Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Water Under The Bridge
© 2021 J. Merritt, B. Merritt & P. Fulham

A song that during its creation morphed from an Americana notion to a blues rock tune. Bud thanks Janice for tolerating his efforts encouraging her to belt one out a bit smile

We thank Peter for working with us on the arrangement, for the guitar tracks and the supplemental drum track ideas. And a big shoutout to Marty Straub (BabuMusic & Blue Attitude) for joining in on bass. And, as always our thanks to PG Music for making it all possible.

Comments are most welcome and your time to listen is appreciated.

Lyrics are on SC

Tech stuff for those who might be inclined:

Janice vocals:
lead > Nectar 3
third above lead harmony > Nectar 3
third above call backs > CLA Vocals
third below call backs > CLA Vocals
Rodes NT1 mic > Scarlett 212 > Logic Pro

Piano: MidiSuperTrack 3001 Rhythm Folk Blues Shuffle > Logic Pro Grand Steinway > Logic Direction Mixer > Waves CLA Unplugged

Drums:
RealDrums Blues Rock Shuffle > Waves CLA Drums
RealDrums add-ons cut from the above RD audio file
Snare > Neutron 3
Cymbals > Waves JJP Percussion/Cymbals
Toms > Neutron 3

Additionally several drum fills were comped in from a 20 year old Mick Fleetwood sample from Peter

Guitars (All Peter):
Solo 1 & Solo 2 duet
Fills
Rhythm 1 & 2
Riffs

Bass: Marty Straub using, well, whatever the man uses smile

Mixed in Logic Pro X
Mastering chain: Logic EQ > Waves LinMB > Waves L3 > Izotope Tonal Balance > Logic Loudness Meter

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,193
B
Expert
Offline
Expert
B
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,193
Ms. Janice's lead vocal is so melodically fluid and expressive that she could have recorded it 'a capella' to even more powerful effect. Peter's guitars create a blaze of electrifying sound that heat-up Bud's lyrics like a tuned fire roaring in the background. Marty's bass line is like a nimble, blues-infused cat dancing on the strings. The 'end of a romance' feel of the song is strong and final, a 'Dear John' letter without apologies or regrets. "You're done, hon', so get off my fridge and jump into the water beneath my bridge" laugh !!!


"Music is what feelings sound like."-- borrowed from a Cakewalk Music Creator forum member, "Mamabear".
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,003
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,003

This is really great.

Such a warm, warm sound. Excellent mix. Superb.

Love that album art, too. What program did you use?

User Showcase
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,313
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,313
Howdy J&B....

This is a very good song.
You two also have a very personal style that is very appealing.
Sweet, subtle harmonies.

Well done....

(I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that crosses that 3:30-4:00 threshold. The 3:30 norm is rarely enough for my writing propensities. smile )

Have a great day....

Last edited by chulaivet1966; 05/17/21 03:17 PM.
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Originally Posted By: bluage
Ms. Janice's lead vocal is so melodically fluid and expressive that she could have recorded it 'a capella' to even more powerful effect. Peter's guitars create a blaze of electrifying sound that heat-up Bud's lyrics like a tuned fire roaring in the background. Marty's bass line is like a nimble, blues-infused cat dancing on the strings. The 'end of a romance' feel of the song is strong and final, a 'Dear John' letter without apologies or regrets. "You're done, hon', so get off my fridge and jump into the water beneath my bridge" laugh !!!


You my friend need to write a novel!

The imagery of your descriptions is priceless.

You could damn us with faint praise snd it would still be fun to read. But, no, you have thrown us all accolades that are deeply supportive and appreciated.

And for that we thank you very much!

J&B

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,986
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,986
As good as it gets!

Janice, Bud, and Peter, you are all at the top of your game on this one. And of course, Marty too.

Great job of "belting it out", Janice! And the harmonies are strong. Peter, love your guitar work on this one. The octave solos really are tasty. Well, everything is tasty, really.

Great mix and production, Bud!

This is good stuff!

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: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,647
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,647
Hi Janice & Bud,

Song: Good song - could maybe do with a bit more light and shade e.g. drop out the backing after the lead break. Also needs a chorus. Could benefit from a middle eight.

Mix - The backing tracks are a little out of time. Either drop some instruments or edit them in your Daw. Also some instruments playing wrong chords in places.

Overall - a good start to a song and working it up will pay dividends.

I know that virtually nobody gives practical advice on this forum - however I only do so when I like a song.

Would love to hear a remix.

Best Regards
Nigel


Nigel Spiers
Christchurch, New Zealand
info@nzacoustics.com
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Nigel,

Sorry it didn’t work for you; however, we disagree on all points. There is a chorus, the tracks are synced and a couple of ace musicians who know much more complex chord structures than this played on it.

Janice & Bud

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,462
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,462
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.The backing vocals are the icing on this sweet cake.
Great playing by Pete n Marty, great singing n phrasing by Janice as well as a perfectly cooked song by Bud - master chef. Nothing needs tweaking...I really enjoyed the song and the anticipation of those backing vox.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,280
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,280
Yeah! Another winner, guys and gal.

Janice always makes me smile when I hear her sing, just so good! She must have been a guitarist in a former life, the way she bends those notes wink

Nice harmony guitar part from Peter, and I always love hearing him play slide, I'm hopeless at that.

Of course Marty is always on the money, one of the best bass players I've ever worked with, that's for sure. Plus a great guy.

Mix is your usual high standard, Bud, always spot on.

P.S. just read the comments from Nigel. Was he listening to the same song??

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,066
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,066
Janice & Bud,

It's so interesting that this song started as an Americana tune - I can absolutely hear that in the lyric, etc.

Awesome instrumental break - so unique and a great contrast to the song. Excellent arrangement and playing by Peter, Dave & Marty. Also, a very nice touch with the Mick Fleetwood sample.

Janice delivers another outstanding vocal as only she can... Love the phrasing on the word "water" and the overall edge in the performance.

Finally, the mix is big and open - no one rides the board like Bud...

Amazing stuff!

Bob

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,647
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,647
Hi Guys,

I'm just trying to help.

I've listened several more times and there is definitely something out of time on the off-beat. Does not sound like the Bass - I think it may be the Drums or Rhythm guitar.

In either case - very easy to tighten this up in your DAW.

Best Regards
Nigel


Nigel Spiers
Christchurch, New Zealand
info@nzacoustics.com
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Originally Posted By: David Snyder

This is really great.

Such a warm, warm sound. Excellent mix. Superb.

Love that album art, too. What program did you use?



Thanks David. I use several specialty photo editors but for general work my go to is the on line version of PicMonkey.

To remove backgrounds I use PhotoScissors. And to clean up and remove small objects, e.g., power lines, etc., I like Retouch.

Glad you liked it!

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,672
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,672
This was excellent. What a cool groove to this song. Super vocal and the harmonies were excellent. Excellent playing from Peter and Marty. The song is so well put together Bud. Well done..


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,357
J&B, Peter, Marty,

Plus one to what Ray said: "COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.The backing vocals are the icing on this sweet cake.
Great playing by Pete n Marty, great singing n phrasing by Janice as well as a perfectly cooked song by Bud - master chef. Nothing needs tweaking...I really enjoyed the song and the anticipation of those backing vox."
That bouncing piano sounds great - so low its a spine tingler in the background.

Very, very good!

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,100
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,100
Well Janice & Bud, another very fine production as usual. With such names in the bill no one can expect nothing else but a masterpiece.
Wow, Wow, Wow!

Mike B.


Music should be part of your life
http://www.soundclick.com/blackcatjazzcafeband
User Showcase
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 5,885
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 5,885
J&B, Peter, Marty,
Fun and creative collaboration. Janice at her best! She really is the heart of this tune. That middle guitar solo, or bridge or whatever it was (does it really matter?)...simply stunning!! Love those off chords! Marty, wonderful playing! Seems you are in high demand here smile Bud...Super!

It amazes me how well you do your musical things without multi million dollar studios and army of co-writers and producers. Congrats on this cool song, and thank you for sharing.

Misha.

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Originally Posted By: chulaivet1966
Howdy J&B....

This is a very good song.
You two also have a very personal style that is very appealing.
Sweet, subtle harmonies.

Well done....

(I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that crosses that 3:30-4:00 threshold. The 3:30 norm is rarely enough for my writing propensities. smile )

Have a great day....


Thanks for the kind words! I think that 3:30 norm has kinda fallen by the wayside with radio programming. Glad you liked it.

J&B

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,478
Originally Posted By: Steve Young
As good as it gets!

Janice, Bud, and Peter, you are all at the top of your game on this one. And of course, Marty too.

Great job of "belting it out", Janice! And the harmonies are strong. Peter, love your guitar work on this one. The octave solos really are tasty. Well, everything is tasty, really.

Great mix and production, Bud!

This is good stuff!

Steve


Thanks Steve for all of that...and, yep, we liked those solos a lot!

J&B

User Showcase
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,642
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,642
Janice, Bud & Peter, Thanks so much for the opportunity to play with you guys. What a wonderfully fun song to play. Janice's voice is always such a treat to listen to, and, Peter, that is really an awesome solo that would make even JS Bach smile. Bud, you are the master. I've learned so much from you. Thank you all again.


Enjoy whatever happens!
marty

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub
and https://soundcloud.com/babumusic-5080285
Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 11
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

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
Topics82,638
Posts747,472
Members38,836
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
Dave Doeppel, kminht89, MichelleWoon, samehadaku, Jean Michel D
38,835 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 181
DC Ron 115
rsdean 102
Al-David 100
DrDan 85
Today's Birthdays
Barry Law, mcnach, RAY6INGS, Sudie
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5