An acoustic waltz festooned with electropop arpeggios.
This is a small instrumental I wrote a very long time ago, at the time of my graduation from the religious school I attended for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. It had words, but due to their teenage quality I am suppressing them in favor of this executive summary:
“Well, here we are, you and I. For years we were taught there was a god to protect us, but we know all we’ve really got is one another and now we can stop pretending. We are all that there is. I’ll believe in you if you believe in me.”
Laid out in Band-in-a-Box and finished up in Logic Pro. In the end we wind up with:
~364:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 065 ~368:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 065
electric piano horn section recorder trumpet organ violin
EXCELLENT song Its nice to hear more instrumentals Super mix Great dynamics Two thumbs up
Thanks, Mario. And a hearty yo ho ho for more instrumentals.
Sometimes I feel like I'm at a starting disadvantage, being (with rare exceptions) a maker of instrumental music.
But then I think: "Hey, a singer is stuck with the voice they have, all the time, on everything they do, which places a huge burden on the lyrical and emotional content of their music. Plus they have to carve out a space in the mix and make sure their voice stands out against everything else, no matter how interesting the other stuff is. With an instrumental, however, you can go nutz and play with the whole range of tone colors available and 'sing' with a different voice in every verse."
So, again, yo ho ho for instrumentals and thanks for hear + speak. =8^)
You sure know how to surprise me with your creations! It's a wonderful melody, with a climbing harshness towards the end. Don't know if it was the electric piano and the guitar together, but that gave the song a nice twist.
You sure know how to surprise me with your creations! It's a wonderful melody, with a climbing harshness towards the end. Don't know if it was the electric piano and the guitar together, but that gave the song a nice twist. Enjoyed it!
Thanks, Hans, very glad you liked. I'm an old dog learning new tricks, working with ancient sheet music I carefully wrote out in 197* (the corner of the page is missing, I think it was 1974 but it could have been even earlier). I see that even back then I was intrigued by diminished chords, which are very audible here with all the arpeggiated hokey-pokey. Again, thank you.
It starts out sounding like something from medieval times and then with the arpeggios moves into a a time far, far into the future.
For me (Janice) this is a very visual song and I imagined I was on a merry-go-round inside of a kaleidoscope.
We don't have a clue as to how you produced all those tracks other than the RT's but let a big ole "well done" suffice.
We enjoyed this!
J&B
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Very cool! It starts out sounding like something from medieval times and then with the arpeggios moves into a a time far, far into the future. For me (Janice) this is a very visual song and I imagined I was on a merry-go-round inside of a kaleidoscope. We don't have a clue as to how you produced all those tracks other than the RT's but let a big ole "well done" suffice. We enjoyed this!
Thanks, folks.
By no coincidence the lead virtual instrument here is actually called "Medieval Recorder" in Logic, which is odd since recorders are still around today in the exact same form. I guess they want to distinguish the musical instrument from the kind of recorder that records.
Janice, your description of the merry-go-round / kaledioscope sounds like a fairy trap out of a Thomas Disch novel (he wrote about a world in which fairies fly around making nuisances of themselves, so people build fancy visual machines as defenses; the fairies stop to look and can never look away.) I'm happy to conjure an image like that! =8^)
PS – Attached is a picture of my arpegiattor (his name is "Arpegiattor"). Put two of these together and that's all that there is to it!
Really well done and a very creative arrangement . . . had me listening to the end, wondering where it might go next . . . it didn’t disappoint. Good stuff!
I love waltzes and I love waltzes that travel along with the feel of 6/8. So from bar 1, you had me (with two boxes of likeability ticked). This is a greatly inventive arrangement. It's mesmerizing how you move from and older sound into the world of distorted guitars. My right foot didn't stop tapping from start to end. A terrific listen.
So glad you dug it, thank you for listening!
Believe it or not, a version I recorded in 1986 sounds almost identical, except here I'm playing actual guitars and recorders, the arpeggio being supplied by an MC-202 MicroComposer:
Beautiful folk melody and very nice chord progression. I like the doubled recorder. Those arpeggios work really well, somehow reminds me of music in the computer games I used to play in the 80's with my Commodore 64 or those songs I made with it You should work on the lyrics, the summary is very promising
it's a very melodic and soft instrumental composition. I appreciated.
Originally Posted By: Scott C
Very pretty tune. Loved the melody. Got a Celtic vibe.
Originally Posted By: jannesan
Beautiful folk melody and very nice chord progression. I like the doubled recorder. Those arpeggios work really well, somehow reminds me of music in the computer games I used to play in the 80's with my Commodore 64 or those songs I made with it You should work on the lyrics, the summary is very promising
Thanks, all. It's really nice to see people liking this old thing after all this time.
FYI, here's the MicroComposer that did those arps back in the day.
Back in the day I desperately wanted an arpeggiator, as I was - and still am - a fairly mediocre keyboard player, and they seemed like a whole lot of fun.
Which is exactly the sort of sound it lends here.
Plus, waltzes are fun to listen to.
I can commiserate with you about instrumentals. I always feel a bit guilty when I write one, thinking I really should be working on lyrics. But I don't really feel that way when I listen to other people's instrumentals, oddly enough.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
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!
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