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Richard,
Great question, great topic. In fact so good that it has me on a quest to find my 1st instrument, an old square neck Spanish acoustic that I think came with my ancestors on their initial trip from the Canary Islands. I am told that a cousin of mine has kept it since I gave it to him when we were children . . . the saga begins.
I will post findings as they occur.
Later
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Quote:
Conn Victor trumpet, 4th grade, supplied by the school
Not counting the flutaphone, used in third grade to determine who got issued the band instruments.
Mac, was your Olds cornet an Ambassafor? I have one of those as my knock-around practice while travelling horn. Thing is built like a tank. I bought it from Eddie and fixed it up.
Love that typo in Ambassador. "What's that Ambassafor?" -- "Why it be for makin' music!"
Yes, bear in mind that it was a used horn that Pop brought me. Don't know where he got it or from whom and wish I still had it, only had it for a little over one year when it was obviously time for something a bit better and Pop took it out of my hands one day and returned with an old silver plated NY Bach "Apollo" model trumpet that featured a bell with a gold lining. That horn soon turned into a brand new NY Bach Strad ML bore that I had for at least the next twenty years.
Horns. Too many have passed thru these hands by now...
--Mac
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Hmm, I was around 8 or 9, and the first instrument I actually learned was piano accordeon - don't panic, being a gentleman I no longer try to make noises on one  (apologies to Furry) But that was my sisters', then I tried to learn a bit of piano on my grandmothers piano, but my teacher wasn't really helping and I was lazy anyhow, eventually I got hooked by the local brass band and learned trombone. Finally, when I was about 14 my mum bought me my very own trombone, a Besson Academy 403 (professional level). I still have that horn and it still sounds great, shame the slide is so ordinary  Current stable has grown a bit but the 2 horns I play most are my Bach 42A (big bore) and my custom Rath R10F (small bore). One of the surprises of my collection though is a King trombone from about 1918 - can't be exact about the date - that was made for the US Navy, engraved U.S.N. at the factory. I even have the original case, also with U.S.N on it in what looks like it might have been gold leaf, but someone painted over it This horn sounds amazing and I plan to use it more often, especially for the odd Dixie gig I do, but my absolute favourite is my Custom Rath - the thing almost plays itself 
--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya  --=--You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
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I guess my first instrument was a violin my parents bought me when I was around ten or so. It was used and I don't remember the brand. I played it for a year or so until I found out violin wasn't a 'cool' instrument.
I didn't play anything until I was in my 20s and wanted to jam with some musician friends. Since there was a drummer and a couple of guitarists I decided bass might be the way to go so I bought an Odyssey bass and started trying to learn to play it. I consider this to be my real 'first' instrument.
I have since owned a number of basses. A Fender P-Lyte and Rickenbacker 4001 both of which I've since sold. I currently have a Gretsch Committee, Tunebass Maniac and Ibanez SR500 and SR300.
BiaB 2013 b366, RB 2013 b4, WinXP Pro SP3, Toshiba M70, 1.8GHz 2GB RAM 100GB HD. Focusrite Saffire 6 USB, Ketron SD2. BiaB Wiki
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My first instrument. I was 4 yrs 10 months old when I started music lessons. 
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like others have said, I had limited access to family instruments like an old archtop and an out-of-tune piano received from the church that closed down the street. But the first instrument that was mine was a Harmony Rocket my dad bought me in the 70's. The one in the pic looks like it but my first one had only a single pickup. It got stolen from the backseat of my 64 Rambler and I went to a local music shop and replaced it with the dual pickup version. Later gave it to a buddy when I bought my Les Paul. http://www.12fret.com/wordpress/wp-conte...H54_1969(C).jpgJust the other day I thought I'd pick one up cheap on the internet for old times sake and was shocked at how much they go for!
Last edited by JohnJohnJohn; 11/20/12 09:14 PM.
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Knackered old upright in the basement that had to have been built into the house. We had to disassemble it to get it out of the house.
Never held tune, missing a couple hammers, ivory pieces broken off in various degrees in middle 3 octaves or so. But we used it until we got a Baldwin in the family room upstairs.
3rd grade recorder.
5th grade garage sale Olds trombone.
12th grade Peavey Milestone Electric guitar for graduation present.
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<...>I am in the school that instruments should be played and not displayed like museum piecs, so it gives me joy to know someone skilled is using it.
Which is why I sold my Modele 26 and even my Mark VI tenor - I really preferred the H.Couf. Perhaps the favorites of all I owned. I'm now playing a custom finished MacSax that I dearly love. The intonation is much better than either the VI or the Couf, the tone is big and bold, and it is very free blowing. I can't make a direct comparison with my old saxes, but I'm glad I didn't keep them.
