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Hi All, Here's a remembrance of a long gone friend… This is called BLACK TELEPHONE. The rivers and mountains surround this town They remind me that you’re not around And all the talk radio only brings me down Black telephone The streetlights flicker on the edge of the rain A junkie’s shadow whispers your name And I dial your number just to keep me sane Black telephone The moonlight rushes through a hole in the sky In this whistle stop where the wild geese fly And she lights one up lets the world drift by Black telephone BIAB Tracks: 1592: Bass, Electric, Pop16ths 065 3467: Bass, Electric, Americana 085 2808: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm 065 3208: Guitar, Electric, RnBPop 055 2542: Pedal Steel, Background 065 RealDrums: RockEven16 Other Notes: Izotope Ozone 10 Elements & Ozone 11 Izotope Nectar 3 Elements for Vocals Izotope Plasma for Instrument Tracks Processing Bob Mic: Logitech Blue Yeti Bob Vocals: Logic Pro Waves: Vocal Rider Final Track Mix & Master: Logic Pro As always - thanks for listening! Bob
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Hi Bob.
Once again you create a masterpiece.
This is a wonderful tribute to your friend.
I found it a very engaging listening both lyrically and musically.
I thoroughly enjoyed going where your song took me.
--Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Hi Bob
I just found this gem of yours. Your beautifully plaintive voice is a perfect match for the reflective song subject.
Nice mix and seperation of the instruments. You are cetainly the king of this emo-folk genre.
It is proof of a good song if it ends leaving the listener wanting more and that is certainly my experience here.
Excellent.
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Expert
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A very beautiful song Bob. Your voice fits perfectly in this style, the piano is great and the guitar in counterpoint is perfect.
You are approaching the top.
laurent
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Man, you are such a brilliant writer, Bob! So good at painting pictures with words.
Perfect vocal and mix too. Loved it!
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Well, I'm so old I grew up believing that all telephones were black, and the princess phone was a black one in Disney. But they never had the blackness of yours, Bob. Man, what a good song. THe piano is so perfect as is that guitar. What a good mix, too. That steel slices through at all the right times. Your vocal is what brings the song to the highest level.
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Love the poetic lyric and instrumentation, Bob.
I couldn't help thinking of the third verse being a bridge with chords like E, F#m, D, A.
Not suggesting it needs it but it would sound nice for me.
Vic
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Great Real Track Backing. Always great lyrics. Production and mix is spot on. The lead guitar licks sound perfect for this song ... are those Real Tracks or a live player?
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Noel,
That is very kind and appreciated. Thank you.
Bob
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I am always amazed at how much you're able to say with so few words, Bob.
You create so many images in my mind.
This is a masterpiece both lyrically and technically!
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Bob you are one hell of a story teller/
You can say so much with so few words - brilliant - I am so jealous.
Outstanding lyrics, vocal, instruments, and mix.
The Black Telephone is one of if not your best thus far.
Loved it.
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Good one Bob!
Love the simplicity here.
A nice compact construction with some killer lyrics.
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Hi, Bob. I closed my eyes, listened, and let the song take me away. Everything is clear and present in the mix, and you do your usual magic with the lyrics. Excellent. 
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Izzy,
I appreciate the kind words. Thanks so much.
Bob
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Hi Bob,
You write the nutrition specs on the back of a frozen food package and make it sound like magic. You\r lyrics are as good as (often better) than anything I hear over the airways.
Great selection of backing tracks - always just enough and never too much. Your music is s9imply fabulous!
Alan
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
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Laurent,
That is very kind - thank you.
Bob
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Sad, but very beautiful song, Bob. You'll meet your "long gone friend" again as only the body dies. I've had many experiences of passed on relatives, friends and past girlfriends, some while awake, some in lucid dreams and a few when in the hypnogogic zone (the brief period between being awake and asleep. On top of that my home is haunted by the previous occupant (I've written 46 blog posts on the subject, enough for a novella!) so I have daily proof that only the body dies!  On top of that, your music will live forever! 
Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
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Dave,
That's very kind - thank you.
Bob
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Marty,
Thanks so much. I always appreciate your kind reviews.
Bob
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Bob, beautiful remembrance. Love the band and the build, especially the bass and the steel. Friendships, like this song, are over way too soon.
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
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Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
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- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
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