|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
Expert
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129 |
Hi all,
As a hardcore music lover and perpetual student (that has a demanding day job), I've turned some attention toward playing piano. Having worked at guitar for many years, some things I thought I would do differently the second time around on guitar, which I am trying to do on keyboard, is:
1.) spend MUCH upfront time learning chord progressions, at least a couple of fingerings for the major progressions and scales, with MINIMAL time learning to read music (I can already hear some of your responses on this one - you know who you are : )
--> the idea hear, at least given my personality, is that ,I got lost in reading music and theory to the NEGLECT of playing the instrument, learning songs, and actually ENJOYING the instrument - it became too academic for me
2.) spend SOME (but less) daily time, learning to read music
3.) do NOT get bogged down with 2-handed, very independent playing (e.g. virtuoso classical stuff) - instead spend time on training the ear to recognize chord progressions and their accompanying scales, and applying them in songs
Toward this end, I've discovered 2 books I thought were very useful - "How to Play Piano despite years of lessons", and from the "Visual Approach Series" : 'Chord Construction, Learning to PLay through Shapes and Forms (which actually does relate all shapes to the Staff)
Finally, my questions:
1.) For anyone that moved from initially learning guitar for many years, than to piano - what books/methods/exercises did you discover most helpful and work through consistently ?
2.) Is the idea of 'position playing' on piano similar to guitar - that you have a certain set of fingers dedicated to certain keys on the keyboard for different scales, or is there much more movement from which fingers begin different chords (e.g. I guess there would have to be, but I'm not sure how to work on this).
3.) I've noticed some pictures in chord books where to hit a white key, the fingers are placed between black keys - is there any general guideline to when this is done ?
Thanks in advance,
Joe
Last edited by Joe V; 11/02/13 05:08 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
For me it was the other way 'round, started on piano at very young age, complete with lessons, didn't even THINK about a guitar until around the age of 12 or so.
So I don't think I'd have much insight into doing it from the other standpoint, at least as to methodology.
I will state this, though:
There are MANY great improvisational musicians who have played instruments other than piano who insist that knowledge of the piano keyboard is something that the aspiring and working musician should pursue.
As a result, many fans may not realize just how well some of them could play the piano, knowing them only from the aspect of their wellknown target instrument.
Dizzy Gillespie, the great trumpet player who had a hand in the invention of BeBop - and may have been the guy who named it as well - was a fantastic piano player. He used the piano to figure out things, compose, find out what modes, scales, chords, etc. worked over what changes and stated that he wrote several of his well known Standards at the piano, often by finding something on the keyboard that led him to turning it into the entire piece.
Arturo Sandoval, the great Cuban trumpet player also plays piano so well that he has released albums of his piano playing as well as the many albums featuring his amazing facility with his first instrument, the trumpet.
Joe, you like books and magazines.
For any beginning piano player or keyboardist, I recommend getting hands on the following books:
The Schmidt Piano studies
The Czerny
The Hanon
Those three are all about fingering really, and can, if used properly and practiced, prevent the problems that many self-taught keyboardists have to overcome, such as the dreaded "running out of fingers" due to not knowing how to properly finger a scale or run in a certain key.
The piano keyboard represents a "Number Line" in which all the notes are laid out in a row, and each note is only in one place, unlike, say, the guitar.
I can't imagine how those who don't know the piano keyboard envision the ins and outs of theory and harmony without it. (Of courae, there are those that do, that's not the point.)
Obligatory sidebar "Mac-Story":
I once read that a very young Wolfgang Mozart, at somewhere around age of three, was caught by his musician father sitting at dad's piano, something that just about every child does after first seeing and hearing and adult play and then gaining access to the keyboard.
But in Mozart's caae, he was not doing what most toddlers might do, such as happily pounding out sounds.
He was very thoughtfully playing one note with one finger of one hand while playing another note with one finger of the other hand.
His father demanded to know what the little boy thought he was doing, and this is what Wolfie told him:
"I'm trying to find the notes that LIKE each other!"
And that is what it is really all about.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129 |
Thanks so much for the great advice Mac - I will check the books out. I can see where having a single note instrument (like trumpet) makes it very difficult to learn and understand harmony - the instrument itself limits your exploration of such. I will also share that the fact that the keyboard fingerings aren't "Movable" as the guitar's are leads to a deeper appreciation for Key Signatures and Chord Tone differences, at least for me.
Last edited by Joe V; 11/03/13 04:35 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Joe, I think I'm between you and Mac - I learned piano via Fingerpower, some Czerny, some Schaum, and hard-core learning of classical pieces that took me forever.
Then my teacher caught me noodling out some Journey tunes from the early 80's and asked why I was playing those.
That started me down the road of chord theory.
In 1985 I started self-teaching guitar and played pretty much open chords.
In late 80's I had learned pretty much how to comp on piano with gospel/praise music chord charts. One very crucial learning for me on this was chord inversions. Even the simplest major, minor, dominant 7, major 7 and minor 7 chords are a good place to start.
Learn 'all three' for each of them. Just like you can make chords across the fretboard for most I IV V songs using 'simple' chords, you can do the same on piano/keyboards. BUT, you need to know the inversions. You can probably play the 1 3 5 version of most chords. Get your hand used to the 3 5 1, and the 5 1 3. (these being the triad components or whatever the right terminology). Take note of how to jump from the 3 5 1 of the I chord to the 1 3 5 of the VI chord. Get your hand used to that. Interplay all of these and pretty soon you'll have your hand practicing the 'path of least resistance' between the various common chords and inversions. These are all pretty simple for me now, including add2 sus4 chords. Now I'm starting to learn some jazzier chords as well, but it's taking time.
I have been able to translate some of this over to guitar, by getting my mind out of Barre chord mode and using simple 3-note chords in several different positions and moving between these inversions with minimum fretting hand movement. I STILL need to really learn my fretboard, after playing all these years. I have the bottom 4 strings and the top e string (from playing bass these past few years - you have to know the fretboard), but that pesky b string still is somewhat of a mystery!
Also look up Scott the Piano Guy Houston on PBS and on-line. His method, would pair nicely with your goals. I kind of self taught myself some of what he teaches.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129 |
Scott,
You've nailed exactly what I'm working on right now. And it's really not at all so simple. It takes quite a while to learn the 4 chord types in all keys, and to move between the 3 inversions for the most common progressions ( say even only the I, IV, V and the II, V, I) of the major scale - in a timely (e.g. fast enough to jam and noodle while sounding musical). The motor control and memorization takes far longer than the 'conceptual' understanding of how and where to move.
Sometimes I think we musicians overemphasize learning things in ALL 12 keys (no doubt a good goal and one to gradually work towards) and I could see why - we want to be ready to play any song we come across.
But I think we often understate the importance of learning how to do many different things in one single key. How many musicians are playing the modes in all 12 keys from 2 to 2, 3 to 3, etc, without knowing how to switch them within the same Key Signature - and realizing how different they sound as we compare 'apples with apples', so to speak.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Joe, I didn't mean to say that this is simple, but you'll get the hang of it.
Start with something simple, the I IV V progression in C.
I find these inversions to be 'easiest on the hand':
C: E G C, using 1 2 and 5 of the right hand.
Move to the Root of F:
F A C, using 1 3 5 (note the pinky did not move)
Also note that 2 and 4 of your right hand are ready and waiting over two notes of the G chord but use the D G B inversion with your thumb on the D.
Your wrist might move one inch to go back and forth between these three chords. Switching back and forth between the G and C, and you see that your index finger is anchored on the G.
The finger that sees the most movement in this arrangement is the thumb. But it's hardly any movement at all.
It's even less movement in the 'flat' keys, which if you play with a band with horns, you'll be getting a work-out on the Eb, Ab, Bb and F chords. Same deal though, use the 3 5 1 inversion of the key signature chord and you can find that you'll move with ease between these before you know it.
I guess when I watch my hand, I'm almost always forming either a thumb middle pinky chord or thumb index ring chord.
Works for minor keys as well.
If you ever play gospel or rock organ, those notes that are common are often held between chords, not lifting them up.
Last edited by rockstar_not; 11/04/13 11:15 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,720
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,720 |
Lenovo YOGA 900 Window s 10 Home 64bit M4 pro Mac mini 1tb HD 24GB mem casio wk7500 presonus audiobox i2 usb interface
casio wk-7500
biab & realband 2025 everything pk both with Current builds
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Sometimes I think we musicians overemphasize learning things in ALL 12 keys (no doubt a good goal and one to gradually work towards) and I could see why - we want to be ready to play any song we come across.
But I think we often understate the importance of learning how to do many different things in one single key. How many musicians are playing the modes in all 12 keys from 2 to 2, 3 to 3, etc, without knowing how to switch them within the same Key Signature - and realizing how different they sound as we compare 'apples with apples', so to speak.
Be careful, though, because far too many find out how to play in a key and their development simply stops right there. All things in moderation is a good way to think. By all means work one key more than the others. But at the same time, don't neglect transposing what you've learned, one key at a time. Avoid the all too human urge to look for shortcuts that don't exist, or the wish to get it all in a short amount of time expenditure. After all, if it was that easy, there would be no point to it. Anybody and his brother or sister could be good musicians instantly, and that would put the whole thing in an entirely different cultural viewpoint. --Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,370
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,370 |
I too started on piano at around 7 and moved to guitar at 14. I soon dropped piano lessons and continued self taught on guitar.
I would suggest spending the time to find a local piano teacher and work with them for a time..... for the length of time you need to accomplish what you really seek. A piano teacher will get you up and running and help you avoid the mistakes and things that will bog you down, simply because you may not know better.
Find one who will work with you on reading as well as playing by ear. Some refuse to accept playing by ear as legitimate. Avoid them. Commit to one year and see where you are in a year.
A teacher keeps you moving and learning by requiring you to practice and learn things for the next lesson. Accountability.
My teacher leaned towards reading and classical stuff but also made room for the pop music of the day as long as I had the sheet music for it. She also did encourage playing by ear as long as you could read as well. She taught me a lot about theory.... something few would ever learn on their own and theory is very valuable.
Have fun.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Find one who will work with you on reading as well as playing by ear. Some refuse to accept playing by ear as legitimate. Avoid them.
+100 Things are getting better along those lines, though, as aging rock, blues, pop and jazz keyboardists are spotted offering lessons, even in some of the local music emporiums, and these people are teaching in the real, things they often had to find out on their own. The old ladies with the picture piano book methods that only taught sight reading and didn't even know theory and such, much less able to teach it, are dwindling - and that's a good thing. Local colleges are also a good place to find music teachers, if not one there able to do it, often is the case that they can provide a reference to someone outside. I've encountered far too many over the years who won't hesitate to spend mucho monies on instruments and equipments, yet for reasons unfathomable to me will balk at spending a few dollars a month on private lessons that would make all the difference in their usage of all that expensive stuff. Runnin' rings around that guy with the multi-bucks custom boutique flattop on yer old cheapie Yamaha plywood top is always fun... --Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Find one who will work with you on reading as well as playing by ear. Some refuse to accept playing by ear as legitimate. Avoid them.
+100 Things are getting better along those lines, though, as aging rock, blues, pop and jazz keyboardists are spotted offering lessons, even in some of the local music emporiums, and these people are teaching in the real, things they often had to find out on their own. The old ladies with the picture piano book methods that only taught sight reading and didn't even know theory and such, much less able to teach it, are dwindling - and that's a good thing. Local colleges are also a good place to find music teachers, if not one there able to do it, often is the case that they can provide a reference to someone outside. I've encountered far too many over the years who won't hesitate to spend mucho monies on instruments and equipments, yet for reasons unfathomable to me will balk at spending a few dollars a month on private lessons that would make all the difference in their usage of all that expensive stuff. Runnin' rings around that guy with the multi-bucks custom boutique flattop on yer old cheapie Yamaha plywood top is always fun... --Mac I'll +100 on that as well. Our kid's piano teacher is teaching them to identify chords by ear as well as buried in the classical and other sheet music that she teaches from. She encourages improvisation and composition, playing by ear, playing from chord charts, playing from sheet music. What she's really giving my kids is a full-on music theory education, while learning piano. She encourages and arranges for performance in formal and informal settings (my kids have had recitals at churches, art galleries, and retirement homes). If you lived in Colorado Springs, I would recommend her to you without hesitation. -Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
There is a question that I've been asked many times over decades, a question that actually irritates me, but as a performer I try hard to smile and stay nice when it inevitably pops up.
You know, the condescending looking lady (most are ladies, wonder why that is...) who walks up to the piano when I'm performing the improvisational, whether full black gospel in a church setting or jazz in a club, and says something like, "Do you read music or do you play by ear?"
As if the two were mutually exclusive or something.
I usually smile and answer, "Yes, BOTH!"
Then there are those who have made the assumption that since I must be playing strictly "by ear" because there is no music on the pianoboard, who make some ridiculous statement such as, "well I READ music!" - the hidden statement being that yours truly must not be able to read or somesuch nonesense.
"Well, I play Classical music!" -- I don't know how many times some white lady has laid that one on me simply because I happen to be performing with a black gospel group or choir at the time.
The hidden one in that particular statement always seems to be that "Classical Music" is somehow better, more sincere, harder, whatever.
Of course, I keep my Classical Piano repertoire lightly brushed up, just for those idiots... heh
Obligatory Mac Sidebar Story:
The legend has it that a fellow was demonstrating his piano skills in a small theater venue and then invited any audience members to come up and play the piano as well.
At first there was only one young fellow, played a bit of Chopin, wasn't too bad, but he "broke the ice" and soon there were people waiting in line, each with something to play.
All the while, there was this older fellow with long gray hair just sitting in his seat in the front row.
After what seemed an interminably long time of amateur pianists, the pianist who performed the show and had invited the guests to come up and play noticed the old man and asked if he would like to come up and play something.
The old man replied, "No, thank you."
The old man was Paderewski...
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Mac, Ok, so here's your problem - you play too well! Otherwise, you wouldn't get the old ladies or whomever coming up afterwards to chit chat - or you have too much good looks and they want a closer look! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Ya don't have to look good at all to attract the spinsters. Actually, still breathing 'll do well enough by that stage of the game. --Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,040
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,040 |
Joe V,
I think you've gotten some really good advice from the forum folks. Here's my two cents for what it worth.
I picked up the guitar when I was about 13 and learned from a group of friends. We all learned by doing and playing songs we liked. I could only afford one acoustic guitar so I focused on strumming and fingerpicking. So it was all about rhythm and chords.
After playing guitar for 3-4 years, I started tinkering with piano. My high school music teachers helped my learn basic music theory which I applied to the my piano playing. I learned more in those first couple of years than I did 20 year hence. Again, I focused on accompaniment and hardly ever played the melody since I had that covered by singing. I could read music a bit but was mainly just following the guitar chords in sheet music, tabs and lead sheets.
Well, about 25 years of real life and military career that kept me moving every couple of years, I finally put down some roots. I had hit the wall with my piano skills and wanted to do more so I started taking some lessons. Wow, a whole new world opened up. I discovered I actually hand a left hand and ten fingers. I guess all I'm trying to say is that sometimes you need help getting to the next level, be it a group of friends, a well place high school music teacher or a dedicated piano teacher. Self-learning can be a rough way to go and you can pick up a lot of bad habits that keep from getting better.
Good luck and have fun!
SD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129 |
Gentlemen,
As always - thanks for the great advice and helping me discover some great new resources.
Appreciatively,
Joe V.
Last edited by Joe V; 11/08/13 06:37 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,809
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,809 |
Joe,
Why start with books if you don't want to read music?
I started late on the piano and started with music books but soon switched to online lessons. I particularly like Willie Myette who has a couple of hundred free lesson tasters on Utube. He is a very (very very) good player and a very good teacher too. His stuff covers everything from basics, theory, gospel, jazz, latin, cocktail, blues. Like yourself he is not interested in teaching the classical 'read everything' way.
I started on trumpet the classical route. I could not play a note without a piece of paper in front of me. I then switched to sax the jazz route. I found my reading actually got worse as I found myself memorising everything after a few goes through the head.
As far as Piano goes, if you are considering Jazz, then it may be wise to learn to play treble clef melodies (if you cant already) as this opens up Real Book standards.
One thing I learnt the hard way. Don't confine yourself only to 'straight chords' by which I mean the standard chord and the inversions of, but also add in notes and spread the chord across the keyboard. The sooner you do this the sooner your playing will sound mature. Its a brain wiring thing.
This is called 'voicing'. Voicing and voice leading are very important topics and a good (non classical) teacher can help you with this.
Zero
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Joe,
Why start with books if you don't want to read music?
Because it is simply more efficient. Those who bypass learning to read the dots very seldom ever get back around to going back and filling in what they have missed. Here we may not be talking becoming an accomplished sight reader of the kind who can sit down in front of rather complicated music charts and play them through the first time and have the chart sound pretty much as it was designed to sound, but rather someone who has the basic ability to know at least which note is being depicted on the two clefs of the Grand Staff and the basic Rhythm Value indicators. The ear player, the improviser, the working and performing musician, and even the part time hobbiest will only find benefit through doing it the right way the first time around. --Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129
Expert
|
|
OP
Expert
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,129 |
All valid points, all well taken. There are many paths to the final destination. In fact, I think we all pretty much agree on all these points - just a little splitting of hairs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
Topics84,379
Posts778,465
Members39,635
| |
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