Hello forum Members. My latest offering is based around a medical episode I had/have recently, and this is why I've been a little absent on the forum lately, my apologies. Nothing too serious, I'm sure I've been a little self indulgent with this one, and should count my blessings. For someone who is on the whole healthy, when something catches you off guard and off your feet, it makes you consider your mortality. I'm all good, and I realise it's all in my head in, just got to work through it. I'm not sure if I even like this song, I've been working on it for quite a while, and they do wear thin after a while. The vocals are a bit fragile, but I guess that lends to the subject matter. I'd be interested if listeners are hearing enough variation in my songs, I don't want to get stuck in the same vein all the while.
Thank you for listening and your feedback, kind regards.
Lyrics: Laid down beneath an aging Jacaranda, Sky above weighed down where I lay. Hold on to daylight and not fade to grey. Earth spinning faster, focus started to wander. Unsteady, grasping for breathe, feeling uneasy, An angry racing heart, pounding my chest within. Time, body and mind diverge, aflood with adrenaline. No longer twenty-three, time to back off, take it easy.
Wake up call, coming through loud and clear, howling in my ear. Wake up call, the universe is telling me, you’re no longer twenty-three, I got my wake up call.
Left alone with my high anxiety, Muddling my senses with it’s false narrative. Sleep don’t come easy, lord give me sedative. Mind stuck in fight or flight just won’t let me be. Lay my head on the pillow, not feeling too sleepy, A loud troubled heart, thumping in my temple. Time, body and mind converge, aflood with cortisol. Tell myself I’m gonna be alright, dwelling on my vulnerability.
Wake up call, coming through loud and clear, howling in my ear. Wake up call, the universe is telling me, you’re no longer twenty-three, Wake up call, wake up call, wake up call. No longer twenty-three, I’m sixty-three that’s my vulnerability . I got my wake up call.
BIAB Info.
Style is _CEDAR.STY (Cedar Woodblock Acoustic Praise) RealTracks in style: 1255:Bass, Electric, PopShiningA-B Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 1277:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopUpliftA-B Ev16 120 RealTracks in style: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealDrums in style:PraiseWorshipShine-01-SCHt,SRCy [Multi]
Real Instruments: Seagull Coastline Electro-acoustic - rhythm Vox - yours truly BVs - me too.
Welcome back! Sorry for your recent medical episode, glad it wasn't too serious. Many of us have had that wake up call telling us we weren't 23 (or 53) any more. Sounds like you've put it in the right perspective, which is of course important.
Cool song! That Seagull sounds great early on, and sets up the rest of the tune nicely. Super harmonic progression and strong arrangement to keep momentum throughout this long-ish song form. Think your vocals are perfect for the tune. "Fragile" works perfectly.
Great example of making lemonade when all you have are lemons. Nice one!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Hi Lee! I wondered when you were going to post next - and this is a good re-entry. We’ll have to give it a strum next time we meet. That initial chord change I - III (e.g. C - Emajor) is the gift that keeps on giving and never grows tired - well deployed by you. I like that piano break in the middle - some very tasty notes in there. Listened three times already.
One question - is that you (with FX) or the missus in the intro?
Lee, Great intro. "No longer twenty-three, time to back off, take it easy" what great line that I can relate. Great vocals, guitar, and mix. As I have had a wake up call I can relate to the entire song. I loved everything about this song.
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
Good autobiographical lyrics and story, beautifully and openly told. Real life (unfortunately too often) writes the best stories. Good to hear that your life is (more or less, I guess) back to normal, whatever normal is...
I’d like to take the credit for playing the Seagull early on, but in fact it’s the Realtrack for the intro and first verse. The Seagull comes in when the bass does and it’s overpowered by the bass as I tried to imply a sense of foreboding in the second verse. Then the chorus comes in and the Seagull is a bit more prominent. I think you’re right that the fragile vocals work well with the subject. I recorded them whilst I was still in that worried headspace and it adds to the feel.
Thank you for your listens and review. I’ve caught you out buddy, that initial chord change is C to Cmaj7. I just played C to E major, whilst that works, C to Cmaj7 has that little bit of extra melancholy to it. As per the message to DC Ron, I can’t claim credit for the piano either, that’s BIAB too. I did think about putting a solo in the break, but I gave it to the Piano because as you say, there were a few tasty notes in there.Yep, we’ll definitely give it a crack at the next meet. Alas, I again can’t take credit for the opening or give credit to the missus, it’s a sound bite off the net. It would be ironic though if it were her, as if anything it would be me waking her to stop her snoring!!
Yes, the intro and first verse came up well, and as I mentioned in a prior post, up until that point it’s all BIAB. I said in other reviews that singing, playing, writing and recording is great therapy, and I felt I needed to get this song “out of my system” as part of my recovery and mental healing.
Im glad you could relate to it, and that enjoyed the song. Hope all is good for you after your wake up call. Much love buddy.
Thank for the listen and kind words. I can’t agree more about real life writing the best stories, good or bad. Yeah, getting back to normal mentally can take a while after the physical event, but really mine was minor compared to what other people go through. But it does hammer home, to not take things for granted and live in the moment.
Many on this forum are no longer 23, and health problems often appear with age. So you need to take care of yourself by maintaining a healthy lifestyle: a balanced diet and regular physical activity. It sounds silly, but many people believe that age has no effect on them, but unfortunately, that's a denial of reality. When you accept this and correct certain harmful lifestyle habits, you often feel much better as you get older.
Jacarandas can be spectacular can't they? A lovely canopy to sit under. Cool song and mix. Some of the intro percussion could be softened with some reverb but that's just me. At my age, 68, every thing, from putting things in the dish washer to mowing, is a wake up call. Once the songs settles in your vocal is perfect in it's slightly fragile emotional state.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Yes agreed, Jacarandas are beautiful in flower. The street we moved into 12 or so years ago are lined with them. Come November/December here in Australia, they come into flower and drop their flowers. It prompted my daughter, having come from England five years prior, to comment upon seeing all flowers on the road, “look, purple snow!”
Thank you for the listen and review. Yep, we have to consider our next action at our age, we don’t know what’s going to hurt or drop off!
Very cool, Lee. The fragility you mention in the vocal effectively delivers the lyrics that can draw out gobs of empathy from even the youngest listener. It sounds like something John Lennon would've written and played in his white piano room if he lived long enough. I like Beth's comment on Harrison too. Yeah, when the song progresses with the harmony I hear the Wilbury's too.
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
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.
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!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
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
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
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
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean