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Just because I believe the copyright laws should be modified, does not mean I don't respect the right of the copyright holder to profit on his/her work.
As I also indicated:
1) I have a few dozen copyrights
2) I abide by the laws as written
But in a democratic republic such as the USA, sometimes the laws are not strong enough, sometimes they are too strong. The flexibility to change that is built into the system.
I believe the copyright laws are necessary, but I think a little revision could make them better and more fair to all.
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Interesting info, thanks for posting.
Later,
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Actually, the evidence indicates that Happy Birthday is not under copyright. Edit: Correction to above: I meant to write "should not be under copyright". I should not have written that I disputed that it has a copyright, but instead that copyright should never have been assigned.  The main reason that "Happy Birthday" still gets royalties is that it's cheaper to pay the royalties than contest it. The melody is from the 1893 song "Good Morning To You" (now in public domain). The lyric was grafted from a pre-existing version of "Happy Birthday". It appears that grafting the two may have been done by the author's students. In fact, "Happy Birthday To You" was published (not by the authors) in 1912 with instructions to sing the song to the tune of "Good Morning To You" with these alternate lyrics. Then in 1935, a company claimed "Happy Birthday To You" was their own work - over 20 years after it had been published in that form. They'd been profiting from it ever since.
Last edited by dcuny; 06/06/14 10:08 AM.
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Here in Germany, actually in the entire European Union, in 2016 the copyright to "Happy Birthday" ends.
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From what I understand.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY is still under copyright protection and will be for another 16 years or so. What Snopes has to say about it. Could be.... that's why the Beatles did a totally different song about birthdays?
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 06/06/14 04:49 AM.
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.
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From what I understand.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY is still under copyright protection and will be for another 16 years or so. What Snopes has to say about it. Could be.... that's why the Beatles did a totally different song about birthdays? And why most every restaurant that has the wait staff sing to the birthday person has a different birthday song. If the staff would sing that one song and only that one song to birthday people, and if that was the only song ever sung in that restaurant, the restaurant would have to buy an ASCAP license. It's an example of what I think is excessive about current copyright laws. Again, I support copyright, but think some fine tuning should be applied -- and I'm not sure exactly how much tuning is needed. Insights and incites by Notes
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2030 -- that is for the U.S. and only because that song is so old that the copyright registration counts more than the passing of the authors (if I understand that correctly).
Copyright of a song passes away in Europe at the 31st of December of the year +70 after the last author passed away. Patty Hill died in 1946 + 70 = 2016. In the Europe there will be no more royalties paid for "Happy Birthday to You" effective January 1st, 2017.
Warner must find another source of income here.
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I didn't mean say that the song wasn't copyrighted, I meant to say that it shouldn't be under copyright. Sorry about that! The Snopes article (written in 2007) says: - The sisters wrote "Good Morning To You".
- They didn't write the lyrics "Happy Birthday To You".
- The song - with the "Happy Birthday" lyrics - was published.
- After it became popular, a company claimed copyright to the song.
Even Snopes says that it is "murky", because no one knows who put the words to the Hill's song. The Salon article (written in 2011) goes into further detail on this. Since the melody is in public domain at this point, and the company claimed copyright on the song that there's clear published evidence that they didn't write, they never should have been granted copyright to the song. That's clear from Snopes as well. As the Salon article points out, the only reason that the copyright continues to stand is because it's cheaper to pay the licensing than to contest it.
Last edited by dcuny; 06/07/14 01:56 AM. Reason: I kant spel
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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I have never understood this thing with songs, it is stupid in my opinion to ask money because someone sings a cover song; why the different agencies demand money for people singing in clubs and the like.
Just my opinion: unless you record it and sale it; then it should not matter if you sing it, and that goes for any song whether it is the latest hit or something from the 20's. There is a difference between a true professional who records another singer or songwriters song and makes money from it's sale (and by this I mean an artist signed to a record label) not just a bar or lounge singer who might get paid to perform. Now if the band in the bar records their show and makes a CD or dvd and sales it, or has previously made cds with cover songs to sale then yeah they need to pay. But If I sing a cover song here in Ky, It is not effecting the original performer and songwriter one bit, I have not robbed them, it has not taken any money from them. Now if I record it and start selling it, then I believe the royalties should be given them just like any professional artist would have to. Next thing they will be asking carpenters to pay royalties each time they use their name brand hammers, LOL!
Of course it is the law so we have to go by the rules no matter how ignorant they are.
My TunesPsalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
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I have never understood this thing with songs, it is stupid in my opinion to ask money because someone sings a cover song; why the different agencies demand money for people singing in clubs and the like.
Just my opinion: unless you record it and sale it; then it should not matter if you sing it, and that goes for any song whether it is the latest hit or something from the 20's. There is a difference between a true professional who records another singer or songwriters song and makes money from it's sale (and by this I mean an artist signed to a record label) not just a bar or lounge singer who might get paid to perform. Now if the band in the bar records their show and makes a CD or dvd and sales it, or has previously made cds with cover songs to sale then yeah they need to pay. But If I sing a cover song here in Ky, It is not effecting the original performer and songwriter one bit, I have not robbed them, it has not taken any money from them. Now if I record it and start selling it, then I believe the royalties should be given them just like any professional artist would have to. Next thing they will be asking carpenters to pay royalties each time they use their name brand hammers, LOL!
Of course it is the law so we have to go by the rules no matter how ignorant they are. You might feel differently if you were the owner of the copyright. The cover band, club owner, wait staff and everyone else making money at the venue are making money off the song. The song that the writer has written, demoed, pitched and contracted to a publisher who has re-demoed, produced, shopped, promoted and contracted to a record company, etc. 99% of songs produced do not even recoup the expense of producing them. The 1% that are “hits” sustain the entire industry. Should they be offered for free, when everyone else down the chain profits from them?
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Dang... we just sang "Happy Birthday" in a restaurant a few nights ago to my 11 year old niece for her birthday.
I bet we owe some royalties for that "public performance" of the song.....
ssssshhhhh.. don't tell anyone....OK?
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.
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Dang... we just sang "Happy Birthday" in a restaurant a few nights ago to my 11 year old niece for her birthday.
I bet we owe some royalties for that "public performance" of the song.....
ssssshhhhh.. don't tell anyone....OK? "ACTION NEWS 12 BREAKING NEWS... Music industry authorities tracked down a man who admitted in a computer forum to violating copyright law...."  given the small amounts of money the artists make on Spotify... if they catch you and you pay the penny you owe... do you get credit for the other 2,000 times the penny entitles you to sing the song?
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My own thoughts:
1) Copyrights should last either until the writer dies or 20 years if he/she dies sooner than 20 years after he/she writes it
2) Public performances in a not-for profit place should be fair use
3) Playing in a profit place like a bar/lounge should only be paid if an ASCAP or BMI agent notes every song that is being played and sends the list in so the songwriter gets royalties. Right now, how do they know what songs I sang in the Embassy Suites last night? The hotel paid their license, but ASCAP/BMI has no idea what we played. So who is going to get the money? It was a 50 year high school reunion. Did Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield, Otis Blackwell, Ritchie Adams, Malou Rene, Mack Gordon, Harry Warren, Hank Ballard, Bunny Wailer, Smokey Robinson, Barry Mann, Phil Spector, Cynthia Weill, Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Luis Demetrio, Pablo Beltran Ruiz and all the others get paid?
90db, if I played one of your songs, would you have gotten even one penny?
I played one of mine and didn't get royalties from it.
You can't ask the band for a playlist as we have none. We watch the crowd, call the next song sometimes only a few seconds before the first one ends, and then go right into the next song so as not to lose the dance floor. There is no time to jot them down, so it should be the responsibility of an agent of the performing rights society.
4) The publisher should not be allowed to make more money on the song than the songwriter. Who's song is it anyway?
Those are a few of the things I'd bring up to the table if someone invited me to a brainstorm session on how to change the copyright laws.
Notes
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“Playing in a profit place like a bar/lounge should only be paid if an ASCAP or BMI agent notes every song that is being played and sends the list in so the songwriter gets royalties. Right now, how do they know what songs I sang in the Embassy Suites last night? The hotel paid their license, but ASCAP/BMI has no idea what we played. So who is going to get the money? It was a 50 year high school reunion. Did Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield, Otis Blackwell, Ritchie Adams, Malou Rene, Mack Gordon, Harry Warren, Hank Ballard, Bunny Wailer, Smokey Robinson, Barry Mann, Phil Spector, Cynthia Weill, Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Luis Demetrio, Pablo Beltran Ruiz and all the others get paid?” Yes, they would have been paid, if you had made a simple MP3 recording of the performance, noted the songs and writers, and submitted the list to ASCAP/BMI. Otherwise, the royalties are paid into the “General Licensing Allocation.” In that case, the big fish get all the royalties. Now this practice should be changed, for sure. “90db, if I played one of your songs, would you have gotten even one penny?” Yes, if you had reported the performance to BMI. Although a whole penny might be optimistic.  “I played one of mine and didn't get royalties from it.” That's down to you. All of the PROs now have programs in place where artists can report their live performances and set lists, and get paid for shows in unsurveyed venues. The programs are ASCAP OnStage, BMI Live, and SESAC’s Live Performance Notification System. If you’re a member of one of these organizations and you aren’t using these programs yet, please check them out. You have a limited amount of time to input your live performances and get paid for them (between 3-6 months), so the sooner you get into the habit of reporting your live shows, the better. “The publisher should not be allowed to make more money on the song than the songwriter. Who's song is it anyway?” The split depends entirely on the contract between the writer and the publisher. Neither party has a gun to his head. (Except, of course, in the case of Don Corleone and Johnny Fontane) 
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@Notes: I like the way you think! I'd vote for your revisions to copyright law in a heartbeat!
@90db: you make excellent points, and almost certainly the information noted is news to most of us. Thanks for pointing out that by notifying the agencies of actual set lists, the correct artists can get paid instead of having the proceeds go into a general fund that only benefits an elite group
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Pat,
It's a bad system, to be sure. The big dogs get all the money. BMI,ASCAP. et al are a bunch of crooks. But then, so are the managers, booking agents, record companies, publishers,club owners and everyone else involved in the business.
The RIAA is the worst of the lot, but the indy world is changing all of that now. The people now have the technology, and that has the Mustache Petes running scared. There are artists making more money now marketing themselves than they ever would with a record deal.
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I don't see why the copyright laws can't follow patent laws and the "editions" section of the copyright laws - you have 25 years to make a buck then it goes into making the public domain richer - this in turn makes it possible for others to build on what has been created without onerous comliance requirements.
If I understand it correctly, this is exactly how copyright was first introduced, but the Walt Disney's and Sonny Bono's (and undoubtedly Sony/BMG's etc.) of the world managed to get it changed so they could continue making money. I understand this desire but causing it to happen makes a mockery of the original intent of copyright.
Thus the world ends up intellectually poorer instead of intellectually richer...
--=-- 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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Pat,
It's a bad system, to be sure. The big dogs get all the money. BMI,ASCAP. et al are a bunch of crooks. But then, so are the managers, booking agents, record companies, publishers,club owners and everyone else involved in the business.
The RIAA is the worst of the lot, but the indy world is changing all of that now. The people now have the technology, and that has the Mustache Petes running scared. There are artists making more money now marketing themselves than they ever would with a record deal. even artists who never would have had a shot at a record deal.. and that pleases me enormously! Yeah, there are ways in whcih these are dark times in the music business... but I honestly think there is opportunity in chaos. Now is a time when clever people are having good luck making a buck without getting any middlemen at all involved. I wish everybody would boycott BMI and ASCAP so they couldn't have the power to show up somewhere and forbid anyone to play our music without paying a fee to them... WE give them that power when we join their ranks
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You might feel differently if you were the owner of the copyright.
I have told several folks here on the forum, as well as around my neck of the woods they were free to perform my songs all they want, I just ask that they not be recorded for profit. Although I have allowed a few to profit when they ask.
The cover band, club owner, wait staff and everyone else making money at the venue are making money off the song.
The staff at the club and the owner would make money anyway in most cases, music is just an added incentive to come in. Some live venues don't draw enough people to even pay the band so the club fits the bill or they pay them in food or drinks or the band plays for free. Then they are expected to turn around and shell out for royalty rights. Not cool in any form or fashion. They also have to pay to have the place cleaned up after said show and in a lot of cases expensive repairs due to damage done during said show.
The song that the writer has written, demoed, pitched and contracted to a publisher who has re-demoed, produced, shopped, promoted and contracted to a record company, etc.
99% of songs produced do not even recoup the expense of producing them. The 1% that are “hits” sustain the entire industry. Should they be offered for free, when everyone else down the chain profits from them?
Free is exactly what they are when they are performed in a club setting. No one can buy a copy of it, It will only be heard on the nights it is performed. It in no way effects the singer or songwriter's pocket at all; and may in fact help the original artist. When I was in high school Elvis Presley passed away. I use to go around singing Elvis' version of Trying to Get to You from His final concert album, yes I said album LOL. Some of my buddies said "who sings that?" and subsequently went out and bought Elvis' final Concert album because they wanted to hear his version of the song; this was before the day of the download. So I know that sometimes performing a cover song helps the artist out,(as if Elvis needed my help LOL again) and it never hurts them.
There is a difference in performing something where the same group of people will never hear it again I.E. a cover song in a club setting where most won't even remember the groups name, little on the song's sang;
and mass producing CD's for sale. In the case of the CD an artist might do a copy that would effect another artist's version and pocket, this is the reason you very seldom see 2 artist in the same genre of music cover the same song for release in the same year. Artist 1 knows if artist 2's version explodes they may lose money. You will see a rock group and a pop or country group do the same song as they know their audiences are different anyway.
But if artist 1 only sings in a club while artist 2 is on the billboard charts artist 1 has not in anyway hurt artist 2's sales; but as in the Elvis example may actually help artist 2.
How many of you have performed some where and somebody ask "who sings that song?"
The law is the law, and should be followed, but just because it is law does not mean it is makes sense or is right. It used to be against the law to spit on the sidewalk.
My TunesPsalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
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You might feel differently if you were the owner of the copyright.
I have told several folks here on the forum, as well as around my neck of the woods they were free to perform my songs all they want, I just ask that they not be recorded for profit. Although I have allowed a few to profit when they ask.
The cover band, club owner, wait staff and everyone else making money at the venue are making money off the song.
The staff at the club and the owner would make money anyway in most cases, music is just an added incentive to come in. Some live venues don't draw enough people to even pay the band so the club fits the bill or they pay them in food or drinks or the band plays for free. Then they are expected to turn around and shell out for royalty rights. Not cool in any form or fashion. They also have to pay to have the place cleaned up after said show and in a lot of cases expensive repairs due to damage done during said show.
The song that the writer has written, demoed, pitched and contracted to a publisher who has re-demoed, produced, shopped, promoted and contracted to a record company, etc.
99% of songs produced do not even recoup the expense of producing them. The 1% that are “hits” sustain the entire industry. Should they be offered for free, when everyone else down the chain profits from them?
Free is exactly what they are when they are performed in a club setting. No one can buy a copy of it, It will only be heard on the nights it is performed. It in no way effects the singer or songwriter's pocket at all; and may in fact help the original artist. When I was in high school Elvis Presley passed away. I use to go around singing Elvis' version of Trying to Get to You from His final concert album, yes I said album LOL. Some of my buddies said "who sings that?" and subsequently went out and bought Elvis' final Concert album because they wanted to hear his version of the song; this was before the day of the download. So I know that sometimes performing a cover song helps the artist out,(as if Elvis needed my help LOL again) and it never hurts them.
There is a difference in performing something where the same group of people will never hear it again I.E. a cover song in a club setting where most won't even remember the groups name, little on the song's sang;
and mass producing CD's for sale. In the case of the CD an artist might do a copy that would effect another artist's version and pocket, this is the reason you very seldom see 2 artist in the same genre of music cover the same song for release in the same year. Artist 1 knows if artist 2's version explodes they may lose money. You will see a rock group and a pop or country group do the same song as they know their audiences are different anyway.
But if artist 1 only sings in a club while artist 2 is on the billboard charts artist 1 has not in anyway hurt artist 2's sales; but as in the Elvis example may actually help artist 2.
How many of you have performed some where and somebody ask "who sings that song?"
The law is the law, and should be followed, but just because it is law does not mean it is makes sense or is right. It used to be against the law to spit on the sidewalk.
That was a very verbose defense of what is basically theft. “The staff at the club and the owner would make money anyway in most cases, music is just an added incentive to come in. Some live venues don't draw enough people to even pay the band so the club fits the bill or they pay them in food or drinks or the band plays for free. Then they are expected to turn around and shell out for royalty rights. Not cool in any form or fashion. They also have to pay to have the place cleaned up after said show and in a lot of cases expensive repairs due to damage done during said show.” Go to many clubs, Robert? Do you play in many? We're playing in a place tonight that has live music 7 nights a week. They have excellent food, but the live music is the draw. Without the live music, they wouldn't sell any food. Before you lament the “poor” club owner's plight, you might want to learn a bit about the business. Do you know what a bottle of Jack Daniels costs? Do you know how much money that one bottle generates when sold by the shot? Here is a bit of info on bar pricing: http://www.allaboutbarsinfo.com/how-to-price-a-drink/“Free is exactly what they are when they are performed in a club setting.” No, they are not 'free'. They are copyright-protected intellectual property; you know, as in “Thou Shalt Not Steal”.
Last edited by 90 dB; 06/09/14 03:23 AM. Reason: Link
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There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
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®!
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