It has been a long time since I posted in the User Forum. It's good to see so many familiar names still active. It's probably been about 4 years since I've been here. A lot has happened.
I had to hit pause on my songwriting and recording in 2021 when I changed jobs. Although I still work at NOAA, I went to a very technical job in a different office and had to relearn a lot of things. It was very consuming.
Then my wife's health started deteriorating and I had to provide personal care and much more support around the house. She was called to Heaven last November. I'm still picking up the pieces.
I've been on Federal furlough for a few weeks now, so I wanted to "practice for retirement." That includes getting back to music. So I look forward to listening to your wonderful work, relearning how to write and record again, and finding my way back to some kind of new normal.
Haha, SpaceDog on re-entry... I like that, Mike. Glad you're practicing for retirement, and am looking forward to your adventures in music. Sorry for your loss. That's the hardest of human experiences.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
Mike, I was also absent form the forum for about 4 years recently, and yours was one of the entries that I was missing! Looking forward to your contributions!
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
Mike, my sincerest condolences, so sorry for your loss.
Welcome back to the forum. I was a DC area Federal civilian for many years and endured the shutdowns, furloughs and other assorted indignities for far too long. Retirement is severely underrated. There's a real you out there underneath your work skin waiting to be discovered...
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
I was wondering about you. So sorry to hear of your wife's passing. I think you might already know my wife, Di, passed away in May of this year. Sure is a big adjustment. I wish you strength and good direction. Looking forward to hearing more music from you.
I did notice your MIA status here so welcome back.
I'm sincerely sorry to hear about your wife. I can only imagine your grief. Being 78, I think about what you've recently endured in losing a loved one. The way I view it now....every day is a gift.
Ahhh....retirement. I retired in Dec. 2010 and wrote this one (BIAB, of course) within two weeks of that glorious decision. Dedicated to us old fossils:
Babu, Thanks for the welcome and compassion. I'll be alight someday.
Bob, I sure remember you! I'm glad to reconnect.
Tano, I remember you as well. I hope your 4-year gap was not too trying.
Chulaivet, Thanks for the welcoming. I loved your song. This furlough is taking the anxiety out of retirement for me. Targeting Dec 2026.
Ron, Thanks for the encouragement. Funny thing about the "real you underneath your work skin" , my wife always told me it took three days of vacation for the "real Mike" to re-emerge.
Alan, I remember you and Di too. Sorry for your loss. If you need to talk, message me. We'll get through this grief.
I'm working on a new song now. Depending on the how the BB/RB software and my system get along (usually not good), I should be posting within a week.
Marty: thanks for giving it a listen and the kind comments. Seeing any thread regarding retirement always provides me an opportunity to (shamefully) throw this one out. My BIAB journey began with BIAB 2012 and this one was my very first song employing this great program. I can't recall offering this one up in the past for peer listens or not.....couldn't be a memory issue.
Mike: thanks for giving it a spin and hope you found it worthy of your time. Retirement is a great thing and I'm indescribably elated that I've lived long enough to experience it. I've been creatively adrift lately.
We are very sorry to hear about your loss. We wish you the best as you move forward.
Welcome back!
J&B
PS I call Janice a Jr. Sr. 😀 I’m a real senior at a very soon to be 80 and I couldn’t imagine learning new complex skills as you mentioned. Good for you!
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
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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
Playable RealTracks Set 5
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SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
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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
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
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