DEVELOPMENT Most of my songs posted to the User Showcase Forum have been middle-of-the-road and not intense. For some time, I’ve been wanting to record something heavier. This song is in a genre I will call ‘Tinnitus Rock’.
(EDIT: Soundcloud track replaced with side-chain ducking applied to lead guitar 24/1/2026.)
I wrote the riff over the top of the 4-chord progression for this song back in 2016 ... and it sat there until late 2025. Originally, it had the title 'Sweet thing' but that was just a placeholder. Given the heavy rock style, I thought it would be a good opportunity to outwork my views on the super-rich and wealth inequality, so the title and theme Billionaire was used. The angsty feel of the lyrics suited grunge.
As I started off with just the riff and chord progression from 2016, I had to choose a style, write melodies, add a chorus and write all the lyrics. I had in mind I wanted the riff to have a guitar sound like that found on ‘Come as you are’ by Nirvana, so I added distortion, chorus and reverb. In BIAB, I changed from the original RealStyle of _ELECTAM (Uplifting rock with tambourine) to _IMPURE (Guitar solo grunge rock).
RECORDING INFORMATION Style is _IMPURE.STY (Impure Guitar Solo Grunge Rock) RealDrums in style:RockHardLA^5-a:Snare, Loose HiHat , b:Snare, Open HiHat RealTracks in style: ~684:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesSync Ev 120 – with distortion added RealTracks in style: 3729:Guitar, Electric, Soloist GrungePopGritty Ev 110 RealTracks in style: 3727:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm GrungePopDist8ths Ev 110 RealTracks in style: 3728:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm GrungePopGritty2-note Ev 110 Additional RealTracks used: RealTracks in song: 648:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopRockBritHeavy Ev 120 - only in verse 3 RealTracks in song: 697:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ElecRockDirty Ev 120 - only in verse 3
Me: Main vocal doubled – with 2nd -12dB and slightly right 18% Backing vocals x 3 with low shelf pulled all the way down at 300hz + reverb Riff played on my Ibanez AMV10A with EQ, distortion, chorus and reverb Mixed in Reaper 7.59
LYRICS VERSE 1 We pay through the nose for the things we don’t own And we’re led by our noses by the screen on our phone No-one new can buy their own home You’re hidden in darkness so you remain unknown
Play INTRO
VERSE 2 Millions strive to make it week to week Maximizing profits for the shareholders for whom you speak I pay monthly but with nothing of mine I feel like just a number to you – one in a line
CHORUS It takes a billion Aussie dollar coins to fill over fifteen hundred swimming pools Allowing you to do this, we’ve become the biggest of fools Your wealth is greater than the GDP of many a small nation And you move it around the globe to avoid the taxation
VERSE 3 The one percent grow at exponential rates And the rest of us eat with no food on our plates You sow the seeds of our discontent You divide and conquer through our growing dissent
VERSE 4 One against the other shaking fists in the air If you push us too far, you’re going to poke the bear You grew rich on the back of our taxes And you’ll meet your doom on the end of our axes
CHORUS You accumulate your wealth just because you want more You don’t know what it’s like to have the wolf at your door Who will buy your stuff when there’s no-one left to buy But I bet your gold purse will catch the tears you cry
OUTRO
CHORDS See chord sheet attached
Last edited by Andrew Dee; 01/23/2607:20 PM. Reason: Soundcloud track replaced
Sounds great overall, Andrew, I like the attitude. Love the intro. Cool riff! Good write.
For me I find the lead playing at the same time as the vocal a little busy, I'm more a fan of the lead guitar answering the vocal than competing with it. But! That's just my personal taste
Musically I love what you did in verse 3, followed by the build, very effective.
‘Tinnitus Rock’. Ha! I love that. Guitar players standing under cymbals. Yep, this is a cool and heavy song, Andrew. Good mix. Also, Ilike the screenshot of the music. The break down really adds a huge gulp of dynamics. You caould sidechain-duck the guitar behind the vocal. I really like the harmony too, and sometimes the guitar overtakes it. Otherwise a brilliant mix.
