Nice arrangements deltagolf! I like the gypsy guitar mixed with the accordion on "Don't Stop Now".

Hi Daniel,

Good to see you with another post! Right at this very minute, I'm listening to "Floating Downstream"! That's a mighty clever computer that you have there!

I've got to say that you've assembled these Realtracks VERY, VERY tastefully.

My experience is that the creative process can take many forms. I'm really impressed with the way that you've taken the Realtrack solo and used it to piece together a Realtrack melody that clearly has your stamp on it! What I'm hearing goes beyond a simple computer generated solo. My ears tell me that you've spent a great deal of time on this opus as such a professional sound does not happen by accident. Brilliant stuff.

You shouldn't be giving your laptop credit for writing these songs What I hear is someone who has definite musical talent and who has made a whole bunch of musical decisions to arrive at an excellent final result. If these songs were simply "enter chords, select instruments, hit play", then your computer definitely deserves the credit. I don't hear that in "Floating Downstream", though. I hear a melody that's been selectively, creatively and skillfully assembled; in my book it rates as a composition. The backing is also very impressive and, to my ears, sounds meticulously mixed and arranged. Very nice work. The way I'm seeing "Floating Downstream" is that while PG Music has given you the eggs, sugar and flour, you're the one who has made the cake

All the best,
Noel

Very, very nice stuff - great job! Really enjoyed these.

Bob

deltagolf, (aka Daniel),

If Beethoven had BIAB, and he typed in the chord progression with an appropriate style to “Ode To Joy”, and let’s say he plugged in all the right Real Tracks and Real Drums, …… would we remember who he is over 200 years later? And obviously we wouldn’t have the melody.

Let’s take it down SEVERAL notch’s. Willie Nelson wrote "Crazy" (the signature tune of Patsy Cline), "Funny How Time Slips Away" and "Rainy Day Blues" among many other 1960’s hits. If he had typed those chord progressions into BIAB without writing a melody or words, would he simply be an old hippy that we’ve never heard of?

BIAB and RB are wonderful songwriting tools, but if we let them write the songs for us, have we really accomplished anything?

Unless we write a melody, and words, (if appropriate), we still haven’t written a “song”.

And I do take note of the fact you mentioned "computer generated tunes", ...... not "songs".

I'm just not sure others are noticing that.

Hi all
Thank you for your thoughts and responses to these tunes. It was never in my intention to create a controversial title for this thread. I simply was reluctant to call these "my original music" or something like that. I thought it more like being a showcase what BIAB can do almost on it's own. Of course one needs to arrange the different parts in a creative way. I try to teach myself in mixing and getting levels right (there are a lot of VST plugins involved) etc.. "Creating" this music to me is more like rehearsals in mixing.
As Bob correctly mentioned, I don't call them "songs", since there's no voice and no lyrics. And yes Noel, some tunes needed quite a bit of work to "assemble" the right bits and pieces or to find the good sounding harmonies and different solo parts. But i.e. for the short gipsy tune "There's To You" it was only a matter of decideing what soloist to take and "arranging" by muting/unmuting, freezing and exporting the tracks for the final mix.
Basically I take an existing chord sequence, copy&paste to my liking and let BIAB do the work until I hit something I like. I still find it absolutely amazing how one can "create" music that sounds so good (and in a musical way). I come from a background of playing instruments in my early years (horn, trombone & clarinet at school) and started to "make" music some years ago with Samplitude (with samples and loops). When I discovered BIAB (Version 2009) my yaw dropped to the floor and everytime I was able to pick it up, the new version of BIAB arrived and there was the yaw again, on the floor. Therefore I never started composing music in a serious way. I still play and fool around and have a ball creating music more or less by accident. It's so easy and so much fun, isn't it?
Daniel

Hi Daniel,

To me, fun is what's it's all about

As I've already said, creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. What you have done is every bit as creative as any of the songs that I have composed. I admire your ability to use BIAB in association with a DAW as a 21st century musical instrument. Your thinking is very innovative!

The fact that you've taken bits and pieces of melodies and have cut and pasted, mixed and matched the segments and notes to get exactly what you want means that you have composed music. BIAB has given you the notes in just the same way that a piano gives me the notes and you have manipulated your notes to shape a melody in a comparable way that I manipulate notes on a piano to get the melody I want.

As earlier mentioned, to my way of thinking, what you've done rates as composing.

I'm looking forward to hearing what you do next.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Noel

Thank you for your nice comments. For your listening pleasure (it hopefully will be one) here's a piece I made quite a while ago. When my boss became father I dedicated this melody to the new born babyboy. I'm not fully happy nowadays how I selected and EQ'd the strings, but here it is anyway

Welcome To Our World (Michael R.)
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewprivtrack.php?trackid=57244

I remember it being quite a lot of work and since I don't play keyboard it would not have been possible without BIAB. This is to show a case that's truly not ready made by the computer, but with the aid of the computer. MIDI and Realdrums/Realtracks in combination.

Best, Daniel

Hi Daniel,

This is a beautiful melody and you've developed it very well. You definitely have a flair for music.

When I compose melodies these days, I usually enter the notes in BIAB (Notation View on the Melody track) in the rhythm that I want the melody to play. At this point, I'm not worried about the notes' pitches other than I choose something that sounds in tune with the chord being played. Once the notes are entered in the correct rhythm, I then drag them up and down the staff to make a melody that appeals to me. Given that you don't play keyboard, this approach might also work for you. It's very quick once you get the hang of it.

All the best,
Noel

Thanks again Noel, for your kind information. I usually export the MIDI tracks to Samplitude where I can run several instances of VSTi's. I make all changes in the piano-roll window of the MIDI tracks. This is what I'm used to and I can adjust notes, duration and attack etc.

BTW: I've re-mixed tracks and even tried my hand at some DIY mastering...

All the best to you too.
Daniel

Very nice arrangements. All songs are excellent work. Thanks for sharing!


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Thank you Bob and PgFantastic. I just re-listened to some of Bob's tunes. Very nice job with the remastering of "Sweetest Personality". I like the vibe of this song. Great vox and arrangements too (wish I could sing...) Yeah I know, anyone can sing. But believe me, I can't. (and English is not my native language, sounds awful when I speak "weess se horreeble accent"
PgFantastic, I remember enjoying listening to your music too. I'm at work right now and can not get through to myspace or reverbnation (page blocked by company rule). Will visit when at home. I also know Noel96's tunes and admire the artistry behind it as well as the crisp and clear professional sound. I want to get there too...!
And Bob's "rsdean" songs with his unique voice and timbre I enjoy anyway. It's good to be able to read the lyrics at times since I can't follow the words everytime when listening (lack of practice).
Cheers to all of you
Daniel

Daniel,

The remastering on "Sweetest Personality" was done by Mac, so I want to give credit where it's due.

I did the remastering on "Village Dream" and "Especially Tonight".

Thanks for listening.