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WHY LA CLUBOWNERS ARETOTALLY LOST AND SOME ADVICEFORTHEM FROM A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN by Dave Goldberg on Friday, January 6, 2012 at 9:53am AS I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR GIGS LATELY, I’venever seen so many free and low paying gigs. Wellthe economy is bad, so I can understand that a littlebit. However, it is no longer good enough for the musician to be willing to perform for little compensation... READ the Rest here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/78468650/La-Club-Owners
John Conley
Musica est vita
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When the venues aren't paying, Doc, the agents aren't interested.
--Mac
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It's LA guys. As an LA jazz musician I've talked about this before. There's probably a hundred thousand or more experienced, educated jazz players around here. The ones who are actually making a living are not doing it by playing in clubs. They're in the studios. There's a great little dinner place up in Studio City where top people play just to get their act together while recording their latest album. I don't know how much they make but I've been told not much considering who they are. It's just a paid rehearsal to help gauge crowd reaction just like Jay Leno does every month at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach. Ordinary average good players like me and my friends can't compete with that and all that leaves are the small local places that pay squat because they don't have to. They're hit up daily by people wanting to play.
Bob
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Quote:
It's LA guys. As an LA jazz musician I've talked about this before. There's probably a hundred thousand or more experienced, educated jazz players around here. The ones who are actually making a living are not doing it by playing in clubs. They're in the studios. There's a great little dinner place up in Studio City where top people play just to get their act together while recording their latest album. I don't know how much they make but I've been told not much considering who they are. It's just a paid rehearsal to help gauge crowd reaction just like Jay Leno does every month at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach. Ordinary average good players like me and my friends can't compete with that and all that leaves are the small local places that pay squat because they don't have to. They're hit up daily by people wanting to play.
Bob
Bob,
Is it because it's "Jazz"? As with the shear number of people you have living in that area I would think they have to be venues where a musician can get a gig playing a more popular playlist. Of course those numbers work the other way as well as you may have too many musicians for the gigs . . . just thinking out loud here.
Later,
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No, doesn't matter at all. The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach is very famous as in "The Lighthouse All Stars recorded live blah, blah". It's one of the iconic jazz places in the history of jazz since WW2. They don't do jazz there anymore except for Sunday mornings and even then I'm not sure if it's every Sunday. I used to do a few of those Sunday gigs but not lately. Their budget has been $250 for at least 15 years. It's the same $250 a 7 piece horn band I used to work with got for playing there on a Friday night in around 1988. Now on the weekends they have different bands every Fri and Sat all kinds of styles. I don't go in there all the time any more like I used to but I know it's still the same $250. Doesn't matter how many people in the band. Four doors down the street from the Lighthouse is Sangrias, the Italian restaurant I used to play once a month on a Friday doing jazz. Same $250 but at least we also got a pretty good dinner. They just sold a 49% interest to three new partners and they fired all the bands effective Dec 1 and they don't have any live music any more. I even stopped in twice last month to check and it's true, no live music. Not that $250 is such a big loss, we had a 5 piece so again $50 each. It's not the money, it's the playing.
In the same area is a nice bar called Suzy's. Nice stage, lights and a sound system. It seats maybe 30 people, they have something happening there every night from open mic to different performers. Nobody gets paid anything, just tips. I used to do a few "gigs" there too if you can call that a gig. Just fun.
I'm not saying there's no live venues for bands there are, just very few and this thread is talking about LA. They're mostly out in Orange County around Disnyland. Lots of hotel lounges and bars that have entertainment. Those gigs are the kind of thing I used to do many years ago. They're all booked through agents and if I really wanted to work I could probably beat the bushes with some of them, acts are always looking for good keyboard players. But then suddenly I would have to commit to 5 or 6 nights a week and I'm not going to do that plus they're not making enough to be worth my while.
The only success story I know is a guy who has a Journey tribute band, killer singer, sounds just like Steve Perry and in addition he plays keys and horns. When he's not gigging with his Journey band he does a single on Fri and Sat at a very upscale place in Newport Beach. Makes $500 by himself but he's a total pro, a live wire when he's performing. Occasionaly they'll have a special thing happening there and he will bring in a couple of guys to play with him. He pays them $75 each, maybe 100 but that's it. He has a book full of good solid players he can call, no problem getting someone to play for that. He books the Journey band for $2-3,000 and does a few things in Vegas so he keeps busy enough. I've subbed for his keyboard player a few times and I hold out for $100. Thing is I was getting $100 in 1978...
There's another guy who has a big band and I make $200 with him but he only gigs maybe 5 times a year. Like my Journey friend when he works it's around $3,000, strictly high brow stuff like a Christmas party at the LA Country Club I did last month. The problem with all these gigs is they're few and far between. I'll bet there's still at least 10 good solid well rehearsed big bands around here going after those gigs. I'm lucky to work with him because for years I was the second call, but lately their regular guy doesn't seem to be available. It's not because I'm better than him, I've heard him, he's solid. Who knows what the deal is maybe it's a health issue, whatever it is I'm happy to work with them, it's a killer band.
Bob
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I've often thought that all the creative people in a town ought to pool their resources, lease a hall, collaborate with all the natural support niche markets like artists, musicians, caterers, flea marketers, hot dog vendors, pizza shops, video gamers, and build a reputation for having something going on 24-7. That way their marketing efforts would build momentum instead of requiring the same effort over and over for each low paying gig.
There was a guy here a few years ago who built a huge gym for a gymnastics business. Unfortunately, he couldn't pay for the building based on the limited income generated by his gymnastics customers. He eventually lost the gym and somebody else bought it.
The new guy got in touch with everybody he could think of who could use a gym on a regular basis. Now the place is booming with Gymnastics, Karate, Cheerleading, Inline Skating, Roller hockey, basketball, volleyball, private parties etc
By thinking outside the box and collaborating with others who could share the expense of a really deluxe building,everybody won. Alone none of them could have afforded the gym building... but together, they could.
I'm thinking that an artistic collaboration could draw crowds away from the other places that were too cheap to pay for live music, and they'd either have to start paying a reasonable amount or just get used to having fewer customers
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To Bob & others,
Thank you for that interesting insight into the LA music scene. Wow, I didn't realise things were so tough! Is that the general status quo for the rest of the US? Canada? Or mainly in the major cities?
At the risk of sounding like a prima donna, and to paraphrase a supermodel, "I wouldn't get out of bed for $50.00”, given that a four hour gig with travel time, set up/pull down time can stretch the job to seven or eight hours.
Although I haven't been playing regularly for quite a long time, when I finished playing in the early 1990's we were still getting $100.00 per person in a four piece band, for 4 hours work. These days the going rate is from $150.00 - $200.00 per player in a duo or trio, and about $200-250 for a good soloist/singer. Very little work for instrumentalists only – just a few restaurants. During the 70s & 80's our five piece was working 2 nights a week in regular gigs, and earning $60.00-$90.00 each. Keep in mind also that tipping is not generally practised here – the best you can normally expect from an appreciative guest would be a round of drinks.
Having said that, I understand that Clubs here in Oz are quite different that the ones you have in the US. Our clubs are mainly registered non-profit entities, ("owned" by the members) and generally come under the grouping of sports/social clubs (football, lawn bowls, ex services, golf, ethnic etc) and they are permitted to have poker machines (slots) which return great profits, and in many venues one can place bets on horse races, greyhound races, and have types of lotto etc. They offer reasonably priced meals and drinks, standard entertainment is generally free, and much of the profits are channelled back into the community by way of sponsorships of local sporting teams, charities etc, so they are well supported.
Please don't think that I'm criticising any of you that enjoy playing, irregardless of whether you make lots of money or not. Hey, you're playing music, and enjoying yourself, which is fantastic. I sometimes wish I still was.
I'd be very interested to hear comments from working musos in other areas.
Thank you for allowing my indulgence.
Cheers,
Keith
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Keith,
I'll answer for South Louisiana as follows: New Orleans is always jammin, but that is because New Orleans is always jammin. So there are many bands of all sizes playing the many live music venues 5-7 nights a week. Also there are the Mardi Gras Clubs and numerous Social Clubs who have "dances" on many occasions throughout the year. Now for the bad news . . . everyone, and I mean everyone seems to be a musician in New Orleans so even with all the venues some musicians get left out, however the rule of thumb is if you are worth hiring (and it doesn't hurt to have a connection or two) you can get a gig in the New Orleans area. Also I'll add the Mississippi Gulf Coast and it's many casinos keep many musicians working and they are just a short drive from Nawlins.
While I play gigs from the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans area I am located just outside of Baton Rouge, La. so I try to book as many in my area as possible. With this said there are only a handful of bars/clubs with live music in my area and in all honesty they too seem to want to get musicians on the cheap so I very seldom do a gig in one of these.
On the other hand we have numerous local business who have annual parties, from summer picnics and seafood boils to the usual Christmas parties and many of these hire musicians. They are also the American Legions, VFW's and other fraternal organizations who have dances a couple of times a year plus the Country Clubs. Add to this the ever growing number of Retirement Communities and we have more than enough venues at which to perform, and the better news is the going rate for a good act starts at 100.00 per hour per man for a single or duo type act.
While they still are a few good weddings available (but most use djs now) I left out weddings as I gave up playing weddings quite a few years ago, just too much hassle for this old picker. Keep in mind I am not saying that there is enough work for a single or a duo to support a family, just enough to make some extra scratch and keep you in the latest equipment.
PS: In an effort not to not jump all over this thread I thought I'd post my recipe for getting started (or in some cases re-started) playing live gigs on the Tricks & Tips Forum.
Later,
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. . . everyone, and I mean everyone seems to be a musician in New Orleans so even with all the venues some musicians get left out,
...Keep in mind I am not saying that there is enough work for a single or a duo to support a family, just enough to make some extra scratch and keep you in the latest equipment.
This is exactly it, Danny. I haven't been on the road for 30 years so I don't know this from personal experience but musicians like to talk to each other and I've met lots of players here in LA who are from all over and it's the same story. The problem is the internet and all the software available including our beloved PG stuff. Anybody who has the desire can make themselves into a pretty decent player with some practice. There's no trick to it at all, just do it. That plus what I've talked about for years, all the colleges, universities and music schools are turning out highly trained music grads by the thousands every year and the majority of them are very good. Supply and demand, baby. What you said about NO applies to every music center in the world. LA, NY, Nashville, NO wherever. Everybody's uncle, cousin, brother and dog is a performer and unfortunately a very good one in most cases.
It is what it is.
Keith, very insteresting description of the music scene Down Under. Same as Up Here. Nobody makes any money, just enough to have some fun and pay for equipment, that's it.
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Is that the general status quo for the rest of the US? Canada? Or mainly in the major cities?
I can speak about Cleveland Ohio in some depth. Here we are in the home or the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. The music scene in the 80s was lively. There were more places to play than good bands to play them. That was great until about 1984 or so when the state drinking age was changed from 18 to 21. When that happened, half the bars closed down. That meant there were suddenly more good bands than places to play. Bands, just to play, started cutting each other's throats to where a band that used to get $1500 or more per night would play for $500.
All these years later, those rock club places are LONG since gone. Now bands play in restaurant type places that have music at night. Factor in the pariah known as "jam night" when all the wannabe players who aren't good enough to be in bands come out of the woodwork to go to places and play the 2-3 songs they know well enough to stumble through FOR FREE, and good bands don't have any chance to play at any decent venue until summer when there are outdoor venues, festivals, etc.... My band plays once a year at a reunon show that has reached "place to be" status and we sell out a very nice 450 seat venue every year. We get paid well for it and they make a ton of money so everybody walks away happy.
The scene here is awful. Open mic nights typically have 2 good performers and 7 bad ones. A lot of "I am singing with..." and "I am backing up...." from people who don't really play but want to delude themselves into thinking they are relevant by being at all the right places. Really bad bands get gigs because they work really cheap and the bar doesn't car as long as there is SOME band. Your typical musician here plays in 3 or 4 bands, none of which rehearse, and they show up and wing 40 songs, get their $65-70 each, and move on to tomorrow. All the scab bands play pretty much the same 30 songs and maybe 10 outside of the cliche list.
As I tell them, when you play at city park summer fairs to people who never hear a band, it's easy to sound good to them.
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Gee Eddie, you're even more cynical than I am, didn't think that was possible.
I think that everybody posting on this thread is 60ish. We're "old pros" and most of us pay no attention to what's happening with current music except for country. Even though country certainly is big, rap and hip hop is probably 10 times bigger if not more. With hip hop the star is the DJ and there's few live musicians, it's all prerecorded. I suspect Eddie that you don't pay attention to that scene but there probably is a lively hip hop scene in your area run by DJ's. That's where everybody under 40 is going you're probably checking out the wrong places. Talk to young people say 25-35 and ask them where they go on a Friday night.
A few years ago I was hired by a good friend for his daughters wedding as a single. She wanted traditional wedding stuff just for the ceremony, I didn't play the party afterwards. That party was all hip hop with, I hate to admit, a very good DJ. That DJ is a real performer just like we are. He knew the material intimately just like we know all about our stuff that's 30-50 years old. I was watching the party for about 30 minutes thinking about how would I do something like that and the answer is I wouldn't. I have no clue about that stuff and there's little for me to play on keyboards anyway. I would have to somehow learn about all those current hip hop artists, understand what they're saying, have all those songs memorized, grab a mic and DJ. Right. Grandpa DJ's a rap party. Ain't gonna happen. Oh yeah, this party was at a big restaurant complex and there were three other wedding parties going on and I checked them out too. All the same, all rap and hip hop run by DJ's.
This is just the normal cycle of things. All the thousands of big bands and lounge crooners doing Glenn Miller and Perry Como were suddenly being replaced by all of our beloved stuff starting in the 50's on through the 70's. Those guys fought it, bitched about it, talked about how terrible this rock and roll stuff was and how the quality of music is going down the tubes. Sound familiar? Now it's our turn, simple as that.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Quote:
It's LA guys. As an LA jazz musician I've talked about this before. There's probably a hundred thousand or more experienced, educated jazz players around here. The ones who are actually making a living are not doing it by playing in clubs. They're in the studios. There's a great little dinner place up in Studio City where top people play just to get their act together while recording their latest album. I don't know how much they make but I've been told not much considering who they are. It's just a paid rehearsal to help gauge crowd reaction just like Jay Leno does every month at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach. Ordinary average good players like me and my friends can't compete with that and all that leaves are the small local places that pay squat because they don't have to. They're hit up daily by people wanting to play.
Bob
There's a church in Eagle Rock/Pasadena area called Christian Assembly. In the worship band rotation there, at least in the past:
Abraham Laboriel
Alex Acuna
Justo Almario
The worship leader is Tommy Walker. I've been there. The place just rocks since they only sing songs that everyone knows - the whole place is the worship band. Stage area is smaller than most live music venues and clubs/bars - and you have that kind of talent worshiping at once, it's pretty amazing.
OK - that's for free in a dinky little church on a Sunday. So I believe jazzmammal when he says that the city is full of jazz cats.
-Scott
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Gee Eddie, you're even more cynical than I am, didn't think that was possible.
(Doing my best Kramer impersonation.....)
Oh... it's possible....
I look at the ads every day in the local rags and it's just sad. verything is a "tribute" band. Well, tribute is just "cover" with a very narrow scope. Someone here did a tribute to Dio. How much more of a footnote could there be than Dio, and they did a TRIBUTE to him?
Oy....
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Quote:
... Someone here did a tribute to Dio. How much more of a footnote could there be than Dio, and they did a TRIBUTE to him? Oy....
Dio was a pretty big deal in the heavy metal genre.
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..just to get this topic to appear correctly in the forum view...carry on...
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I think we should all be happy playing around with biab with a minimum yearly outlay for the upgrades and not worry about making any or much monry from it.
And good luck to the people who turn up at a open mic night sing a few songs enjoy themselves as well as giving their ego a boost by performing in front of an audience (and it doesn't matter how good or bad they are) or people or bands who will pay for $50 a night each.
Its not for us to run them down for doing this, they have as much right to do this as the guys who would only play for big money many years ago, and now blame everything and anyone for the those long gone days.
Just my opinion.
musiclover
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Transfer eddie1261 view to the country circuit & "animal clubs" and that is what happen to my gig's. I don't think I have heard the term "scab" in any way but the way eddie1261 said it, as a derogatory statement. Well, so be it, I was a "scab" for over 20 years, playing drums in 2 steady & 4 or 5 "pick up" bands 4 to 6 nights a week, very rarely making less then $75 for 4 hours, usually $100 +, up to about 10 years ago. Of course after you take out taxes it is a lot less. I use to be a "card carrying member" of the local so-called Musicians Union for a year....and they never helped me get one gig, and actually lost me gig's...so I became a scab, the money was a lot better!  I played a Jam Night at one American Legion club for over 25 years every Sunday night, and made $40 every night for over 25 years. Free food, free drinks, could leave stuff set up, and it was within 20min of our home. Lots of "armatures" with hearts as big as any "pro" I ever met. This was their night and we did our best to back them. And in reality I had lots of beginner drummers come in & take a 1/2 a set at times, and even came in early to "teach them" some stuff....it was a very enjoyable time of my carrier for sure. It is a different world now for a musician, and it will NEVER go back to the "glory days" of live bands no matter where you live...just a little IMHO..... 
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
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Scabs.....
Taken in the context it is usually used, a scab is someone who goes into a job and works cheaper than the guy who should have the job. The work is usually substandard, but Mr Factory owner doesn't care how well the widgets are made, just that a lot of them are made.
Transfer that concept to music and jam night, you have scab bands going in who never rehearse, often don't even know each other before showing up to the gig, songs don't start and stop correctly and cleanly because there was no rehearsal, and most of the night ends up boring 12 bar blues because the players don't know the same songs. We are from the same place, so you know the scene here. 45 listings for needy people to go play for free every week all to get approval from their drunken friends who do not play, would not know good from bad, think hanging around musicians gives them a free membership card to "the club", and just care that they can drink in a place where there's music, all the time not caring that the musician are being exploited.
Just some personal things from my perspective, and pretty much why I don't have a band (I am difficult to work with).... there is ZERO tolerance if you are in my band. There are 6 other nights in the week for you to drink. When you play on stage with me, you drink soft drinks or water. No exceptions, no excuses. I don't care if you make mistakes in the arrangement because I didn't work you hard enough in the basement, but make ONE mistake because you are impaired by alcohol or any substance, and you will be fired in mid song. I will play without you before I will enable your addiction. (Yes, I am an alcoholic.)
For every minute we spend on that stage, we will spend 100 minutes in that basement. My bands WILL be tight. The arrangements will be crisp, the starts and stops will be clean. We will rehearse until I say it's right. Bring a lunch. If you don't like that idea, the door opens out, too.
When rehearsal starts at 7pm, that means 7pm, not 7:10, not 7:12. 7pm. And don't come walking in with your fast food bag and expect to eat on my time. MUSIC starts at 7. Change your strings and drum heads at home, or come early. You can be early, on time, or late. 2 of those things are okay. One is not.
Nobody "sits in" with my band. Ever. If you knew how to play, you wouldn't be off on prime time gig night doing the pub crawl hoping someone asks you to come up and play those 2 songs you know.
But you know what the result is? A really good band that DOESN'T have to play AWFUL songs like Moondance and Brown Eyed Girl and Mustang Sally to fill a night.
JCS, private mail me. You being from this area, you will know my band history. I was in 2 of the best bands northeast Ohio ever saw, and 2 more that could have gotten there had we not decided to go different directions. The work ethic was there. Musical direction was the issue.
But to just play to play, nope. If I play, it has to be something people are going to talk about for weeks after. Otherwise it's just mailing it in for a paycheck. 55 years and a Bachelors Degree later, I respect music too much to treat it like a prostitute.
PS. I KNOW I am a dictator....
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, 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, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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.
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