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
…..second attempt at a review! Lost the first one after accidentally closing the browser! ….hate doing things twice!!
Another strong lyric driven song with great subject matter. The opening riff sets the tone and we know we’re in for an angst filled ride. The IMPURE style really suits that angry vibe you’re going for. It has the feel of rebellion that a Green Day song has, I can hear Billie Joe giving it his all. I have to agree with one comment, that the lead guitar over the vocals is distracting at times, perhaps you could lower it at those times. The video was excellent as well, you’re getting a professional quality to those these days.
As always a good write, well played song from you Andrew. Kind regards
This is a super sound. I love the topic, and the lyrics fit really well with the style and the arrangement. As Bob said, this is "edgy". In addition, your vocals and mix are great. I enjoyed listening.
Sounds great overall, Andrew, I like the attitude. Love the intro. Cool riff! Good write. For me I find the lead playing at the same time as the vocal a little busy, I'm more a fan of the lead guitar answering the vocal than competing with it. But! That's just my personal taste wink Musically I love what you did in verse 3, followed by the build, very effective. Good song, listened both on YT and SC.
Hi Dave - this 'busyness' was deliberate on my part because to my ears, grunge is like a wall of sound, so I tried to be true to the genre - or at least what I interpreted as the genre. e.g. I loathe this and heavy metal that are constantly using crash cymbals that drown out high end. But like you, I prefer space so I think in a few days I will do a little remix to lower the 3729 RT (or splice and dice around the vocal) and replace the track in SC. Re verse 3, I always think about variation in my recordings so it's not 3-4 minutes of the same. Thanks for listening twice!
Originally Posted by rsdean
That's a great sound. Love the edgy feel of this one. Your vocal is perfect for the arrangement. Excellent mix as well. Nicely done!
Thanks Bob - and for the comment about my vocals. I was concerned that my voice is not build for grunge - I kept thinking it's a bit like Chris de Burgh trying to sing heavy metal. I thought I got the BVs right in the mix - they were initially a bit boomy but my mix got them more towards the back I hope.
Originally Posted by BabuMusic
‘Tinnitus Rock’. Ha! I love that. Guitar players standing under cymbals. Yep, this is a cool and heavy song, Andrew. Good mix. Also, Ilike the screenshot of the music. The break down really adds a huge gulp of dynamics. You caould sidechain-duck the guitar behind the vocal. I really like the harmony too, and sometimes the guitar overtakes it. Otherwise a brilliant mix.
Thanks Marty - see comment above about the guitar in the mix. I think I know what you mean about 'sidechain-duck the guitar' but could you elaborate a bit more about this technique - or point me to a resource that will explain it? Re the screenshot, I'm going to do this in future with my new releases. The break in verse 3 enabled me to see how much ringing in the ears I actually had!
Originally Posted by Knee Wobbler
…..second attempt at a review! Lost the first one after accidentally closing the browser! ….hate doing things twice!! Another strong lyric driven song with great subject matter. The opening riff sets the tone and we know we’re in for an angst filled ride. The IMPURE style really suits that angry vibe you’re going for. It has the feel of rebellion that a Green Day song has, I can hear Billie Joe giving it his all. I have to agree with one comment, that the lead guitar over the vocals is distracting at times, perhaps you could lower it at those times. The video was excellent as well, you’re getting a professional quality to those these days. As always a good write, well played song from you Andrew. Kind regards
Yes Lee - I've done that a few times as well. I can never write as well the second time around. Yes, I am getting into a rhythm with the video production - most of my time goes into searching for relevant content - glad you liked it.
Originally Posted by Noel96
This is a super sound. I love the topic, and the lyrics fit really well with the style and the arrangement. As Bob said, this is "edgy". In addition, your vocals and mix are great. I enjoyed listening.
