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John Conley
Musica est vita
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kelso
Dell Desktop XPS 8100 W10 HomePrem/64 / Core i5 760 (quad, 2.8GHz) / 8GB DDR3 / 1 TB SATA / ViewSonic VG2428wm / EMU1616 PCI / Event ASP6 Active Monitors / BIAB 2019 64 bit (609) / Cakewalk
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The Amiga was great in it's day.
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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It sure was. Had a 1000, tricked out pretty good with h/d. Way into the 90's Amiga had the best graphics of any PC. Had two actually. On one I did the "piggy back hack" to up the memory to 1Meg. I solder chips onto other chips and some more stuff. Very tedious. Must have done over 100 solders. Was half-blind when it was over. But it worked! First time and never failed.
Gave the whole thing to Goodwill years ago. Wish I'd kept it.
I feel sorry for younger people who didn't live the days when the PC world was wide-open. Text-based graphics and games. Programming in Basic. When a word processor was still a big deal. And mail-merge!
Had a C-64 too. Really miss it more than the Amiga. He traded 100's of pirated games. Also bought many legally too. I learned more about microprocessors and machine level program on my 64 than in any class I ever had. You learned to squeeze everything you could out of your hardware. Counted clock cycles. Looked for ways to eliminate even one!
That's why today's programs seem so slow and sloppy to me. How in the world can they slow down such hardware as we have now? Big, slow, programs written by 100's of people I think.
- Bud
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Man, that is so me. Or, ideally, it will be in about twenty years.
I've still got all my Amiga stuff out in the shed. I might try to make it work again one day, just for fun. Okay, and to get some old e-mails and a mostly-completed story on one of the drives....
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2024 • Reaper 7 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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I started with a C64, then the Amiga 500, then 1000 I think. The midi sequencer was the great "Music-X". Between that and my Casio CZ5000 my whole music world opened up to me. Also recall a company "Dr. T" that produced software - I don't even recall what but I sure liked it. Maybe librarians. All gone now. Just can't keep everything forever.
Also, that BASIC language was written by some little company called Microsoft. But then that was so greatly extended by Simon's Basic.
I'm just thinking that with the C64 (not to go to far off topic) you could easily write your own synth sounds (four at a time) by picking waveform, parameters, and my first realization of ADSR. Oh yeah, PEEKs and POKEs. I even started writing a sequencer program. Learned a lot from that.
Thanks for the reminder.
kelso
Dell Desktop XPS 8100 W10 HomePrem/64 / Core i5 760 (quad, 2.8GHz) / 8GB DDR3 / 1 TB SATA / ViewSonic VG2428wm / EMU1616 PCI / Event ASP6 Active Monitors / BIAB 2019 64 bit (609) / Cakewalk
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Expert
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Any-one remember the Sinclair ZX Spectrum ? 
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I had a couple of Radio Shack Color Computers that I got from my EEE stepfather (who was present at the club meeting where the first Apple was demonstrated.) One had 128k RAM and another had been hotrodded to 512k, with dual external double-sided floppies. Very big deal, since most external work was saved to cassette at a screaming 300 baud. Also had a Star NX-1000 nine-pin DMP with True Descenders, yay!
I learned to program in several flavors of BASIC, OS-9 (a pre-Windows multitasking system very similar to DEC VAX), and others. Played around with some music, too, but that wasn't a strong point in its native form.
I used them to run a couple of businesses and even started writing a book on live sound. (Wish I had those files; it was a unique approach and IMO well written. Far as I know the hardware and disks are rotting on my ex-wife's back porch.)
In the early 1990s I traded a very fine Takamine 12-string for my first PC, an Olivetti/AT&T 8088/640k/20Mb. The other guy got the better end of the deal financially, but I made up for it in education. Almost everything I know about PCs I learned in self defense against incompetent techs and ignorant salespeople.
All I ever wanted to do with it was record music, but that wasn't possible for many years. I think I was using a 486 running Win 3.1 with 8Mb and a 30Mb HD when I got BIAB 7 and a copy of a Passport MIDI sequencer. Ooo-eee!
R.
Last edited by Ryszard; 10/16/10 01:38 AM.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Quote:
Any-one remember the Sinclair ZX Spectrum ?
I wanted a Timex Sinclair 1000 so badly. I did get a TI 99/4-A, and eventually a Commodore 128, before I got the Amigas. (Yes, Amigas. I have, like four of 'em, from a couple of goosed-up 500s to a really goosed-up 4000.)
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2024 • Reaper 7 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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Geezers! We started out as geeks, now we're old Geezers!!!!
I remember Simon's Basic, the Timex Sinclair. Had a TI-99. Got it before the C-64 in fact.
Anybody who still has their old stuff, I advise keeping it. I got rid of it all and regret it now. Even if it were all still on a basement shelf, I wish I'd kept it.
- Bud
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Cool thread. I had an early Tandy computer complete with cassette to load software I think at 75 baud. 16k memory. Black and White. I took a course in Basic at Community College and wrote software to manage a 'country club'. I was working part time at 3 fitness clubs doing odd jobs and working at the Fire Dept. The prof told me I should be writing software, so I quit the fitness thing to write an Accounts Receivable program in Basic.
A week later the guy who owned the fitness clubs had a problem. He was paying $1 per transaction, file change etc. on a Pre-authorized chequing program with the bank at it was killing him. We agreed he'd put 25,000 in an account, we'd go 50 / 50, and I'd buy a computer.
Radio Shack CP/M machine with 5 8 inch floppies. Data Base and Basic. I got the Database software written, a test on file transmission via 300 baud modem, and an office open in 7 days. Found out later the bank wanted to lend him 350,000 to get an IBM System 32(?), and a full time programmer.
I finished my A/R software for nursing homes, sold 18 of them, moved to Xenix then to UNIX, eventually to NCR 80030. My first Hard Drive was the size of a couple of cement blocks and held a whopping 8 MB. I scabbed a huge reel to reel tape drive onto it.
In '96 I collapsed and ended up in the hospital for 3 days. Just run down. Sold my half back for 50k., and threw in the wife. (true) She's still there, they still run my software for banking, and she's just shy of making 6 figures.
So when I sold the first big contract and had some cash I went to the music store and bought a Roland W50 keyboard, and what the heck, throw in that weird looking software in 5 1/4 inch diskettes. (Band in a Box). Still have the same keyboard I play almost every day, but the Band in a Box is way better.......
Now I run Ubuntu 90 percent of the time and the Win7 machine's monitor is right there behind the keyboard so I can play Makin' Whopee to the Tiger Woods lyrics I jiggled.
Weird or what?
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Aahhh, the Commodore 64, happy memories. I never upgraded to a C128 or Amiga; I mean who needs any more that 64 Kb of memory......... 
Cheers,
Keith
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Quote:
[<...> I did get a TI 99/4-A,<...>
I had one of those too, in the original black and chrome. Eventually got a second one in beige.
The beige one eventually quit working, and I traded the black one in when I bought a 386 IBM Clone. The owner of the computer store wanted it for his personal collection.
On a related note, I still have two Atari 1040/ST computers hanging around. I don't know what to do with them. It seems a shame to toss them away, I don't want to list them on eBay and pay the fees if nobody wants them, and a Craigslist ad didn't turn up a response. If anybody knows what to do with them, please PM me. Thanks.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Quote:
Quote:
[<...> I did get a TI 99/4-A,<...>
I had one of those too, in the original black and chrome. Eventually got a second one in beige.
The beige one eventually quit working, and I traded the black one in when I bought a 386 IBM Clone. The owner of the computer store wanted it for his personal collection.
On a related note, I still have two Atari 1040/ST computers hanging around. I don't know what to do with them. It seems a shame to toss them away, I don't want to list them on eBay and pay the fees if nobody wants them, and a Craigslist ad didn't turn up a response. If anybody knows what to do with them, please PM me. Thanks.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Bars N Pipes
Somebody who does as much MIDI as you do...
Still the BEST MIDI sequencer/editor ever made, bars n pipes can also be easily customized to do many batch tasks.
--Mac
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Quote:
Aahhh, the Commodore 64, happy memories. I never upgraded to a C128 or Amiga; I mean who needs any more that 64 Kb of memory.........
Absolutely right. One good programmer with 64K is better than an army of lousy ones from Microsoft.
- Bud
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You HAD to program better in those days. You didn't need conference rooms, focus groups, steering committes, a manager for each programmer, TPS reports, and huge office buildings.
You made a few sketches, thought about it, and started hacking. You kept the whole thing in mind until it was done. That's why old programs didn't break if somebody breathed on them hard. Unlike today's garbage. (Except PG music products of course!)
- Bud
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Anyone remember the Adam, that was my first computer? I think it was put out by the toy company Coleco . . . heck anyone remember Coleco? Later,
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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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Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
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."
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!
Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.
Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed!
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