Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Hard Times, Come No More
(Please use the alternative link at bottom of page if you have SC issues. Thanks)

Hard Times, Come No More was written by Stephen Foster in 1853 (obviously putting it in the Public Domain smile ) He wrote it as a plea to the more fortunate to be more understanding of those less fortunate. A plea that continues to resonate through the years.

It has been recorded by countless artists with the first wax cylinder version appearing in 1905. We did a version years ago with our bluegrass band and have often thought of it after becoming introduced to BiaB. Since the vast majority of interpretations have been folk versions we decided to try something a bit edgier while attempting to maintain the melancholy feel. Toward that end we also placed it in a minor key. We slightly tweaked the lyrics here and there to make it a bit less Victorian in style.

Tom agreed to dust off his reso-guitar and play the lead track…and we are glad he did!

We always appreciate both your time to listen and your comments.

Janice: Lead vocal via Rodes NT1
Tom: Reso-guitar
Drums: RD BluesRock 12-8
Bass: RT 733 Jazz Ballad (very simple option) several comped generations
R Guitar: RT 1923 Texas Blues 12-8
Piano: Super midi 1886 12-8

All pre-mastering effects via Ozone 6 and Nectar 2
Mixing: Logic Pro X
Mastering: Ozone 6

HARD TIMES, COME NO MORE

© 2015 Trad. Arr. Janice & Bud Merritt

LET US PAUSE IN LIFE’S PLEASURES AND COUNT IT’S MANY TEARS
FOR WE ALL SHARE SORROW WITH THE POOR
THERE’S A SONG THAT WILL LINGER FOREVER IN OUR EARS
OH, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE

(turnaround)

WHILE WE SEEK FUN AND BEAUTY AND THINGS MUSIC CAN SAY
THERE ARE FRAIL FORMS WAITING AT THE DOOR
THOUGH THEIR VOICES ARE SILENT, THEIR PLEADING EYES WILL PRAY
HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE

IT’S THE SONG, THE SIGH OF THE WEARY
HARD TIMES, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE
MANY DAYS YOU’VE LINGERED AROUND MY DOOR
OH, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE

(turnaround)

IT’S A SIGH THAT HAS DRIFTED ACROSS THE WINTRY PLAINS
IT’S A WAIL THAT IS HEARD UPON THE SHORE
IT’S A DIRGE THAT IS MURMURED ACROSS THE LONELY GRAVE
HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE

IT’S THE SONG, THE SIGH OF THE WEARY
HARD TIMES, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE
MANY DAYS YOU’VE LINGERED AROUND MY DOOR
OH, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE
HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE

Alternative play link: Here

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,056
C
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,056
Nice interpretation of the song. Vocals, instrumentation, mix and arrangement are stellar.

Charlie


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,892
G
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
G
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,892
A beautiful job by all!! I know this from Eastmountain South. You guys took it a completely different direction and did so expertly. Vocal is wonderful, Resonator sings the painful emotion, and everything works as it should. Another real treat!! Take care. Greg

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Originally Posted By: c_fogle
Nice interpretation of the song. Vocals, instrumentation, mix and arrangement are stellar.

Charlie


Thanks Charlie. These minimalist production we've been doing lately make it a lot easier to mix and master.

J&B

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 613
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 613
Very cool! Janice sounds great. As does Tom's resonator track.
The mix is very nice... everything sits nicely. I especially like how the piano sits & sounds. cool

Great Job,

Greg

User Showcase
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,063
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,063
Love it. Especially the way you sing "weary". Beautiful arrangement and resonator.

Josie

User Showcase
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719
Very nice trad type blues. Excellent guitar work.
My goodness you people are prolific with the quality productions.
Cheers.

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 18,255
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 18,255
J & B
Really top delivery.
Agree with Josie's comment about the 'weary' sounding vocals. Perfect for this number.
Tom certainly got the dust off his reso-guitar, too.
Really well presented,
Thanks
Trevor


BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 313
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 313
Originally Posted By: Greg Johnson
A beautiful job by all!! Vocal is wonderful, Resonator sings the painful emotion, and everything works as it should. Another real treat!! Take care. Greg


Hi Janice and Bud,
Greg said it well! Blues performing is not easy! You three are catching the essence! Loved your interpretation, loved Toms guitar playing!

Grts
Fred

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Originally Posted By: Achordocaster
Very cool! Janice sounds great. As does Tom's resonator track.
The mix is very nice... everything sits nicely. I especially like how the piano sits & sounds. cool

Great Job,

Greg


Thanks Greg. And thanks for mentioning the piano. FJ has schooled me on mixing them!

J&B

Originally Posted By: Sundance
Love it. Especially the way you sing "weary". Beautiful arrangement and resonator.
Josie


Thanks Josie!
Janice

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Hi Janice, Bud and Tommy,

wonderful vocals and emotional resonator guitar. That piano is nice, too.
Very enjoyable listen.

Guenter

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 9,301
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 9,301
Yep... just want to say ditto...

Nice work.

I don't know this song, but I like your interpretation of it.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add 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: Aug 2012
Posts: 11,635
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11,635
I don't know how it could get any better than that.

The production is perfect. The mix is perfect. Every instrument strong, yet all joining together as a perfect whole.

The vocal is perfect. Emotive. Sounding effortless...natural.

The dobro - perfect. A very talented man...

This should be held up with/against the best versions of the song...

Ya'll are GOOD.

fj

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,646
P
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
P
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,646
Another great work from your team. As always the vocal is just amazing; but there is no weak link in this one. thanks for sharing


My Tunes

Psalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Originally Posted By: RichMac
Very nice trad type blues. Excellent guitar work.
My goodness you people are prolific with the quality productions.
Cheers.


Thanks! We're having a lot of fun with this thanks to great collaborators, this community and BiaB!

J&B

User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,074
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,074
I always love blues in a minor key with a mournful dobro and believably blue vocals!

Janice, part of what makes your blues so good is that you have a way of traversing that middle ground between sounding defeated and feeling hopeful. Maybe it's that elasticity in your voice that makes it a little bit sure and a little bit in transition... much like the thinking of somebody struggling to stand up under the pressures of life... which is the blues in a nutshell.

Tommy... I'm hoping you give lessons! Your talent manifests in yet another way! Not surprisingly, you nailed it! But more importantly than nailing a technique is nailing the perfect accompaniment for a specific vocal. Your sliding notes echo Janice's sliding voice better than any other accompaniment yet! I'm betting that's exactly what Bud had in mind when he asked you to play Dobro.. ?

Bud, once again your interpretation of a classic shows what a good sense you have for what makes a song enjoyable. All of these different songs you've arranged, all of them different yet you haven't missed a lick yet. Every one has hit the mark.. and IMO, that's quite an achievement.

As a collaboration, my hat is off to each of you and all of you! Thanks for sharing such good music with the rest of us!

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,986
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,986
Do you guys ever do anytning that is not good? I don't thinks so. I like everything I have heard you post. I like what Pat said, Janice - you do have that expression in your voice that points out defeat, but somehow brings hope.

And Tommy, you really shine on this one, too (as you do on everything I've heard you do).

Great job, guys!

Steve


Steve Young
Music
"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976



Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
J & B
Really top delivery.
Agree with Josie's comment about the 'weary' sounding vocals. Perfect for this number.
Tom certainly got the dust off his reso-guitar, too.
Really well presented,
Thanks
Trevor



Thanks y'all. We are delighted that the "weary" feel worked for you. And, yes, Tom did a wonderful job of complementing the vocal. We had a lot of fun with this one and we most appreciate the comments.

J&B

Last edited by Janice & Bud; 01/29/15 12:12 PM.
User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Low down done right! Super job on the arrangement.

much enjoyed!

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,976
Originally Posted By: FredM
Originally Posted By: Greg Johnson
A beautiful job by all!! Vocal is wonderful, Resonator sings the painful emotion, and everything works as it should. Another real treat!! Take care. Greg


Hi Janice and Bud,
Greg said it well! Blues performing is not easy! You three are catching the essence! Loved your interpretation, loved Toms guitar playing!

Grts
Fred


Thanks! Glad you liked this bluesy version.

Originally Posted By: boehm
Hi Janice, Bud and Tommy,

wonderful vocals and emotional resonator guitar. That piano is nice, too.
Very enjoyable listen.

Guenter


Thank you Guenter. I was lucky to stumble upon that piano track!

J&B

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!

The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!

There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.

If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.

We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!

Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.

Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

Video: Volume Automation in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created a video to help you learn more about the Volume Automation options in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows.

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Volume Automation

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#volume-automation

Video: Audio Input Monitoring with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created this short video to explain Audio Input Monitoring within Band-in-a-Box® 2024, and included some tips & troubleshooting details too!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Audio Input Monitoring

3:17: Tips
5:10: Troubleshooting

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#audio-input-monitoring

Video: Enhanced Melodists in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®!

We've enhanced the Melodists feature included in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows!

Access the Melodist feature by pressing F7 in the program to open the new MultiPicker Library and locate the [Melodist] tab.

You can now generate a melody on any track in the program - very handy! Plus, you select how much of the melody you want generated - specify a range, or apply it to the whole track.

See the Melodist in action with our video, Band-in-a-Box® 2024: The Melodist Window.

Learn even more about the enhancements to the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024upgrade/chapter3.htm#enhanced-melodist

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

New with the DAW Plugin Version 6.0, released with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows: the Reaper® Panel!

This new panel offers built-in specific support for the Reaper® DAW API allowing direct transfer of Band-in-a-Box® files to/from Reaper® tracks!

When you run the Plugin from Reaper®, there is a panel to set the following options:
-BB Track(s) to send: This allows you to select the Plugin tracks that will be sent Reaper.
-Destination Reaper Track: This lets you select the destination Reaper track to receive media content from the Plugin.
-At Bar: You can select a bar in Reaper where the Plugin tracks should be placed.
-Start Below Selected Track: This allows you to place the Plugin tracks below the destination Reaper track.
-Overwrite Reaper Track: You can overwrite previous content on the destination Reaper track.
-Move to Project Folder: With this option, you can move the Plugin tracks to the Reaper project folder.
-Send Reaper Instructions Enable this option to send the Reaper Instructions instead of rendering audio tracks, which is faster.
-Render Audio & Instructions: Enable this option to generate audio files and the Reaper instructions.
-Send Tracks After Generating: This allows the Plugin to automatically send tracks to Reaper after generating.
-Send Audio for MIDI Track: Enable this option to send rendered audio for MIDI tracks.
-Send RealCharts with Audio: If this option is enabled, Enable this option to send RealCharts with audio.

Check out this video highlighting the new Reaper®-specific features: Band-in-a-Box® DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Video

The new Band-in-a-Box VST DAW Plugin Verion 6 adds over 20 new features!

Watch the new features video to learn more: Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2024 - DAW Plugin Version 6 New Features

We also list these new features at www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.plugin.htm.

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,390
Posts732,456
Members38,441
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
Ernest J, ingridguerci94, Izzy, BenChaz, Csofi
38,440 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 195
Al-David 124
DC Ron 113
dcuny 87
rsdean 83
Today's Birthdays
CeeDee, SethMould
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5