Thanks Noel! I'm not an edgy or angsty person by nature, so I can only listen to this type of music in small doses. However, the riff I had from 2016 required me to do something out of the norm to do it justice. I have to admit I have been doing a lot of reading and pod listening on the topic in recent months, so it does get me riled up a bit.
I read the comments before listening, which made me think I might not like this. But everything about it worked fine for me. I think you mixed it well and that is why it works. Your song had a lot of energy and attitude and that was very appealing to me. Whenever a songwriter chooses a political topic, there are bound to be some prosody issues. But you did a good job and there were only a few awkward phrases.
Of course I am in alliance with the subject matter, I feel so badly for young people struggling in this new world economy. If you don't have the kind of skills that command a high salary, you are screwed. If the economic disparity gets any worse, there will be major protests in the streets, I think. We'll see.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
G'day Andrew I really like the way you have assembled the tracks for maximum dramatic effect. Sounds great. The panned guitars are very effective in adding tension to a serious subject but as others have suggested I also think they could use some ducking, but no biggie. This song has a Midnight Oil vibe IMO (a good thing) which is "code" for a song which makes a strong statement. So good to hear you exploring other musical territory and you (and I, the listener) have been rewarded with a great song.
just quickly because I think you asked another poster and I wanted to add my dodgy 2c's worth. "ducking" is most commonly used with bass and kick drum but is also relevent in preventing tracks stealing energy from the main player - usually vocals. Some use plugins like "trackspacer" but I prefer to use a tracks automation (in this case the guitars) and manually adjust the volume down while the singer is active. The automation can be copied and pasted to other tracks where required so you only have to do this once. IMO manual automation is a fantastic and fun way to rid one's self of some CPU sucking plug ins.
sorry for jumping in, I didn't mean to distract from your very good song and it's important message.
G'day Andrew I really like the way you have assembled the tracks for maximum dramatic effect. Sounds great. The panned guitars are very effective in adding tension to a serious subject but as others have suggested I also think they could use some ducking, but no biggie. This song has a Midnight Oil vibe IMO (a good thing) which is "code" for a song which makes a strong statement. So good to hear you exploring other musical territory and you (and I, the listener) have been rewarded with a great song.
just quickly because I think you asked another poster and I wanted to add my dodgy 2c's worth. "ducking" is most commonly used with bass and kick drum but is also relevent in preventing tracks stealing energy from the main player - usually vocals. Some use plugins like "trackspacer" but I prefer to use a tracks automation (in this case the guitars) and manually adjust the volume down while the singer is active. The automation can be copied and pasted to other tracks where required so you only have to do this once. IMO manual automation is a fantastic and fun way to rid one's self of some CPU sucking plug ins.
sorry for jumping in, I didn't mean to distract from your very good song and it's important message.
Keep making your great music Izzy
Thanks Izzy - I used volume automation on the guitar (I didn't know this was called 'ducking') but obviously not enough! I was worried that the guitar might be up and down and this might be disorientating for the listener - anyway, I'll be a bit more bullish with my automation and see how it goes. I just need to have a breather so I have some fresh ears.
Regarding the Midnight Oil vibe (BTW - RIP Rob Hirst), this *is* a protest song but maybe not 'staccato' enough to be Midnight Oil proper? I also missed my opportunity for a bit of crazy dancing and hand waving on the video!
Thanks for pointing me over here from the other sub forum.
I think a certain Mr Garrett would be happy with the song, it's right in The Oils wheelhouse and I can imagine what it would sound like with Rob Hirst (RIP) driving it along.
As for ducking, I use it from kick to bass to allow the beater hit to come through without competition from the bass and also to a bit less aggressively to give the lead vocal space from a dominant fill/backing instrument.
I'm not sure in other DAWs but it's simple in Reaper using sidechain compression, for the kick I do a send from the kick to the bass to land as aux to the comp on the bass, I set the attack at zero and the release at 10ms with something around a 3db cut, I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted and highly skilled here but it could help those who don't understand the concept.