I have a 1970 Gibson ES-330 that used to be my favorite guitar. As soon as prices for collectibles goes back up, it's on the auction block. I love my Parker so much, I hardly touch the Gibson anymore. BTW, slightly on-topic, it was my first electric guitar. I also had a Japan Epiphone flat-top, the model number has long since faded from the blue tag inside the body.
Every once in a great while I have a little nostalgia for my old instruments, but other than the resale value of the VI (which has been blown out of proportion for the horn), I'm glad I sold them because if they were here, they would just collect dust. An instrument needs to be played.
And many of those first instruments, the Silvertone/Danelectro, the Harmony, or Kay helped a youngster learn about music and in the hands of someone with talent, were able to make great music. Some of the high-end instruments of the not-so-distant past were hard to play, had poor intonation, but were used to make great music.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
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Hey you know what?
I forgot about what was my real very own "first instrument".
It was a plastic "Flutophone" -- a late 40's or early 50's marketed thing that was basically a Recorder made of plastic with more of a police whistle type mouthpiece and a large bell at the bidness end.
Worked fairly well for figuring out songs in the key of C that were based on the Major Scale.
--Mac
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Quote:
I forgot about what was my real very own "first instrument".
I did too. Actually it was my brother's baritone horn, which was bigger than I was. In 6th grade, a woman teacher came after school and taught us to play using the do re me scale. When I got to junior high school, the band teacher gave me a little test. He pointed at a note and said, "What note is that?"
I hesitated a bit and said, "Let's see."
He said, "Your right, it's C. You're in."
Needless to say, I didn't last.
Don S.
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I used to tell that same joke but mine was "He pressed a key and asked 'What note is this?'" and I said "Oh gee...."
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Quote:
I used to tell that same joke but mine was "He pressed a key and asked 'What note is this?'" and I said "Oh gee...."
My joke actually happened.
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let's see... how to begin...?
I'll start by saying that my dad was a strange combination of inventive, unconventional and um, frugal. So when The Beatles popularity left me wanting a guitar, here's what dad came up with:
1) He took a metal gasoline can and fastened a piece of aluminum tubing from a discarded TV antenna to it
2) then he cut a sound hole in the can using tin snips. Since in his world, smooth edges were for sissies, the sharp snipped metal edges were left intact (which is more than I can say for the skin on my fingers after trying to play it)
3) He took a roll of #10 electrical wire, stripped off the sheathing and screwed it directly to the can with sheet metal screws. (apparently this was to be an ELECTRIC guitar)
4) for a headstock, he screwed a sawed-off piece of 2x4 to the other end of the aluminum tube, and hard-wired the other end of the electric wires to it. No tuners. I had to be satisfied with whatever frequency it generated when I plucked the, um, strings.
Sounds like I'm kidding, but I'm as serious as a heart attack. Mom must have talked to him, though, because eventually a store bought guitar showed up under the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, it was almost as unplayable as the gas-can-tar.
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Simply hilarious, Pat! It belongs in my humor thread. Thanks for the giggles.
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You've gotta give your dad an "A" for effort. It probably took a few hours to put that thing together.
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Based on my own and countless others' experience with substandard axes and well-meaning but ill-informed parental involvement, my son's first personal instrument was a Squier Strat which I picked out of several for sound and playability, along with a used Fender 40-watt amp with a 12-inch speaker.
I took him shopping with me at Guitar Center. He wanted a cheap but cool-looking B.C Rich that we saw. Even though he couldn't play, I made him handle the Strat first, on which the neck and action were very good. The neck on the Rich felt like a 2x4, with action to match. Even he could tell the difference and agreed that the Squier was the better choice. It had a transparent red finish, unusual for an inexpensive ($150) knockoff, even if it was a Fender.
I was famous in my little family for buying Christmas gifts for the children while they were present without their knowing. This was no different, although it was the last time I was able to pull that off. We went out to the car without having made a purchase. I said I had forgotten my checkbook inside, then went back in and did the deal, with my son none the wiser. I picked up the rig a couple of days later.
It showed up under the tree with the amp and all necessary accessories, including a Roland stomp box chorus. The look on his face was priceless. I told him that if he had been able to play he could have started gigging immediately. He still had no idea just how good the guitar was until I told him in all sincerity that I might want to borrow it some time. That impressed him.
Part of the deal was that I would give him lessons. Within a few weeks he was playing rhythm to my blues leads. Not long after that he played in public at a school function. The whole thing was an incredible bonding experience which we both enjoyed immensely.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Way to go Ryszard!
My college age son just informed me that he wants to learn guitar and there's a used Michael Kelly Visionary V5 stashed away here. Very cool neck adjustment capability that I've only seen on Jeff Babicz' customs called the Variable Set Neck. Craigslist buy.
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Mine was a Fiddle I got at 6 years old, still have it.
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Ryzard, would you adopt me because there is this GORGEOUS Paul Reed Smith Mira on Craigslist and Christmas is coming....
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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.
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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
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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.
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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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