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Joined: Dec 2000
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The Ballad Of The Chessie Catby Christopher P. Werle and John E. Ford (c) 1999 by Christopher P. Werle and John E. Ford Here is another song by my buddy Chris and me, where I took a song we did a long time ago and redid it using one of the new XTRA styles. This song uses the _ALLNITE style (also called "All Night Rock 'n' Roll boogie), which is in the Country Collection of the XTRA styles. This song was inspired by a "Christmas In July" cruise Chris was invited to on his boss's yacht, which was called "The Chessie Cat". They were out on the Chesapeake Bay on a beautiful July day, with lots of other boats around, with everyone celebrating and having a great time. Chris wrote the lyrics and chord progression. I wrote the flute solo and came up with the arrangement. Chris and I share the vocals on this one. The _ALLNITE style itself is used completely throughout the song, except that the harmonica solo comes in and out when appropriate. It consists of: RealTrack 519: Bass, Electric, Pop HalfNotes Ev 120 RealTrack 2151: Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm NewOrleansBoogieKevin Ev 165 RealTrack 884: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasBluesRockLowA-B Ev 165 RealTrack 881: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasBluesRockHighA-B Ev 165 RealTrack 685: Harmonica, Background Pop Ev 120 RealDrum: RockHardModernEv8^2-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Open HiHat Then added to the song is a MIDI guitar part that captures how Chris fingerpicked the accompaniment (the original recording was in the song mix, so I couldn't extract the audio of him playing, so transcribed it to MIDI instead - not the same, but wanted to preserve it). I used the AAS Strum Acoustic plugin on that track, although its somewhat buried in the mix (intentionally) The song also includes some strings (rendered from the Cakewalk TTS-1 softsynth) and a flute solo (rendered using the Ketron SD2 external synth). Everything was done with a combination of BIAB and RealBand, to include using the built-in TC-Helicon harmonizer; however, final touchup to the audio file was done using Diamond Cut DC8.5 audio editor. Hope you enjoy it! Lyrics: VERSE 1 Saturday mornin' comin' down, Blue skies and sunshine all around. What do you do on a day like that? Set out for a cruise on the Chessie Cat. VERSE 2 Early evenin' comin' 'round; Close friends and good times all abound. The lines are stowed and the crew is pat. Headin' cross the bay on the Chessie Cat. CHORUS Forty eight feet long, three stories tall, Split hull, tandem engines. Chessie's got it all! Glides over the waves so neatly, Relaxing the soul completely, 'Til the summer winds give way to fall. VERSE 3 Back at the slip we gather 'round. Bright lights float by with a jolly sound. Who would expect an event like that: Christmas in July on the Chessie Cat. VERSE 4 Winter mornin' comin' down. Blue skies and sunshine all around. What do you do on a day like that? Yearn for a cruise on the Chessie Cat! ENDING Next year, plan to be here. Fresh air, friends and good cheer. Headin' 'cross the bay on the Chessie Cat.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting and construction)
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Joined: May 2014
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Hello John,
Well, a lot of music software went into this ;-)
You both done a very nice job on this. Especially the choruses have a very full sound to them.
The strings of the Cakewalk TTS-1 sounds cool. We have to say, as for MIDI, the TTS still works surprisingly well when it comes to its piano and strings patches.
The flute solo from the Ketron sure adds another dimension to the song.
Rob & Anne-Marie
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Joined: Jun 2012
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John & Chris
Great song, with great fun lyrics, and lots of nostalgic meaning.
The harmonies and vocals on the chorus really packed the delivery, filling it out so nicely.
This is really well presented.
Great job, all.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Joined: Aug 2014
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This is really fun guys!! Good job!!
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Joined: Oct 2008
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John and Chris,
This is excellent! I really enjoyed your presentation. Your song is a perfect match for the style. Your performances, arrangement and mix reminded me of the easy-listening, relaxed feel of Bobby Goldsboro's songs. The harmony is awesome and, as Trevor has already indicated, definitely seals the deal!
All the best,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2025
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Joined: Dec 2000
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I really appreciate all the positive comments. This has always been a fun song for us, but the XTRA style really changed the sound from what we originally did. And I love having the harmonica. The harmonies were created by using the built-in TC-Helicon harmonizer (which is somewhat dated, but still works). I did a 2-down/1-up for my voice and then the same for Chris' voice, for a total of six harmony tracks. I selected the 2nd entry for vibrato for each harmony voice(can't remember the name of it right now), which is very light, but creates a little more warmth and reduces the "computer-generated" sound. I also made the harmonies a little more "loose" (one of the settings in the harmonizer). I then panned them opposite to where we were singing (as my lead voice is panned a little right and Chris' is a little left), so my harmonies ended up on the left and Chris' harmonies on the right. The high harmonies are farthest out in the stereo field and the low harmonies are closer to the center. Then it was a matter of adjusting volume and applying a little reverb. I could have used a ton of plugins (I'm not lacking) and what not, but I'm a "keep it simple" kind of guy. I'm sure someone with much greater skill than I could have created a much better mix, but hey, I had fun, and learned something, and it's my mix. So there!  Although when I choose to, I can sing my own harmonies, when all I have is a melody track from someone else, I obviously can't sing harmony "using their voice", so that's why I like having the harmonizer. As I've said before, I wish there were an updated harmonizer that took advantage of newer pitch stretching technologies to avoid some of the chipmunk-ness you often get. Now I've got to go listen to some of the other recent submissions in the contest. This has been great, and fun, both from a "creating" perspective and a "listening" perspective.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting and construction)
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Joined: Apr 2013
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Great tune with a very relaxing feel. I think the Bobby Goldsboro is a good match for the feel although you guys have your own unique sound. A good listen.
Charlie
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Joined: Nov 2014
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John,
Really enjoyed this. You have managed to bring together so many elements to create a cohesive sound.
Loved the harmonies and the general feel which captures the mood perfectly.
Nice one.
Rec
BIAB 2022 UltraPAK, CbB, Studio One 5 Pro, Fender USA Tele, Harley Benton Fusion & others.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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What an aural delight!!
great chorus
All in all an excellent production, I do like the flute solo, excellent!
enjoyable listen
Alyn
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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 PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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 10 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.
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