52 PM User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2025 Posts: 175 Yucaipa, CA, USA John Walradt Apprentice
John Walradt Apprentice Joined: Nov 2025 Posts: 175 Yucaipa, CA, USA	Hey, K. "Red Dirt Roads" has an easy, gritty, haunting melody. Neil Young would love it! The grittiness is complimented well with smooth soft vocals. Works beautifully! I've always enjoyed songs about being on the road. It's terrific! This is a song I could listen to over and again. I'm on my third round now. Warm regards, John

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #877777 01/26/26 09:44 AM User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2015 Posts: 5,665 United States Torrey Bliss Veteran
Torrey Bliss Veteran Joined: Jul 2015 Posts: 5,665 United States	Knee Wobbler This is a cool sounding tune that has the sound from the late 60's like a cross of Cream and the Doors! You and I are the same age (within a year) as I learned from your description. So I can relate to your obvious musical influences. You did a wonderful job on this one! I really liked the vocal sound! Thanks, TB https://torreybliss.bandcamp.com/

Re: Red Dirt Roads K-Dub Ya #878874 02/05/26 01:24 PM User Showcase
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 271 Catherine PG Music Staff
Catherine PG Music Staff Joined: May 2002 Posts: 271	Really enjoyable tune! Loved the feel - great soloing and vocals. Thanks for the share! Catherine

Re: Red Dirt Roads John Walradt #878903 02/05/26 08:21 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Hi there John, My apologies, but I don’t think I acknowledged your post. Thank you for your kind feedback, glad you enjoyed it and thank you for so many listens. Kind regards

Re: Red Dirt Roads Torrey Bliss #878904 02/05/26 08:25 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Hi there Torrey, Apologies for the late reply. Thank you for the kind feedback and comparisons. I appreciate you taking the time to listen and kind comments on the vocals. Kind regards

Re: Red Dirt Roads Catherine #878905 02/05/26 08:27 PM User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia K-Dub Ya OP Journeyman
OP K-Dub Ya Journeyman Joined: Aug 2025 Posts: 449 Australia	Thank you Catherine I appreciate you listening and giving feedback on my project. Kind regards

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PG Music News

May 19, 2026

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®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.

May 15, 2026

Holiday Weekend Hours

It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:

Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!

May 15, 2026

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!

Don't wait - order today!

Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

May 13, 2026

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!

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.

Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.

If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!

May 13, 2026

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.

Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!

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!

May 06, 2026

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!

These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!

This Free Bonus PAK includes:

The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
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)

Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

April 28, 2026

XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!

All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!

It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.

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-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!

Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!

The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.

The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available 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 Mac or for Windows.

The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.

The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!

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