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Very cool, Aleck. Later, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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Aleck, Great B3 solo that you played, also your usual stellar guitar work. I am currently reading a book by Peter Erskine of Weather Report and he talks a lot about Elvin
Jones, so I struggled a little to hear the drums. i know how you feel about going back to fix the mix . I am the same way. I like to keep moving on to the next one. Great
Job I enjoyed it. Tom
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Hey Tommy,
Thanks so much for your kind words. Yeh, the drums should have been louder, but evidently we see eye-to-eye on the endless mix process. After bustin' my chops on this difficult tune (trying to hear the changes off Larry Young's original recording - not easy), trying a thousand times to get that B3 solo nailed, etc. There's only so much energy left. And then you gotta mix and mix? Oh, man ...
Thanks again pal
Dean
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Hey Ray,
I've noticed you're a man of few words, but every one counts. Getting two complements from you on one tune ... now that really means something to me.
Thanks, man
Dean
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Hi Aleck ;-{)
Just dropped by to see if I could get the hang of this Jazz Thing. Nah!Too many notes in each bar - lol!!
That B3 solo was awesome and what a great sound too. I guess the solo guitar break is you also?
I have to admit it - yes, I did enjoy this. A bit. OK, OK, quite a bit. OK, OK,OK - a LOT!!!! Will that do?
I know what you mean by endless remixing. I can hear stuff of mine from before and think "Shall I, Shall,nt I?" but I have to move on or I'd never get anything new done.
Excellent sound file even if the drummer is playing in another room! lol!!(joke)
cheers
Ian
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Hi Spacedog and Videotrack,
You have my profound thanks fellas - and I regret being so late to respond. I never thought this tune would fly on the Forum. No way. But, unlike my other "boat anchors," this one didn't sink out of sight in a day. It's still hangin' round!
Amazing.
Thanks again
Dean Clark (aka Aleck Rand)
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Hi Ian,
Well, well, well. I may be winning over a few converts. I got a big kick out of your favorable review, and appreciate it very much.
Dean
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Aleck,
I would have thought that now that we have Mike LeDonne tracks in BIAB, nobody would every post themselves playing the B3. I'm glad that I was wrong, because you absolutely killed it! The entire track was awesome. There is nothing better in the world than guitar and B3 together (maybe peanut butter and chocolate?) and the horn head made for a swing-gasm when the organ trio kicked in.
I loved every minute of it. Great sound.
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Hey Ken, Your comments make my day and I'm also glad that you brought up Mike and the B3 RealTracks. I have used them successfully, for example, in https://soundcloud.com/aleckrand/close-your-eyes and https://soundcloud.com/aleckrand/sonny. You may want to check these out to hear Mike's comping and soloing. He's the real deal alright. But when I tried the B3 RealTracks in MOONTRANE the results were - how to describe it - let's say: incoherent, at best. The changes come too quickly and have few of the orthodox transitions. The moral: BIAB/RealBand is an amazing feat of imagination and computer science prowess. But, at this stage, it isn't Deep Blue or whatever succeeded IBM's chess-playing program. It wouldn't survive the Turing Test, although it might hang on for a while with simple tunes. But MOONTRANE would defeat it. Who knows about the future? But, in a more important sense, BIAB/RealBand is much better than Deep Blue, which relies only on refrigerator-sized CPUs and brute combinatorial force. Instead, BIAB/RB is a kind of symbiotic weld of musician to machine. The better you are, the better BIAB does. And the better BIAB does - with voicings and sounds that you might not think of - the better you do. You learn from it. Of course, there are programs in other fields for which the same thing holds. But I can't think of anything else remotely like it in music. Thanks again for your compliments. Dean Clark (aka Aleck Rand)
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The moral: BIAB/RealBand is an amazing feat of imagination and computer science prowess. But, at this stage, it isn't Deep Blue or whatever succeeded IBM's chess-playing program. It wouldn't survive the Turing Test, although it might hang on for a while with simple tunes. But MOONTRANE would defeat it. Who knows about the future?
I know what you mean. For me it fails the Turing test when I want the solo to cleave close to the melody, or come back and quote a little piece of the melody. Since it can't really do that, I'm sometimes forced to pull out a guitar and do those parts myself. But I could swear that on some songs, like Steve Nelson on vibes soloing to All The Things You Are, that the chords are so recognizable they assume that is the song and just generate the solo with that assumption. That one definitely passes the Turing test IMO.
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Ken,
You're the first one I ever heard mention Mike LeDonne or Steve Nelson. As you know, Mike is one of the B3 monsters of the day (along with Joey, Dr. Lonnie, and a few others), and Steve and Joe Locke come in a photo finish as best vibes player. Your comments on BIAB/RB and the Turing Test now prompt me to marvel at how PG Music was able to corral these and other powerhouse players to create the RealTracks.
Yeh, you're right about the TT. BIAB/RB could hang around for quite a while - you're example of All The Things You Are - before someone asks the question that brings forth the response, "Ah, yes, now we know which one is the computer."
But, I suspect that before too long, something like BIAB/RB will be able to handle tunes like we've mentioned and hang around still longer ... and longer ...
Scary, man.
Dean
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.....The better you are, the better BIAB does. And the better BIAB does, the better you do.....
Dean Clark (aka Aleck Rand)
Ya know, Dean, that would make a great strapline statement for PG Music.  cheers Ian
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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
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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