I read the comments before listening, which made me think I might not like this. But everything about it worked fine for me. I think you mixed it well and that is why it works. Your song had a lot of energy and attitude and that was very appealing to me. Whenever a songwriter chooses a political topic, there are bound to be some prosody issues. But you did a good job and there were only a few awkward phrases. …
Hi Rob! To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to like this song either. That might sound odd, but I have wrestled with it for a few weeks before settling on this result. With the help of forum members, I can see where I can tweak it to improve it somewhat. I’m glad it worked for you as well, and thanks for the comments about the tricky subject content! Andrew
Thanks for pointing me over here from the other sub forum.
I think a certain Mr Garrett would be happy with the song, it's right in The Oils wheelhouse and I can imagine what it would sound like with Rob Hirst (RIP) driving it along.
As for ducking, I use it from kick to bass to allow the beater hit to come through without competition from the bass and also to a bit less aggressively to give the lead vocal space from a dominant fill/backing instrument.
I'm not sure in other DAWs but it's simple in Reaper using sidechain compression, for the kick I do a send from the kick to the bass to land as aux to the comp on the bass, I set the attack at zero and the release at 10ms with something around a 3db cut, I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted and highly skilled here but it could help those who don't understand the concept.
Hi Dave! Glad you’ve popped over for a look and listen! I reckon you have a few songs with BIAB content you could post here and they’d have a lot of appeal.
I’m still not sure enough about this side-chain thing but you’ve given me enough words to be able search for video tutorials.
Second comment about the Oils so I must have added some unintended vibe that our Aussie members have picked up.
Thanks Izzy - I used volume automation on the guitar (I didn't know this was called 'ducking') but obviously not enough! I was worried that the guitar might be up and down and this might be disorientating for the listener - anyway, I'll be a bit more bullish with my automation and see how it goes. I just need to have a breather so I have some fresh ears.
Andrew
Sorry to butt in The easiest way to duck guitar with vox using Reaper, which I know you use, is to use the Reaper ReaComp plugin as the last effect on your guitar track. Feed it via the side chain input (3/4) from the vocal track. And then adjust the Threshold to get the level you want. Much faster than using automation. I learned how to do it from a Kenny Gioia video many years ago. Set up the compressor similar to this:
Andrew, love the groovy thang you have goin' on here. That opening guitar section is superb. Love the guitar-driven overall sound, too. Great vocals, and I'd agree that the gentle double tracking suits you very well. Great arrangement, and the bridge is quite tasty indeed. Yes, heavier, but still catchy and cool.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
You definitely achieved a "heavy" sound here and it sounds great to me! Very clever lyric writing! My favorite part of the song is the chorus section which uses a wonderful melodic structure supported by the perfect sync basslines and guitars moving around it all! Great song! Well done! TB
Totally agree with the song's sentiments - on social media I've been writing essays on the subject for awhile now, when usually I write about spirituality and evolving consciousness - plus you've got a great chord structure for it, but I agree with Dave in that I find the rhythm section too crowded.
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.
Terrific gritty rockin' tune, Andrew! I did something like that with a Twisted Sister feel which I'll post sometime...a Democrat theme called "Ride the Wave" a couple years before our disastrous election. It was unlike anything else I had done. It's fun to get into something different every so often. You broke out of your usual in a great way. John
From 60's pop to 90's grunge, you have quite a musical range I enjoyed this heavier song, nice memorable riff that somehow reminds me of the 80's new wave. And I like the punk attitude in the lyrics, injustice clearly expressed, which reminded me also of Midnight Oil. Good mix and I enjoyed your expressive vocals and fitting harmonies, very good work! I would be more than happy to hear more of your angry statements
Andrew, this is a great song. Great vocal and lyrics Super groove To nitpick I didn't care for the guitar playing licks like that while you were singing. It was very busy and detracting from your vocals. However that is just my opinion and others may not agree. Regardless this is a very good song.
