A Simple Song

A Simple Song could also be called Santo Goes Sleepwalking: if you're old like me you will get it!

Just me having a little fun.

BiaB style = Fidelity MIDI Pop Strings Ballad
Tempo = 85 BMP

Bass - Ample bass - P bass
Piano - EZ Keys - Electric Grand - chorus grand
Strings - all three are from Kontakt
1-Amadeus - Full String Ensemble
2-Kurt Hunter - Vituoso Strings
3-Solid State Symphony - strings
Drums - Additive 2 - funk - Effect Waves CLA drums on each drum/cymbal
Guitar - Kontakt - Band - Jazz guitar
Me - Lap Steel VSTi via my MIDI keyboard controller

Master effect - Tube Saturation Vintage

As always all comments welcomed.

Definitely heard the Santo and Johnny thing going on here, this is terrific! Really enjoyed this, nice to hear you pay tribute to a classic from way back.

Very relaxing. You did a great job with the lap steel VST. I find getting the steel VST just so is very difficult. You have managed it here.

If you don’t mind me asking which lap steel VSTi did you use?

Once again nice job.

Tony

Well, I guess I'm old like you, Mario, 'cause I got it

Nice job on this!

Amazing that you could get those lap steel sounds via a keyboard controller.

Hello Mario
nice song to relax
Sounds really good
Something nice for in between ;-)
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

Is this what Santa usualy does? Sleepwalking?
In our country we have another Santa (Sinterklaas), who celebrates his birthday on the 5th of december. He is also very old.
But he can't do a sleepwalk, because he is riding on roofs on a white horse. To dangerous and also no presents for the kids...

So this song, although very nice/sweet, is not good for our Santa.
But it is for me. I enjoyd the sound, the build up and the effect the steel guitar has on me.
I'm very at ease now...

Hans

i'll echo Blue attitudes comments amazeing sounds from a keyboard mate on the steei , the sound of which reminds me of a major 60's hit ..i thought it was a live player.

as always ..'brilliant'.

best

om

Thanx so much for this kind review. Santo and Johnny were a favorite of mine back in the day and my wedding band played Sleepwalk many times. It was a fan favorite.

Thanx Tony. Actually it was a very easy track to create. I used the Indiginus lap steel VST:

https://www.indiginus.com/the-steel-electric-lap-steel-guitar

The articulations you heard were created via velocity; high velocity did slides up, low did slides down, and a neutral range velocity added no articulations.

It was very easy to obtain a realistic sounding lap steel using this VST.

Dave, welcome to the "I remember that song" club. I'm glad that you liked this.



Thanx so much Andi for listening and commenting. I appreciate all of your comments.

Hans my friend you misread my statement. I said Santo and not Santa. Santo was part of the team Santo and Johnny and they did a song called Sleepwalk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rwfqsjimRM

I'm glad that you liked the song.

Thanx so much OM. I really like the sound of that lap steel VST, plus it is easy to play!

This is a really nice one again Mario.
Great steel guitar.
Good job!

Anne-Marie

Mario...the lap steel is very convincing and played so well...getting good sounding guitar work from a keyboard is a real challenge I know...very relaxing and mesmerizing feel...good job as usual...you're the master of the MIDI!

One of my favorite bands back then. Slow dancing for sure, lots of memories. Loved the tune and playing.

Mike B.

Mario, This is great! So relaxing. Me being a pedal steel player I am in love with the sound. It is absolutely amazing what you get out of your keyboard. This very convincing. I always loved Sleepwalk. Oh yeah I'm that old, Tom

Mario,

It's a very relaxing song.
The rap steel makes it sound like a country song, but the chord progression is a little more complicated.
It's surprising that you can express the sound of lap steel with your MIDI keyboard.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

I'm old, yeah they were good, yes this is really nice.

Hi Mario.
I remember Santo and Johnny playing on our first TV. Monochrome, one channel only.
I loved "Sleepwalk" and it's quite an accomplishment to get that sound on a keyboard.

Vic

Santo and Johnny were an influence to my early music preferences. Enjoyed what you've put together here.

