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Anonymous
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Just an aside for Danny. I did sound for a while for a band and the leader, the business guy, the guy who owned all the PA and the trailer, was, as is often the case, the weakest player in his own band. Total poser who thought that he could hide his lack of skills (he was the "rhythm" guitar player and could not solo at all) by changing guitar every song. And as he changed them every song, he would stop the band and tune. 2 songs per set would see him pick up his Rickie 12 string, so he had to tune 12 strings instead of 6. And for some strange reason, he tuned 1 to 6, so by the time he tuned the 6th string, the change in neck tension from tuning those thick bottom strings would see his top string out of tune and he started over. Reminds me of the Pete Barbuti bit where he was the 4th trumpet player and couldn't play at all but they couldn't fire him because he owned the station wagon with the luggage rack.
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Joined: Mar 2004
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Pete Barbuti . . . had the pleasure of meeting him once in Aspen Colorado, very nice, and of course very funny guy. Of course his humor is directed at or either attributed to musicians and his musical experiences.
Later,
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Joined: Jul 2000
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I've been in a few bands where the person with the weakest musical chops had the best public relations chops and therefore was worth his weight for his contributions in the business department.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Quote:
I've been in a few bands where the person with the weakest musical chops had the best public relations chops and therefore was worth his weight for his contributions in the business department.
Yup, been there a lot, & made the best $$ also....goes back to my "how they kept getting gig's" thought.... 
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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Back when our trio was playing different clubs every weekend in Nawlins I wish we could have found another band member "no matter their music chops", just as long as they could load in and out that heavy B3 and the equally as heavy Leslie!
I seriously thought of running an ad stating: Wanted musician to join seasoned trio. Any instrument, experience not requirred just as long as you can bench press 300 lbs and own a van with an easy lift tailgate.
Just saying . . .
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I played in a couple of bands with B3 players. Being a sax player with a light load, I was always "volunteered" to be one of the B3 'pall bearers'. And back then we used those huge "voice of the theater" speaker enclosures for the PA.
Things are smaller and lighter now, and that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Our heaviest object is probably about 40 pounds or less. The B3 was over 400. But the B3 sounded fantastic. The new B3 simulators sound very good, but not quite the same as that B with a big Leslie speaker - but they sure are portable - which IMHO more than makes up for their slight shortcomings!
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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It is at this time you really appreciate those 25 or so fans that show up every gig!
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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Anonymous
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Quote:
Our heaviest object is probably about 40 pounds or less.
Have you noticed the mathematical relationship between your age and the weight of your gear? I have!
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Quote:
Quote:
Our heaviest object is probably about 40 pounds or less.
Have you noticed the mathematical relationship between your age and the weight of your gear? I have!
Yes . . . and also the size of the wheels on my equipment cart!
PS: I am thinking that if I am lucky enough to be doing this 5 - 10 more years I may look into a Rascal with a trailer hitch. 
Later,
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By the time you pay "people" to do the heavy lifting, you lose money on every gig.... hardest part for me is finding 8 people to carry me in like they did the Roman Emperors.... and yes, I need 8. Maybe 10 by now as fat as I am getting.... This is why I specified cremation in my will. I can't come up with 8 people who care enough about me that they'd want to be pall bearer....
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Joined: Apr 2012
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Apprentice
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Apprentice
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And the mathematical relationship between my age and my weight.
Todd
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Anonymous
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Closest I can get here is width = height x 2.....
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Quote:
Quote:
Our heaviest object is probably about 40 pounds or less.
Have you noticed the mathematical relationship between your age and the weight of your gear? I have!
Most definitely, although I'm not sure of the exact equation or formula. And also as the band shrunk to a duo, and there were fewer arms to lift things, lighter gear got more attractive.
My old speaker system consisted of a sub-woofer cab with 2 - 12" speakers and it was built out of 1/2" wood plus two satellite mid/tweets. It sounded great but that 60 pound woofer became a pain in the back to lift - I do one-nighters. Leilani is strong and helps, but being the bigger person, I bear the heaviest loads.
My new speakers have 15" woofers and a mid/high horn in the same enclosure. Plastic enclosures and Neodymium magnets - 32 pounds each. Much better.
My rack with the mixer, couple of sound modules, sonic maximizer and FX unit weighs a little bit more than one of the speaker cabs. The power amp is in a separate rack case, and it has wheels attached, so I stack them and they wheel in.
Doing one-nighters means balancing the weight of each item vs. the number of trips back and forth to the van. I unload the van, put things on the carts and Leilani wheels them in. Then as I come in, the customers who don't see me unloading the van (the heavy work) sometimes think Leilani does all the work. We both have a good sense of humor, so I tell them that "Luggin' and totin' is women's work" in my best exaggerated hillbilly accent. Then Leilani will usually add that unloading the van is a lot more work than wheeling the stuff in.
I don't mind bringing the gear in but for some reason, it's heavier on the way out. 
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Anonymous
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Or you could exchange Leilani for a Russian weighlifter..... I was always leary about dating a woman who could bench press me.....
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 9
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 9 |
I love my Bose stick system of five years. I've used it in almost all kinds of music. Almost all - I also have my heads and cabs for certain situations: concert stages, too large outdoor shows, etc.
Nothing is too heavy nor awkward.
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Quote:
Making it in music - Regular royalty checks with lots of zeros. LOL!
Making it in life - what rharv said. 
Yeah? Well I've got that for sure.
Unfortunately the zeros come first in the number but......
WSS
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Hey Steve, I bought one of your band CDs!!! That should have brought you a dime or two.... And I bought it many years ago, so had you deposited that 20 cents in a high interest bearing account.....
Those who don't know, Steve fronts an outstanding band with a great horn section!!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
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!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
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.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
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