I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia. She said she can't remember what she ever saw in me!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Sorry to butt in :blush The easiest way to duck guitar with vox using Reaper, which I know you use, is to use the Reaper ReaComp plugin as the last effect on your guitar track. Feed it via the side chain input (3/4) from the vocal track. And then adjust the Threshold to get the level you want. Much faster than using automation. I learned how to do it from a Kenny Gioia video many years ago. Set up the compressor similar to this: (image attached)
Thanks Dave! I watched this video from Kenny Gioia's Reaper Mania and as I sometimes use Cakewalk Sonar, I also watched this video from Mike at Creative Sauce and applied the ReaComp compressor to the guitar triggered by the main vocal through channel 3/4. I didn't know this existed prior to this week, and I can see it will be a handy technique to use from time-to-time. #lifelonglearning
Originally Posted by DC Ron
Andrew, love the groovy thang you have goin' on here. That opening guitar section is superb. Love the guitar-driven overall sound, too. Great vocals, and I'd agree that the gentle double tracking suits you very well. Great arrangement, and the bridge is quite tasty indeed. Yes, heavier, but still catchy and cool.
Thanks Ron. When first starting the mix, I had the RealStyle going straight through and thought "Nah - that's too much of the same". So I hunted for a couple of different guitar RealTracks and used those, but with the 3729:Guitar, Electric, Soloist GrungePopGritty providing continuity. However, it was this track that was too conflicted with the main vocal which I have recently ducked.
I love doubled vocals (and sometimes tripled), but like sugar, I musn't overdo it. Glad you liked the song - thanks for listening!
Originally Posted by Torrey Bliss
You definitely achieved a "heavy" sound here and it sounds great to me! Very clever lyric writing! My favorite part of the song is the chorus section which uses a wonderful melodic structure supported by the perfect sync basslines and guitars moving around it all! Great song! Well done! TB
Hi Torrey! Thanks for the 'thumbs up' for the lyrics - it's the part that I least enjoy writing, although sometimes can produce quite rewarding results.
Originally Posted by WaoBand
Totally agree with the song's sentiments - on social media I've been writing essays on the subject for awhile now, when usually I write about spirituality and evolving consciousness - plus you've got a great chord structure for it, but I agree with Dave in that I find the rhythm section too crowded.
Thanks Chay - yes many of us becoming disenfranchised with wealth inequality - well I never was enfranchised. I'm hoping this topic gains traction with the masses as it is a global problem. Re the rhythm section, hopefully my latest change has gone some way towards addressing that. However, I also recognise that this genre is often 'busy' so I wanted to find a balance there.
Originally Posted by John Walradt
Terrific gritty rockin' tune, Andrew! I did something like that with a Twisted Sister feel which I'll post sometime...a Democrat theme called "Ride the Wave" a couple years before our disastrous election. It was unlike anything else I had done. It's fun to get into something different every so often. You broke out of your usual in a great way.
Thanks John - I agree! It's good to venture outside of our normal. I've definitely learned a few things with this genre. Hopefully, you'll be able to pull out your song at your mid-terms and 'Ride the wave' again!
Originally Posted by jannesan
From 60's pop to 90's grunge, you have quite a musical range :smile I enjoyed this heavier song, nice memorable riff that somehow reminds me of the 80's new wave. And I like the punk attitude in the lyrics, injustice clearly expressed, which reminded me also of Midnight Oil. Good mix and I enjoyed your expressive vocals and fitting harmonies, very good work! I would be more than happy to hear more of your angry statements smile
Ah Janne! You know of Midnight Oil in Finland - I'm impressed! I'll probably need to retreat to my usual for a while, but when I find material again, I'll have another crack. In fact, I've got a song idea from about 10 years ago that is worthy but I need to put a bit of effort in to it first - and I have a couple of songs to finish, and one of those is an assignment that Knee Wobbler set and the deadline is fast approaching! Thanks for listening!
