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<...snip...>
Also remember that "money" is relative. $1000 means something very different to a millionaire than it doe to a guy living in a refrigerator box on the street. <...> Truer words have never been spoken. In the late 1960s I was making $400/week doing two 45 minute sets on two days as an opening act for the majors. That was a lot of money back them (4 times as much as a plumber). To me that was riches. I talked to the leader of the Association backstage and he was making $2,000 per show. We never got there. In my experiment in being "normal" I was a Field Engineer for a Cable TV manufacturer. It paid well, I basically worked 3 days a week (Monday and Friday were travel days but I could take the red-eye out on Monday and the red-eye back on Thursday so I could still gig on the weekends). If I stayed there I would have made a lot more money than I made as a full-time musician which I've done for most of my life so far. But they did me a favor when they laid off everybody who had less than 15 years and I had almost 5. I realized 2 things (1) being normal is over-rated (2) I'm happier making less money but enjoying my life a lot more by gigging for a living. I'm not rich and don't buy as many possessions as many other people do, but I find I prefer experiences to possessions. So it works for me. I've traveled the world, bought new cars but drove them a few hundred miles until the became undependable, don't wear jewelry, but feel I am one of the luckiest people I know. I get up in the morning, and if it's a gig day, it's the brightest day of the week and I can't wait to get to work. And we have plenty of gig days. Tonight is the fourth one this week. People on the gigs ask me if I have a CD for sale. Since my home is not acoustically great for recording, I would have to rent time at a commercial studio. That would cost me a lot of money. And how many will I sell? My fans are a limited market, and once they have the CD, there is no need to buy another. So I doubt I would cover my expenses. Live music is gone immediately, and then they need another dose. I've was a 'sax for hire' at a local studio for a long time. It's no longer there thanks to home recording gig. But when I was doing it, I played on self-produced CDs in the smooth jazz, country and pop genres. None of them have gone viral and none of them are stars. The competition is fierce and getting noticed is very difficult. In the few months of Summer when the gigging is slow, I make new BiaB aftermarket products in my spare time. I sell multiple copies of them because my 'audience' is global. And the work with BiaB helps me make better backing tracks for my duo (I don't buy them, but do my own). http://www.nortonmusic.com/backing_tracks.html -- I play drums, sax, guitar, bass, wind synth, flute, and keyboard synth, took arranging in school, and both BiaB and my backing tracks help me improve my arranging chops. But for me the biggest demand is playing live, and that's great because playing live in front of an audience is the most fun I can have with my clothes on. Of course YMMV. And although I am of retirement age now, I have no plans of retiring. As long as I can fog a mirror and get gigs, I'll be gigging. And I have an early gig today, so I better quit 'yakking' here. 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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eddie1261
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eddie1261
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Notes, if you chose to, couldn't you travel regionally and fill those summer months?
The busiest band I was ever in played a house gig on Tuesday, rehearsed Wednesday, played a house gig Thursday night, played regular local bar gigs on Friday and Saturday, and a Sunday night house gig.
In summer though, when it was nice enough to play outside, it got crazy. Thursday night, Friday happy hour outside, then a bar gig after that, Saturday afternoon outside, a bar gig after that, Sunday afternoon outside, then the Sunday night house gig. 7 shows in 4 days. Every weekend.
Monday we stayed in bed all day! And nobody was allowed to call each other so we did not have to speak. The throat is not meant to sing that much.
We got to the point where some of those doubleheaders were so far apart that we would have a rental PA dropped off, send our PA system to the night gig, have crew guys set it up, then come back to the first gig to pick up the rental PA, take it to the rehearsal hall, and come back to the night gig for load out at 2am. We moved and set up our own stage gear.
Not about sales at all, but expanding on Notes comment.
