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Songwriting
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 15
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 15 |
I'd like to try out something here - Let's talk about YOUR musical influences. As the subject is very broad, I try to give some idea for what I'm after: I love discovering new music, but also discovering new things I should be listening within songs, be it a radio-pop-song or symphonic orchestra playing some small phrase within 60-minute long concert. I'd like to hear Your favorite moments with songs you have chosen, and why those small moments or whole songs affect your music so much as an composer/arranger (try to point out what makes it so special or what listener should listen for). If you can, give some insights to how the part/song is structured and works like it does (educate us!) I guess it would be preferable to throw either Spotify or Youtube links with specific time already marked (right click Youtube video and use "copy video URL at current time"). It might be best not to put embedded Youtube videos, as it probably breaks structure of your message / list. So here is my selection in no specific order, which is heavy influenced by "larger-than-life moods" (... well, soundtrack genre...): --- Ed Sheeran - I See Fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fngvQS_PmQOne of the best folk ballads around. It has very nice voicings and it became my first piano song which I studied very carefully in order to understand what makes it to sound like it does. I'v made an Youtube video for beginners, in which I explain how to voice this for piano ( https://youtu.be/wR74Cfrht88?t=42 ) --- Alan Wake - Deerfest https://youtu.be/Ax__pmu1xBQ?t=139Petri Alanko is one of my favorite composers and his Alan Wake soundtrack was big influence for me to get into soundtrack -genre. This short intercept is one of me most unique chord progressions in all it's simplicity. I'v discussed about this chord progression within VI Forum and it's power seems to come from altering major/minors and resolving sustains. Transcript of this particular part can be downloaded as PDF from here http://vi-control.net/community/attachments/petri-alanko-alan-wake-deerfest-pdf.4064/ (thanks to great community of VI Control, who helped to transcribe it for me). --- Panu Aaltio - Water Cycle (01:05 -> to the end) https://open.spotify.com/track/4Ui1hUa0ciicslprdwP5a6Panu Aaltio is one of those names who are rising within film industry. He has roots within computer music (under alias "Firestorm" back in 2000) and he made soundtrack for Finnish documentary "Tale Of The Lake" (which is nature documentary about water & lakes). When I heard this song playing on movie theater right before the ending credits I almost cried. Very powerful arrangement. I guess the percussions here play out big part, but it's about the overall tone and mixture of different instruments. --- Chance Thomas - Lord Of The Rings Online - Legacy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGV5j1mHrMoI rarely get excited over video game soundtracks as much as I'v been over whole "Lord Of The Rings Online - Riders Of The Rohan" -soundtrack by Chance Thomas. In my opinion it's orchestration is masterpiece, and you can hear how the song flows and blends between themes. Whole album is full of this kind of masterful themes and moods with wide range of instruments. --- Moonsorrow, a Finnish black metal band, is absolutely the biggest influence of everything I do musically! No kidding! I love all the kinds of band and genres, be it George Strait -country or John Williams symphony, but the biggest influence really has been a black metal band. Strangely enough, Moonsorrow opened my mind and how I perceive music. It thought me to *listen* music much more closely and keep even more open minded, even as I had been listening for metal bands for over 15 years before. The mastermind behind Moonsorrow, composer/keyboardist Henri Sorvali, is one of the most talented composers I know. He works at Rovio (The Angry Birds -company), is multi-genre-talent, and according to Wikipedia idolizes Frank Zappa, Danny Elfman ja Jeremy Soule  I know not many users within this forum can even stand this kind of non-musical "rubbish". It's hard to understand what the musical idea is, as you are probably getting stuck within its aggressiveness and groaning singing style... still, I have introduced this band for many who dislike this kind of music, and ultimately quite a few have been amazed how they have grown over these few songs I have made 'em to listen. Unlike one might initially think, Moonsorrow doesn't sing about devil worship -- it's lyrics are historic tales influenced by Finnish folklore... and no, that S -letter within their logo isn't Nazi-symbol either (yeah, the press already tried to make headlines over this subject last year). Hearing the intro of "Huuto" ("The yell" or "The shout") for the first time was one of the biggest moments for me. No matter if you like or dislike rest of the song, I hope you get my point about the intro... I also had to choose Ruttolehto, as it also has very powerful melody within both intro and recurring theme. Also both songs are long, over 15 minutes, but have very masterfully crafted structures with recurring and altering themes, which leads to hypnotic feeling while listening (but this of course requires multiple listens, as you need to get familiar with songs)... Moonsorrow - Huuto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRg8Tg-oM_A ( Intro ) Moonsorrow - Ruttolehto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcuusxiIWrc ( Intro ) https://youtu.be/CcuusxiIWrc?t=345 ( Recurring theme, which leads to instrumental C-part at around 6:55) btw: I love the comment someone gave to "Ruttolehto" on Youtube: "Who else likes the part from 0:00 to 15:22?"  --- Opeth - Windowpane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEaf9LqIUZQOpeth - Hope leaves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anuzo1_KSY8Opeth has been second most influencial band for me. Even though being death metal band, their jazz influenced ballads are amazing ("windowpane", "hope leaves" etc). I spent three years just learning to play these songs with guitar. You should listen for chord voicings, especially the bass lines, and how the melody of singing builds over those voicings. --- Porcupine Tree - Trains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UHwkfhwjskAs an honorary mention, Trains has been one of the most influencial tracks for me. It has very clever backbeat and open chord voicings with guitar, which make that repeating chord structure to float for whole track. There are many great live versions of "Trains" available within Youtube and you should check 'em out. Please share what you think of my choices - feel free to tell if you you discovered something new, ask if you'd like to know something more, or simply tell if you didn't like choices at all! Also, please share your song picks, and feel free to throw anything, be it "Gangnam Style" or dixieland jazz!
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Songwriting
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 11,034
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 11,034 |
Since my musical interests are widely diverse... from Country, old and new, to hard rock like AC/DC to ZZ TOP, to jazz, to pop, to old soul..... man... where do I start?
For now, I'll sand bag it.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
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Songwriting
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 904
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 904 |
David Gilmore of Pink Floyd on his Comfortably Numb Solo ("Pulse" live version). That whole solo is so inspiring. It builds up dynamically slowly and ends up in a wave like guitar tremolo usage. It`s really like surfing on a wave of melancholy.
And even though I never use the whammy bar on my guitar, it inspired me to explore new techniques and sounds in regard to achieving special kind of moods.
Sandra
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Songwriting
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,299
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,299 |
David Gilmore of Pink Floyd on his Comfortably Numb Solo ("Pulse" live version). That whole solo is so inspiring. It builds up dynamically slowly and ends up in a wave like guitar tremolo usage. It`s really like surfing on a wave of melancholy.
And even though I never use the whammy bar on my guitar, it inspired me to explore new techniques and sounds in regard to achieving special kind of moods.
Sandra That's fantastic that you are exploring! I've always believed it's "fair game" to use any tool to try to express and relate an emotion musically. I think a lot of people stop short because they hear someone overuse a device, not to relate but more of a "look at me" kind of thing. You, I believe, are on the right path! And I agree, that is a cool solo!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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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.
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
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