Very good indeed. Personally, I'm disinclined to consider 50% of what I hear on commercial radio (in the UK anyway) as "Music". Noise isnt Music. The last two sentences in the article say it all for me.
Old Guys Rule.The older I get,the better I was! BB2023 ULTRA, 1013, Win 7 and 10
Good News on the Devaluation of Music!! I have your answer!!!!! I know the cure!!! Read here!!!
1.) Go buy yourself a turntable and a kick.... set of speakers.
2.) Go to the Goodwill or Salvation Army in a chic neighborhood and buy every piece of vinyl they have.
3.) Every morning sit on your couch with a nice cup of Joe in a well lit room and drop that needle. Choose anything you like. If you feel stumped, try Aja by Steely Dan or anything on Deutsche Grammaphon. You are going to start to feel really good.
4.) Next, go to your music room, and open up Band in a Box, look at it, and get down on your hands and knees and Thank God you have it.
5.) Write yourself a kick..... tune and post it on Soundcloud.
6.) If one person writes and says you made their day you have just been anointed. Disregard any and all dooomsday prophets. Stop reading any and all newspapers and magazines. Don't watch anything on t.v. unless it comes on the BBC and even then limit yourself to one hour. If you have a radio in the house smash it to pieces with a sledgehammer. Now.
7.) Go practice your instrument for an hour.
8.) Rinse and repeat.
9.) If you keep doing this you may find that in spite of the doomsday prophets you suddenly have massive soundcloud streams and the people are asking for more.
10. ) You will notice that you feel like you are walking on a cloud and living in Paradise. Yes, it is true. You can find heaven on earth. Some folks call it the Kingdom. No need to pay me. Simpy mail in a check for $100 to your favorite charity and we will call it even.
Peace out!
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Good News on the Devaluation of Music!! I have your answer!!!!! I know the cure!!! Read here!!!
1.) Go buy yourself a turntable and a kick.... set of speakers.
2.) Go to the Goodwill or Salvation Army in a chic neighborhood and buy every piece of vinyl they have.
3.) Every morning sit on your couch with a nice cup of Joe in a well lit room and drop that needle. Choose anything you like. If you feel stumped, try Aja by Steely Dan or anything on Deutsche Grammaphon. You are going to start to feel really good.
4.) Next, go to your music room, and open up Band in a Box, look at it, and get down on your hands and knees and Thank God you have it.
5.) Write yourself a kick..... tune and post it on Soundcloud.
6.) If one person writes and says you made their day you have just been anointed. Disregard any and all dooomsday prophets. Stop reading any and all newspapers and magazines. Don't watch anything on t.v. unless it comes on the BBC and even then limit yourself to one hour. If you have a radio in the house smash it to pieces with a sledgehammer. Now.
7.) Go practice your instrument for an hour.
8.) Rinse and repeat.
9.) If you jeep doing this you may find that in spite of the doomsday prophets you suddenly have massive soundcloud streams and the people are asking for more.
10. ) You will notice that you feel like you are walking on a cloud and living in Paradise. Yes, it is true,. You can find heaven on earth. Some folks calls it the Kingdom. No need to pay me. Simpy mail in a check for $100 to your favorite charity and we will call it even.
What a great article, thanks for sharing Blue Attitude
While I disagree with some of the sentiments about modern music being of a lesser quality, I do absolutely agree in the devaluing of musicians and their craft over time. In a day and time when people would rather download an album for free than pay for it, and when people are scalping tickets and selling them at several times the original price - it's absolutely brutal for an artist trying to make a living.
Every morning sit on your couch with a nice cup of Joe in a well lit room and drop that needle.
I listen to a vinyl album or two almost every day (well, I am going through my entire collection to digitize them, because I have always had great difficulty listening to my record albums in the car).
Great perspective, David!
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
Great article! The lack of music in the schools and the lack of places to play are two of the most important factors IMHO. Music in schools can expose kids to various genres of music. Playing out is the perfect way to hone your skills.
David, I agree with everything except this statement "If you have a radio in the house smash it to pieces with a sledgehammer. Now." I say take that radio and find some good music on it. We live near a smaller city and I can get a PBS classical station, a PBS jazz station, a jazz/blues station as well as a number of excellent college stations. The first three are my favorites. YMMV.
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
The article fails to mention one big factor that affects the devaluation of music and that is the sheer quantity of good music that is being made and released. The irony is that wonderful products like BIAB make it easy for some one like me to record and release 10 albums in the last three years. Impossible a few years ago.
On the point of music in schools, I am not in the know on the statistics of people who are now qualified in music as opposed to a few years ago but I would be very interested in some hard stats because even in the back water that is South Africa I am astounded with the number of really good musicians out there. Performing and writing. It seems to be a simple matter of supply and demand.
The article fails to mention one big factor that affects the devaluation of music and that is the sheer quantity of good music that is being made and released.
Great point and not just the sheer quantity of music that is available but the sheer quantity of EVERYTHING that is available! People have many choices for how to spend their free time. Thousands of channels of TV and millions of channels of YouTube and Netflix and Hulu. Millions of songs on Spotify and other services. Plus, every record, cassette, 8-track and CD I ever purchased just sitting there on the shelf waiting to be listened to again.
We have more choices than ever before and I fail to see how that is a bad thing, in fact, I see it as quite the reverse, a Great Thing! To those fans of classical big jazz band whatever songs that don't get made or listened to anymore I'd say just pull out those old 78s and enjoy! Or better yet, create some new/old music yourself and get it out there for the world to listen to. And if no one listens then just enjoy it yourself. That's just fine!
I'll never understand the need to disrespect current music and artists just because your favorite style of music is no longer desired by most people. Your favorite music is no better or worse than anything currently being produced. People using tools to make music and other people being touched by that music is a big win regardless of the genre or era!
Yep...supply and demand. Good old American capitalism at work.
With the tools we have available today, anyone with half a brain can create music in their home that sounds like it was recorded in a multi-million dollar studio in Nashville or LA.
While much of it is just OK, there is a huge number of really good artists and producers who toil away at their DAWs and don't make the first dollar from their efforts. It's all for the love of the music.
Many folks here fit that category.
Musicians themselves shoulder part of the blame for the devaluation of the music. Mainly in the attempt to make a living and get their music heard. "Yeah boys, y'all have a mighty fine band there.... I can let you play Saturday night.... no pay, but just think of the exposure you'll be getting...."... at a club in the middle of Podunk North Dakota.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.
With the tools we have available today, anyone with half a brain can create music in their home that sounds like it was recorded in a multi-million dollar studio in Nashville or LA.
.............
This goes back to another thread about children learning to play an instrument. Lazy, which there appears to be many, and those whom lack the discipline to practice can get a program like BiaB and use loops and RTs to produce a song. Other programs use loops only. Why practice an instrument when in a very short period of time they can be making music on a computer?
Of course the other side of the coin is that a child who plays and instrument can get a lot more out of a program like BiaB then one who doesn't play one.
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Musicians themselves shoulder part of the blame for the devaluation of the music. Mainly in the attempt to make a living and get their music heard. "Yeah boys, y'all have a mighty fine band there.... I can let you play Saturday night.... no pay, but just think of the exposure you'll be getting...."... at a club in the middle of Podunk North Dakota.
I've played that room!!!!
It's even worse. Bands undercutting each other JUST to get to play in front of their wives and girlfriends... bands don't care as much about product as we used to. How many do you know that book Saturday night down at the corner bar and on Thursday they are calling recruiting who is going to play bass or drums in 2 days? One room near me has a bunch of about 15 people who play in various configurations as about 4-5 different band names. And because of that, they play the same 45 songs, and they play for next to nothing. The bar has "a" band, the friends and families are out to see them play, and the regulars who sit up at the bar end of the place couldn't care less if there is a band there at all, much less if they are polished or not.
Back in the day, there were more clubs than bands, and bands were in demand. Now there are far many more "bands" than rooms. Every group is 3 players and a front singer who assemble that night and call themselves a band, and the cheap club owners are happy to pay the 4 of them $200 hoping they draw some people. Very few of that kind of band have any sort of following, since they aren't really bands. And with no following comes no door traffic, which means an empty room, and those bands are often told to stop after 2 sets and take less money. It's very sad. I was literally within eyesight one night as the drummer and the bass player from the "band" introduced themselves for the FIRST TIME! The guy who starts and stops the songs and sets the tempos and the player he has to lock in with had never met before.
Now of course everybody is going to jump in and tell me about the guys they know who have been together 30 years and all that yada yada, but I am speaking in generalities, not specifics. And yes, good players can make it work. But if a room wants to present a group of players as a band, I expect a polished, professional product, not jam night full of "What do you want to play? I don't know what do YOU what to play? Do you know this one? No I don't. How about this? What key do you do it in? F. That's too high. Can you drop it to D?" This while people in the seats are waiting and can hear this.
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.
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!
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.
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)
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!
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