Originally Posted by MarioD
Andrew, this is a great song. Great vocal and lyrics Super groove To nitpick I didn't care for the guitar playing licks like that while you were singing. It was very busy and detracting from your vocals. However that is just my opinion and others may not agree. Regardless this is a very good song.
Mario - I think there were a few others that agreed with you. I'm hoping that my 'ducking' treatment of the guitar has gone some way towards addressing that. Thanks for listening! PS It's been good to hear you singing on some of your recent uploads - very good!
Cool rocker. Loved the groove. Excellent guitar, vocal and backtrack. Really nice mix. Well done..
Thanks Scott!
Originally Posted by Floyd jane
Andrew, Good stuff!!! Good write. Love your vocals on this. And BGVs... Cool guitar. Cool production. Again - VERY Neil Young-ish. Sounds like it came right off the On The Beach album. Really. Digging your posts...
Thanks Floyd! I'm unfamiliar with that album so I'll check it out. Andrew
Hi Andrew, This is a beautiful song, with a sad but poignant perspective on how to treat overly rich people. After all, they got rich through... Well, maybe we shouldn't discuss politics too much on this music forum (but wait for my new song. I think you'll find the theme interesting).
So, it's a good song with a good message. You sing it very well. Sometimes a little too high...?
Hi Andrew, This is a beautiful song, with a sad but poignant perspective on how to treat overly rich people. After all, they got rich through... … So, it's a good song with a good message. You sing it very well. Sometimes a little too high...?
But I enjoyed it! Hans
Thank you Hans! I often joke in my comments that I have a 1+1/8 octave range to work with. Not quite that bad, but you get the gist. I wouldn’t class myself as a singer - but I sing - mainly to get across to the listener the musical idea that I have. Sometimes my songs are too low and I transpose up as much as I can, and other times too high, so I transpose down as far as I can go, and occasionally, both too high and too low. Once I have a melody and it becomes familiar to me, I have an internal fight about changing the melody because I feel it loses its familiarity to me, so I put up with a bit of thin or frail voice from time-to-time. Don’t get me wrong, I am really happy with what I have done and do with my musical abilities. I guess we all suffer imposter syndrome occasionally. Thanks for listening! Now I’m heading over to listen to your new song! Andrew
We much like your vocals and guitar and the BiaB guys It's all raw and powerful. And wrapped in a tight good mix. We feel a serious and appropriate Neal Young vibe.
The lyric really fits things today. These lines especially:
“You sow the seeds of our discontent You divide and conquer through our growing dissent”
“Tinnitus Rock” 😆
Excellent … Rock on!
J&B
PS FWIW we posted a tune a while back call Zeros about billionaires. We are on the same wavelength thematically
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
Hi Andrew, just a quick response to your reply to my comments: I'm also constantly searching for the right key to sing in. Sometimes I try all eight notes of an octave. But often I end up back in the same key I started in... But then the singing sounds different again, because I always sing a little differently. Yeah, I saw you listened to my new song. Thanks for that. It's a bit different, isn't it?
Honestly, Andrew, I'm not a big fan of the grunge style; I'm probably too old for it, but I respect it. I like the theme of the song and the way it's sung. The video supports the message very well. It's beautiful work. Laurent
It's not my genre, but it nails the feel as far as I'm concerned. And your 12.125 note vocal range was more than sufficient to do the track justice.
My own 2 cents - Izzy suggested that manually ducking can give better results than Trackspacer, but Trackspacer is nice because you can have it only take out specific frequencies, so the "pumping" effect is minimized (the sound of one instrument going down in volume when another goes up). But if you buy Trackspacer, make sure you get it on sale!
An accurate observation that reaches beyond Oz. Queen Gina & Prince Rupert are 1st nasties amongst the billionaires' club. Music bites as it should. I like the break down too. Excellent.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Hi Andrew, just a quick response to your reply to my comments: I'm also constantly searching for the right key to sing in. Sometimes I try all eight notes of an octave. But often I end up back in the same key I started in... But then the singing sounds different again, because I always sing a little differently. Yeah, I saw you listened to my new song. Thanks for that. It's a bit different, isn't it?
