|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 48
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 48 |
Howdy!
I'm a one man band making music on the computer, which means I write all the parts. I am generally very satisfied with my creations, but I struggle a lot with the bass. I tend to write bass lines that clash with the rest of the song rather than supporting it. I pull it off eventually, but it takes a lot of trial and error. The fact of the matter is, I don't know what I'm doing. And frankly, I am getting tired of the struggle. Can someone here kindly suggest something I could read or watch that might make me struggle less in the future? I would really appreciate the guidance.
May the sounds be with you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 621
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 621 |
Byron Dickens BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency. https://soundcloud.com/athanorsoundlabs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,378
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,378 |
Lucm ... in BB this is very easy to do. You simply use slash chords. For example.... C/D C/E where the chord is C but the bass is D in the first one and E in the second one. It will literally play the bass note you enter after the slash. I used this technique of using slash chords in this song. It's an old hymn that's redone to a modern standard. It Is Well With My Soul I used it to ride on the bass in the intro while the chords vary, then further into the song, the bass is not playing the root in quite a few places. I was going for a dissonant sound.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 05/07/22 08:32 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,492
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,492 |
Howdy!
I'm a one man band making music on the computer, which means I write all the parts. I am generally very satisfied with my creations, but I struggle a lot with the bass. I tend to write bass lines that clash with the rest of the song rather than supporting it. I pull it off eventually, but it takes a lot of trial and error. The fact of the matter is, I don't know what I'm doing. And frankly, I am getting tired of the struggle. Can someone here kindly suggest something I could read or watch that might make me struggle less in the future? I would really appreciate the guidance.
May the sounds be with you. Just my ten pennyworth. Often the bass is best left as the foundation ... the root of the chord with a leading note to move to the next root. The next step is probably to arpeggiate the chord; probably just the triad; again with a leading note to the next chord. I think that if you want a bass lead/solo, then the rest of the band probably play mostly the plain chords and/or long notes. Make musical space for the musicians.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338 |
What is your writing process?
That is not clear.
Are you entering bass notes into a score, or are you playing them on a midi keyboard?
I assume you are not playing a real bass. You might want to try it, just because it is fun, and you will get the hang of it.
In music, you have to jam A LOT to write anything worthwhile. If you try and do it "logically", in a vacuum so to speak, it will have no life to it.
Do you ever choose a bass patch on a keyboard and just jam??
It is very fun--and it is the way you learn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,980
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,980 |
Carol Kaye, the Wrecking Crew (amongst many other gigs) bassist, says her secret has always been to use chord tones. "It Depends" is the biggest thing though. Genre, instrument, intent etc. Software? Are you writing bass IN BIAB, for keyboard, to play on a bass? As a bassist I start on the root, look where I'm headed and what's around me then move accordingly - or stay on the root until the chord changes. There aren't any rules unless you're playing rhythm section jazz...they seem to have LOTS of rules for that. Playing the root in different places gives a huge variety of options or simply working in the bass box between root & octave can be very useful. If you take G on the E string (lowest fattest) as your root for a G major chord then the octave is two frets UP (5th) the fret board and two strings higher (D string). The note on the A string at the same fret (5th) as the octave gives you the 5th of the chord. That translates all over a four string bass. BUT what works for you...harmonic, dissonant, tension building... is what works. This track uses the Root, octave & 5th in the longer sections. Where the 5th is the same or too close to the next chord I use the 3rd, ( the progression has a Dm to D and a D to Dm in it and I used the 3rd on the Dm rather than the 5th so there'd be some difference) - when I'm playing along with the Am I just play the simple guitar chord arpeggio on the bass because it has a nice hop to it and doesn't require switching fingers about...chords/triads can be very handy... Root octave 5th example The links offered are pretty much what I've mentioned - though I skipped other notes in the key as that requires some extra thinking and listening. The link Byron offered takes you to a course which may be useful but it's taught by someone who wears their sunglasses on top of their bald head - rarely an encouraging sign.
Last edited by rayc; 05/08/22 05:16 PM.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338 |
Has anyone tried picking up the bass and playing it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,275
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,275 |
Has anyone tried picking up the bass and playing it?
Yes, I have and you may have heard my bass playing on some of my songs.
I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor.
It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338 |
I know and I loved it! I love it when people just pick up something and play it! It's not that hard to figure out, really.  All you have to do is play what sounds good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,828
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,828 |
Has anyone tried picking up the bass and playing it?
Ha! Playing and listening and then playing what I heard and always more listening. I've always felt that listening was far more important than playing. When I was in school, they'd let any kid who wanted borrow an upright—all I had to do was show up and try to play and, while I was at it, learn to sight read. Though I played many instruments, I learned a most important lesson nearly 55 years ago: Bass players work. Well over 50% of the thousands of gigs I played over the years were on bass, electric and upright. Even though my arm is crippled and I can no longer play my basses, I can tap on the glass of an iPad and play live or use BIAB or VIs in a DAW. Carol Kaye, the Wrecking Crew (amongst many other gigs) bassist, says her secret has always been to use chord tones.
