DEVELOPMENT The chords and melody with a placeholder title 'I want it more' were written in 2005, but this song remained that way until early 2026 when I finally added lyrics and renamed it 'No matter how'. Even without lyrics, I’d always liked the chorus melody to this song and knew I needed to get around to finishing it one day. It was originally in the key of E major, but when beginning to write the lyrics and sing it, I realised some of the passages might be too low for me, so I put it up to F# major, but I still play on my guitar with the capo on the second fret. This avoided the low notes but also meant the highest note was F# above the treble clef – which is falsetto range for my limited vocals. When recording, I *almost* got there, and needed Reaper ReaTune only on that note to keep it clean. In the last chorus, I added a bass run-down of sorts which led to some interesting bass notes underneath a couple of the chords. I had the pleasure of swapping out the F#m in this last chorus to F#m7b5/C … because I could. The chord sheet is attached. The lead guitar solo uses two sections of the same track 3441:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritPsycRockMarch and I like how they play around each other.
Video - for complete transparency, I rarely go more than 2 metres off the ground, and even preparing the video gave me bouts of vertigo!
SONG SUMMARY Style is _GRANITE.STY (Granite Hard Rock w Guitar Solo) RealTracks in style: 1523:Bass, Electric, PopPowerA-B Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 2758:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RockHeavy8thsMurray Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 2757:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RockHeavy8thsCraig Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 3441:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritPsycRockMarch Ev 110 – only used in the solo section RealTracks in song: 1278:Synth Pad, PopUplift Ev 120 – only used in the chorus RealTracks in song: 5008:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockHiArp ev 125 – only used in Verse 4 RealDrums in style:RockHardKick^01-a:Closed Hat, Snare , b:Open Hat, Snare Me: vocals Recorded in Reaper
LYRICS INTRO
VERSE 1 I’m going to give it much more, I’m not thinking of my inherent flaws But that is my call The struggle is real, I’d rather think about the things I have won Than things I’ve not done
VERSE 2 The longer I wait, it’s getting harder each step that I tread I won’t live in dread I know I can rise, all I have to do is keep it in sight Eyeing the prize
CHORUS 1 No matter how I try to fight it, I end up falling down The things that I want to do I might, but I’m not giving ground
VERSE 3 I dreamed of it all, even though there was a chance I could fall But I won’t be stalled Before I am primed, it’s only during that I increase my doubts But I’m climbing out
CHORUS 2 No matter how I try to fight it, I end up falling down The things that I want to do I might, but I’m not giving ground
VERSE 4 I’m down but not out - that’s just rehearsals for a challenge out front I’m up for the hunt One step at a time, I’ll just say ‘yes’ and I will work out a way Proclaiming it’s mine
SOLO
CHORUS 3 No matter how I try to fight it, I end up falling down The things that I want to do I might, but I’m not giving ground
CHORUS 4 One day I’ll have the passion to win, and that day is now I have the strength to not give in, I’m note being taken down
This is a great groove. I love the lyrics and the whole presentation. To my ears, there's a hint of British rock in this production. It sounded great and I really enjoyed where you took me. Your singing was full of confidence and it was very easy to hear all the words
Super tune, Andrew. Very cool Bowie-esque classic rock vibe with tons of hypnotic hooks. The progressions are quite nice, too. Really like your vocals on this one and the streamlined (to my ears) vocal FX chain. Nice use of BiaB instruments, and those soloists do sound great together. Another shiny little pop gem!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
I agree with Noel, it immediately says "I'm British". Good vocals with a nice Bowie touch, and the chorus has a super cool chord progression. I love it
Great chord structure here! I also thought the 2 guitars in the solo worked so well I'd liked to have heard more.
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.
This is a great groove. I love the lyrics and the whole presentation. To my ears, there's a hint of British rock in this production. It sounded great and I really enjoyed where you took me. Your singing was full of confidence and it was very easy to hear all the words
Thanks Noel! Glad you liked the lyrics - they were a late addition. I just brain dumped; word-smithed to get the flow and variation in rhymes; and made some of the lines have a more positive outlook. Confident singing - I tend to take the approach (despite not having the best vocal) to say 'What the heck! Let's go for it!'.
Originally Posted by rsdean
Very nice job on this song. I like the way you approach the vocal here. A really solid performance. Great video as well.
Thanks Bob. I thought that falsetto note was going to be tricky but after a bit of doubling and a very minor pitch correction, it came out well.
Originally Posted by DC Ron
Super tune, Andrew. Very cool Bowie-esque classic rock vibe with tons of hypnotic hooks. The progressions are quite nice, too. Really like your vocals on this one and the streamlined (to my ears) vocal FX chain. Nice use of BiaB instruments, and those soloists do sound great together. Another shiny little pop gem!
Thanks Ron! I have a project template for any new songs with FX that have worked already in place, then I tweak them (or remove them) according to what the new song requires. Not foolproof, but it helps with my memory. Being a 10 pound pome (assisted passage to Australia from the UK; pome = Prisoner Of Mother England - a reference to Australia's convict past, but not us here in South Australia - we were a 'free settler' colony) in the mid 60s, we were immersed in British rock - more so than American - which was a later discover for me. It helps that I still have residual south UK accent that comes out when I get excited.
Originally Posted by B.D.Thomas
I agree with Noel, it immediately says "I'm British". Good vocals with a nice Bowie touch, and the chorus has a super cool chord progression. I love it
Hi B.D.! It should say "I *was* British." Ha ha! Thanks for noticing the chord progression - always been interested in good progressions from an early age.
Originally Posted by WaoBand
Great chord structure here! I also thought the 2 guitars in the solo worked so well I'd liked to have heard more.
Hi Chay! Same comment to you about the chord progression. I am going to consider extending the solo.
Originally Posted by laurent4114
Great work on the guitars. I agree with WaoBand, we would have liked more guitar solos. Great energy.
Hi Laurent! OK - if I get two more votes for a longer or additional guitar solo, I'm going to do it. Where would you put the additional solo?
Thank you everyone for listening and your great comments and suggestions!
glad you went back to get this one finished. It opens with a lot of attitude and keeps building throughout. I particularly liked the drum pattern and the two guitars duelling it out for supremacy in the solo. I like the vocal contrast from the end of the verses and goes into the “no matter how” falsetto of the chorus, that’s a winning hook right there. Another good video also, now I know what you get up to in the Blue Mountains!!
Wow, Andrew, what a melody! The punk styled verses drew me right in and then the terrific surprise of the Beatle-esque orchestrated chorus. Great choice of guitars! I love it! You mentioned changing keys in writing the song. When I send a song to a vocalist, I often send it in three different keys and let the vocalist choose the most comfortable one. It's one of the beauties of Band in a Box. I'm playing this a third time I like it so well. John
Good BAND. Nice use of the BIAB players. Nice change up at 1:50... followed by some nice solos. Good vocals. Well mixed - vocals sit nicely, bass and drums sound good. Guitars, too.
glad you went back to get this one finished. It opens with a lot of attitude and keeps building throughout. I particularly liked the drum pattern and the two guitars duelling it out for supremacy in the solo. I like the vocal contrast from the end of the verses and goes into the “no matter how” falsetto of the chorus, that’s a winning hook right there. Another good video also, now I know what you get up to in the Blue Mountains!!
K-dub-ya! How does ya? Drum pattern - I didn’t notice the drummer so s/he must’ve been doing okay. The guitar solos was a random idea - I cut two sections and plonked them together - one a little left and the other a little right, and … voila! Fluked it! I’m happy with the falsetto, given my initial apprehension when recording. Blue Mountains? We’ve only been once, and on the day we were there, our view of the rain filled dark clouds was occasionally obscured by the three sisters.
Originally Posted by John Walradt
Wow, Andrew, what a melody! The punk styled verses drew me right in and then the terrific surprise of the Beatle-esque orchestrated chorus. Great choice of guitars! I love it! You mentioned changing keys in writing the song. When I send a song to a vocalist, I often send it in three different keys and let the vocalist choose the most comfortable one. It's one of the beauties of Band in a Box. I'm playing this a third time I like it so well.
Thank you John! Yes, it does have a bit of ‘punk’ to it, doesn’t it? Regarding keys, because I sing my own yet have a fairly narrow range, unless I already have a melody in mind, I usually start with a chord or chord progression, then pick a starting note in the notation window - usually in the range of G to C on the treble clef - knowing that gives me room to go up or down but still within my range. My melody writing has been informed by two thoughts I heard in recent years: distinctive melodies have larger interval jumps, and one famous songwriter tended to use lines with single note melodies or melodies varying only by a semitone or tone as a means of tension and release to one with more movement.
Originally Posted by BlueAttitude
I'm hearing the Bowie vibe happening too with this one, his early stuff. Good changes, good guitars, good vocal. I especially like how you handled verse 4, very effective way to lead into the guitar solo. Nicely done, enjoyed.
Thanks Dave! Verse 4 - I’m always conscious of creating variety in a song, but based on familiarity. I think the Bowie vibe comes from 1. The falsetto note 2. My sometimes Brit accent and 3. The band/style choice.
Originally Posted by MarioD
Andrew, this is a fantastic song I agree this song has the British vibe Great vocal, chord progression, and mix One of your best for sure.
Thanks Mario! Over half the time when writing, I am starting with a chord progression, and if that sparks my interest, I’m off to a good songwriting start. Maybe I should get a tee-shirt “I have a British vibe” but be careful not to wear in certain locations e.g. Boston.
Originally Posted by floyd jane
Cool one, Andrew. Good BAND. Nice use of the BIAB players. Nice change up at 1:50... followed by some nice solos. Good vocals. Well mixed - vocals sit nicely, bass and drums sound good. Guitars, too. Good listening.
Thanks Floyd! If it’s good to your ears, I know I’m on a winner. Seriously having to consider if I extend the guitar solo or bring it back later - but don’t want to spoil a good thing - ‘Leave them wanting more’.
...................................... Thanks Mario! Over half the time when writing, I am starting with a chord progression, and if that sparks my interest, I’m off to a good songwriting start.
Same here!
Originally Posted by Andrew Dee
Maybe I should get a tee-shirt “I have a British vibe” but be careful not to wear in certain locations e.g. Boston.
Andrew
This got a LOL from me!
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
Like Noel mentioned we hear the Brit rock vibe also. Perhaps Beatlesque from their middle to late period.
That is an outstanding group of session players. They did your write, cool arrangemnt and vocals justice.
Enjoyed it!
J&B
PS Your chord/progression talk is always above our pay grade but man does it work.
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Like Noel mentioned we hear the Brit rock vibe also. Perhaps Beatlesque from their middle to late period.
That is an outstanding group of session players. They did your write, cool arrangemnt and vocals justice.
Enjoyed it!
J&B
PS Your chord/progression talk is always above our pay grade but man does it work.
Thanks J&B! I am VERY happy with the Brit badge, and even more so ‘Beatlesque’. That GRANITE style is a good one and will probably use it again sometime. The arp guitar in the mid verse were a late addition in the arranging process.
I think I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I am driven by chord progressions - if I have a good one, I have a good basis for a melody and song. When I was younger (so much younger than today), my interest in chord progressions was purely about how they sounded. Nowadays, I am highly interested from a music theory perspective about why such progressions sound good - without losing sight of the ‘unknown magic’.
Cool intro, reminds me of early punk times and Iggy Pop. The chorus is strong both melodically and chordwise and you sing its determined message convincingly - with authentic punk spirit I like the selection of rock instruments, the soloist work really well and the arp guitar adds nice variation.
Cool intro, reminds me of early punk times and Iggy Pop. The chorus is strong both melodically and chordwise and you sing its determined message convincingly - with authentic punk spirit I like the selection of rock instruments, the soloist work really well and the arp guitar adds nice variation.
Thanks Janne! ‘Authentic punk spirit’ - feels more like imposter syndrome to me! 🥹 Glad you liked the melody and chords. - it’s central for me. Thanks for listening! Andrew
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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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!
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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):
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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.
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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)
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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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