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Hey Everyone,
I came across this interesting bit of software last night, it piqued my interest so much that I'm going to get the full version as I think it would not only be very useful, it would also be a very helpful bit of software to have in my small home studio, it's called Sundog Song Studio, here's a link to the webpage:
https://feelyoursound.com/sundog/
Not a bad find, pretty funky and cheap.
Seems a bit limited unless electronica is all you want to do, have you had a look at Band In A Box, it's quite a bit dearer but it is generally on special around Christmas.
I/we use the BiaB Ultra version which from memory was around $400.00, is around 120G in size and needs double that to download and install.
I could go on about it but this thread is not about BiaB
Yeah it does seem to be more geared towards electronica, that's fine with me cause I'm mostly into producing electronic music, although doing full band mixes too is not out of the question, for what it is, I reckon it's a great tool for getting rid of writer's block, something I've had for quite a while.
Yeah the block is an issue but from a players point of view relying on software such as this and Band In A Box is also a creative block.
My recommendation if anyone is planning to go down this route is to use it as a foundation not the whole solution.
I know I said I would steer away from comment on what we do but maybe my experience is relevant in this thread.
We create the backing in BiaB and then import it into Realband ( part of BiaB ) and then export all of the individual instruments from there as .wav files into the DAW ( in my case Reaper ), from there I replace any of the instrumental parts with us playing and build from there.
The big drawback is that you ( I ) am not playing enough to maintain chops, we have a 15 track album due for digital release this month and if we are to promote it live I have to relearn all of the stuff I have played.
Twelve months ago we jammed for 3 hours once a week and built a potential 5 hours of live performance, now with the way we are doing things we are knocking out originals at an alarming pace but I probably spend an hour a week putting a 30 second solo together plus a handful of fills.
The software packages can be both a blessing and a curse.
The three of us being 70 plus with two having pretty serious health issues means getting our creative dreams down is an imperative.
Before anyone feels the need to ask, I am in rude good health and still active in competitive cricket and motorsport, I just wish one of my mates in particular wasn't where he is.
We have just recorded a song about the 3rd term of life ( 0-30, 31-60, 61-90 ) called "My Last Lap" which is very upbeat despite it being a look at mortality
I've had a good attempt at coming to grips with Band-In-a-box.
I stopped at the 2013 edtion which came on a 2 Gig hard drive.
My intention was to create backing tracks with a simple rhythm section.
Bass, drums and keyboard.
Despite the many many iterations and bloated amount of content they still can't develop a convincing method of ending tunes.
Every now and again I'll try the next demo to see if they have finally addressed this elementary function but no.
Maybe next year.
cheers, Mark.
Not sure what the ending problem is, we have achieved a number of different ending stylesQuote:
Originally Posted by king casey
Good news. I can't get them to sound either too corny or too abrupt.Quote:
Originally Posted by dave.king1
I'll usually add an extra few bars and export it to Sonar to add a fade out.
cheers, Mark.
We are using 2018 Ultra which is a hamburger with the works, the only real step up for a massive increase in disk size and price is the audiophile edition which uses .wav files instead of MIDI for the Realtracks.Quote:
Originally Posted by king casey
I purchased it and because you get 3 licences I put a copy on two of my machines and shared the 3rd with one of my bandmates, he has far more time to experiment with it because he lives alone and only works 3 days a week.
Max is nudging 74 and computer illiterate so if he can find the solutions by watching YT tutorials and experimentation I'm sure most on here could achieve the same.
This track is built on BiaB, I have added the acoustic riffs, electric fills, MIDI piano & Acordian and played the bass, this is an early mix https://soundcloud.com/suthol/at-bal...d-master-16bit
Entertaining track Dave.
Noticed though that you had a fade out rather than a definitive end.
cheers, Mark.
Nice one Dave!
yeah I know that it's not a defined ending, the ones with such an ending are still hidden from public ears.Quote:
Originally Posted by king casey
The reason I put it up was to show what can be done with this type of software, I'm sure Doc will be on the same trail in a different genre.
The big difference that I have found with most programs and BiaB is that all the others that I have tried only give you a single track in stereo or mono to work with, but in Real Band ( which is also a DAW ) the instruments can be exported as separate tracks which can then be treated and manipulated, sadly I have yet to find out how to break the drums up into separate tracks for each piece.
I have a few drum programs that use live samples where I can get the separate pieces but not being a drummer I have difficulty getting the sequencing right.
As you were, sorry for the hijack
Right, well I may download this Sundog demo....just to see what it's like in the 'endings' department.Quote:
Originally Posted by dave.king1
cheers, Mark.
I just bought the full version of Sundog, it only costs around Au$90.00 or so to buy a license to unlock the full version of it, I mostly bought it because I've been really getting interested in producing PsyTrance (Psychedelic Trance) music on my main studio PC at home, and saw how it can be of great help with creating good sounding melodic elements.
Hint: If you sign up as a member and beta-tester, you can get a discount code for use when you go to purchase the software.
And just in case you're wondering, yes there are some PsyTrance tracks that do have electric guitar in them, it's just one genre of music, actually one of the many sub-genres of Electronic Dance Music, or EDM.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave.king1
Ah it's okay mate, the general theme of this thread is about software that can help with the songwriting process, and to overcome writer's block.....it's all good.