Charlie

HaHAHa! Love that Santo title, but here they are sleepwalking to a better progression. I VI IV V is for dreamers. What a wonderfully relaxing stroll, Mario. You really know how to have fun.

Thanx so much Anne-Marie for these very nice words.



Thanx for listening and commenting. I am but a MIDI hacker just having fun with MIDI since the mid 1980s. I'm still learning!



One of my favorite bands also Mike. I didn't dance much because I was always playing in bands. I still can't dance!

Thanx so much Tom. Having you say that the lap steel sounding convincing really made my day. I've always loved playing Sleepwalk, but on my guitar with lots of reverb and slides!

Thanx Shigeki for the very kind review. All it takes to get a good MIDI sound is a good MIDI sound source and some MIDI knowledge. It's not that hard.



Yes they were really good. Thanx for listening.



Yic, I think most all of us "oldie but goodies" remember Sleepwalk. I'm glad that you like this.

Santo and Johnny was a influence on my playing back in the good ol' times, as was Duane Eddy. Maybe he will be my next project.

Marty, thanx for noticing the chord progression. Thanx for the very nice comments. Sometimes I have a little to much fun

A sweet little tune Mario!!! Love that pedal sound!!! Where do you get all your one liners that appear on your page? Really nice song!!! Take care. Greg

Strolling along Silver Beach and slow dancing in the old Shadowland Ballroom.

Your lap steel is captivating.

Another great one, Mario!

Nice sound! The Steel is still on my "To Buy" list, I love the sound and it sounds great here.

As you said, a pleasant simple song.

Thanx so much Greg. I get those one liners from many places like joke books, emails, t-shirts, etc.

Thanx for listening and commenting. I'm glad that you liked it.



Yes that VSTi is excellent. There are a number of VSTis from Indiginus that are on my "To buy" list. Everything that I have purchased from them is excellent.

Wow Mario, that steel is incredible. You did such a good job with it I never would have guessed it was done with a keyboard! There are even several places where I could swear I'm hearing the bar slide up or down the strings. Incredible. I'll have to take your word for it being easy, it doesn't sound that way to me - just another excellent job by Mario.

Mario

Very pleasant take on the Santo & Johnny vibe.

The lap steel sounds really nice throughout - well played and composed.

Peter

Thanx so much Brad for this wonderful review.

It really was easy to play that VSTi. A good VSTi and a little MIDI experience can do wonders.



Thanx so much Peter. I really like that lap steel VSTi.

We got it!

Mario, that steel sound is excellent.

We much like an ethereal steel and have often used RT's with that vibe.
Your work with it is very convincing and it sits nicely with all the other tracks in a mix that sounds great on the monitors.

Well done,

J&B

Mario
Another excellent instrumental
Very cool use of the steel. NICELY done!
Strings sound excellent
Nice piano parts (I would prefer it to be a beefier piano an upright or something?)

fj

Hi MarioD,

Very relaxing composition. It's sweet and pleasant. Well done.

Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash

Pretty song Mario. The groove to this song is very addictive. The lapsteel provided a very cool texture to the piece. Well done

This is so beautiful. Absolutely beautiful - I really enjoyed. I'm not old enough for the Santo reference, haha ;-) ... but this is nevertheless a somehow soothing, beautiful song. Bravo.

Sweet Playing Mario!

Nice work.

Very soothing.

Thanx so much for listening and commenting. I really like that lap steel VSTi!



Thanx Floyd for listening and commenting, especially the piano idea.

Mario,

Very soothing composition that falls softly and lovely on the ears. Nice arrangement and mix. Love that steel sound you have going throughout. A simple song, perhaps, but wonderful!

All my best to you this holiday season,

Deej

Thanx so much gentlemen for listening and commenting on this simple song. I appreciate your comments.

Thanx David.

Thanx for these very nice comments. I really like that lap steel VSTi!

Mario

There you go again making a lovely sounding piece of music with your own unique twist on it! I love you always experiment with different sounds! It's inspiring to me!

Thanks, T