A little while back, floyd jane made a post about EZ Keys being offered at a better-than-bargain-basement price. I jumped on the wagon and purchased a copy. This song arose from playing around with my then new toy. I thought I'd try my hand at using BIAB to re-create a 1940s styled jazz quintet (drums, piano, guitar, singer, soloist).
Two bass Realtracks (RT) were used to create sections of 2 x bass notes per bar (half-half RT) and 4 x bass notes per bar (qtr-qtr RT). I chose the bass tracks that involved the same artist, and presumably the same acoustic bass, so that the sound was consistent.
Renaissance Bass from Waves was used to add a little extra clarity to the bass.
The piano uses the MIDI notation from the below piano Realtrack. This MIDI was channeled through EZ Keys upright piano. To avoid low frequency clashes between piano and bass, I muted all MIDI piano notes outside one octave lower than middle C.
Volume shaping was used on the trumpet to create musical phrases.
The vocals were processed through Nectar 2.
The final mix was processed through Ozone 8.
Feel free to be critical of any aspect of the song, its arrangement and mix.
Really nice work, Noel! Love the upbeat nature of the tune, and your lyrics fit the mood perfectly. A nice throwback to the crooner style for sure. A nice catchy melody, and the groove is smooth and easy to tap along to.
This sounds like something that came out of Tin Pan Alley!
The dancing/entrancing and you-and-me/company rhymes are especially nice. They hit the ear delightfully. As does the cadence of the "What do you say..." AND "Come On".
Nice instrumentation and an excellent mix. The solo is well done. Your vocal is a real standout in this. So well recorded, so clear and so "right" in the way it sits perfectly in the mix.
Listened to a few songs this afternoon Noel and this as as good as any. Typical Sinatra style of song. Would also be fabulous with a big band backing as well
Hey there Noel96, thank you for sharing this! Excellent mixdown on all of this and the chord progression is very nice. Excellent guitar riffs too. The vocals and piano really help piece it all together. Great work!
I enjoyed everything about this! Others have beaten me to the " should be in the movies" endorsement- its wonderfully in sync with the style and feeling of those singing and dancing shows. Super vocal and production.
Lovely arrangement Noel - clever work with the lower end of piano vs bass - many, many people forget about that aspect of arranging. The song is really good and you've demoed it well with your voice - You really are on the notes. Well done in all areas. Cracker tune.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Wonderful work - straight out of the movies as noted above. Trumpet is enchanting and the lyrics uplifting, and beautifully presented. Top quality all the way.
Good song and a nice clear mix. I loved the solo from the trumpet.
Very well done! Will
Hi Will,
Thanks for jumping in and having a listen.
Like you, I love the trumpet. The minute I heard it, I knew that I could make it work. One of the things that I learnt long ago was never to prejudge a RT by its name. Even though the track was 'Dixieland' and 'Background', it played well in my quasi 1940s jazz ensemble!
Really nice work, Noel! Love the upbeat nature of the tune, and your lyrics fit the mood perfectly. A nice throwback to the crooner style for sure. A nice catchy melody, and the groove is smooth and easy to tap along to.
A solid tune all together - thanks for sharing
Hi Deryk,
Thanks for passing through the thread and having a listen. Appreciate it.
This sounds like something that came out of Tin Pan Alley!
The dancing/entrancing and you-and-me/company rhymes are especially nice. They hit the ear delightfully. As does the cadence of the "What do you say..." AND "Come On".
Nice instrumentation and an excellent mix. The solo is well done. Your vocal is a real standout in this. So well recorded, so clear and so "right" in the way it sits perfectly in the mix.
That piano does have a really nice sound...
Very well done!
fj
Hey floyd.
Thank you for the listen and the analysis! As you know, Tin Pan Alley and the AABA song format are styles that I feel really at home with.
With this song, I had a little help from BIAB's demos. I'm aiming to write a brief note for the Songwriting forum to explain how I did this. The chord charts used for demos can provide a really useful starting place when it comes to making a song and the creativity well is running a bit dry. That was the case here. After loading the demo, I modified it to suit, settled on a style I liked and then played it over and over and over until words and images started coming to mind. Then it was just a matter of co-ordinating and expanding those thoughts into song sections.
Thanks again for taking the time. I always appreciate your visit!
Your excellent voice, the ability to create beautiful melodies and especially the positive lyrical landscape have found their natural home in this classic jazz (Cole Porter) arrangement context. The simple arrangement flows nicely.
Listened to a few songs this afternoon Noel and this as as good as any. Typical Sinatra style of song. Would also be fabulous with a big band backing as well
Hi Graham,
Thanks for dropping by. Like you, now that I think about it, I reckon that this could work with a big band backing. The thought never occurred to me because I was fully focused on using EZ Keys. If I get a spare few minutes one day, I'll fire a band in BIAB and see how it goes. Thanks for suggesting this!
Right from the get go Janice envisioned Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in a 1940’s movie - B&W of course.
It’s a lovely melody, a sweet lyric and delivered with such feeling.
As Janice said, after her eyes glazed over, after reading the production notes, “Whatever he did the band sounds great!”
And Bud offers up that the band, especially the piano and trumpet, is excellent. Thanks for sharing your work flow...it was very informative and it certainly paid off.
You always bring multiple rays of hope and positive vibes to your listeners.
I say this sounds terrific Noel. Made me like I was in one of those grand 40's nightclubs. For some reason my SC ap on this tablet is not letting me do a heart - like symbol otherwise you and several others would have one. grrr Love this Noel.
This sounds like something that came out of Tin Pan Alley!
The dancing/entrancing and you-and-me/company rhymes are especially nice. They hit the ear delightfully. As does the cadence of the "What do you say..." AND "Come On".
Nice instrumentation and an excellent mix. The solo is well done. Your vocal is a real standout in this. So well recorded, so clear and so "right" in the way it sits perfectly in the mix.
That piano does have a really nice sound...
Very well done!
fj
Agreed!! Love it!! I really love that old standard sound. I have played around with it and will post something soon in that vein. The solo sounds custom.....sometimes that just works so well in BIAB! Wonderful!!! Take care. Greg
What an enjoyable listen this is—really a pleasure to the ears! Light and breezy; just makes you feel good inside listening to it. And, not surprising, but terrific work on the production on this. Outstanding stuff!
Hey there Noel96, thank you for sharing this! Excellent mixdown on all of this and the chord progression is very nice. Excellent guitar riffs too. The vocals and piano really help piece it all together. Great work!
Hi Joe,
Thank you! Band In A Box, opens a heap of different doorways for users like me. It's such a fantastic program. In relation to the chord progression, I had a little help from the BIAB demos -- these are a tremendous resource when creativity is flat-lining. When I get a chance, I'll write up how I used and modified one of the demos to create this song.
What a cool, catchy, bouncing song. Personally, I wouldn't change anything or have any suggestions. I likes it the way it tis!
Now, that being said...
There is such a large part of me that would love to hear it one of two different ways 1st is possibly with the old time phonograph type of sound with a bit of crackle and all. It just lends itself to it. IF that was done and someone played this as a song from that period; I would bite hook, line, and sinker.
2nd would be, as mentioned, a backdrop to a movie. I would love to see people dancing, a band playing, and a crooner doing "his thing" on a stage. I would love to also hear the sounds of the crowds sitting at their tables, and the applause at the end.
Applause well deserved either way!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
I enjoyed everything about this! Others have beaten me to the " should be in the movies" endorsement- its wonderfully in sync with the style and feeling of those singing and dancing shows. Super vocal and production.
Robert
Hi Robert,
Thanks for dropping in and having a listen. I really appreciate the visit and the comments.
Love the lunary imagery right out of the gate. Did you happen to catch the eclipse the other night?
Awesome song, thanks for sharing.
Hi Ember!
I didn't get to catch the eclipse but when I was writing these lyrics, I had the below image of a super-moon open on my desktop. This gave me the opening lines! (I've found that when I'm stuck for words, looking at a picture often helps.)
It's a strange and stunning phenomenon how a rising moon can sometimes seem incredibly huge -- magnified by the earth's atmosphere. Then, as it rises higher in the night sky, it shrinks back to its normal size as seen from Earth.
Lovely arrangement Noel - clever work with the lower end of piano vs bass - many, many people forget about that aspect of arranging. The song is really good and you've demoed it well with your voice - You really are on the notes. Well done in all areas. Cracker tune.
Hey Ray,
Thanks for visiting. I always like reading about how you hear my songs. I'm glad you had the time.
Wonderful work - straight out of the movies as noted above. Trumpet is enchanting and the lyrics uplifting, and beautifully presented. Top quality all the way.
Peter
Hi Peter,
This is a period in the development of modern music that really appeals me. I believe that the days of Tin Pan Alley saw melodists and lyricists reach some dizzying heights. That so many songs from this period still populate people's repertoire today is testimony to the talent of these yesteryear songwriters.
Noel, I loved the use of the different bass tracks. Your arrangement is put together with great skill and your vocal styling is smooth and perfect for the genre. Crystal clear mix that just can’t be improved in any way. Another uplifting gem for your catalog. I immensely enjoyed it, Tom
Absolutely no one does this period stuff better than you.
So relaxing.
Perfect in every respect.
This is just very classy throughout.
ROG.
Hi ROG,
I don't often read "classy" in the same paragraph as my name! Thanks for that This is a period in music that I really like. It's genre that's stood the test of time for sure.
Song Overall impression Retro – becoming your speciality! done with affection and respect Mix / Production all sounded well balanced to me Instrumentation Piano phrases are judiciously placed Not all the solo (trumpet?) works for me Vocals you’ve worked hard on your vox Noel and it shows! What I really liked Slick production well structured What you might like to return to the ‘outro’ lyrics seem a little odd to me – not altogether in phase with the rest of the song.
Your excellent voice, the ability to create beautiful melodies and especially the positive lyrical landscape have found their natural home in this classic jazz (Cole Porter) arrangement context. The simple arrangement flows nicely.
Janne
Hi Janne!
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. By the way, I'm a pretty big fan of Cole Porter. He was a very clever songwriter with both words and music.
All the best as spring starts to come your way! Noel
A little while back, floyd jane made a post about EZ Keys being offered at a better-than-bargain-basement price. I jumped on the wagon and purchased a copy. This song arose from playing around with my then new toy. I thought I'd try my hand at using BIAB to re-create a 1940s styled jazz quintet (drums, piano, guitar, singer, soloist).
Noel.... Nothing I can add to the favorable comments already stated....all of which I concur with. Your vocals are very distinct and pleasing to the auditory receptors. You performed the song and this genre perfectly....relaxed and deliberate. Reminds me of an innocent, more care free state of mind during my youth prior to my military picnic.
Right from the get go Janice envisioned Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in a 1940’s movie - B&W of course.
It’s a lovely melody, a sweet lyric and delivered with such feeling.
As Janice said, after her eyes glazed over, after reading the production notes, “Whatever he did the band sounds great!”
And Bud offers up that the band, especially the piano and trumpet, is excellent. Thanks for sharing your work flow...it was very informative and it certainly paid off.
You always bring multiple rays of hope and positive vibes to your listeners.
Thank you.
J&B
Hi Janice and Bud,
Thanks for all the encouragement! I really appreciate it.
I never lose sight of the fact that the real star of the show, though, is Band In A Box. These days I cannot imagine life without the program. I know I could never write the songs I do without this software.
To be able to re-create the sounds of yesteryear so effortlessly and to have the result sounding so professional with minimal effort never ceases to amaze me... it's a bit like magic!
I say this sounds terrific Noel. Made me feel like I was in one of those grand 40's nightclubs. For some reason my SC ap on this tablet is not letting me do a heart - like symbol otherwise you and several others would have one. grrr Love this Noel.
Hi Josie,
Thanks for visiting the thread and having a listen. I appreciate the comments.
Wonderful opening! Very nice piano! This tune is a very fun song. I love these chord progressions very well. Your vocal and lyrics perfect fit this tune. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
This sounds like something that came out of Tin Pan Alley!
The dancing/entrancing and you-and-me/company rhymes are especially nice. They hit the ear delightfully. As does the cadence of the "What do you say..." AND "Come On".
Nice instrumentation and an excellent mix. The solo is well done. Your vocal is a real standout in this. So well recorded, so clear and so "right" in the way it sits perfectly in the mix.
That piano does have a really nice sound...
Very well done!
fj
Agreed!! Love it!! I really love that old standard sound. I have played around with it and will post something soon in that vein. The solo sounds custom.....sometimes that just works so well in BIAB! Wonderful!!! Take care. Greg
Hey Greg,
It's always a delight to see that you've visited! Thank you. I'm looking forward to hearing your 'old standard' vibe song!
What an enjoyable listen this is—really a pleasure to the ears! Light and breezy; just makes you feel good inside listening to it. And, not surprising, but terrific work on the production on this. Outstanding stuff!
My humble regards,
Deej
Hi Deej,
Good to see you! Thank you for taking the song for a spin. Much appreciated.
What a cool, catchy, bouncing song. Personally, I wouldn't change anything or have any suggestions. I likes it the way it tis!
Now, that being said...
There is such a large part of me that would love to hear it one of two different ways 1st is possibly with the old time phonograph type of sound with a bit of crackle and all. It just lends itself to it. IF that was done and someone played this as a song from that period; I would bite hook, line, and sinker.
2nd would be, as mentioned, a backdrop to a movie. I would love to see people dancing, a band playing, and a crooner doing "his thing" on a stage. I would love to also hear the sounds of the crowds sitting at their tables, and the applause at the end.
Applause well deserved either way!
Hi Caaron,
Thanks for visiting!
You know, it never occurred to me to try creating a mix that had some old-time phonographic effects. That's quite an interesting thought. Next time I get Reaper out, I'll try some and see how it appeals.
The Big Band with Audience idea is also excellent. I'm not sure that I have the skills necessary to pull that one off, though! Small group ensembles are definitely where I feel most comfortable.
I appreciate your time to listen and to make some comments.
Noel, I loved the use of the different bass tracks. Your arrangement is put together with great skill and your vocal styling is smooth and perfect for the genre. Crystal clear mix that just can’t be improved in any way. Another uplifting gem for your catalog. I immensely enjoyed it, Tom
Hey Tom,
Thank you for passing through the thread. I always smile when I see that you've called in. Appreciate the comments.
Song Overall impression Retro – becoming your speciality! done with affection and respect Mix / Production all sounded well balanced to me Instrumentation Piano phrases are judiciously placed Not all the solo (trumpet?) works for me Vocals you’ve worked hard on your vox Noel and it shows! What I really liked Slick production well structured What you might like to return to the ‘outro’ lyrics seem a little odd to me – not altogether in phase with the rest of the song.
Hey Marc,
As I mentioned in your thread, it's really good to see you back in the forum! Thanks for having a listen. I appreciate the detailed feedback. When I'm creating a song, I always find myself too close to the material to hear it objectively and that's why I really appreciate the thoughts of others. You've given me some good things to think about.
This is one of my very favorite genres of music and you aced it in every possible way. It's like listening to the soundtrack of a 1947 classic movie (but with better production skill and tools). My mother had a classic voice for this music and you brought back some great memories of her.
The mix is great... everything balanced and perfectly situated. This is the best vocal I;ve heard from you. A simply wonderful listen and skillful creation.
A little while back, floyd jane made a post about EZ Keys being offered at a better-than-bargain-basement price. I jumped on the wagon and purchased a copy. This song arose from playing around with my then new toy. I thought I'd try my hand at using BIAB to re-create a 1940s styled jazz quintet (drums, piano, guitar, singer, soloist).
Noel.... Nothing I can add to the favorable comments already stated....all of which I concur with. Your vocals are very distinct and pleasing to the auditory receptors. You performed the song and this genre perfectly....relaxed and deliberate. Reminds me of an innocent, more care free state of mind during my youth prior to my military picnic.
Very well done.....carry on.
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it.
This is a genre of music that I really feel at home with. The Tin Pan Alley days of songwriting were full of amazing lyricists and melodists. Thanks to Youtube, I get the opportunity to study these works of yesteryear in detail and BIAB lets me imitate the greats!
Wonderful opening! Very nice piano! This tune is a very fun song. I love these chord progressions very well. Your vocal and lyrics perfect fit this tune. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Best regards.
Shigeki Adachi
Hi Shigeki Adachi,
I sincerely apologise for taking so long to get back to you and to thank you for listening. These days, Life always seems to have a surprise just waiting around the corner for me and one that usually takes me away from the forum for a bit.
This is one of my very favorite genres of music and you aced it in every possible way. It's like listening to the soundtrack of a 1947 classic movie (but with better production skill and tools). My mother had a classic voice for this music and you brought back some great memories of her.
The mix is great... everything balanced and perfectly situated. This is the best vocal I've heard from you. A simply wonderful listen and skillful creation.
Wishing you the very best ...
Alan
Hi Alan,
Thank you for having a listen! I always appreciate hearing from you and Di. As I see it, the 30s and 40s were terrific times for music. Some of the best melodists and lyricists ever to create songs come from that period. I'm really glad that my song inspired some memories of your mum. Whenever I write something, I always hope that it means something to someone, somewhere.
I so sorry that it has taken me some time to reply to you. I hope that all is travelling along as well as possible for you and Di.
Thank you again and please know that my best healing thoughts are always heading your way. Noel
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!
Add updated printing options, enhanced tracks settings, smoother use of MGU and SGU (BB files) within PowerTracks, and more with the latest PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 update!
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.
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!
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."
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!
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean