Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#784269 11/26/23 04:37 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,306
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,306
Ok.

1. Sorry to clog up the board with two songs in quick succession. I said, in my previous post, that I was out of inspiration. Well, today something happened, it seems. Anyway, here's a new, original song. I promise I will listen and comment on double the amount of songs, to make up for it smile .

2. I'm way out of my comfort zone on this one - for one, I'm singing more or less throughout it. But see what you think? All advice and feedback very welcome - thanks so much for listening.

Christmas


CHRISTMAS

I'm sat down, for Christmas ... the snow is so deep,
I'm sat down, for Christmas, and wish I could sleep,
The presents are ready, the tree is up there,
And all that remains is a reply to my prayer.

It's been such a long time since I saw you, last,
You kissed me, last Christmas, and left, oh so fast ...
You left me to wander, my hopes all but blown,
For everything's ready, but now I'm alone.

So let me just hope, while I eat Christmas roast,
That you've not gone far, but just to the shops,
That you'll return, some strange day, and sit down to talk,
As if nothing had happened, as if you just took a walk.


It's still Christmas Eve, the house's getting dark,
I blow out the candles, I hear angels hark,
I go wrap up warm, and thence off to bed,
Thinking of all the things you and I had once said ...

The vows of our marriage, the hopes we once had,
The joys of some children, we had it all planned ...
It's Christmas, once more, and I'm all alone,
So please do forgive that I still wait by the phone ...

So let me just hope, while I eat Christmas roast,
That you've not gone far, but just to the shops,
That you'll be back, some Christmas, and sit down to talk,
And if nothing had happened, as if you'd never walked ...


This house's getting colder with each Christmas Day,
So, please, if you care, don't let me so wait,
For life has a limit, and time is not kind,
So please, if you can ... come back tonight.

Come back, if you can, today or tonight.


****** Song Summary *************
Title: Christmas - 26 November 2023
File:Christmas - 26 November 2023.SGU
Key=C , Tempo 90, Length (m:s)=4:16
No intro. 124 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 124. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Key Signature,
Style is _ORIGINS.STY (Origins Country Folk Piano Waltz)

RealTracks in style: ~1121:Bass, Acoustic, CountryWaltz Sw 085
RealTracks in style: ~1700:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryWaltz Sw 085
RealTracks in style: 3411:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm OldTimeyWaltz Sw 090
RealTracks in style: 3369:Mandolin, Rhythm OldTimeyWaltzAndy Sw 090
RealDrums in style:NashClassicWaltzSw^6-a:SideStick, Brushes , b:Snare, Brushes

*******************

musician17 #784288 11/26/23 05:40 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,083
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,083
James, well, it's a SAD song, isn't it? So I feel a LITTLE bad saying I enjoyed listening to it. Love all the modulations you put in the progressions to keep it musically interesting. Love your voice, too. But I married a Brit so may be biased. Ha! Thanks for sharing!


DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
StudioCat DAW dual screen
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
musician17 #784292 11/26/23 05:46 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 4,040
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 4,040
AH, you are way too inpirtional to others to exclude yourself from such enthusiasm. Love this, James, and to me you seem quite comfortable. Your zone is much larger that you think. I like the change of keys --a very subtle modulation. It really conveys your anticipation very well. Merry Christmas to you!


Enjoy whatever happens!
marty

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub
Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 11
musician17 #784305 11/26/23 07:27 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,245
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,245
Hullo James.
A nice sentiment and instrument selection but to my ears there are some odd sounding chord changes here and there that you may want to change.

Also, These lyrics (You kissed me, last Christmas, and left, oh so fast) suggest she left last Christmas after a kiss but in the last verse (This house's getting colder with each Christmas Day) you are suggesting more than 1 Christmas has passed.
You could change that line to "This house is much colder on this Christmas Day".

Could be a nice song with some changes.

Vic

musician17 #784501 11/27/23 08:13 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,306
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,306
DC Ron: thanks! Yes, a sad song (I write many of those, lol), but thanks for your kind words, nevertheless!

Marty: thanks and a Merry Christmas to you, too!

Vic: absolutely spot on, especially regarding the lyrics. Argh! How didn't I spot that? THANKS for pointing it out!!! smile

musician17 #784539 11/27/23 09:54 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,596
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,596
Nicely done James...

Beautiful song and a good vocal. I also like the mix - very clear with good separation.

Bob

musician17 #784588 11/27/23 02:12 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,070
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,070
Hi James,

As always, your song is so good. As, I believe Ron said, it's a bit odd saying such a sad song is an enjoyable listen. But it is. I enjoyed the key modulations - they tend to give a song renewed life.

You are the king of spoken word!

Wishing you the very best,

Alan


BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar

Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops

musician17 #784692 11/27/23 09:46 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,312
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,312
Ah, a sad "I'm without you on Christmas". Are you sure you're not a country singer? smile

Like the blues, it's hard to go wrong with this sort of song, and you do a good job here.

While I liked the modulations, some of the chord changes feel out of place. I suspect I'll always gripe about them, and you'll continue to use them forever. grin

With the cell phone fitting in one's pocket, this line doesn't have the punch it once had:

   ...I still wait by the phone ...

Anyway, I enjoyed the song - nicely done.


-- David Cuny
My virtual singer development blog

Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?
musician17 #785210 11/29/23 01:14 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,329
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,329
James, this is a beautiful sad Christmas song.
You are the expert for spoken work songs.
I did like your chord progression.
Great job on this one.


I went line dancing last night. Well it was a roadside sobriety test, same thing.

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
musician17 #785394 11/30/23 06:49 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,247
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,247
A sad song, James.

Wish you had sung this one.

fj

musician17 #785412 11/30/23 07:29 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,573
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,573
Hi James.

This song was quite an experience.
The lyrics are sad and filled with forlorn hope. Your story is well thought through and you've captured it in song form very well.
While some of the chord changes surprised me, it seems to me that you chose those chordal surprises to make the listener feel the emotional disruption and turmoil that the song's character feels. That was was a clever strategy and one I admire. It worked for me and help amplify that emotional content of the lyrics.

Thank you for sharing it smile
--Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
musician17 #785645 12/01/23 05:10 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,306
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,306
Bob: thank you.

Alan: so kind, as always. Thank you!

David Cuny: it's good to have SOMEONE to at least try to keep me in check with my modulations smile As for the cell phone thing, how does the listener actually know what kind of phone it is that I'm waiting by? wink wink wink Thanks so much for your kind feedback!

Mario: thank you!

floyd: I tried to sing it, but I'm no good at singing songs (partly because of my unorthodox chord progressions), unless I have the tune written down in front of me. This wasn't the case here, because I wanted to sound as if I'm improvising, so ... that's what happened. Thanks, though, for listening!

Noel: wow - thank you. Too kind. My chord progressions are a little like that spread we have here in the UK - Marmite ... people either love them or hate them, it seems, haha smile Thanks so much for such kind comments, so glad that you enjoyed the song.

musician17 #787361 12/07/23 06:17 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,963
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,963
Well done and it captures the blue Christmas feeling that many folks have.
Good mix/band too and modulations sound good.

Happy Holidays,

J&B


Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more.
If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks!
Our Videos are here on our website.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

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
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows® Today!

If you’ve already purchased Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®, great news—a new update is now available! This update introduces a handy new feature: a vertical cursor in the Tracks window that shows the current location across all tracks, and more.

Discover everything included in this free update and download it now at https://www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1124

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Boot Camp: The AI Lyrics Generator

With Band-in-a-Box 2025® for Windows®, we've introduced an exciting new feature: the AI Lyrics Generator! In this video, Tobin guides you step-by-step on how to make the most of this new tool.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Boot Camp: The AI Lyrics Generator video.

Check out the forum post for more information.

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Using VST3 Plugins

Band-in-a-Box 2025® for Windows® now includes support for VST3 plugins, bringing even more creative possibilities to your music production. Join Simon as he guides you through the process in this easy-to-follow demonstration!

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Using VST3 Plugins

Join the conversation on our forum.

Video: Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows: Using The BB Stem Splitter!

In this video, Tobin provides a crash course on using the new BB Stem Splitter feature included in Band-in-a-Box 2025® for Windows®. During this process he also uses the Audio Chord Wizard (ACW) and the new Equalize Tempo feature.

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Using the BB Stem Splitter

Check out the forum post for some optional Tips & Tricks!

Congrats to Misha (Rustyspoon)…downloaded/installed a full Audiophile 2025!

Breaking News!

We’re thrilled to announce that Rustyspoon has made PG history as the very first person to successfully complete the download and install of the full Band-in-a-Box 2025 Windows Audiophile Edition (with FLAC files)—a whopping 610GB of data!

A big shoutout to Rustyspoon for stepping up to be our test "elf!"

Thank you for your support, Rustyspoon!

Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows Videos

With the launch of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows, we're adding new videos to our YouTube channel. We'll also share them here once they are published so you can easily find all the Band-in-a-Box® 2025 and new Add-on videos in one place!

Whether it's a summary of the new features, demonstrations of the 202 new RealTracks, new XPro Styles PAK 8, or Xtra Styles PAKs 18, information on the 2025 49-PAK, or detailed tutorials for other Band-in-a-Box® 2025 features, we have you covered!

Reference this forum post for One-Stop Shopping of our Band-in-a-Box® 2025 Videos - we will be updating this post as more videos are added!

Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows is here, packed with major new features and an incredible collection of available new content! This includes 202 RealTracks (in Sets 449-467), plus 20 bonus Unreleased RealTracks in the 2025 49-PAK. There are new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 4, two new sets of “RealDrums Stems,” XPro Styles PAK 8, Xtra Styles PAK 19, and more!

Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 with savings of up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special—available until December 31, 2024! Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.

2025 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
We've packed our Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK
with some incredible Add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is automatically included with most Band-in-a-Box® for Windows 2025 packages, but for even more Add-ons (including 20 Unreleased RealTracks!) upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49. You can see the full lists of items in each package, and listen to demos here.

If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us directly—we’re here to help!

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics84,101
Posts765,570
Members39,284
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
Ben5114, LPang73, RIM, Eikichi, michasch
39,284 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 195
jpettit 127
rsdean 101
Noel96 101
Jim Fogle 101
Today's Birthdays
JohnM68
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5