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She Made Me Smile Happy New Year! My resolutions for 2026 include two for Showcase posts: 1. Highlight an aspect of BiaB backing tracks, preferably for the 2026 version, and 2. Get feedback on some musical experimentation, preferably one of the human performances. I suck at resolutions, but let's see how this goes. Back to Power Pop...  The lyrics are an attempt by my lyricist to write something happy. He acknowledges that he didn't quite get there, but I made it happy sounding anyway. Such is art. This song highlights a 2026 RealStyle. All the instruments you hear are from that RealStyle. There are six guitar RealTracks in this Style, and they trade off in each section to provide dynamic flow and a change of feel. Am also varying from my usual with a different mix for the BGVs and some of the harmonies. For the most part, the stereo spread is wider and there are more ambient FX. Was going for a "sweeter" sound that I think I ALMOST got to, but am interested in your thoughts. The vocal arrangement unfolds a new layer for each section as the song progresses. It's a cheap trick, but I guess I'm frugal. Well, I do like the way it sounds, too. Also, my lead vocals kept cracking on the higher notes in the chorus, and I was going to re-record it, but then decided to embrace it. So that's a feature, not a bug. Again. And again... THANKS again for any listens and input. I learn SO MUCH from your feedback... Lyrics: R.W. Davis Music, arrangement, vocals, mix, master: Me AI: Not used ****** Song Summary ************* Title: She Made Me Smile File:She Made Me Smile.SGU Key=D , Tempo 131, Length (m:s)=3:05 Style is _STEELY.STY (Steely Layered Acoustic Rock) RealTracks in style: ~683:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesPush Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 698:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ElecRockDirty Ev 120 (A:muted) RealTracks in style: 4700:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm AcRock8thsSteadySync ev 120 RealTracks in style: 4701:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm AcRock8thsSteadyLow ev 120 RealTracks in style: 4702:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm AcRock8thsHiArpPicking ev 120 RealTracks in style: 4830:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm AcRock8thsHiSteady ev 120 RealTracks in style: 4831:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm AcRock8thsHiStrum ev 120 RealDrums in style:FunkRock^01-a:Closed Hat , b:Open Hat ******************* She Made Me SmileElements of laughter Bouncing down the street Outside the café Where we would meet Serendipity Or my destiny I just can’t afford to stop Outside the ice cream shop Under the midday heat She made me smile And I carried that with me all day She made me so happy In her own peculiar way She kept me hoping That each and every day Would be the same I can’t complain Kick the can down the road Telling jokes and rhymes Mem’ries and feelings Of less cheery times When it was cloudy And she would doubt me We couldn’t stay together But now it’s forever And the light in her shines She made me smile And I carried that with me all day She made me so happy In her own peculiar way She kept me hoping That each and every day Would be the same I can’t complain Every morning
I put on my clothes and rush outside
Can’t wait to see her
But I suppose I must confide
That my secret
My secret longing
Isn’t just prolonging
My crushShe made me smile And I carried that with me all day She made me so happy In her own peculiar way She kept me hoping That each and every day Would be the same I can’t complain
Last edited by DC Ron; 01/10/26 06:03 PM.
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Hi Ron!
With reference to your signature block “Too many guitars … is that a thing?” Well not according to the STEELY style it isn’t!
Good pumping tempo lifted to 131 from 120 but that aids the upbeat sound - no pun intended. I like the jangle of the guitars, and wondered if an electric 12 string could add more, but admit I haven’t checked BB2026 to see if it has any.
The bridge was a nice key change, and no matter how many times I hear the minor IV chord - in your case over “In her own peculiar way” in the chorus - if I heard correctly - it never disappoints. I love your BVs in the last chorus. I didn’t hear any vocal cracks you mentioned, but maybe my ears are too accustomed to my own.
Well done for kicking off 2026 with no AI!
A great song!
Andrew
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Ron, I think this song is awesome! Love the lyrics and your vocal is excellent. A lot of personality and so natural. You do some great Power Pop! The energy just crackles in this song. Love the arrangement and big open mix. Some very cool layers in the mix as well. I'm all in on your 2026 resolutions. Bob
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This is just a great song, Ron. The vocals are great, the mix and production, too, and it does make it as happy. My personal preference is to nearly always have an instrumental break some way into a song as it adds to the dynamics and can sometimes make the following vocals more potent, but that's just my bias.
Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
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Power pop - that's right up my alley. The vocals are really good, I like your new approach. And production is as good as it gets, I love the wide stereo spread. People are often surprised when I tell them that my mixes are completely L-C-R and there's nothing in between. And thank you for bringing this RealDrums to my attention, they play a really cool groove. Nothing not to like ![[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]](https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/images/icons/default/thumbs_up.gif)
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Ron (& R.W.) I dig your Power Pop. Always. Cool guitars (and bass). Nice (sweet ) vocals. Quite "happy sounding". I did not care for the drums (I see B.D.T dug 'em)... I found the fills busy and distracting. There is plenty of rhythm/cadence/syncopation in the combination of guitars and vocals to cover that aspect. Opinion, of course... I look forward to your posts. Always. fj
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New RTs and a bouncy pop song is a great start for a new year, She Made Me Smile made me smile A song with "serendipity" is always an unexpected surprise. Upbeat message with shining light and hope is more than needed in these dark days. What a nice groove and excellent mix, the bass is especially strong and the drums sound really tight. Those acoustic guitars support well the positive outcome and the happy new year status. Enjoyable vocals once again, the last high hey heys sound very clean to me. Those backing vocals work perfectly, your hard work is rewarded with a highly pleasant listening experience. Janne
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Hi Ron
Resolution challenge completed. Really nice choice of style and the key change at the bridge(?) worked really well. Good vocals, you have a smooth delivery, you never seem to have blips or rawness like I do.
Another good'un, Kind regards
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DC,
I'm listening with headphone so the hard panning seems VERY hard panned. For cans I suspect bringing the hard ones in to about 70 or 80 would sit better other than for psych.
The kick clicks a little too much for my ears - I know that tinnitus scoops my hearing in a way that accentuates the kick click.
I enjoyed the vocals - the harmonies are cool.
fabulous arrangement/dynamics and a fab song overall.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Happy indeed! A very good mix and production, and I really like your vocals throughout.
That last chorus builds nicely with extra impact from the BGV's.
Good job, both of you.
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Nearly happy R.W. Davis lyrics have the adverb removed when sung by such a happy vocalist. What a fun song, Ron, and I really like the vocals. Cool harmony. Good bouncey feel carrying a great band to the finish line. Excellent mix, too. I appreciate your consistencey, Ron, and have no doubt that you will resolve to do whatever needs done. Heck, you're already doing it.
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Hi Ron!
With reference to your signature block “Too many guitars … is that a thing?” Well not according to the STEELY style it isn’t!
Good pumping tempo lifted to 131 from 120 but that aids the upbeat sound - no pun intended. I like the jangle of the guitars, and wondered if an electric 12 string could add more, but admit I haven’t checked BB2026 to see if it has any.
The bridge was a nice key change, and no matter how many times I hear the minor IV chord - in your case over “In her own peculiar way” in the chorus - if I heard correctly - it never disappoints. I love your BVs in the last chorus. I didn’t hear any vocal cracks you mentioned, but maybe my ears are too accustomed to my own.
Well done for kicking off 2026 with no AI!
A great song!
Andrew Thanks, Andrew! I'll credit the Beatles for my affinity for the minor IV. Sounded cool then and can still sounds cool now. Am a big fan of "sneaky" key changes like this one. The Ab-Bb-C turnaround switching to Ab-Bb-Eb and a key change for the bridge and then back to the key of C for the final chorus is a fun-sounding little side trip. I use BGVs for a change of pace when they serve the song. More fun! The vocal glitches were on the higher notes on the later choruses. Decided they added "character" to rationalize not punching in the fixes. But glad they didn't really hit your I-hear-that-and-it-stinks threshold. Appreciate the listen and feedback!
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Your vocals will always be the star in any song of yours but there were also some nice melodic turns in this that I really liked. This was great and went by too quickly, I had to go back and listen several more times. Guess that's how pop works. Nice work!!
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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Ron, resolution #1 complete and I rate it as an A++
Excellent vocal
Super groove, backing tracks, and mix.
My foot was a tappin' and my face a smile'n all the way through the song
Great job on this one.
OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Ron, I think this song is awesome! Love the lyrics and your vocal is excellent. A lot of personality and so natural. You do some great Power Pop! The energy just crackles in this song. Love the arrangement and big open mix. Some very cool layers in the mix as well. I'm all in on your 2026 resolutions. Bob Thank you, Bob. Resolution are always easiest in January. Let's see how I'm doing in, say, April... Ha!
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Ron
Awsome song and lyrics. Vocals are a high point. You have style which you have made your own.
Excellent.
Izzy
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This is just a great song, Ron. The vocals are great, the mix and production, too, and it does make it as happy. My personal preference is to nearly always have an instrumental break some way into a song as it adds to the dynamics and can sometimes make the following vocals more potent, but that's just my bias. Thank you, Chay! I enjoy a good instrumental break, too. Long story short, the song I heard in my head did not need a solo so I did not put one in. Have since tried to imagine where/how a solo would serve the song better, but couldn't find it. Am sure there is one. Heck, the Beatles would fit solos into tight little songs that were 2:30 or so, so why can't I? Answer: Because I'm clearly not the Beatles. Ha! Glad you enjoyed the tune (sans solo)!
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Hi, Ron. Power Pop, indeed. Jangly guitars chugging away, busy drums, interesting cadences and your bright voice. It gives a breezy middle finger to expectations, but still hits your target "happy" sound. Fun listen, as always.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Power pop - that's right up my alley. The vocals are really good, I like your new approach. And production is as good as it gets, I love the wide stereo spread. People are often surprised when I tell them that my mixes are completely L-C-R and there's nothing in between. And thank you for bringing this RealDrums to my attention, they play a really cool groove. Nothing not to like Thanks, B.D.! I'd guess 99% of my mixes will have at least one pair of complimentary instruments, often guitars, spread to the extreme. So I share your enthusiasm for the sound/approach. I did vary some of the six guitars on this one slightly off hard L or R, but still spread way out. Like you said, if it sounds good, why not? Appreciate the listen and notes!
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Ron (& R.W.) I dig your Power Pop. Always. Cool guitars (and bass). Nice (sweet ) vocals. Quite "happy sounding". I did not care for the drums (I see B.D.T dug 'em)... I found the fills busy and distracting. There is plenty of rhythm/cadence/syncopation in the combination of guitars and vocals to cover that aspect. Opinion, of course... I look forward to your posts. Always. fj Thank you, Floyd! I might not have chosen those drums if I was building a backing track from scratch, but I did want to demo the RealStyle as-designed, so...here it is. As a non-drummer (I've tried though) I find I'm pretty tolerant of drummers, though I do listen to the drums closely when recording the vocals. Appreciate the listen and comments. Always!
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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