Another quick throw-together. I created the basic file in the waiting room of the hospital as Di was getting her daily infusion - about two hours. When we got home, I spent another three to four hours selecting some new RTs for a few of the indigenous tracks for the style, and fine tuning the chord progression. I then did a little more fine tuning for final mix in Audacity. And this is where I ended up with this.
A few notes: I added some delay and a very slight touch of chorus to the guitar. I composed a whole new chord progression for the style. The EP is a bit louder than I usually select for a b/g track. But I think it works on this one ... not burying the guitar yet offering a robust b/g fill.
Also, Audacity is the closest thing to a DAW that I use. I've attempted several DAWs but I'm clueless. I've tried Reaper, Real Band, and Cubase. I could probably build a nuclear submarine before I could figure any of them out. The instructions for all of them seem to assume the user has at least a basic knowledge of the process. I have "NO' knowledge whatsoever! If you need to know an unusual chord or an advanced chord progression, I might be your guy. After that ... you're on your own!
The mix is slightly heavy on the left channel. But when I more closely centered the piano, it lost some of its "character", so I left it as is.
Open to any comments and/or suggestions. Thanks for listening.
Alan
PS: Hope everyone's new year is off to a good start. Also, the "plucky" sound of the guitar in many places is generic to the style ... not a recording issue.
Late Night Adventure I could listen to all night. Really good stuff. Audacity is a DAW! If you can use it, you can use others, but if it's doing the job, why switch? I used it for years.
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
Late Night Adventure I could listen to all night. Really good stuff. Audacity is a DAW! If you can use it, you can use others, but if it's doing the job, why switch? I used it for years.
Thanks a lot, TM! Sure do appreciate that! And yeah, I guess Audacity is a stripped-down DAW. But, as you said, if it works ...keep on going with it!
Again, thanks for the listen and very kind words. Best to you ...
Well this is right up there with one of my favourite artists, Ken Navarro. I just love it. Great stuff.
Martin.
Hello Martin ... Good to "meet" you! I've been around here for several years but have been absent a lot due to my wife's serious medical issues.
Many thanks for those comments! And yeah ... Ken Navarro is a fantastic guitarist. Although he almost always plays an acoustic, he gets a real nice sound from it. I think my favorite song by him is "My Best Friend". Love the drive of the bass and percussions!
Youtube's Reaper mani is a GREAT place to learn the how (& if you can milks a decent tune from Audacity you're already a star in my eyes - I had no end of trouble with it). The fellow there has updated his how to series for Reaper starting at R5. Highly recommended - I used his vids to problem solve and learn new things frequqntly.
Part 2 tells you exactly how to get a project going. This song is very smooth & cool. A great use of waiting room time.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Nice work on this, especially for a quick throw-together It flows amazingly well, and really makes for a interesting moody track. Wishing the best for you and Di also.
Reminded me very much of a British band in the 80s called Shakatak, who you won't have heard of, but who had a good line in funky jazz-pop.
I need to listen to this track again, late at night and with the lights down low.
I know you're going through difficult times, but I hope all's going well with you and Di.
Take care old friend,
ROG.
Hi ROG!
Always a real treat to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed the song. And you are correct ... I've never heard of Shakatak. But love the name! Funky JazzPop and Jazz Rock are two genres I really enjoy. I went to YouTube and listened to about half a dozen of their songs ... great stuff! I particularly liked "Night Birds". I also like the Duke Robillard Trio quite a bit.
I have a question for you: When singing lyrics to a song, why do British performers almost always use the American pronunciation for words such as "Dance", "Can't", etc. I've always wondered about that!
Take care, my friend. I will pass on your kind words to Di. And yes, she's having a really tough time. We both appreciate your kindness. Best to you ...
Nice work on this, especially for a quick throw-together It flows amazingly well, and really makes for a interesting moody track. Wishing the best for you and Di also.
Great job and thanks for sharing!
Hi Deryk ...
Many thanks for the props! Glad you enjoyed it. I'll pass on your well wishes to Di. We appreciate that. Best to you ...
Hi Alan, great to hear you again, this is magical. Your guitar playing is stunning Hope you're both well ?
Hi Graham. It's nice to drop in when I can. There's a lot of great music on this forum and it makes me sad I miss so much of it because I can't be here for any length of time. I used to listen and comment on almost every song posted. I see you have a newer one [posted. Will be over to hear it real soon. Many thanks for your visit and kind words. Wishing you well ...
Oh, so sweet, Alan. As others have mentioned here, you are quite accomplished with Audacity, and have no need of anything. That's such a fun chord progression, and a very entertaining production. BTW, I listened Early In The Afternoon, and it works so well there, too.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
Youtube's Reaper mani is a GREAT place to learn the how (& if you can milks a decent tune from Audacity you're already a star in my eyes - I had no end of trouble with it). The fellow there has updated his how to series for Reaper starting at R5. Highly recommended - I used his vids to problem solve and learn new things frequqntly.
Part 2 tells you exactly how to get a project going. This song is very smooth & cool. A great use of waiting room time.
Hi Ray ..
Appreciate a link to that video about Reaper. Will give a hard look this weekend. Looking forward to it. And I appreciate the kind words on the song. Many thanks for all. Best to you ...
Oh, so sweet, Alan. As others have mentioned here, you are quite accomplished with Audacity, and have no need of anything. That's such a fun chord progression, and a very entertaining production. BTW, I listened Early In The Afternoon, and it works so well there, too.
Hi Marty,
Appreciate the time to listen and comment so nicely. Glad you enjoyed the song. Glad to hear it also sounds decent in the afternoon! There are still some facets of Audacity I can't figure out, but I can figure out what's most important to me. I'll probably keep using it for the foreseeable future. Ray gave me a link to what he says is a great instructional video for Reaper. I'm gonna check it out in a few days.
Al, Smooth and,as you say, "somewhat perky". Plug and play in your hands always sounds professional and highly enjoyable.
Robert
Hi Robert ..
You are much too kind. But, I'm finding a way to deal with it! I'm very appreciative of your very nice and supportive comments. Thanks again ... glad you enjoyed the song. Wishing you the best ...
This tune is so smooth and has such an infectious groove...
You have a great ear for music and I look forward to hearing whatever you post.
Loved it!
Bob
Hello Bob ...
Hope all is well up there in the cold Northeast. Here in Alabama, it depends on the day you ask. Today we were in the 60s ... the tempo tomorrow is supposed to be in the ow 40s with a low in the mid 20s. Next week ... 50s and 60s!
Glad you liked the song. I appreciate the listen and kind words. As far as having a "great ear for music", everything I do is by ear. I do not read music and have no formal training on music whatsoever. I create music using an old adage: if it walks like a duck, quacks like duck, it's probably a duck. With music, if it sounds right, no matter how I got there, I guess it's right. Anyway, that how I come up with songs.
Many thanks, my friend! Wishing you everything good ...
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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