Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#765229 05/12/23 10:56 PM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Ok, so ... I'm ambivalent about this song.

On one hand, it's yet another heartbreak song. And I've had enough of writing these. There's only so much juice one can squeeze out of this particular lemon, before it becomes boring, I think smile Also, from any genre of song (not just this one), one must also know when to walk away. There's no point in whining, in the same key, tone and way (alike a tomcat on the roof, at night), until one bores the heck out of one's listeners, right? smile Variation is the spice of life, perhaps.

That said, I sat down the other night, and tried to write another song. "Anything but a heartbreak song, PLEASE", I said to myself. Long story short, THIS is what I eventually came up with. Argh.

Why do I post it? Because I think that, on its own, it possibly stands up well enough, as a song, that's all. I'd be so curious, also and therefore, to see what you think of it. On one hand, I'm not really in love with its lyrics, etc. - on the other, there's something raw and perhaps sincere about it that I think may be worth posting. But, no spoilers, haha ... see what YOU think, if you wish? Thanks smile


Nothing Without You


THE LYRICS:

I walked down every path, all of my life,
I looked for you, in peace and strife,
Alas, you're far away, where I can't go,
Not knowing how I feel, which hurts me so ...

I traveled every road, and every time
I thought I'd find you again, and call you mine ...
And now I'm near the end, and you're not here
Allow me to share with you what I find clear ...

Life is nothing without you,
Love is useless and untrue,
If you're not here for me to kiss your hand,
Then everything I've built, I've built on sand ...


I'm getting older, each, and every day,
My body, slowly, slowly, is giving way ...
Our stunning beauty's now washed o'er by rain ...
Whenever I think of you, I'm filled with pain ...

I need a miracle for your return
God knows that that's all I'll ever yearn
For, alas, you're far away, and you can't hear
My thoughts and hopes, all I hold dear ...

It's been my error, perhaps, to love you so much,
But it's too late to make it right, as such;
And, now I'm near the end, you're still not here ...
Allow me, please, to share what now seems clear:

Life is nothing without you,
Love is useless and untrue,
If you're not here for me to kiss your hand,
Then everything I've built, I've built on sand ...


So allow me, please, to dream of you once more,
For you've been th'only one I've e'er adored ...


THE BAND:

****** Song Summary *************
Title: Love Is Nothing Without You - 10 May 2023
File:Love Is Nothing Without You - 10 May 2023.SGU
Key=D , Tempo 80, Length (m:s)=3:36
No intro. 68 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 68. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Style is _BOND.STY (Bond Fusion Ballad)

RealTracks in style: 1398:Bass, Electric, Soul70sA-B Ev16 100
RealTracks in style: ~1639:Piano, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezy Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: 1840:Synth Pad, PopModernGrooveMellow Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: 3949:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm FusionBalladBrent Ev16 080
RealDrums in style:LoungePop16thsSput^1-a:Closed Hat, Snare , b:Ride, Snare

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

Voice recorded and mixed with BIAB backing track in Mixcraft Pro Studio 9. Added "On The Phone" preset effect to the voice track.

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,339
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,339
James,

This is a very pretty piece of music.

Your spoken word always sounds so nice and sincere.

Great job.

Bob

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,082
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,082
James,

I like your chorus.
A pleasant track.
Vocals are clear.

fj

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 750
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 750
Very nice use of real tracks beautiful backing track and I like the narration


Elliott Kayne
elliottkayne@gmail.com
https://www.reverbnation.com/kaynemusic
https://www.facebook.com/ekayne

Health, Wealth, Family, Faith, Friends, and Fun







User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 225
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 225
This is so hard to pull off I have been trying for years and just can't get it. You nailed it. My only nit pick, and it's reaching, is that the music track never changed volume or dynamics. Your voice is captivating and I wanted to hear more of it using instruments to create dynamic tension. Really nice job, thanks for allowing us to hear it.

Rick


It needs more cowbell!

https://therickhansenband.com
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Bob: thanks. So kind of you!

floyd: thank you.

Elliot: thanks! Glad you liked it!

Rick: yes, volume, texture and dynamic variation is something I can work upon. I tried to do that with key modulations and different harmonic progressions, but yes, I could have done it with variation in instrumentation, etc., too. I'll listen again, see if I can change anything - but, to be honest, chances are I'll leave it like this for now, at least. We'll see! Depends also on how much time I get to tinker with it. That said: thanks so much for listening and taking the time to comment!

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 225
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 225
The pleasure was all mine. I look forward to your next effort. You are on the right track.
Rick


It needs more cowbell!

https://therickhansenband.com
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 21,862
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 21,862
James as always you have created fantastic backing tracks.
Your spoken word puts the icing on the cake.

I really liked this one!


Have you ever noticed there are no lines to a bathroom at a water park?

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,596
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,596
James,
it's another of your good pieces in the genre.
I did notice a fair bit more mouth noise/lip smacks on this that in recent tracks.
You need to drink to keep your mouth hydrated to avoid that sort of thing.
If you record one stanza at a time and have a good sip n swish before the next one you should be sweet.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Rick: thanks smile

Mario: thank you! Glad you liked it!

Ray: thanks smile - and thanks for the tip, re: mouth noise and lip smacks. I usually take my time to edit them out; I think that I was a little sloppy with the editing, this time. But yes - your advice will also help, of course. Between that and the editing, hopefully I get rid of it, if not entirely, then almost? smile

User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,915
D
Expert
Offline
Expert
D
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,915
James,

Nicely done! I like the production choice on the vocal — nice tone and flavor to it. I agree with Rick that maybe a change up along the way might give it a bit more pop. Maybe come out of that vocal treatment for the chorus . . . and maybe sing the chorus? Dunno. Just a couple of suggestions to mess with. But regardless it’s good work, James. Good write and production. Enjoyed the listen!

All my best,

Deej

User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Thanks Deej!!! Good suggestions. I will think about them - at the moment, I worry about breaking the character of the song (which is like a message in a bottle, or like a recorded voice on a cassette tape), if I "come out of character" for the chorus. But - I will try and see what happens, I think. In any case, thank you for listening and for taking the time to comment! smile

User Showcase
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,992
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,992
Another fabulous backing track.

There's nothing wrong with heartbreak songs. It's what sells and most people can identify with them.

My favorite line is "Our stunning beauty's now washed o'er by rain"

User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Ezekiel's Storm: thank you so much for the encouragement. It truly means a LOT. Glad you enjoyed the song!

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,707
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,707
The band is very smooth and the lyric sounds (and reads) heartfelt and genuine.

Hey, we love 12 bar blues and keep returning with them so don’t worry about returning with heartbreak songs.

As Torrey said in his song recently, “keep singing your song.”

Well done!

J&B


You can listen to our catalog on Apple Music or Spotify by searching on Janice Merritt
Our Videos are here on our website
User Showcase
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,210
Thank you so much, Janice and Bud. You know exactly what to say smile . And I 100% agree - I will indeed "keep singing (or, in my case, speaking - most of the time ...) my song". smile God bless.

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
Generate Lyrics for your Band-in-a-Box songs with LyricLab!

Need some lyrics to complete your Band-in-a-Box song? LyricLab is here to help!

LyricLab (by Joanne Cooper) is an AI-powered tool designed to quickly create lyrics and chords to fit your music. Just enter a rough idea of your lyrics, and let the AI bring them to life. Once you're happy with the results, simply import the LyricLab file into Band-in-a-Box® 2024 or newer. From there, you can pick your style and generate melodies to match your song’s chords!

Learn more about LyricLab here!

Watch the video.


Band-in-a-Box 2024 Italian for Mac is Here!

Ci siamo dati da fare e abbiamo aggiunto oltre 50 nuove funzionalità e una straordinaria raccolta di nuovi contenuti, tra cui 222 RealTracks, nuovi RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 3, Playable RealDrums Set 2, due nuovi set di "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 e altro ancora!

Tutti Pacchetti | Nuove Caratteristiche

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Mac is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Mac 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 & 7, Xtra Styles PAK 17 & 18, und mehr!

Paket | Was ist Neu

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 French for Mac® is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 apporte plus de 50 fonctions nouvelles ainsi qu'une importante de contenus nouveaux à savoir : 222 RealTracks, des RealStyles nouveaux, des SuperTracks MIDI, des Etudes d'Instruments, des Prestations d'Artistes, des "Morceaux avec Choeurs", un Set 3 de Tracks Jouables, un Set 2 de RealDrums Jouables, deux nouveaux Sets de "RealDrums Stems", des Styles XPro PAK 6 & 7, des Xtra Styles PAK 17 & 18, et bien plus encore!

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.

Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics82,879
Posts752,885
Members39,021
Most Online3,932
Nov 19th, 2024
Newest Members
Uke Berlin, Rodion Shynharov, davesbass, million, momo25
39,021 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 155
DC Ron 104
rsdean 86
dcuny 83
jpettit 68
DrDan 67
Today's Birthdays
Fred Marzin, kindofblue, philncookie
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5