|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726 |
Small Town Boy (What Am I Doing Here?) I can relate to these lyrics (not mine) about the duality of the big city. Spent most of my life working in big cities, but still consider myself a small town boy... Haven't used a LOT of soul styles, though most of them sound really good to me. I just don't normally compose organically in soul styles. Not this time though. Every instrument in this song is from the 2026 _SWOLLEN.STY soul RealStyle. The song is a bit longer and more simple in construction than most of ours, so I I'm selectively resting instruments in each section for dynamic effect. And for the bridge I'm switching the pair of guitars to held chords for variety. Am also using harmonies and BGVs to keep the arrangement from lying TOO flat. Not sure I succeeded in sustaining interest, but I didn't want to pump the song up TOO much dynamically. It's just not that kind of song... When we release the single we'll probably cut the 3rd verse/chorus to be more radio friendly. Ha! THANKS in advance for any listens and comments! R.W. Davis: lyrics Me: music, arrangement, vocals, mix, master AI: not employed Style is _SWOLLEN.STY (Swollen Americana Soul Groove) RealTracks in style: 4855:Bass, Acoustic, SoulJazzGroovinFunk Ev 100 RealTracks in style: 2906:Piano, ElectricVintage, Rhythm BluesyPopMike Ev 100 RealTracks in style: 4233:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Soul70sRelaxed Ev 100 RealTracks in style: 3716:Guitar, Baritone Acoustic, Rhythm AmericanaFolkStrum Ev 110 RealDrums in style:Americana16GroovinBrushFred^1-a,b:Brushes,Toms SMALL TOWN BOY (What Am I Doing Here?)The sidewalk is crowded All the girls are pretty What am I doing here In new New York City? Time Square is glistening The lights are all too bright What am I doing here? The big city at night You know, I’ll always be a small town boy That this metropolis tries to destroy The life they offer is hard to enjoy Chasing their shiny things like a decoy Running out in traffic, oh boy The Rockettes are dancing And they’re sold out tonight What am I doing here? I must not be too bright Broadway is gearing up For a well-reviewed show What am I doing here? I just don’t want to go You know, I’ll always be a small town boy That this metropolis tries to destroy The life they offer is hard to enjoy Chasing their shiny things like a decoy Running out in traffic, oh boy The taxis are yellow No one waits for the light What am I doing here? I better grab a bite The food on the corner Is expensive at best What am I doing here? You never would have guessed You know, I’ll always be a small town boy That this metropolis tries to destroy The life they offer is hard to enjoy Chasing their shiny things like a decoy Running out in traffic, oh boy Like a dog who catches a car
What do I do now?
It doesn't matter anyhow
It doesn't matter anyhow
Everything I see seems a little highbrowYou know, I’ll always be a small town boy Running out in traffic…
Last edited by DC Ron; 03/16/26 04:58 AM.
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,008
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,008 |
Ron,
This is such an awesome song! Love the lyrics, arrangement and excellent mix. Amazing use of the guitar tracks - that bridge part is so impactful.
Another great vocal - a very cool and distinct delivery. You have a great identifiable sound.
Worth many listens! Loved it!
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,249
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,249 |
Great, great song and a superb vocal from you, I liked the whole thing but especially the bridge and the harmonies on the outro. It's under four minutes, not too long at all. I'd keep the single as is ; ) Your streak continues in fine, fine form. The worst food I ever had in my life was NY street corner food in 1986. And yes, it was pricey, even then.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,144
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,144 |
I really enjoy singing and backing vocals on a good song.
Laurent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,593
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,593 |
D.C., I empathise.
Me too.
Great production and vocal.
Vic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,090
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,090 |
Oh, yeah, you sure did accomplish what you intended, Ron. My favorite part is that upright bass. Always love those lyrics --one of my favorite lyricists. Vocals sound perfect --outstanding. Excellent arrangement and production.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,057
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,057 |
A beautiful, slightly depressing song. I love the lyrics and the way you deliver them. A tasteful choice of instruments. I LOVE the call-and-response vocal harmonies in the outro - I would have included them in the choruses too, because they’re so good. Enjoyed my listen. A lot ![[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]](https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/images/icons/default/thumbs_up.gif)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,932
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,932 |
DC & RW,
Very Cool Song.
Excellent arrangement. Nice use of in-and-outs.
Super vocals. Super BGVs.
Good mix. Love that Bass sound. Vocals are So Clear.
Very much enjoyed the listen.
Good Music.
fj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,604
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,604 |
Slightly different sounding arrangement, although not that "soul" in my ears, and not "hip-hop & rap" like it says in SoundCloud, but pleasantly calm pop that describes well that small town boy in the middle of the crowded sidewalk asking "what am I doing here?". The americana band, the lovely melody and your calming voice merge into an enjoyable whole, your voice beautifully expresses the longing desire to get away, sounds quite like a Barenaked Ladies style of song, meant to be a big compliment. Not too long, keeps interest to the end, definitely radio-friendly in my ears  Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726 |
Ron,
This is such an awesome song! Love the lyrics, arrangement and excellent mix. Amazing use of the guitar tracks - that bridge part is so impactful.
Another great vocal - a very cool and distinct delivery. You have a great identifiable sound.
Worth many listens! Loved it!
Bob Gee, THANKS, Bob! Took me a while, but I've finally figured out that earnestly imperfect vocals can be better than just ok. Glad you enjoyed our song!
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 1,187
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 1,187 |
Hi Ron - very listenable!
Your 2026 RealStyle choice and tempo has a laid-back feel to it, which I thought illustrated the contrast of small-town-boy from a slower pace in a big city - one can never take the slower pace (or desire for it) out of a small-town-boy.
Andrew
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,062
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,062 |
Hi Ron,
Love the pan on those guitars! Great intro. Excellent arrangement! Bringing the instruments in and out works a treat.
Really good vocal, and I really like the BGVs, the oohs and aahs, and especially like the outro part "running out in traffic".
Excellent mix too. Loved it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,756
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,756 |
Ron, this small town boy who very rarely goes into a city loves this song.
Your arrangement and vocals are your best to date IMHO.
The backing vocals and band are perfect for this song and your mix is spot on.
Like I said I loved it.
PS - Don't worry about the length for the radio plays; it should be on the radio right now. Alice's Restaurant was 15 minutes long, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was 17 minutes long.
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,879
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,879 |
Well done. As others have said, the vox are really nice. I like that play back and forth at the ending.
I don't hardly like to go to the small cities around here let alone find myself in a metropolis. I can handle the small towns just fine. People know you there.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 2,257
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 2,257 |
This is a great song and reminds of the 26 years I lived in London, my 20s to mid-40s. It's the usual brilliant production, but I wouldn't cut verse 3 as it come in just at the right place. An alternative would be to cut your least favourite non-chorus verse and play a solo over the following chorus, though that wouldn't shorten it a lot.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726 |
Great, great song and a superb vocal from you, I liked the whole thing but especially the bridge and the harmonies on the outro. It's under four minutes, not too long at all. I'd keep the single as is ; ) Your streak continues in fine, fine form. The worst food I ever had in my life was NY street corner food in 1986. And yes, it was pricey, even then. Thanks, Rob. Hey, at least you stuck around for the outro...that's MY measure of a successful song. Thanks for the complement on the vocals. Truthfully, I know they're not James Taylor-perfect, nor could they be, but at least nobody is confusing me for an AI vocalist. Ha! Bad/expensive NYC street food is a real thing. Somehow, there's still a food cart on every Manhattan corner...
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 175
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 175 |
Hey, DC. It has a really comfortable folk style like Kent LaVoie (Lobo). I lived in cities all my life...Los Angeles, Boise, Denver, Phoenix, and now on the edge of Los Angeles metropolitan in a small city of 58,000. Being anonymous has always been comfortable for me. Oh, and I don't trust food carts.
John
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 417
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 417 |
Another quality production Ron,
Really loved those “Running out in traffic” harmonies at the end. Superb.
Kind regards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726 |
I really enjoy singing and backing vocals on a good song.
Laurent Thank you, Laurent. D.C., I empathise.
Me too.
Great production and vocal.
Vic Thanks, Vic. Big cities can be nice places to visit. Not for everyone though... Oh, yeah, you sure did accomplish what you intended, Ron. My favorite part is that upright bass. Always love those lyrics --one of my favorite lyricists. Vocals sound perfect --outstanding. Excellent arrangement and production. Hey, THANKS, Marty! Love this bass, too. Loved the bass pickup line for the chorus so much I saved the introduction of the bass until it was time for the chorus. Hence the acoustic intro section. Glad you enjoyed the tune (and the bass!).
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,726 |
A beautiful, slightly depressing song. I love the lyrics and the way you deliver them. A tasteful choice of instruments. I LOVE the call-and-response vocal harmonies in the outro - I would have included them in the choruses too, because they’re so good. Enjoyed my listen. A lot Thank you, B.D.! Don't do it on every song, but on some songs (like this one) I intentionally put something cool in the outro that's a new twist. Keep thinking back to the songs I listen to all the way through just so I can hear that neat bit at the end. The most convenient example is "Best Friends Girl" (1978). Yeah, I probably SHOULD have used that bit earlier, but then I wouldn't amuse myself quite as well. 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?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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®!
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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,287
Posts802,705
Members40,082
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean