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I've been surfing this forum for a week or so looking for examples of what could be done with the PG programs. There is so much here that it is hard to filter for the best of the best.

If you could pick just one song that was the best that has been posted here (other than your own), what would it be?

I'll start, but first I'll qualify my response by saying I've only listened to the first three pages of posts so my pick is only from recent listings. I'm hoping the long-timers share their more qualified opinions.

I have two faves in different categories.

One for RealTracks: Harvey Gerst's Do it Completely

One for MIDI only: RobbMiller's Everchange

Both added live instruments to their PG stuff but show completely different ways of working with the software. It’s cool that Band-In-A-Box can support both ways of working.

Hi PRearden,

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I've been surfing this forum for a week or so looking for examples of what could be done with the PG programs. There is so much here that it is hard to filter for the best of the best.

If you could pick just one song that was the best that has been posted here (other than your own), what would it be?

There's no way that I could possibly answer that question and remain true to what I see is the purpose of this forum.

All the songs that are posted here are the result of many hours and even weeks or months of work and everyone posts the absolute best product that they know how to make at that point in time when they make the post. Each song represents someone's personal best at some point in time.

As I'm sure you already know, to create a song (composing the music, writing the lyrics, arranging it, mixing it and mastering a final product) is by no means an easy task. Some people get paid millions of dollars to do these things. That's why I believe it takes "guts" for the average home-recording, hobby musician to be prepared to let the world hear what s/he has done. When I comment on other people's works, I'm always mindful of this.

How I see this forum is that it's about people helping one another to get better at making good music. There's a huge amount of collective expertise amongst this forum's regulars. On a personal note, that expertise has been extremely valuable to me and has helped me get better with each song that I write. To my way of thinking, by making the User Showcase Forum a place of competition, all the effort that goes into writing the songs that appear here is belittled. It would also mean that some people would choose not to post songs because they might feel that everyone else's are so much better. These people would then miss out on the valuable help that's available here.

I note that you are relatively new to these forums. I respect that but I suspect that it means that you haven't yet really had the opportunity to get to "know" the people who visit here. That's understandable. Maybe if you are still around in a couple of months (or better yet, post one of your own works for us all to hear and maybe critique), you'll have a different outlook regarding the value of this forum.

Regards,
Noel

Its not a competition, no winners, no losers. Just a shout out for what you have liked best.

This will help others see what is possible with PG Music software.

And that was the purpose of my posting those songs:

1. Because it helps show people what BIAB is capable of, and

2. To answer questions on how people can achieve similar results.

Sarah Gillmore is a talented singer/songwriter, but with a very limited budget. When we discussed the treatment of this album, we decided to give it a rock/pop flavor, but without hiring studio musicians, because of the prohibitive costs involved.

She purchased a basic version of BIAB, without any Real Tracks, which allowed me to have an accurate, controlled BIAB version of the songs to use for adding basic acoustic guitar tracks. With an added scratch vocal, I could load the song with guitars and vocals back into BIAB and choose the best instruments and arrangements.

You must also remember I run a commercial recording studio, so we have to be able to deliver a final product that satisfies the client. I've been in the music business for over 55 years now, and, as Peter Gannon will tell you, I'm one of the original BIAB customers. And I fully expect many of you to surpass these recordings - BIAB is a powerful tool.

I do agree with Noel though- this kind of thing cannot help but get some people feeling slighted. It's human nature.

What would be most beneficial is an easy way to pick a member and find their songs, or threads to their work. That would allow a new member or potential customer the ability to browse conveniently, and eliminate the potential of missing fine work done a long while ago. For instance, there's a number of people who's work I would point to from three months back or so, but it's impossible to find those threads easily. If there is and I'm missing it, let me know. I posted some work that I thought came out pretty nifty too, but I'll be darned if I can find even my own threads from a couple of months ago. I understand the request of the OP and it's fair to shout out great work, but no one wants to be the last person chosen for the team. An easier way to find threads is called for. I don't see a subscribe feature for threads, which makes this kind of thing tough without it. All I could say is listen to Josie's work or Marty or Hawgly and so many others, but what would that matter if you can't find the threads without a half hour search. No one wants to do that. If you're so inclined, there's eight pages to this forum. Take a week and listen to all the work posted thus far. There's some amazing work here. It'll be worth it for you.

Dan

I stand kind of corrected. You can click on a member and see all their posts, but really, that doesn't help any in the quest to find that persons music. The only way is a link to your material in your signature and I think that's a heck of a good idea. I'll do that now.

Dan

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Just a shout out for what you have liked best.

This is not what you said in the original post:

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If you could pick just one song that was the best that has been posted here

While I'm sure that this thread was started for good reasons, I concur with Noel that it sits awkwardly with the purpose of this forum. While there may be some justification in the first of the quotes given above (although personally I doubt it), the original idea (as expressed in the second quote) is clearly wrong headed.
By what criteria can you possibly define a 'best' song? How can you compare a piece of electronica with a country ballad? How can you compare the output of an experienced full-time music business professional with an occasional hobbyist or newcomer to digital recording?
My answer would be that you can't and that the net effect of such comparisons would be detrimental for most of the users of this forum.
When Peter started this thread I doubt that his intention was to use it to produce some kind of top 40 of forum members' songs.

Good points Marc, I concur.

John

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ow can you compare the output of an experienced full-time music business professional with an occasional hobbyist or newcomer to digital recording?

The tracks I submitted to the User Showcase were in answer to the thread below, nothing more:

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PROFESSIONAL CD with RB/BIAB??

Howdie all,

Might be crazy, but considering purchasing the Audiophile version
to use the WAV files to help produce some tunes to master-quality.
(For Film/TV pitches, etc.)

Has anyone done that successfully?? Would sure love to hear the BEST
that's been done using RT/RB.

Thanks for any links. OR any insights into your experiences attempting this.

All the best!

vcp

Hi,Now I can understand what you were trying to say here(at least I think I do).I read this post as a well meaning attempt to help those of us who are songwriters\producers to look at posted songs that had that professional master\mix that might just get the attention of a publisher or the A&R man of a record company.I have been impressed with a number of songs posted on this forum and yes I do have a couple of favourites (not the song maybe but the production and use of biab RT,s)But after looking at some posts and not to ruffle any feathers I will keep that information to myself.frankie

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By what criteria can you possibly define a 'best' song?

by whatever criteria you want! It is your ear.

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How can you compare the output of an experienced full-time music business professional with an occasional hobbyist or newcomer to digital recording?

That should be pretty easy. Pick the one you think is the best.

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The net effect of such comparisons would be detrimental for most of the users of this forum.

I guess I don't see this. I think just the oppisite! By pointing to songs that are well written, well executed, and well produced we all have something to learn.

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When Peter started this thread I doubt that his intention was to use it to produce some kind of top 40 of forum members' songs.

I wasn't even suggesting any such thing. Just a shout out for the song you thought was the best done. No ranking needed!

I really don't understand all the fuss over a simple request. I simply wnted to hear what others thought was the best so I know what to aim for. I think other new users and would-be purchasers would be helpd by this info too! Instead what the are going to read in this thread is hypersensitivity. That's a shame!

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I read this post as a well meaning attempt to help those of us who are songwriters\producers to look at posted songs that had that professional master\mix that might just get the attention of a publisher or the A&R man of a record company.

EXACTLY!

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I have been impressed with a number of songs posted on this forum and yes I do have a couple of favourites (not the song maybe but the production and use of biab RT,s)But after looking at some posts and not to ruffle any feathers I will keep that information to myself.frankie

See. That is what is going on here. People have to supress their honest opinion. I wasn't asking anyone to belittle other's work, just point out that which to your ear is best!

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I've been surfing this forum for a week or so looking for examples of what could be done with the PG programs. There is so much here that it is hard to filter for the best of the best.

If you could pick just one song that was the best that has been posted here (other than your own), what would it be?

As this goes on, you're back pedaling and adjusting what your intention is. The first thing you read when you enter this thread is your first request, using a typically troublesome word like 'best' in a forum full of writers and people offering up their creative works. BEST sets up problems and there isn't a creative forum I know of that would handle such a premise well at all. People have drag out forum arguments over GEAR- pieces of inatimate objects- when you ask which is the BEST or the BEST of the BEST.

You want this to go somewhere, how about you ask for people to point out tunes they've heard in the showcase forum that they like. 'Favorite song' request. That leaves out calling into question who's skills are better than who. I get what you're after. You just worded it wrong, unless you're were looking to shake up a forum like some people get a kick out of doing- and is usually not appreciated, especially from newbies.

So, what is it you're after with this again?

Dan

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using a typically troublesome word like 'best' in a forum full of writers and people offering up their creative works. BEST sets up problems and there isn't a creative forum I know of that would handle such a premise well at all.

My bad. All apologies. i thought I was asking something simple. I didn't know that creative people felt like this. I'm new to this whole thing and was just looking for some insight to what Band-in-a-Box can do.

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You want this to go somewhere, how about you ask for people to point out tunes they've heard in the showcase forum that they like. 'Favorite song' request. That leaves out calling into question who's skills are better than who. I get what you're after. You just worded it wrong

Thanks for the advice Dan.

Dear All,

I can no longer edit the top post so..

Please consider this thread dead.

PReardon,

Sorry to bump your post, but since you're new to the forum, I thought this comment might help you.

I read through your thread, and saw where you'd gotten yourself tangled up with your choice of words. Trust me, I've done it many times before on here before.

You may have thought that people were picking on you, but that honestly isn't the case. If you read through the forums, ... especially the "Off Topic" forum, you'll see that we often take each other to task.

It's not because anyone meant you any ill will, ..., it's because "words mean things".

I'm not going to mislead you and say that nobody on the forum is going to say something to you that they shouldn't, because that would be a lie. I will tell you that 85-90% of the comments will be posted without ill intentions.

For the User Showcase, it's not about "who's the best"! It's about constructive criticism and appreciation. When you appeared to make it a competition, you opened yourself up for folks giving you grief.

It wasn't personal.