Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#310443 09/14/15 11:08 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Soulless Confrontation (9-12-2015)

https://soundcloud.com/lawrence-olivier/soulless-confrontation

Soulless Confrontation (9-12-2015)

Half a sandwich in your left hand/ half a pickle in your right
That guitar in your lap man/ we’ve been at this thing all night
You know you lied when you said/”just an in and out”
Let’s put this damn thing to bed/ before it turns to doubt

The smudges on your window/ your smoky chandelier
The dull glow and the shadow/ like no one’s living here
There’s meaning in your movement/ there’s downhill in your stride
There’s room for some improvement/ obstruction in your pride

And you’re all: quiet conversation, moody celebration, Soulless Confrontation

You claim this is your college / it plays more like free-style
I claim no secrete knowledge/ but this might take awhile
You say let’s groove until dawn/ you can’t escape your ghost
I say I want to move on / maybe get out to the coast

And you’re all: groovy modulation, jazzy inspiration, Soulless Confrontation
Arrested maturation, peculiar occupation, Soulless Confrontation


Except for the melody, the key change at the solo and the intro which I wrote last, this is the first song I've written almost entirely in Band In A Box from the beginning. I had an idea of the direction I wanted to go in. For the intro and key change I used my guitar to assist my limited knowledge of theory.

Realtracks: Drums JassFunkGrovin; Bass 1433; Elc piano 1437; Elc Gtr 1435; Horns 2110; Soloist Alto Sax 1441

All of the Realtracks are unedited. I must say Band In A Box is awesome.

I've been studying mixing on Youtube a lot lately for clarity of mix. My references are "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" by Lucinda Williams and "Aja" by Steely Dan.

Musically I was going for that funky Steely Dan vibe. I also wanted to mimic their cryptic lyrical approach. It does tell a story from my life but not explicitly. As it's funky, and soulful I thought the title would hold the proper irony.

Last edited by gruverider; 09/14/15 11:15 PM.
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,587
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,587
I got some Randy Newman there. Good song interesting lyrics liked it. Nice mix.

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
yeh, definitely a Steely influence.
nice vocals and voice sounds good
good mix

thoroughly enjoyed

Alyn

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 19,108
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 19,108
If you were going for a Funky feel, well, you definitely won.

And yes, I can sense Donald Fagan in there somewhere for sure.


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: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Hi Lawrence,

interesting lyrics and chords.
Nice arrangement and mix.
And as always your voice tops it all.
Very enjoyable listen.

Guenter

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11,981
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11,981
Nice work, Lawrence - on many levels.

Your vocal recording has a more "right there with me" feel/sound...

The instrument grouping sounds like a band tight-from-years-of-playing-together. Cool, funky, confident...

Nice write.

I do hear the "Dan-ness" of this, but I thought it sounded most like the old SNL band (when they would play out to commercial).

Great listen.

floyd

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,579
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,579
Man, you got everything right in the pocket here.
That band is cooking.

"The smudges on your window/ your smoky chandelier
The dull glow and the shadow/ like no one’s living here
There’s meaning in your movement/ there’s downhill in your stride
There’s room for some improvement/ obstruction in your pride"

It's all a strong write but the above is our favorite.

And the vocal and production? You are so
consistently outstanding throughout all of
your varied genre endeavors. Another for
the ever expanding Gruve SC playlist!

Kudos!

J&B


You can listen to our catalog on Apple Music or Spotify by searching on Janice Merritt
Our Videos are here on our website
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,360
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,360
I feel the Steely Dan spirit in this, musically and lyrically.
Great groove, great use of the BIAB tracks, this rocks!
I appreciate and relate to your studying on YouTube, there are excellent resources there and just re-listening to songs from the past can start some inspiration. Enjoyed!

Kenny

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 84
Enthusiast
Offline
Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 84
Not much I can say that hasn't been said. Very tight band you got there smile

I dare say if this were a different epoch in the music biz you might have a record contract. Your stuff never fails to impress; I will listen again!

User Showcase
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719
All good here. Great arrangement lyrics and vocals. Cheers.

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,199
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,199
This style really suits your vocals. Very tight and and enjoyable listen from start to finish. You got it right this time for sure.

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: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,139
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,139
You da Funky Monkey, GR! grin Like Bud said - the lyric is great, as well as the production. You've got a Nouveau-Beatnik thing going on that I dig.


Funny you should be referencing "Aja". That song is used by many live sound engineers for sound checking a venue, because it was so well recorded. Roger Nichols and Al Schmitt both worked on that record.


Regards,

Bob

User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Thank you Peter.

User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Originally Posted By: gibson
yeh, definitely a Steely influence.
nice vocals and voice sounds good
good mix

thoroughly enjoyed

Alyn
Thank you Alyn

Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
If you were going for a Funky feel, well, you definitely won.

And yes, I can sense Donald Fagan in there somewhere for sure.


Thanks for stopping in for a listen

Originally Posted By: boehm
Hi Lawrence,

interesting lyrics and chords.
Nice arrangement and mix.
And as always your voice tops it all.
Very enjoyable listen.

Guenter
Thank you Guenter. It was really fun to play with the arrangement and figure out a key change.

Originally Posted By: floyd jane
Nice work, Lawrence - on many levels.

Your vocal recording has a more "right there with me" feel/sound...

The instrument grouping sounds like a band tight-from-years-of-playing-together. Cool, funky, confident...

Nice write.

I do hear the "Dan-ness" of this, but I thought it sounded most like the old SNL band (when they would play out to commercial).

Great listen.

floyd
Thank you Floyd.

Originally Posted By: Janice & Bud
Man, you got everything right in the pocket here.
That band is cooking.

"The smudges on your window/ your smoky chandelier
The dull glow and the shadow/ like no one’s living here
There’s meaning in your movement/ there’s downhill in your stride
There’s room for some improvement/ obstruction in your pride"

It's all a strong write but the above is our favorite.

And the vocal and production? You are so
consistently outstanding throughout all of
your varied genre endeavors. Another for
the ever expanding Gruve SC playlist!

Kudos!

J&B
Hey guys thank you. Lyrically it was a fun write. A songwriting friend from long ago would stick his hand in the pickle jar, take a bite of pickle and if an idea struck him, strum his guitar with his pickle fingers. I found that quite amusing.

Originally Posted By: 44kfl
I feel the Steely Dan spirit in this, musically and lyrically.
Great groove, great use of the BIAB tracks, this rocks!
I appreciate and relate to your studying on YouTube, there are excellent resources there and just re-listening to songs from the past can start some inspiration. Enjoyed!

Kenny
Thank you Kenny. Yes there are a lot of producers with technique videos and I'm beginning to learn just how much I didn't understand. It's a fun journey!

Originally Posted By: mwgilbert
Not much I can say that hasn't been said. Very tight band you got there smile

I dare say if this were a different epoch in the music biz you might have a record contract. Your stuff never fails to impress; I will listen again!
That's very generous of you. Thank you.

Originally Posted By: RichMac
All good here. Great arrangement lyrics and vocals. Cheers.
Always good to hear from you.

User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Originally Posted By: c_fogle
This style really suits your vocals. Very tight and and enjoyable listen from start to finish. You got it right this time for sure.

Charlie
Thank you Charlie.

Originally Posted By: 90 dB
You da Funky Monkey, GR! grin Like Bud said - the lyric is great, as well as the production. You've got a Nouveau-Beatnik thing going on that I dig.


Funny you should be referencing "Aja". That song is used by many live sound engineers for sound checking a venue, because it was so well recorded. Roger Nichols and Al Schmitt both worked on that record.


Regards,

Bob
I suppose I set the bar at the top but why not? lol! Thanks for commenting Bob.

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,972
G
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
G
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,972
You're on a roll Lawrence!! This is very cool. The changes and the way the horns work is killer. Very live, spontaneous feel! And, many have mentioned the Dan. There's no greater fan of the Dan than I, and you definitely have elements of them in this tune. It's excellent all the way around. The strange, cryptic lyrics make in all the more like the Dan. Really dig it!! Take care. Greg

User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,074
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,074
Quote:
Musically I was going for that funky Steely Dan vibe. I also wanted to mimic their cryptic lyrical approach.


Ever since the first song you've posted here, I've held your song-writing ability in very high regard. You've got a bunch of undefinable things going that really work for you. GRUVERIDER is a good nick for you, because you do seem to be riding the crest of multiple grooves...

Even before I read your intro, it was obvious you've been listening to steely dan... you nailed it, too.

And I find it interesting that you zeroed in on what you call their "cryptic lyrics" because in my opinion, most of your lyrics leave me wondering where on earth you got the idea to use a certain phrase or collection of unrelated thoughts in a lyric. But wherever you get them, I must say you are really GOOD at it!


User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,831
Originally Posted By: Greg Johnson
You're on a roll Lawrence!! This is very cool. The changes and the way the horns work is killer. Very live, spontaneous feel! And, many have mentioned the Dan. There's no greater fan of the Dan than I, and you definitely have elements of them in this tune. It's excellent all the way around. The strange, cryptic lyrics make in all the more like the Dan. Really dig it!! Take care. Greg


Thank you Greg. The horns sound so cool they really lifted this song to a different place. Dig the Dan!

Originally Posted By: Pat Marr

Ever since the first song you've posted here, I've held your song-writing ability in very high regard. You've got a bunch of undefinable things going that really work for you. GRUVERIDER is a good nick for you, because you do seem to be riding the crest of multiple grooves...

Even before I read your intro, it was obvious you've been listening to steely dan... you nailed it, too.

And I find it interesting that you zeroed in on what you call their "cryptic lyrics" because in my opinion, most of your lyrics leave me wondering where on earth you got the idea to use a certain phrase or collection of unrelated thoughts in a lyric. But wherever you get them, I must say you are really GOOD at it!

Thank you Pat for your time and comments. Your love of music shines through in all of the comments you leave and not just on my songs. I'm glad you liked this one. It was fun to put together.

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,289
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,289
Wow! Thanks for doing this song! I was blown away by how good the "players" were! I try to listen to the song before reading anything about it...including to what extent BIAB was used. I was actually worried, or convinced, you were either playing the parts, or had a band that you were a part of. Great job picking RT that go well together.