Different Hans, but I like it! In terms of vocals, I go with what I have and no longer embarrassed by it.
Originally Posted by Scott H. Olson
Lots here to like. You definitely chose the right music and instruments to convey the messages in the hard-hitting lyrics. Good write. And you keep it interesting with varying parts and changes. Everything works well and sounds good, including your vocals.
Thanks Scott! When working with the chords and melody and original BIAB RealStyle, I knew I had to make it heavy and the lyrics (written afterward) could be angsty as well, so it turned out to be a good combination.
Originally Posted by laurent4114
Honestly, Andrew, I'm not a big fan of the grunge style; I'm probably too old for it, but I respect it. I like the theme of the song and the way it's sung. The video supports the message very well. It's beautiful work.
To be honest Laurent, I'm not a big fan of the genre either, but I don't mind variety and experimenting with styles/genre outside of my norm to see what comes up - in this case, I've learned about side-chain and 'ducking'. Life-long learning!
Originally Posted by dcuny
It's not my genre, but it nails the feel as far as I'm concerned. And your 12.125 note vocal range was more than sufficient to do the track justice. My own 2 cents - Izzy suggested that manually ducking can give better results than Trackspacer, but Trackspacer is nice because you can have it only take out specific frequencies, so the "pumping" effect is minimized (the sound of one instrument going down in volume when another goes up). But if you buy Trackspacer, make sure you get it on sale! Anyway, nice work.
Thanks David! Never heard of Trackspacer, but that might be because it costs something - I live at the freebie-only end of town, but I might look up to see what that type of plugin is called to look out for equivalent in free. Thanks for the suggestion! In relation to my vocal range, if we're dealing in semitones, that would make it 15. Trying to be clever, I also wanted to express this in a hz range but got horribly confused about whether I was singing C4 to D5 or C3 to D4 - I think the notation for acoustic guitar is not 'normal' so that is throwing me off. Anywho... it's limited!
Originally Posted by rayc
An accurate observation that reaches beyond Oz. Queen Gina & Prince Rupert are 1st nasties amongst the billionaires' club. Music bites as it should. I like the break down too. Excellent.
Thanks Ray! I've become aware of the global nature of this problem, so I'm not sure if it's just a distortion of capitalism (distortion - which is another reason that grunge would be appropriate) or another negative manifestation of the human condition - or both! I usually write a song uniformly throughout, and then when recording and mixing, I start looking for variation within the song to break it up a bit and maintain interest, both for myself and the listener!
Thank you to all for listening and your informative comments! Andrew
That riff was neato! Good job making a heavier song. Great opening line "We pay through the nose for the things we don’t own" to start the show! I like what you did with the melody on the third lines of the verses.
That riff was neato! Good job making a heavier song. Great opening line "We pay through the nose for the things we don’t own" to start the show! I like what you did with the melody on the third lines of the verses.
Thanks Scott! When I first wrote that riff, I knew I had to do something with it, and glad I found time (and the lyrics) to bring it to fruition. Thanks for listening! Andrew
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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.
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.
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.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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)
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One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
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I thought I got the BVs right in the mix - they were initially a bit boomy but my mix got them more towards the back I hope.
The easiest way to duck guitar with vox using Reaper, which I know you use, is to use the Reaper ReaComp plugin as the last effect on your guitar track. Feed it via the side chain input (3/4) from the vocal track. And then adjust the Threshold to get the level you want. 
I enjoyed this heavier song, nice memorable riff that somehow reminds me of the 80's new wave. And I like the punk attitude in the lyrics, injustice clearly expressed, which reminded me also of Midnight Oil. Good mix and I enjoyed your expressive vocals and fitting harmonies, very good work! I would be more than happy to hear more of your angry statements 
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