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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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Joined: Sep 2007
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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 02:53 AM.
BIAB 2026:RB 2026, 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
2026 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.
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
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
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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 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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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 07:06 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 01:34 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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Holiday Weekend Hours
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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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