|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Boy, when I'm gone a while, I'm gone a while, no? Hope everybody had a great Holiday Season, I know I did, and I got NOTHING done music-wise (not quite, I did write a second verse for my original "Christmas Eve" which you have not heard -- not a BIAB tune, either) Ok, Ghosts. Finally got back to working on my CD compilation, and this is the title track. I think I finally found some BIAB trax that work toward the mood I was going for. It's a look back at some of my romantic life in my college years. It's actually a mashup of three relationships. Inspired by the fact that certain, often incredibly mundane places around town trigger certain deeply significant memories from those years. When I see these places, I can practically see us standing there, and it's all happening again. Since I still live here I see these locations all the time, driving to work, walking across campus or down Broadway. I was riding my bicycle into work one day and it hit me that there's this place, by a chain link fence in a parking lot by the hospital that was the far point of a walk I'd taken with a young lady ... well it's a long long story, but we got there and she told me how it was, and it crushed me, and EVERY TIME I see it I can see our former selves standing there, well over 30 years ago, perpetually having that talk. And I realized I had similar memories tied to other places around town. They were my ghosts, and their ghosts, and I thought to myself ... "There's ghosts around this town" Now I know it ain't proper English, but that's the thought so I left it that way in the lyric because that's how the song started. From that seed. And here it is, for better or worse..... The sound ... I wanted something moody and brooding. I'd picked a cello and a bowed bass (love that bowed bass) and some simple strumming guitar (I write everything on guitar so far) but it was too... I don't know. Stiff. That was last fall. I decided maybe I wanted some moody Mark Knopflery sounding guitar, but everything BIAB had under "Dire" was too busy. But I kept playing, and stumbled on the "Dreamy" guitar bits, and SHAZZAM!! I think this is what I was looking for. Lyrics below. ****** Song Summary ************* Title: Ghosts File:Ghosts_With Bridge in E.SGU Key=E , Tempo 80, Length (m:s)=3:36 intro. 70 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 70. Repeat x1 chorus No Melody Soloist track has 294 notes, Soloist harmony is < no harmony >(0) Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0, Song is saved with bar changes for Volume Changes, Style is _GETAMP.STY (Ev Pop Country w Amplitube Solo) RealTracks in song: ~2483:Bass, Acoustic, Bowed HeldSimple Ev 085 RealTracks in song: 2558:Cello, Background SlowSwing Sw 065 RealTracks in style: ~362:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085 RealTracks in song: ~542:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Dreamy Ev 085 Loop in Song: Drums\SmoothJazzBallad^5-XStRd,SnrRide RealTracks in song: 2448:Guitar, Electric, Background, PopDreamyBrent Ev 085 RealDrums in Song: CountryEven8: a: Brushes, HiHat b: Snare, Ride ******************* Ghosts Phil Leith There's ghosts around this town I see them every day Echoes from the past Leave traces here today They're tied to the locations Of epic conversations Brooding ruminations Over shattered expectations Like tincture on a tintype I can pick her in a crowd In a moment she is gone again And I never turned around On this very corner She asks if I will stay But self-doubt gets the best of me And I turn and walk away I can see her in the window Where she hasn't been for years By the fence around this parking lot She confirms my greatest fears There's a room were she is holding me And my worries melt away There's the bar where I will go to bleed When there's nothing more to say There's ghosts around this town I see them every day Echoes from the past Leave traces here today Echoes from the past Leave traces here today https://soundcloud.com/phil-leith/ghosts-2019Video: https://youtu.be/2o9NfKZOgBk
Last edited by Phil Leith; 01/14/19 06:41 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,264
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,264 |
The forward vocal and reverb remind me, oddly, of Honey by Bobby Goldsboro.
You've addressed the plural disagreement of the title and hook and fair enough as you're the writer.
To my ears it does clunk each time I hear it.
There seems to be some clash underneath the end of this line "And I turn and walk away"
I know the sense of what your mean when you sang
"There's a room were she is holding me" struck me as suggesting restraint/kidnapping and took my mind away from the narrative.
Finally your voice lacks the certainty of the rest of the song when you sing the last word in "I see them every day".
Excellent narrative, well supported by the arrangement and a cool melody.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,752
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,752 |
Nice backstory, it really opens the story behind the lyrics and gives strong imagery. I like the melancholy in the beautiful delicate arrangement and 60's type of chording and melody. Great work!
Janne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,713
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,713 |
My two favorite lyrical parts are, "There's the bar where I will go to bleed" and "Like tincture on a tintype." The latter creates an image that complements your theme of ghost around the town. John Gorka broke the same grammar rule when he sang "There's houses in the fields." I don't have a problem with breaking the rules--"She's got a ticket to ride/and she don't care"--however, your language is elevated and more sophisticated (which is good!) than a persona who would say, "There's ghosts..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
"There seems to be some clash underneath the end of this line "And I turn and walk away" "
Ok, so it's not just me. Good to know. I've heard it, too and wondered if I should get rid of it. I will.
I tried singing "There're ghosts around this town". But just sounded square.
The other thing is, with this latest version I tried harder to enunciate more, and I think it lost some flow.
