Big congratulations to all the winners, and big thumbs up to Peter and company for coming up with such a great idea.

For the last year or so, I've been heavily involved in work, and then afterwards shooting has taken up a lot of time for me, so when I do get time to sit down at my keyboard, I'll just use the built in arranger function instead of opening BIAB and putting in a song. There's nothing wrong with that, but it does get boring and old after a while, hearing the same old thing every time. That's why Band In A Box has always been like a breath of fresh air for me.

BUT, and this is a big 'but', the reason I use an arranger keyboard is that I never really learned how to play piano. Melody and chords was all I ever really knew, which works very well in either an arranger keyboard, or BIAB. On the down side, I never learned theory, scales (yes, basic, but I never took lessons seriously), or any of the skills that would let me write music. I have to wonder how many others are like me?

So, I put it to the winners of this year's Awards, would you dedicate an area of the Showcase forum to 'The Art of Writing Music?' I know that it's possible for me to create a song out of nothing from BIAB, but I'd like to have something that is my own, and learn the keys to doing it. As a teacher once told me, if you have the keys, you can open any door. He taught keys to opening doors. Would you collectively be willing to teach those of us who don't know the keys to writing music?

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!