"It Depends" is the biggest thing though.
Genre, instrument, intent etc.
Software? Are you writing bass IN BIAB, for keyboard, to play on a bass?
As a bassist I start on the root, look where I'm headed and what's around me then move accordingly - or stay on the root until the chord changes.
There aren't any rules unless you're playing rhythm section jazz...they seem to have LOTS of rules for that. I always ignored the so-called jazz rules. Either I played the chart note for note like a symphony gig or I trusted my ears and experience. Carol Kaye is an interesting example for you to pick. A good part of her genius is that she went off the reservation a lot on her recordings. She could play the root when she wanted but so often she didn't. She also insisted that students play with a pick, a point on which we disagree. She and my wife taught at the same music store about 40–45 years ago and I got to know her a little. As much as I admired her, I was already formed as a player and didn't believe there was anything she could teach me or I would have taken lessons. I was doing studio dates and had a symphony chair.
BIAB 2024 Audiophile Mac
24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP
Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,624
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,624 |
You could check out Fretboard Roadmaps Bass by Fred Sokolow and Tim Emmons. It'll take you through the basic shapes on the fretboard, and introduce you to a bunch of bass cliches that are good to know.
If you don't already have a bass... well, why not?. You might check out the Ibanez Gio MiKro. It's a short-scale bass, so it's smaller, lighter, and easier to play. Plus, it's a lot of fun to play, which is pretty important. Not the greatest tuners, but not terrible.
And don't get one of those tiny, tinny amps. The difference between playing a bass through a cheap guitar amp and a decent bass amp is night and day. When I finally got my son a real bass amp, I regretted not getting it much, much sooner. It's much more fun to play a bass that's got real low end.
The Fender Rumble amp sounds nice and importantly doesn't weight a ton.
The bass is primarily a supporting instrument. If people don't notice it, it's probably doing it's job right. Root and fifth is often enough - getting too fancy on the low end just makes things muddy. Groove with the kick drum, and let other instruments take the lead. There are only a few places where the bass needs to be noticed during a song. Like lead guitar, I think it's more about keeping a feel than particular notes.
If you were a bit more specific about where you were having issues, that would be helpful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,980
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 6,980 |
And don't get one of those tiny, tinny amps. The difference between playing a bass through a cheap guitar amp and a decent bass amp is night and day.
Yep, a cheap &/or small bass amp is the start down the path of problems and a forced "upgrade" If starting out, & interesting in recording rather than performing, an "amp in a box/DI" is a cheap & excellent solution. I have a Marshall 100w Superbass wich sounds great BUT mic'ing it just right and gettinga noise free day to record isn't as easy as it should be. MOST of my bass tracks are recorded through a Behringer BDI21. It's a Sansamp clone but costs about 10% of the cost of the name brand version it copies. It is almost a 100% SANSAMP in sound & functionality too. Difference being lay out and labelling.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,828
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,828 |
Every studio player I knew had a version of this GK amp. GK MB-112 Mine is 35 years old and was a variant of the MB-150. It's been all over the world with me. In the studio, just it and me. Live, plugged into any of a number of EVM-15L loaded extension cabinets. Last time I was in Stockton, I dropped it off for a new speaker and to be checked out while I had lunch with my daughter at UOP. By the time lunch was done, so was my amp.  I still have and use it along with a single speaker extension that is never used anymore.
BIAB 2024 Audiophile Mac
24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP
Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 48
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 48 |
Hello, people. I am the original poster.
Just to clarify for those who asked, I don't have an actual bass. If I did, I wouldn't know how to hold it much less play it. I painstakingly enter each individual note into a MIDI grid and slowly build a song. I enjoy it a lot and I like the results so far. I had begun to make music five years ago but soon gave up on it due to personal problems. I am resuming it now because... well, it's some kind of relief or distraction from my worries. I definitely need the stress relief.
I guess I could call myself a composer, but not a musician. I couldn't "jam" in real time to save my life. My approach is to use the computer to slowly build something that can only be appreciated after it's completed. It reminds me a lot of my childhood, when I used to draw. A drawing can only be appreciated after it's done and you can... uh... hang it on the fridge? :-)
Whatever instrument is leading I find very easy to write. I also handle the drums pretty well. I only struggle with the bass. I guess that's because it's a lot like garbage collectors: people seldom notice it but its absence becomes instantly clear. Songs tend to sound hollow without the bass, but I am not used to paying attention to bass lines because it's always been a "background" instrument. Since I only "play" (with air quotes) by ear, i.e. 100% intuitively, my failure to properly listen to bass lines during my whole life is coming back to bite me in the [*****] now.
I am enjoying the comments, thank you very much, including those from people who play the actual instrument in a way I never will. I always enjoy reading discussions about music. I've been checking out the tips offered. This whole forum is very nice. Thank you for your current and future participation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,624
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,624 |
All right - I'll assume you know nothing, and start there.
If you've got one bar in 4/4 time:
1...2...3...4...
You can start with a simple pattern of playing the root note of the chord on beat 1.
By "root note", I mean the note that's the first note in the scale the chord was taken from.
So if you've got a "C major" or "C minor" or "C7" or "Cmaj7", the root note is going to be a "C" note - the same name as the chord.
Here, the "C" under the 1 indicates the root of the chord is played on first beat of the bar:
1...2...3...4...
C...............
If the chord changed from a C on the first beat to a F on the third beat, play the bass of the new chord on the chord change:
1...2...3...4...
C.......F.......
If you start a new bar and the chord didn't change, play the bass of the current chord on the first beat.
So in this example, imagine the chord chart looks like this:
C / F / | F / / /
That is, two quarter note beats of a C major chord and two quarter note beats of a F major chord in bar 1, followed by 4 quarter note beats of an F major chord. On bass, you would play an "C" on beat 1, and an "F" one beat 3 in the first bar.
1...2...3...4....
C.......F........
in the next bar, the chord stays on an F major chord, so play an F on beats 1 and 3:
1...2...3...4....
F.......F........
Now, the next step up is to alternate the bass note between the root note and the fifth of the chord.
The "fifth of the chord" means the fifth note of the scale the chord belongs to. If the chord is C major, the C major scale is C,D,E,F,G,A,B, and the 5th note of the scale is "G".
So if you had a full bar of some sort of C chord, instead of playing another "C" note on beat 3, you could play "G", which is the fifth of the chord:
1...2...3...4...
C.......G.......
What if the chord was an F major chord? The scale F major has the notes F,G,A,Bb,C,D,E, so the fifth is a "C" note. So the alternate note would be a "C":
1...2...3...4....
F.......C........
This is going to give a sort of "oom-pah" feel to the music. So instead, you probably want to put the fifth on the 4th quarter beat, like so:
1...2...3...4...
C...........G...
Much cooler.
If the chord indicates an inversion, like C/E, or Dm7/G, this note under the slash indicates the note to play on the bass instead of the root note. So if the chord was C/E, you could play and "E" on the first beat. You could stay safe and play the "E" again on the third beat of the bar:
1...2...3...4...
E...........E...
Or get all fancy-schmancy and play the fifth of the chord (E major = E,F#,G#,A,B,C#,D#, so the fifth is "B"):
1...2...3...4...
E...........B...
If you don't know how to easily find the fifth of a chord, there's a chart you can Google called the "Circle of Fifths" that will show you the fifths of all the chords (and is useful for a lot of other music-theory related things).
And that's 90% of what you need to play bass.
Assuming you knew all that... what sort of additional information are you looking for?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,275
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,275 |
I believe if you answer a few questions we can be more helpful.
1-Do you know anything about music?
2-Do you know what chords you are writing?
3-Do you know how to make a scale?
4-Do you have any music creating software?
If you don't have Band-in-a-Box you might consider it. You would write your songs like you do now, bring the MIDI file into Band-in-a-Box, select a style and have it generate a bass line.
Or write a song sans the bass line, post it here, and have people write a MIDI bass line for you to use and/or study.
Please give us a good description of what you know about music and we can be more helpful.
PS - don't feel put down if you don't know music. I had a friend whom knew nothing about music. He didn't know chords, scales, or any theory what-so-ever BUT he produced some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. He recorded his keyboard via his computer and did track after track. He did everything by ear.
I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor.
It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,378
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,378 |
Hello, people. I am the original poster.
Just to clarify for those who asked, I don't have an actual bass. If I did, I wouldn't know how to hold it much less play it. I painstakingly enter each individual note into a MIDI grid and slowly build a song. I enjoy it a lot and I like the results so far. I had begun to make music five years ago but soon gave up on it due to personal problems. I am resuming it now because... well, it's some kind of relief or distraction from my worries. I definitely need the stress relief.
I guess I could call myself a composer, but not a musician. I couldn't "jam" in real time to save my life. My approach is to use the computer to slowly build something that can only be appreciated after it's completed. It reminds me a lot of my childhood, when I used to draw. A drawing can only be appreciated after it's done and you can... uh... hang it on the fridge? :-)
Whatever instrument is leading I find very easy to write. I also handle the drums pretty well. I only struggle with the bass. I guess that's because it's a lot like garbage collectors: people seldom notice it but its absence becomes instantly clear. Songs tend to sound hollow without the bass, but I am not used to paying attention to bass lines because it's always been a "background" instrument. Since I only "play" (with air quotes) by ear, i.e. 100% intuitively, my failure to properly listen to bass lines during my whole life is coming back to bite me in the [*****] now.
