Hello everyone,

This weeks new song:

Evening Ball

My initial idea was to keep this purely instrumental. I was experimenting with a rather different type of chord scheme. Also trying shots and holds in all kinds of styles. The result was almost 'not BIAB'. Unlike anything else I had heard the program do before.
Later on got I got some ideas for proper lyrics. Anne-Marie did a co-write on the final version.
This is influenced by songs like: Telegraph Road and Private Investigations by Dire Straits. Not very strange because Brent Mason's PopDreamy realtrack plays a prominent role in the song (the rest of the arrangement is pretty much a Brent Mason one-man show too ).

Attraction, fate and the famous 'tunnel towards the light' are themes of this song.

Hope you like it.
Any comments are welcome.

Rob

Style is NYLGIT44.STY (NylGit44 - Nyl. Guitar 4/4 accom)
StringsCustom Synth is Hi-Q 050 01 Strings, Ensemble, Movie SampleTank.tgs
Style MIDI Instruments are : Slow Strings (50),
366:Bass, Electric, Country Ev 065
362:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085
2051:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CountryBrent Ev 085
2444:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Background PopCountryBrent Ev 085
2449:Guitar, Electric, Background, PopDreamyBrent Ev 085 (CustomFX)
RealDrums in Song: NashvilleEven8^1-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

Lyrics

for a longer time I've been walking
considering life for miles
with everything I ever knew,
swept away in a single blow
so I just keep on walking
in this place that I adore
but all in all the streets grow bear
when you realize.... you're no longer there

we're on our way to the evening ball
you want to do dance, you love to show
I watch the way you fix your hair
a sudden light, a sudden call
your final touch, your worried stare

it's strange as I see myself lying there
you won't let go of me, you never could
and then, I hardly realize that I'm moving away from it all
like a bird flying up, or a plain rising
rising up, rising up

on our way to the evening ball
a reckless drive would end it all
the dance, the love you wanted to show
the lights are down, the calling fades
a future that has come and gone

Rob
A really beautiful ballad. Beautiful lyrics, and a liked the haunting guitar work in the break.

Great video production too.

Trevor

You guys always make me feel so inadequate with your WEEKLY postings!! Don't know how you do it: quality productions, video, fresh and interesting music. Everything works--arrangement mix, and definitely the song. And, your chord progressions are always interesting and unusual, particularly the key changes between verse and chorus. Another in a long line of excellent efforts!! Take care. Greg

A new favorite for me. I really enjoyed this one. It had a REM feel about it to me and kept my interest from start to finish. One of your best.

Charlie

Very good job! One of my favorites here. I like how good it sounds - The mastering, chord progression, the vocie and BIAB instruments are very well selected.

Cheers!
Ogi

Hi Rob and Anne-Marie,


This week's enjoyable listen.

Guenter

Rob and Anne-Marie,

An interesting write - both subject and sound...

Excellent mix of instruments - and an excellent mix. Beautiful arrangement.

Good vocal - captured the essence of the lyric very well.

Enjoyed.

floyd

Hi Rob and Ann Marie
This is very interesting indeed. I love that Baritone guitar in the breaks. Must make a note of that one. Also the effect that you used on the vocal right at the end. Good job!

Really well done - This song reminds me of the type of movie music used in movies like "2046" directed by Wong Kar Wai or others in that genre. Very moody, but almost narrative in tone, rather than emotional. I enjoyed my listen --- Pete

Cool tune. I really like the use of the tremolo guitar. It's been decades since I've heard that used in a song in a creative way.

Kudo's to you on this song for that effect and the way it was used.

A beautiful job on this tune.

Well written, performed and produced.

I enjoyed my listen very much.

Thanks for the music,
Dan

I can definitely hear the Mark Knopfler influence in the arrangement, as well as some of the vocal parts.

Unsurprisingly, this up to your standard high standards.

(There is a bit of a glitch at 2:13).

I found the lyrics a bit confusing. The song subverts expectations of who has died, and it took a couple of times of me reading through the lyrics to make sure I'd gotten it right.

Anyway, nicely done, as usual!

I really love your use of the BIAB guitars on this song! Very creative!

Well done all around!

Hi Rob and Anne-Marie.

This does not sound like BIAB at all to me. It's outstandingly well produced and uses BIAB tracks very creatively. Rob: your presentation is first class.

Regards,
Noel

• latest song: Just A Little After Midnight

Beautiful one Rob. Very haunting and sad. Great lyrics presentation and video.
Like the semi spoken parts also.
I also wonder how you can produce such excellence consistently. Cheers.

Thanks Trevor!

Hi Greg,
Thank you!
We no longer post every week, but every other week.
Anne-Marie wanted to slow down a bit

Rob

Rob and Ann-Marie, this sounds great. The acoustic in the beginning and the tremolo and dreamy leads are excellent. The production and presentation are once again very professionally done. Great job. Tom

It's an over used word...but I'm gonna use
it anyway. MESMERIZING.

The vocals, the lyric and the video are all
in perfect step with one another to deliver
the feel. Stunning RT choice and mix.

A production to which most of us can
only aspire.

J&B

Thanks Charlie,

I'm glad I was able to get an REM feel here. I'm a big fan of them!

Rob

Thank you Ogi. Much appreciated!

Thanks Guenter!

Thanks Floyd!

Thank you Joanne,

yes, I discovered that Baritone realtrack some months ago. It closely resembles the spaghetti Western real track, but is slightly cleaner. It's pretty functional in more styles than one would expect.

Rob

Thank you Pete!

Yes, this song was different from stuff I usually write.
Shows the versatility of the program!

Rob

Thank you Herb!

yes, that baritone realtrack is a nice one, as are most of Brents RT's. Let's hope he'll crank in some more in the next band in a box version!

Rob

thank you Dan!

Hi David,

Thank you!
By the way, you are right about the glitch at 2.13, and you definitely have a sharp ear!
I just found out a week ago or so. It's the result of some conscientiously editing in Cubase...not ehrmm....
Part of an inhale right before singing (a previous event in Cubase that was first split and then deleted, but apparently not good enough).

Rob

thank you Lawrence!

Thanks Noel!

yes, I think this is my first creation that doesn't sound like BIAB at all. This is mainly due to the chords used and the breaks (shots and holds) in the song.
But then again, it definitely shows the versatility of the program.
This is one of my personal favorites so far, but in my opinion not 100% succeeded. Somehow I think the arrangement should have been a little bit longer. A total running time of five or six minutes for instance. But I couldn't get the soloist to produce enough, different sounding, solo parts.
Still, the Brent Dreamy realtrack remains one of the best!

Rob.

Thank you Rich!

Well, with a passion for music and a perfect tool like BIAB it's not too hard to write nice songs

Rob

+1

Josie

This is the way to use BIAB.
I love the vocal too.

Vic

thanks Josie!

thank you Vic, much appreciated!

Rob