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I believe it is because it is an 8 bit limitation. The maximum number an 8 bit machine/program is 255. Oh, for certain, yes ... as an electronics and software guy so familiar with that, it didn't even occur to me to say that, sorry. There are plenty of ways, in principle at least, to remove that limit, but they all need extra data somewhere and that can't always be done without changing the basic structure of the data. That's fine for new software, but if old software cannot understand the new data, it can't work properly. In the very early days of BiaB, when storage and memory was scarce, every bit and byte bad a functional cost, so data was structured as efficiently as feasible. I'm pretty sure PGM (probably Peter) agonised over whether or not to make the limit bigger, but figured it would "happen so rarely" that it wasn't worth the cost. I believe the early program was mostly for jazz musicians and most jazz has a 32-bar basic form and multiple choruses over which one improvises. To put that "early" in context, the size of a floppy disk back at BiaB's start was commonly just 720kB with some 1.44MB "double density" disks around. The early Atart-ST had, I believe, only 360kB. One floppy disk would have to hold a collection of songs, not just a few.
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Views 277
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Rob, Thanks from both of us. Much appreciated. Bob
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Views 170
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History & geography in a song presented as sprightly, warm and entertaining. Another good'n from the chief good guy.
Replies 26
Views 807
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This reminds me of Janis Ian on her Between The Lines album, (particularly "Bright Lights and Promises"),...intimate, tasteful and emotive. ACE
Replies 33
Views 1,111
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An heavenly collab, if I were asked, would have been J&B&FJ. Dreams come true and this remix is sweet. The guitar man certainly knows nuance and taste. Stunningly good.
Replies 36
Views 1,808
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It is as the title suggests - Tickety Boo for certain...your natural voice is sounding great!
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Views 219
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Swinging funkinesss...the trumpet via controller was very interesting to hear. Bass is a stand out.
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Views 566
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Hi Rob, I enjoyed the bright, relaxed vibe of your song. Kendall's and Yona's vocals and the sax solo were on point. It's a shame Kendall passed at such a young age. Nice write, production and mix! Bob
Replies 22
Views 448
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.......................................... The 255 bar limit has many times been asked to be increased, but it has, AFAICS, never happened. I image there's some fundamental constraint that PGM have and wish to keep, probably relating to backwards compatibility. I believe it is because it is an 8 bit limitation. The maximum number an 8 bit machine/program is 255. https://completeera.com/the-largest-number-an-8-bit-system-can-hold-binary-basics/
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Views 277
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Thanks for listening, Chay! As for singing, I sing well enough to get the melody across to the vocalists I hire on Fiverr, but not well enough for anyone to go out of their way to hear me ;-)
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Views 75
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I enjoyed your nice mellow bossa, Chay! I especially liked the piano, baritone guitar and panpipe solos. Very nicely done!
Replies 29
Views 1,340
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You're a multi-talented fellow. That fretless bass is to die for. The trumpet is fabulous, especially that high trill.
Replies 23
Views 566
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Jon nailed it all right. Raw emotional lyrics and delivery that reaches the listener. Clean production.
Replies 19
Views 538
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Poignant lyrics. Gentle flowing instrumentation and melody---very pleasing. Great vocal too.
Replies 16
Views 232
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Thanks, Jona. Paul McCartney. That's a high compliment.
Replies 21
Views 219
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Musician 17, thanks so much. It's good to see you back in the forum.
Replies 21
Views 219
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Rob, Thanks for listening. I remember "Gimme Dat Ding." I haven't thought about that song for a long time until you mentioned. I'll put it on my Spotify playlist.
Replies 21
Views 219
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Thanks, K-Dub Ya, for your kind review.
Replies 21
Views 219
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I listened to this when it was released, and I had NO IDEA until today what the hell he was singing about in this song. Neil Young crafted a surreal, time-traveling narrative about environmental destruction. He has often stated that he wrote the lyrics organically while under the influence of drugs, leaving the song open to interpretation.The lyrics move through three distinct eras in human history: The Past: The opening verse paints a quasi-medieval scene with knights and peasants, establishing humanity’s timeless relationship with nature. The Present: The second verse features a deeply personal, surreal vision of Young lying in a "burned-out basement". The lines "Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970s" act as a protest against human exploitation of the Earth's resources. The Future: The final verse imagines a dystopian future where the planet is dying. In a sci-fi twist, it depicts the "chosen ones" escaping the ruined Earth in silver spaceships to colonize a new home in the sun, leaving the rest of humanity behind
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Hi Janice & Bud That is soooo good. Lyrically showing us how to draw a positive mindset from a negative experience. Well sung, well played and really, really good. Kind regards And thank you for the kind words. Love your description of the lyric. We appreciate it all, J&B
Replies 36
Views 1,808
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Hi Ken! Good music and a good message! Andrew
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Views 44
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Hi Herb! I like your idea of labelling by focussing on what it is rather than what it’s not - from a human creativity starting point. I agree with the idea of BIAB tracks being ‘human-assisted’, because I generate them at a push of a button, as contrasted with performing myself or rounding up some session musos. My melody, lyrics, chords, arrangement and production would already be credited to me through traditional crediting labels. What I am unsure of in your suggestion is VSTi instruments - partly in my own ignorance - if the VSTi is doing all the heavy lifting in creation and performance, it should be hu or even AI, but if I am programming it (e.g. via step input or notation, adding inflections etc.) that might be tantamount to me doing HU. I look at it like this - that your idea is defining the (forgotten or assumed) other end of a spectrum of credit labelling. Andrew
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B.I.N.G.O.! I could not agree with you more Sir!
Replies 6
Views 129
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Very appealing! This evokes an air of an evening with black ties and evening gowns. Excellent instrumentation and arrangement. Thanks, EZ! I never imagined the black ties and evening gowns, but now I do!
Replies 29
Views 1,340
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Totally a national anthem song, but the way the world's going - the insane near future dreams of the tech-billionaires and the WEF - all such themes will soon be out of date. I was surprised that you didn't sing the song. I agree with B.D.'s comment.
Replies 6
Views 75
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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.
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Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
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Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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