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Notes, if you chose to, couldn't you travel regionally and fill those summer months?<...snip...>
Regionally, no. The tourist season in South Florida dies at Easter and gets buried on Mother's Day. Like everybody else in the hospitality industry, we make more than 3/4 of our yearly income between Halloween and Easter. When we first started, we did Cruise Ships from the beginning of April to the beginning of December, 3 years in a row. That was nice, but after 3 years it was enough, Too much time on the ship, and not enough time in the ports. By our 4th year out we had enough local reputation to work all summer, so I declined to renew the Cruise Ship contract. I happen to really like Summer in South Florida, so if I traveled to Georgia or Jacksonville (South Georgia to a Floridian) I'd have to pack up and leave the home and live in a motel. I'd rather stay here and enjoy the rainy season. So I choose to stay and work perhaps 4-6 gigs a month instead of 4-6 gigs a week. And by having slow summer gigging seasons, it gives me a chance to work on new Band-in-a-Box aftermarket products. I like making styles for BiaB because it gives me a chance to play drums, bass, and other instruments. I record parts live into a MIDI sequencer, and then take snippets of what I play and import them into the StyleMaker. I have to figure ways to work around the limitations of BiaB and when it's all done I have something I can listen to and be proud of. Sometime late in the slow season I'll block out a few weeks to take a vacation. I like to travel, and I've been to 49 US States, much of Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and down to Costa Rica in this hemisphere. I've also been to over a half dozen European countries and a few in Asia and Africa. I planned to go to Madagascar last summer, but they are having an epidemic of the Bubonic Plague so we drove to Idaho to see the eclipse instead and hit a few parks on the way back. As much as I like traveling, being on the road with a lot of gear to schlep myself isn't appealing to me. Get off the gig, haul it all into the motel room, put it back in the van in the morning, set up, gig, tear down, and do it all over again. I'm very happy with my life. I get to make a living doing music and nothing but music. Most of my money comes from gigging, and the Band-in-a-Box moonlighting gig is satisfying and makes a few bucks while I am having fun. I wrote my first styles for myself. Being a guy who played drums, bass, guitar, keys, sax, and flute in working bands, I wanted styles that sounded more like what working bands did. I figured it would be a short-cut to making backing tracks. I had no intention of making a business out of it. I gave away my styles to my musician friends who were into BiaB, and they all told me they liked them better than the PG Music styles (Aren't friends great!). A guitarist I know who used to teach jazz guitar at the University of Miami told me I should sell them. The idea mulled around in my head for a while, and I put a set up for sale via classified ads in EM and Keyboard magazines. In a few months I found myself with a second business. I learned to be a mail order businessman, then when the Internet arrived here I embraced it, learned how to write web sites, and now it is decades later and the challenge is to come with new products that are both useful, and not similar to ones I've already released. The gigging season is almost over, Easter comes early this year, and I'm actually looking forward to making new styles from the short ideas I've recorded during the busy season. If I like what I do this summer, and feel proud enough to put my name on it, I'll release new products next winter. Plus I'm also selling products made by other BiaB creators, David Bailey, Roy Hawkesford, Sherry Mayrent, and Jim Wedd. I send them a check 4 times a year and make them smile. I do all of this instead of watching TV. I disconnected the cable in the late 1980s, never bothered to put up an antenna, and never got a digital converter. I'd rather live my life vicariously by doing things instead of living my life by watching actors pretend to do things. That's just me, and fortunately Leilani is the same way. Perhaps being weird together is one of the things that keeps us close.  And on every gig day I'll say to myself how lucky I am to be able to do this for a living. I could have been a printer like my dad or an insurance salesman or a 9-5 at a desk. Instead I get to pick up my sax, flute, wind synth, and guitar and play them to a live, appreciative audience over my self-created backing tracks, stick my face on the mic and sing, and tell bad jokes on the mic, and get paid for it. What could be better than that? 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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Never having relied upon being paid for music in any fashion, what is happening in Music incomes for artists appears to be a squashing of the hill on the left end of the Pareto chart and pushing it out to the right.
For me, it has never seemed more positive at all of the opportunities to make a little bit of money making music, with tools that yield higher quality than I ever thought possible for next to no money invested.
That said, I have yet to step over that line to make a serious attempt to make money making music.
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I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor.
It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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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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New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2025!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
Check out all the 202 New RealTracks (in sets 456-467)
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
The 2025 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2025 49-PAK!
Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 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 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
- 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
- SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
- 128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
- Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
- Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
- RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®!
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 9 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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 9 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.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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