I like the song all the way around. It seemed confident and laid back, but NEVER even remotely boring. That was GREAT!


Chad (Hope that makes it easier)

TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,008
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,008
Nice groove!


-- David Cuny
My virtual singer development blog

Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?
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
New! XPro Styles PAK 7 for Band-in-a-Box 2024 for Mac!

We've just released XPro Styles PAK 7 with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 50 RealTracks and RealDrums that are sure to delight!

With XPro Styles PAK 7 you can expect 25 rock & pop, 25 jazz, and 25 country styles, as well as 25 of this year's wildcard genre: Celtic!

Here's a small sampling of what XPro Styles PAK 7 has to offer: energetic rock jigs, New Orleans funk, lilting jazz waltzes, fast Celtic punk, uptempo train beats, gritty grunge, intense jazz rock, groovy EDM, soulful R&B, soft singer-songwriter pop, country blues rock, and many more!

Special Pricing! Until September 30, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 7 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea)! Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box 2024® with XPro Styles PAK 7! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.

Watch the XPro Styles PAK 7 Overview & Styles Demos video.

XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2024 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.

New! Xtra Styles PAK 18 for Band-in-a-Box 2024 for Mac!

Xtra Styles PAK 18 for Band-in-a-Box version 2024 is here with 200 brand new styles to take for a spin!

Along with 50 new styles each for the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, we’ve put together a collection of styles using sounds from the SynthMaster plugin!

In this PAK you'll find: dubby reggae grooves, rootsy Americana, LA jazz pop, driving pop rock, mellow electronica, modern jazz fusion, spacey country ballads, Motown shuffles, energetic EDM, and plenty of synth heavy grooves! Xtra Style PAK 18 features these styles and many, many more!

Special Pricing! Until September 30, 2024, all the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 18 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea)! Expand your Band-in-a-Box 2024® library with Xtra Styles PAK 18! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 18 here.

Watch the Xtra Styles PAK 18 Overview & Styles Demos video.

Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 18 requires the 2024 UltraPAK/UltraPAK+/Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

New! Xtra Styles PAK 18 for Band-in-a-Box 2024 for Windows!

Xtra Styles PAK 18 for Band-in-a-Box version 2024 is here with 200 brand new styles to take for a spin!

Along with 50 new styles each for the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, we’ve put together a collection of styles using sounds from the SynthMaster plugin!

In this PAK you'll find: dubby reggae grooves, rootsy Americana, LA jazz pop, driving pop rock, mellow electronica, modern jazz fusion, spacey country ballads, Motown shuffles, energetic EDM, and plenty of synth heavy grooves! Xtra Style PAK 18 features these styles and many, many more!

Special Pricing! Until September 30, 2024, all the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 18 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea)! Expand your Band-in-a-Box 2024® library with Xtra Styles PAK 18! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 18 here.

Watch the Xtra Styles PAK 18 Overview & Styles Demos video.

Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 18 requires the 2024 UltraPAK/UltraPAK+/Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

New! XPro Styles PAK 7 for Band-in-a-Box 2024 for Windows!

We've just released XPro Styles PAK 7 with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 50 RealTracks and RealDrums that are sure to delight!

With XPro Styles PAK 7 you can expect 25 rock & pop, 25 jazz, and 25 country styles, as well as 25 of this year's wildcard genre: Celtic!

Here's a small sampling of what XPro Styles PAK 7 has to offer: energetic rock jigs, New Orleans funk, lilting jazz waltzes, fast Celtic punk, uptempo train beats, gritty grunge, intense jazz rock, groovy EDM, soulful R&B, soft singer-songwriter pop, country blues rock, and many more!

Special Pricing! Until September 30, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 7 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea)! Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box 2024® with XPro Styles PAK 7! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.

Watch the XPro Styles PAK 7 Overview & Styles Demos video.

XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2024 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.

Video - Band-in-a-Box® DAW Plugin Version 6 for Mac®: New Features for Reaper

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 includes built-in specific support for the Reaper® DAW API, allowing direct transfer of Band-in-a-Box® files to/from Reaper tracks, including tiny lossless files of instructions which play audio instantly from disk.

We demonstrate the new Reaper features in the Band-in-a-Box® VST DAW Plugin 6.0 in our video, Band-in-a-Box® DAW Plugin Version 6 for Mac®: New Features for Reaper

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Mac® - Update Today!

Already grabbed your copy of Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Mac®? Head to our Support Page to download build 803 and update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 installation with the latest version developed by our team!

Learn more & download now.

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Mac® Video - Over 50 New Features and Enhancements!

Read all about the 50+ newest features in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Mac®, or you can watch our video "Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Mac®: Over 50 New Features and Enhancements!" to see it in action!

Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics82,884
Posts750,554
Members38,927
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
DMD, Cutta, shandrakeeb, One Box Band, Ninjasef
38,926 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
DC Ron 124
rsdean 113
MarioD 93
BYOBand 93
dcuny 80
vicarn 79
Today's Birthdays
Jim Fogle
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5