I am enjoying the comments, thank you very much, including those from people who play the actual instrument in a way I never will. I always enjoy reading discussions about music. I've been checking out the tips offered. This whole forum is very nice. Thank you for your current and future participation. THis answers a lot of questions. However, assuming that you have BB, bass lines should not be a problem as BB does the heavy lifting for you. I can play bass but don't currently have one.... so I rely on BB for 95% of my bass tracks. More on the other 5% in a bit. BUT...assuming that you want to write your own bass lines...... Can you play a piano keyboard? If so... you can easily use it to play the bass parts using a synth and bass samples/libraries. Do you play guitar? If so, the bass is nothing more than the 4 lower strings one octave down. On the 5% that I don't use BB on.... I can play a keyboard and have a few here in my studio. I use MIDI and a decent synth sampler with the bass guitar tone I want. It helps if you know a little bit about music and theory but that's really not essential. If you start playing it by ear.... play along to songs..... and if you sit down and take the time to really listen to what the bass is actually playing in the song.... then replicate what you hear if it's only a few notes at a time. IN a matter of a few weeks time you will be playing and able to come up with bass parts for the songs you're recording. I played in several bands with the same bass player. He couldn't tell you the names of the notes, and he didn't know much about music other than to tell you he liked it, but he would sit down and work out the bass parts to the songs. He eventually got to the point where he knew notes and keys and could play fairly well. I recall showing him note by note the bass part to a complicated song. He learned it by memory and never missed a note once he learned a song. It's all simply a matter of wanting to learn it and doing the things necessary, and spending the time working on it to accomplish the goal.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 05/12/22 05:17 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
I'll ask the questions I always ask.
1, how old are you?
2, if you aren't a musician, do you have any desire to become one or not?
3, what is stopping you from taking lessons and learning how to play?
You can learn anything you want to learn if you want to learn it bad enough. This kind of topic is always double edged for me because it points out the strengths of the software but also a weakness in the spirit of such software existing because it feeds into the microwave world concept that people want end results fast without all that pesky "work" that typically goes with achieving end results. This is one of the reasons I am somewhat unpopular here is that I came from "the old skool" and believe if people want to make music they should also learn, you know, music. In a world of music that consists of 8 bar loops downloaded from the internet set to loop endlessly, over which bad beat poetry is recited, and that is called rap, hip-hop, whatever...
I usually end up getting assailed with email telling me that learning scales, notes, timing and the basic basics is a waste of time.
It all depends on your end game. What are you trying to do? Make serious music, like to publish CDs and sell them? (Many have tried. Many have failed. Like me.)
See, I only know one way to do this, that being the way I did it. Anything short of that I liken to trying to sneak into the circus rather than paying for a ticket. But that's just because of my musical history. I was fortunate to have all of the fine people in the USA who paid for me to go to college on the GI Bill after the military, where I was a music major, which I chose because at age 22 when I got out I had already been playing music for 17 years and it seemed like the best choice. But everybody doesn't walk the same path.
I strongly suggest you take some music basics either at a community college or a music store that has teachers who understand that "music lessons" is way different from "learning songs". Songs are made of music. Music though, isn't made of songs. If you study music fundamentals for a few months to where you know steps of a scale, know half steps from while steps, major from minor chords (which are easily figured out when you know steps of a scale) and a little bit about time signatures, much will be come clear.
Now that all assumes that you are not already 92 years old and have time and means to take such lessons. 3 years ago, at 69, I went to Kent State to study Pro Tools on an audit basis and after 5 weeks I knew my way around software that is somewhat complex because of how full featured it is. The more it does, the more there is to learn, right?
Choose the path that's right for you, and only you know what that is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriting
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,338 |
I have to agree. Nothing beats the joy of playing, if you are up for it. And the bass is incredibly fun. And not all that hard. It is also more of the backbone of the song and the songwriting process than some would lead you to believe. Look at Paul McCartney and Sting. Melodic bass is hypnotizing. If you get a bass and just start fooling around with it, the bass will come to you. Sure, you will grow an insatiable curiosity and look up everything there is to know about bass playing, but first you have to let the instrument seduce you. You don't want to tightly control the bass, or any other instrument. You want to let the instrument have its way with you. Go ahead, get hypnotized. THEN, you will look at BIAB in a whole new light, my friend. Some magical lights will switch on, trust me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2025!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
Check out all the 202 New RealTracks (in sets 456-467)
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
The 2025 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2025 49-PAK!
Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 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 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
- Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
- Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
- Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
- Playable RealTracks Set 4
- RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
- SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
- 128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
- Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
- Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
- RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®!
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 9 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 9 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
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.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
Join the conversation on our forum.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums58
Topics84,390
Posts778,608
Members39,643
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean