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I have been listening to a lot of podcasts while driving around Europe over the last week and have come to realize something quite profound (well for me anyway). The vision board I posted a couple of days was full of things I hope to achieve in 2017 but said nothing about why I hope to achieve these.
In one podcast I listened to they were saying that you should always understand why you are doing something rather than focusing on the what. When you say yes to something you are always saying no to something else and when time is short and there is so much one CAN do, understanding why you are doing something is crucial for choosing what want to focus on and for your success (and contentment!).
While it is easy to understand why you are doing certain things (for example, I understand why I need to work out three times a week) it is not so easy for things I do for my music.
So, I started thinking about my own particular whys and I came to realize that I don’t really know why I have all these musical goals.
I would love to hear from other members of the forum. Are you making music to make a living or build a career? Are you doing it to build a legacy? Are you doing it for the joy of producing art? Are you playing the lottery (hoping to get a lucky strike?). Do you just want to give back? Do you want to fill time?
What are your reasons for making music?
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DonCarlos
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DonCarlos
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Hi Joanne,
interesting topic. For that I'll have to sit down in the evening over coffee and definitely answer. Even now I can say that 90% of love for music.
Karel Jacko alias Don Carlos - Czech Republic Dealer PG Music, Inc - +420 604 111 102, +420 602 561 567 mobil - Band Leader Groups Jazz za Bukem and Hot Jazz Sutrs; - BIAB 2020 Win10; BIAB 2019 MAC; - Roland GK-3 Divided Pickup (Guitar and Bass); Roland GR-20 Guitar Synth; - MOTU UltraLite mk3 (Firewire); Fishman Tripleplay - MacBookPro 13 with touchbar 2018, Wiki BIAB czech support page wiki.zabukem.eu
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My life has been saturated by music. I grew up in a musical family and it was part of daily life. In that respect, I'd say I just have the music in me...
Because I have no tangible reason to play music, I rejected many opportunities that I have had over the years to participate in bands, rejected writing for long periods of time. (I'm there right now), and as a normal course of action, decline to play spontaneously at parties or if asked to jam by friends.
The only tangible goal I think I'd have with music would be to get it right once and write a hit song. I don't need the money nor do I need the fame. That just seems to have always been the ultimate tangible accomplishment to reach.
Charlie
Last edited by Charlie Fogle; 01/03/17 01:53 AM.
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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Why do I play music? I have to play music. Why do I have to play music? - I'm addicted to it
- It gives me great pleasure / it's my bliss
- It's my creative outlet
- It has been my only way to introduce myself to members of the opposite sex, and it ended up having me meet the very best woman in the world, who is currently my wife of 38 years
- It is my job, it puts food on the table, it paid off the mortgage, bought cars, boats, vacations, and so on
- It is my gift and I need to use it
Take your pick of any or all of the above. When I was a little child, my favorite toys were the ones that made music. I played melodies by ear on those toy pianos, 'xylophones' and so on. And on the toy piano that didn't have the 'black keys' (they were painted on the white ones), I learned which white key to start the song on. I played plastic recorder, drums and then saxophone in school, and every year that I was eligible, I became first sax in the all-state band. As a tenor sax player, that is an accomplishment, because by default it goes to an alto player. In junior high school I got in this little rock and roll band (drums, bass, two guitars and me on sax). We were terrible, but everybody was back in those days. We got hired for a junior high school dance. There I was on the stage with my best friends playing the popular music of the day that we liked so much and worked so hard to learn, and I looked out over the audience and that cute girl who didn't acknowledge my existence was 'making eyes' at me. And if that wasn't enough (and it was) they actually paid me money at the end of the night. I knew that is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Now I'm past the age where many folks retire, and I have no plans to retire. I've added bass, guitar, flute, wind synthesizer, keyboard synthesizer, and vocals to the sax and drums to the fix, and as long as I can fog a mirror, I'll be playing music. As long as I can get a gig, I'll be gigging. So after all that, I guess the answer is being a music is not what I do. Being a musician is what I am. Sorry if that's TMI. Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove & Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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The music is inside and it just bubbles out.
Keith 2025 Audiophile Windows 11 RYZEN THREADRIPPER 3960X 4.5GHZ 128 GB RAM 2 Nvidia RTX 3090s, Vegas,Acid,SoundForge,Izotope Production,Melodyne Studio,SONAR,3 Raven Mtis
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I started music around the age of 12. I played trumpet and when in high school I also played French horn. I started guitar at 14 and was in bands playing rock songs of that time. I was playing trumpet and guitar in bands after high school but had to quit the trumpet because of severe asthma. Meds allowed me to continue playing in bands as playing was now in my blood.
After getting married, having a child and a mortgage I started playing in wedding bands, as the money and the playing conditions were much better than the bar scene. I stayed playing in wedding bands until I retired from playing out about 20 years ago.
But I kept on playing via MIDI sequencers and a keyboard. When DAWs came out I added my guitar to the mix. Now I play guitar, bass, wind controller (my lung functions are back at 100%) and a little keyboard.
Why do I continue to play today? Because after years of playing what the customer wanted I can now play what I want. It's a great feeling being able to express yourself via music.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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I listened to all the "clear channel" stations on all night radio when I was a kid...went to sleep listening to everything from rockabilly to country to R&B to blues. My dad was a fan of big band music and I really can't recall a period in my life when music was not a daily part of my life.
I was a partner in a recording/booking venture in the 60's (rock) and played in bluegrass bands off and on from 1976 until 2004.
Janice was always musical, played clarinet and after our 1982 marriage she learned guitar and mandolin and sang in the bluegrass bands. We played festivals, clubs, and a variety of other venues and played a lot...too much really given that we were both working full time. Not long after my retirement we decided biking and hiking was more fun and left the band and quit playing but never slowed down on listening.
We discovered BiaB in 2012 and ended up making music again. We've never harbored any commercial aspirations but we did have a successful bluegrass CD in 2002 that we recorded as a trio with the great fiddler Randy Howard (our website has a page on him).
Today we listen to a variety of genres...if it has soul we are all in. FWIW, we stream apple music in the home and in the vehicles daily enjoying those curated "for you" playlists and a zillion other options.
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos are here on our website.
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I don't play professionally (although I do draw a salary as church Director of Music Ministries). But if I couldn't play/sing music, listen to music, arrange music, transcribe music, experiment with music and sounds, etc, there would just be a clear void in my life.
If I'm angry, I'll just go bang it out on the piano. If I'm working on something at the computer, my right hand often goes over and noodles notes on one of the two keyboards sitting next to me. Yes, I still sing in the shower (usually unconsciously). There is nothing like raising my hands and having the sounds of the voices of my choir come washing over over. I continue to convert my vinyl album and cassette tape collection to digital, not because I have to, but because doing so reminds me of the music I haven't listened to in a while and it's just fun (and then I can finally listen in the car).
It's just something I have to do. Life would not be complete for me without it.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
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eddie1261
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eddie1261
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For much the same reason I shoot, cook, make furniture, fix computers, and write "articles" in a journal that nobody reads. Because I can. I started lessons at 4 years and 10 months of age, in April of 1956, and that adds up to over 60 years of music in my life. Along the way I picked up a BA in Music from Akron U, played in about 12 states and all over Ontario Canada, made a lot of friends (now mostly estranged) and met a lot of great people in the audiences. I got a lot of pleasure from music all those years but anymore I don't. Once it became a job I pretty much retired from it. I now play only annual band reunion shows (2 per year on one weekend) and every year I reevaluate whether what I will get from it is worth what I will put into it. One of our guys this year mentioned that he wished I had more fun doing it, and that really resonated with me. It isn't fun. But I never believed it is supposed to be "fun". Music is hard work, not fun. Fun is playing cornhole at the barbecue. Music is hard work and serious bidness!! If I had to rely on music to make a living, I would probably view it differently. I don't have to as I make enough on retirement to live rather comfortably. However, if I had to rely on music for a living, I (A) couldn't because my skills have eroded, and (B) wouldn't want to. 60 years of anything is enough. That CD I did last year was about the end of it for me, but that's just how I am wired. Once I have done something, I have achieved that goal and there isn't a lot of motivation to do it again. Like if I ever won a shooting competition, I would never enter another one. I have done it. That bar is now on the floor and it takes nowhere near the effort to step over it as it did to jump over it. I want challenges that push me. Like, I would like to win a cooking competition. If anything I would do a solo act where I don't have to deal with a bunch of moods and personalities. Being in a 7 piece band is like having 6 wives. Imagine it with 13 people. What is funny is that AWAY from music I am fun, funny, relaxed.... but put me in that music context and I am like General Patton leading the troops at Normandy. I have never been able to keep a band together when I am the leader because I am a difficult boss when it comes to music. "The singing has to be better. Do it again." "You are speeding the tempo up. Do we have to practice with a click track?" "That solo is too complex and because of that you are stumbling over the notes. Play less notes with more feel." "Rehearsal was at 7. Why did you get here at 7:05?" "Eat your fast food dinner on your time. We are working here." "You will not drink at my gigs. You don't drink at your day job, do you? Then why do you want to do it at your night job? On MY time!" And that sums up General Eddie in a band leader role.... LOL! It makes me sad when I meet people who feel like they have nothing to offer other than they can play an instrument. And you can spot them because when you meet them that is the first thing they mention. If music is all you can do, get outside and talk to people more. This is why I LOVE this place. Such a diverse group of people here who share life experiences from many fields of expertise. Not those guys who are 50 and still live with roommates because they want to wear a badge of "full time musician" and make no money, have no health insurance so when they get sick there has to be charity benefits for them, drive 15 year old cars that never have gas in them and are always broken down, eat Ramen noodles every day (but have money to spend at every jam night in town - gotta "make the scene, man!") etc... Edit to add this philosophic thought: It has never been my goal to become the richest corpse in the graveyard. I don't care if I earn even a dollar more than what I need to stay afloat. That said, I am also an extreme loner and rarely go out. I can't remember the last movie I went to, or the last concert I attended. I lived extremely poor for most of my life, and I consider paying $11 to see a 110 minute movie or $100 to see some old has been in concert performing their greatest hits, all of which I can listen to here at home, as a waste of money. I don't socialize, I rarely date, I only have a small handful of people I call friends and when I do force myself to go somewhere I find a reason to duck out after a short appearance. PTSD is a horrible thing sometimes. It keeps me from trusting and letting people get close to me because my life experience is such that when you let people get close to you they can just as easily disappear. The way to avoid that pain is to not let people in. Or write songs about it. Most of my CD was songs about being hurt by people. And once by a car! And in the past by alcohol. 
Last edited by eddie1261; 01/03/17 06:06 AM.
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Thanks for the interesting responses everyone. It seems that everyone here does it for the joy of producing by their art. It is inside them and they have to. Notes also makes a living out of it and John draws a salary.
I suppose for me, I am a little like Charlie in that I don't need the money (but a little bit of fame might be nice :D). I am probably just letting everything bubble out of me (as Keith said) and who knows one day I might just win the lottery. And I guess all the things I am doing is just buying more lottery tickets.
When Don McLean was asked what the song "American Pie" meant he apparently replied that it meant that he never has to work again.
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Eddie. Reading that is a treat. Especially this "Not those guys who are 50 and still live with roommates because they want to wear a badge of "full time musician" and make no money, have no health insurance so when they get sick there has to be charity benefits for them, drive 15 year old cars that never have gas in them and are always broken down, eat Ramen noodles every day"
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This is a question worth asking. Without a purpose we're just running on a gerbil wheel.
It takes as much time and energy to flail at the wind as it does to accomplish specific tasks. Maybe more, since real tasks have a start and finish, whereas flailing can become a habit that never ends.
Having said that, I think self entertainment can be a legitimate purpose, as long as you can set it aside when real tasks demand attention. The difference between choices and addictions is the ability to refrain from them when necessary.
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eddie1261
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It takes as much time and energy to flail at the wind as it does to accomplish specific tasks. Maybe more, since real tasks have a start and finish, whereas flailing can become a habit that never ends. You are truly a wise man, Pat Marr. Not a wise guy, a wise man! 
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It takes as much time and energy to flail at the wind as it does to accomplish specific tasks. Maybe more, since real tasks have a start and finish, whereas flailing can become a habit that never ends. You are truly a wise man, Pat Marr. Not a wise guy, a wise man! Big + 1 from me! My Serbian basketball coach used to tell us we were "running around like chickens out of head". Sometimes I feel like that!
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Because I am a musician, well in my mind I am anyway.
Sorry to be so long winded Jo, lol
Happy New Year!
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Hi, Jo !:))
For my part I have had the advantage of having been born to musical parents so there was a lot of music from the start but, what really pushed me to start writing music was the yearly European Songcontest that in my opinion often displayed quite poor contributions (not every tune, though) Came to think that I could do better myself and as I am a fairly good guitar player I wrote 16 songs and requested some funds for putting them on a record that in fact happened in 1992. The music had been there all the time from boyhood and thus it just had to pop out given the right means and occasion !
Later I discovered the barbershop genré and am today a 16 year member of Nashville based Barbershop Harmony Society !
I did leave everything out when my wife got ill (later to die) and after her death in 2011 I slowly took up writing and producing again especially after having received a copy of BIAB ! Writing songs with this remarkable program has led to over 80 songs written over 2-4 years !
I think I´ve reached the point where it has become a passion and then there are all the wonderful friends too !:))
I´ll be writing music til I won´t be able to hear the chords I´m writing or singing, and I hope that it won´t happen soon yet !
Cheers Dani
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Pretty much everything Notes said other than I didn't marry a singer.
I started my musical career in the Air Force in Japan, that morphed into doing Vegas shows in the 70's which morphed into doing full time local gigs which morphed into part time local gigs until now I will do the occasional gig. This is in addition to all the fun I have working with these programs, doing some live recording, mixing them down etc.
I figured out years ago that I'm a big ham. I love it when people tell me how great I am. I rarely hear that doing taxes, ha ha. I just did two gigs on Catalina Island, one on Dec 30 was a private all jazz house party where I played a nice old upright piano. For that night I was a star, they loved me. Then for NYE I was in a very loud classic rock band and I was still a star based on a few screaming Jon Lord type B3 solos I did. Literally it was the drunker they got the bigger the star I became.
I'm reminded of the classic joke "I'm such a ham if someone opens the refrigerator door and the light comes on I'll do 20 minutes in front of a dead chicken".
There's a lot of truth in that.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Then for NYE I was in a very loud classic rock band and I was still a star based on a few screaming Jon Lord type B3 solos I did. Literally it was the drunker they got the bigger the star I became.Bob Ha...hope you reveled in that glory.  Me...I mysteriously acquired an addictive propensity for song writing right after my USMC picnic. (I'd been playing drums since high school so music was in my future) Probably some neuronal aberration on my part. Music/song writing is still in my blood, has never waned (pun unintentional) and has remained a creative therapy process as I approach my 70th year on Orb Earth....end of story. Carry on....
Last edited by chulaivet1966; 01/03/17 12:34 PM.
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It's just something I have to do. Life would not be complete for me without it.
Ditto. Plain and simple. And I started out by saying/thinking: "Well, if they can't play what I like on the Radio Stations, I'll create something that pleases me." And it does. Not just me, got a few fans along the way. Life without my music is just not my kind of life.
Cheers, Mike My Music * Asus ROG Strix G15CF 32 GB DDR4 4TB HDD + 1 TB SSD NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Win 11 AKAI EIE PRO Sound Interface. BIAB/RB 2024 UltraPak Build - Latest
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Ha...hope you reveled in that glory.  Of course! Why do you think I'm talking about it here? I'm awesome and I want everybody to know it!! I cudda been a star man, shudda been a star...I was THIS CLOSE... Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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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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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!
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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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows 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 Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 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.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 60 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until December 31, 2025. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49. Browse the full contents of each package and listen to demos here.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, 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, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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