" "There's a room were she is holding me" struck me as suggesting restraint/kidnapping and took my mind away from the narrative. "
Now that's funny! Never crossed my mind someone might hear it that way.
Thanks for the feedback, I will put it to good use.
Last edited by Phil Leith; 01/12/19 06:53 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,944
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,944 |
A pleasantly sounding tune with vivid lyrical images...
I enjoyed listening to your composition.
Jim
†=☮&♥
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Good feedback, Ezekiel! Thank you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Ok, I've re-recorded vocals, killed the wonky dissonance in one particular part of the instrumental track, and it sounds muuuuuch better now. :-)
Thank you people for your feedback.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,677
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,677 |
I like this song a lot. Good lyrics, well sung, nice arrangement. Like tincture on a tintype  Nicely done! But... I think there's room for improvement on the mix. There's a lot of reverb, and I think if you cut back on it, that would help. Most problematically, the lead vocal volume drops in volume at various places, like at 3:01. There are some automatic tools to fix this, like using a compressor or something like Waves' Vocal Rider, although I haven't used that myself. What I have often done once I've comped together a final vocal is to normalize all the takes so they are at more or less equal volume. Sometimes that meant slicing phrases into parts as well... I guess I get a bit anal about these things. Since I'm in super-picky mode, there are dissonances in the vocal at 1:10 and cello at 3:17. Not a big deal. And since my nit-picking is much longer than the complimentary portion, I should again emphasize: I really like this song. I just think it's worth another pass to keep the vocals front and center.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,193
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,193 |
Mr. Leith...
"Ghosts" is a completely involving listening experience that imparts strong emotion, its painful lyrics setting the tone of deep regret, and a sense of loss in the subject's heart. It is powerfully atmospheric. Your singing has the sound of a man viewing his past from a distance, which has the effect of lending a visual feel to the song that enabled me to picture vividly the scenes described in it.
I can hear Kris Kristopherson crooning this lonesome ballad.
LOREN (a.k.a. "bluage")
"Music is what feelings sound like."-- borrowed from a Cakewalk Music Creator forum member, "Mamabear".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,169
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,169 |
Reminded me a bit of Lobo, nice and easy to listen to. I also liked the harmonies (I have always been a fan of good harmonies).
Well done.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Yeah, David ... I brought it out to my living room stereo this morning and listened and I have to say, though the vocals are better now than they were, they sound muddy and are still too stiff in places. I've never really sung until recently except for my own amusement, and I'm finding especially with more challenging material (for me - I'm probably better with faster paced tunes where you can't hear my pitchiness so much) trial and error involves a lot of trial. I know what I want to hear, and in places in this song, I'm not there yet. You're giving me some hints. That's good.
I do want reverb especially on the background vocals as I want a dreamy, ethereal sound, but it might be contributing to the muddiness as well. Also need to eq my voice with a little more on the high end. It was sounding a little harsh to me and I'm afraid I overcompensated.
Always appreciate fresh ears. I will be re-mixing and probably re-tackling inflection on a few phrases to loosen it up a little.
Thanks for the encouragement. Since this is the title track, it needs to be more than just "meh". I know it's not anything approaching sounding like a hit, but it still needs to sound as good as I can make it sound.
Last edited by Phil Leith; 01/13/19 08:07 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Thank you, bluage -- that's what I'm going for, so I must be on the right track.
True stories, and after 30 years, I'm "over" them, but I still remember them very well. They helped shape me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
It would be awesome if I could just channel Mark Knopfler's voice in "Piper to the End" (look it up on YouTube). That voice has character.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Lobo. Of Me and You and a Dog named Boo fame. Always liked that song. Bubble-gummy, but in a good way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Right, then. So I completely scrapped and re-did the lead vocal. I had sliced it 9 ways to Sunday and boosted this little volume and cut that little volume and I decided today after reading David's comments and listening to it in the living room that starting over would be best. I had some other ideas anyway. So that's what I did.
I cranked the verb down on the background vocals and knocked some of the edge off of it on the leads, and toned down the verb on a few other tracks just as well. I think there's still enough verb on the guitar to give it that dream effect. I also took the EQ out on the vocals and let the ACON Digital Multiply do whatever it thought was necessary for "Dimensioner 2" which I thought sounded best.
A little dissonance in the cello is ok ... dissonance implies conflict. Too much would suck, and there was too much earlier at the end of the verse right before the break ... on the lead guitar, so I replaced that with another bit of lead which was more in line with that part of the song.
Happier, I think, now.
Thanks again for everyone's feedback. It pushes me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Now that it sounds better.... I made a video for it https://youtu.be/2o9NfKZOgBk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,562
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,562 |
Lovely vocal and backtrack. Excellent listen Well done
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 212 |
Re-uploaded video after I altered the beginning so the rustling leaves and crows stand out more ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L54qEcnohOM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,892
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,892 |
This is REALLY nice Phil!! The lyrics are really fresh and original, the melody is simple and sweet, and the band is perfect (may steal that band for a song)! REALLY enjoyed this!! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!
Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!
Paket | Was ist Neu
Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!
If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums66
Topics81,688
Posts735,984
Members38,541
| |
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean