March 28, 2024 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."

Posted at 02:03 PM

March 28, 2024 User Showcase Song - Big Dreams and Cold Beer

Lots of real life to keep me busy these last few weeks but managed to update this one from 2012.

Big Dreams and Cold Beer

Bass 520
Drums Nashville Outlaw
Guitars 1120, 4034, 412
Lyrics

Written by myself and Jackie Richter.
All suggestion welcome.
-Vic

Posted at 11:22 AM

March 28, 2024 Happy Easter! Holiday Hours...

2024 is well underway - it's already Easter Weekend!

Our Customer Service hours this weekend are:

Friday, March 29: 8-4
Saturday, March 30: 8-4
Sunday, March 31: closed

Regular hours resume Monday, April 1st - no joke!

Posted at 10:58 AM

March 27, 2024 User Showcase Song - Aurora V1: Night Turns Into Gold

This is the first of two instrumental versions of a song I wrote in 1981.

Aurora V1: Night Turns Into Gold

This version finished in June 2023, the subtitle "Night Turns Into Gold" coming from the song's lyrics. The "V2: Gentle Lovelight" (also from the lyrics) was posted first on YT on 29th September 2023 as I was waiting to create a different kind of video for this one, that idea now abandoned.

Piano: Country Pop Ballad Solo Acoustic - John Jarvis
Organ: Country Rock Guitar Solo, Pop Ba - Gene Rabbai
Bass: 3 Guitar Country Rock ~ Tobin Frank
Drums: ditto ~ Brian Fullen
Strummed Acoustic Guitar: ditto ~ Tony King
Finger-picked Acoustic Guitar: ditto ~ Jason Roller
Electric Guitar: ditto ~ Mike Durham
Tenor Sax Solo: Slow County Pop w/ Tenor Solo ~ Mark Douthit
4th Guitar solo: Modern Groove Soloist, Brit Rock - Dave Cleveland

92 bars; 4/4, Am; tempo 100; Time 3:50

Posted at 10:35 AM

March 26, 2024 User Showcase Song - Green Is So Much Greener Without You

Two-minute-something of unsophisticated cliché pop banality. Just what the doctor ordered. Short, so you don't have to suffer for too long.

Green Is So Much Greener Without Blue

I don't know why many of my love songs are about ended and/or failed relationships. I'm still happily married. I'm probably the dark side of Marty. The Anti-Marty...

The usual answers to all unasked questions:
-My Chief Director of Linguistic Dadaism suggested to summarize the title with "Yellow" and call it a day.
-Don't ask. I myself have no idea why I came up with that intro.
-Probably unconscious springtime fever or something.
-Yes, with that voice you could probably write for a p*rn movie.
-No, I won't!
-The first version had more than twice as many lyrics. With every word removed, the song got better.
So far I've only had this effect with guitars. I guess the best song I'll ever write will be an instrumental without guitars.

Feedback (the good, the bad and the ugly) as always highly appreciated.

As always, a BIG "thank you" to Marty for linguistic advice.

Some technical information:
Style: _FACULA.STY

The band:
Bass: 1522
Drums: PopRock8ths
Guitars: 4157, 4387, 4388, 3931
Synthesizers: me, myself and I

Vocals: Natalie + BG vocals Cong

You can find the lyrics in the next post.

Posted at 07:58 AM

March 25, 2024 User Showcase Song - Going Down The Road Feeling Bad

Another of our public domain song interpretations.

Going Down The Road Feeling Bad

The song has been recorded by many artists through the years. The first known recording is from 1923 by Henry Whitter, an Appalachian singer, as "Lonesome Road Blues". The earliest versions of the lyrics are from the perspective of an inmate in prison with the refrain, "I'm down in that jail on my knees" and a reference to eating "corn bread and beans". The song has been recorded by many artists such as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, The Allman Brother, Skeeter Davis, Elizabeth Cotten, and the Grateful Dead.

Janice - lead and harmony vocals.
I played the slide and lead guitar.
Bud recorded Janice, helped with the mix and mastered the song.

The Band:
RealTracks in song: 3567:Bass, Electric, NashvilleRadioShuffleB Sw 110
RealTracks in style: 4030:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CountryFunkyLow2 Sw16 090
RealDrums in style:RadioCoolPopSw16^4-a:Hts, b:RdS

Lyrics

Posted at 10:55 AM

March 22, 2024 User Showcase Song - Sweet Home Normandy

It's a tribute song to all the ones that start with Sweet home. I found that the Lap Steel track was very good

Sweet Home Normandy - YouTube
Sweet Home Normandy - SoundCloud

Style : _AMBER.STY (Amber Texas Funky Blues)

RealTracks dans ce style Style: 1732:Basse, Electrique, Texas Blues Rock Funky BinDbCr 90
RealTracks dans ce style Style: 889:Piano, Acoustique, Solo-Accompagnement Pop Funky Texas Bin 100
RealTracks dans ce style Style: 4259:Guitare, Lap Steel, Background Blues Funky Bin 85
RealTracks dans ce style Style: 4252:Orgue, Rythme Blues Lent Funky Main Gauche Comping Bin 85
RealTracks dans ce morceau song: 2905:Guitare, Electrique, Rythme Clair Bluesy Pop Bin 100
RealTracks dans ce morceau song: 2625:Guitare, Baritone Electrique, Rythme Blues Boogie Basse et Licks Bin 100
RealTracks dans ce morceau song: ~1442:Sax, Alto, Soliste Jazz Funk Groovin DblCrch Bin 110
RealDrums [dans ce Style:BluesRockFunky16ths^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Busy Snare, HiHat
Mixed in Cubase

Posted at 11:35 AM

March 21, 2024 User Showcase Song- Bad Dreams Bad Luck

And now onto the dark side. I grew up on blues in Chicago long before I got to Country. I love all styles of blues. This one is a bit swampy.

Bad Dreams Bad Luck - SoundCloud
Bad Dreams Bad Luck - tommyadmusic.com

It was written with the following Real Tracks. The only two that made the final cut were:
RealTracks in song: ~688:Organ, B3, Background Pop Ev 065
RealTracks in song: ~673:Organ, B3, Background Blues BB Ev 085

The rest were various assorted loops and my live guitars. Thanks in advance for any comments.

Style is _BLUFNK3.STY

RealTracks in song: 1190:Bass, Electric, ModernRnBRock Ev 065
RealTracks in style: 2626:Guitar, Resonator, RhythmPlus Blues8thsRandy Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 575:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Blues BB Ev 085 ('B' only)
RealTracks in style: 3351:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Rhythm SwampyBluesBrent Ev 095
RealTracks in song: ~688:Organ, B3, Background Pop Ev 065
RealTracks in song: ~673:Organ, B3, Background Blues BB Ev 085
RealDrums in song: RockModernRnB^01-a:Snare, Closed HiHat , b:Snare, Crash Ride
Royalty Free Loops
Recorded in Logic Pro X
Plug Ins : Nectar 3, Neutron 4, Ozone 10, Tonal Balance, Waves LinMB, Waves, L3-LL Multi Limiter, Logic Pro Metering, Waves Vocal Rider, Scuffam Amps S-Gear, Waves Bass Rider

Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar Open D Min Tuning, Vocals, Tom Adams
Lyrics

Posted at 09:33 AM

March 20, 2024 User Showcase Song - LOVE WITHOUT PAROLE

Well, sometimes it is the simple things.

I had another back of the cocktail napkin lyric song and I recorded it, and HATED IT. I was like, man, this horrible. Garbage can. No way to fix it. Then I went to sleep.

When I woke up, an angel whispered in my ear: Don't do it in C. Just change it to the key A and you will be fine.

So I did. Now I don't think it is quite so horrible anymore. Just a key change. Who would have known???

LOVE WITHOUT PAROLE

All words and music copyright 2024 by David Snyder

David Snyder: Vocals, instrumentation, arrangement, production, mixing and mastering

RealTracks in style: 3404:Bass, Electric, LoungeFunkAlex Ev16 080
RealTracks in style: 3329:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm LoungeFunkSwells Ev16 080
RealTracks in style: 4192:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm SongwriterPickingSyncopated Ev16 080
RealTracks in style: 1840:Synth Pad, PopModernGrooveMellow Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 1761:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: 1543:Synth Pad, PopBelieve Ev16 065
RealDrums in Song:ModernCountry16ths^1-a:Closed Hat, Snare , b:Ride & Snare

Also put a Liverpool Piano, but snagged the midi and ran it through one of my pianos, as I always do

Posted at 09:34 AM

March 19, 2024 User Showcase Song - Epstein-Barr

Pathologist Anthony Epstein was working on chicken viruses when he learnt of a mysterious childhood cancer during a talk he almost skipped. It led to the discovery, with his doctoral student Yvonne Barr, of the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV): a virus able to cause cancer in people.

This is a humble tribute song to Epstein, Barr, and the thousands of researchers around the world who are dedicated and working hard to understand and eradicate human cancers. Some researchers we may hear about, most we don’t. I hope Epstein would approve of this and I hope you enjoy it.

Epstein-Barr

Epstein died recently in February of this year, at age 102 but his legacy continues to shape research in virology and oncology.
Rest in peace.

Technicals
BiaB:
RealTracks in style: 1861:Synth, Rhythm, EuroDance ChorusHousePianoOffBeat Ev16 120
RealTracks in song: 2457:Strings, Rhythm CelticAir Ev 085
RealDrums in style:SynthDrumsDanceRock^1-a: Bass and Snare , b: Snare and Bass

Me:
Korg Keyboard: Intro Synth, Lead Bells Synth, Flute, Piano, Female Vox, Guitar
Roland Drum Pad: Cymbals
Fender Bass

Mixed in Studio One

Posted at 08:53 AM

March 18, 2024 User Showcase Song - Tattooed

I don't write many "real" love songs. This one is.
(The rest are just make-believe)

TATTOOED

I had intended to post this on Valentine's Day.
I had written it a few days before and had begun to knock out the production.
But.
The day before Valentine's Day, we had a cold snap and my wife wanted to go camping. She loves to camp in the cold.
So...
I ended up singing this to her, a cappella, on Valentine's Day, in the woods, over a camp fire and a glass of carbernet.
She choked up. A tear, even.
That never happens.

The BAND:
RealTracks in song: 3502:Bass, Electric, NashvilleRadioBalladA Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~1636:Bass, Electric, JazzFunkBreezy Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 910:Piano, Electric, Rhythm SmoothBallad Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: ~1639:Piano, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezy Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~1637:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezyChords Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~1638:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezyMuted Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 1058:Sax, Alto, Soloist SmoothJazzPoppy Ev16 090
RealTracks in song: 4174:Guitar, Electric, Soloist LatinRock Ev 125
RealDrums in style:JazzFunkGroovin^5-a:Sidestick, Hihat , b:Sidestick, Ride
RealDrums in Song: ShakerSlow16ths
Lyrics

Posted at 10:10 AM

March 15, 2024 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!

Posted at 09:14 AM

March 15, 2024 User Showcase Song - Tropi-call Me

I got the idea for this one from FB where a fellow Michigander posted about being in the tropics of Florida. I hope you like it, folks, but tell me if otherwise and why not. Thick-skinned songwriter who keeps trying to get better at my craft. As usual, lyrics are in the description of the SoundCloud page.

Tropi-Call Me

_BLUJEAN.STY. Blue Jeans Pop Country Blues
All RealTracks. Quartet. Tempo=105
Instruments: El.Bass, Ac.Piano, El.Guitar, Drums
RD: NashvilleRadioPush16ths^1-a:Snare, Hihat , b:Snare, OpenHat :Miles McPherson
RT1417: Bass, Electric, RootsRock Ev 100 , Craig Young
RT2763: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBluesRockMike Ev 110 , Mike Rojas

Posted at 08:47 AM

March 14, 2024 User Showcase Song - Something Wrong, kind of Blues

Here is a new song I made, using two Styles from BiaB; Balk and Backlot. Both in a very slow tempo, 60 bpm. I think I never went that low before.

It's called: Something wrong, Something Wrong

I also made a video from it. It's on YouTube

This video starts as a concert.
I chose that point of view, because I used a 'life audience choir', by Jacob Collier, from Native Instruments (free).
So, if you have an audience, you also need a life performance...

The lyrics are on SoundCloud and in the video, so I skip them here.

One note: In the text I have used the word 'apps' where others prefer the word 'text'.
Google translate and ChatGPT made clear I made no mistake. My sister in Australia said I did.
So I left it as it is ;-)
Let me know what you think, what to improve (beside 'apps') or whatever comes up in your mind while listening/ watching to the song.

Hans
==============================================
As I said I worked with two styles and here is the technical stuff:

Style is BALK.STY alternated by BACKLOT.STY
Tempo: 60 Bpm Key: E
RealTracks used in song:
3117:Bass, Acoustic, and 3546 Bass el.
3088:Piano, ElectricVintage
3909:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking and 3661 guit, ac rhythm
3792:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Rhythm Cinematic128 Sw 050
4208:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ModCountrySlow128PowerHeldPlus Sw 050
2876: Fiddle, background America Slow
RealDrums in style:AmericanaSlow128 and Modern Country Slow 128
Keyboard in Daw for playing life audience choir

Posted at 01:09 PM

March 13, 2024 User Showcase Song - Ghost Of Love

Here's an old song that sat around for years without being recorded - something short, simple & folky.

This is called Ghost Of Love.

BIAB Tracks:
0362: Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085
0700: Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotes Ev 085
2364: Synth, ElectroFlutes, Rhythm Ev 085
2811: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Ev 085
RealDrums: Mallets and Cajon
Lyrics

Posted at 08:17 AM

March 12, 2024 User Showcase Song - Someone Said Whiskey

A song about growing up while keeping laughter in your life.

Someone Said Whiskey on Soundcloud
Someone Said Whiskey on YouTube

Style is _BAKHOME.STY (Back Home Basic Ctry Swing Waltz)

RealTracks in style: ~1700:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryWaltz Sw 085
RealTracks in style: ~827:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Country Waltz Sw 110
RealTracks in song: 4154:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Rhythm NashvilleWaltzMelodicTremolo Sw 120
RealTracks in song: 2216:Guitar, Resonator, Soloist CountryWaltzRob Sw 085 (Bluesy)
RealDrums in style:NashClassicWaltzSw^1-a:SideStick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

I played bass and that godawful honky-tonk piano properly detuned.

Lyrics

Posted at 10:44 AM

March 11, 2024 User Showcase Song - Goodbye Ain't Easy

This is one I put together about three years ago.

Goodbye Ain't Easy

I never did get around to finishing it until last night. It just needed a final touchup and mastering. There are a few squeaks left on the acoustic lead track, but they're relatively minor. Using the multiriff feature in BIAB, I eliminated most of them. But in a couple of places, I got rid of the squeaks but couldn't get a lead melody to work the way I wanted it to, so I left the squeaks but reduced some higher frequency to somewhat minimize the squeaks.

Title: _STAR Demo - Star Ambient Guitar Soloist
File:Goodbye Ain't Easy.SGU
Key=Bm , Tempo 85, Length (m:s)=3:34
Style is _MACON.STY (Macon Cajon Country Folk Ballad)
RealTracks in style: 3468:Bass, Electric, AmericanaSyncSteveA Ev16 085
RealTracks in style: 2195:Piano, ElectricVintage, Rhythm CoolJazzPopHeld Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 1945:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm GroovinFolk Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 1814:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CelticAir Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 1860:Synth, Rhythm, EuroDance ChorusHousePianoStraight Ev16 120
RealTracks in song: 3700:Guitar, Acoustic, Soloist SlackKeyBallad Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 3959:Synth, Rhythm StripMallStrings 65
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 4688:Synth, Pad, SynthmasterDistantGalaxy
RealDrums in style:CajonFolkSlow8ths: a: Cajon b: Cajon, Shaker

Posted at 09:54 AM

March 08, 2024 User Showcase Song - Cold Plate

An attempt at a harder hitting production … at least for Janice's vocal from the solo on. Peter plays some very complementary solos, fills and rhythm tracks. The title was inspired by the saying "revenge is best served as a cold dish" that dates to the 16th century.

Cold Plate

Yep another "I'm outa here and done with you" theme. Lyrics are on SoundCloud and the forum. Thanks to Peter & PG Music and if you choose to listen your time is appreciated. Comments are welcomed.

Janice Merritt: vocals, arrangement & melody
Bud Merritt: lyric, mix, arrangement, mastering & photo
Peter Fulham: solo/rhythm guitar, mix & arrangement

Tech Stuff:
Bass: RealTrack 1036 Electric, Northern Rock Ballad > Izotope Neutron 3
Piano: MIDI SuperTrack 3102 Electric, Rhythm Americana > Logic Pro Grand Steinway sound > Waves CLA Effect
Pedal Steel: RealTrack 2542 Background Modern Ballad Atmosphere > Logic Pro Grit Pedal
Drums: RealDrums Nashville Even 8ths > Waves CLA Drums (multiple fills comps)
Snare: RealDrums Nashville even 8ths kit > Waves Magma BB T > Izotope Neutron 3 > Logic Pro ChromaVerb
Cymbal: RealDrums Nashville even 8ths kit

Mixed in Logic Pro X
Mastered via six Izotope Ozone modules starting with a Lucinda Williams reference song.
Cold Plate
© 2024 J. Merritt, B. Merritt & P. Fulham

Posted at 09:58 AM

March 07, 2024 User Showcase Song - Celle pour qui brille le soleil (the one for whom the sun shines)

Celle pour qui brille le soleil (the one for whom the sun shines) - SoundCloud
Celle pour qui brille le soleil (the one for whom the sun shines) - YouTube

Cuban Caribbean music.
There are no drums but percussion
Style : _CUBANO.STY (Cubano Son Montuno Manouche Jazz)

RealTracks dans ce style Style: 2576:Basse, Electrique, Rythme Surf Rock Syncopé Vintage Bin 165
RealTracks dans ce style Style: 1820:Piano, Acoustique, Rythme Son Montuno Comp Bin 165
RealTracks dans ce style Style: 1449:Guitare, Acoustique, Rythmee Gypsy Jazz Latin Bin 165
RealTracks dans ce style Style: 1450:Guitare, Acoustique, Rythmee Gypsy Jazz Latin Bin 165
RealTracks dans ce morceau song: 479:Trompette, Bossa Bin 140
RealDrums [dans me morceau: SalsaSonMontuno23^01-Bngo,Timbal
Mix in Cubase

Posted at 08:29 AM

March 06, 2024 User Showcase Song - You Don't Wanna Be John Wesley Hardin

I got over a weird virus and started writing this about the outlaw but couldn't find any redeeming characteristics about him so turned it around as a cautionary tale. Maybe the solo is a little too long.
What do you all think?

You Don't Wanna Be John Wesley Hardin.

(Bass 2877, Drums Nashville Pop 16, Guitars 3412, 3230, 4198)
Lyrics

Posted at 10:14 AM

March 04, 2024 User Showcase Song - Slow Walking

It is 1963. As you are walking in the lobby of a Holiday Inn you hear the band playing in the lounge. You slow walk in time with the music from the lobby to the lounge bar.

Slow Walking

BiaB style : Humbling Slow MIDI Jazz Ballad
Tempo: 60 BPM

Bass - Ample bass - upright
Drums - Aria - jazz brushes
Piano - Lounge Lizard - Tined Based - 12 Warm Model V
Guitar - UVI Workstation - GM - jazz guitar
Strings - Kontakt - Amadeus - full string ensemble

I am playing the guitar (Jay Turser Jazz Box) and via my breath and keyboard controllers the Swam tenor sax.

Posted at 10:46 AM

March 01, 2024 User Showcase Song - Majestic Brocard

It's been a while since I last posted on this forum. I come back with a composition and a video dedicated to an animal tying up the deer.

Majestic Brocard on Soundcloud (music only).

Majestic Brocard on YouTube

As Janice and Bud advised me, it's better for me to go for quality over quantity. For the music used, Biab helped me a lot both in the melody and in the inspiring musical phrases of this beautiful software. For the video I used magix X15. If you have the desire or the time, I thank you in advance for your wise advice. THANKS.

Posted at 01:19 PM