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Played a St.Patty gig last night. I thought they would cancel, but they didn't.
As a self-employed musician, we of course had to show up.
We have a few outdoor gigs left this month, I hope they don't cancel, we'll be behind our gear so that'll be our social distance barrier.
Again, I think sooner or later we'll all be exposed.
I got this from a friend - can't verify it though:
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Coronavirus and the Sun: a Lesson from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Fresh air, sunlight and improvised face masks seemed to work a century ago; and they might help us now.
by Richard Hobday
When new, virulent diseases emerge, such SARS and Covid-19, the race begins to find new vaccines and treatments for those affected. As the current crisis unfolds, governments are enforcing quarantine and isolation, and public gatherings are being discouraged. Health officials took the same approach 100 years ago, when influenza was spreading around the world. The results were mixed. But records from the 1918 pandemic suggest one technique for dealing with influenza — little-known today — was effective. Some hard-won experience from the greatest pandemic in recorded history could help us in the weeks and months ahead.
Put simply, medics found that severely ill flu patients nursed outdoors recovered better than those treated indoors. A combination of fresh air and sunlight seems to have prevented deaths among patients; and infections among medical staff. There is scientific support for this. Research shows that outdoor air is a natural disinfectant. Fresh air can kill the flu virus and other harmful germs. Equally, sunlight is germicidal and there is now evidence it can kill the flu virus.
`Open-Air’ Treatment in 1918
During the great pandemic, two of the worst places to be were military barracks and troop-ships. Overcrowding and bad ventilation put soldiers and sailors at high risk of catching influenza and the other infections that often followed it. As with the current Covid-19 outbreak, most of the victims of so-called `Spanish flu’ did not die from influenza: they died of pneumonia and other complications.
When the influenza pandemic reached the East coast of the United States in 1918, the city of Boston was particularly badly hit. So the State Guard set up an emergency hospital. They took in the worst cases among sailors on ships in Boston harbour. The hospital’s medical officer had noticed the most seriously ill sailors had been in badly-ventilated spaces. So he gave them as much fresh air as possible by putting them in tents. And in good weather they were taken out of their tents and put in the sun. At this time, it was common practice to put sick soldiers outdoors. Open-air therapy, as it was known, was widely used on casualties from the Western Front. And it became the treatment of choice for another common and often deadly respiratory infection of the time; tuberculosis. Patients were put outside in their beds to breathe fresh outdoor air. Or they were nursed in cross-ventilated wards with the windows open day and night. The open-air regimen remained popular until antibiotics replaced it in the 1950s.
Doctors who had first-hand experience of open-air therapy at the hospital in Boston were convinced the regimen was effective. It was adopted elsewhere. If one report is correct, it reduced deaths among hospital patients from 40 per cent to about 13 per cent. According to the Surgeon General of the Massachusetts State Guard:
`The efficacy of open air treatment has been absolutely proven, and one has only to try it to discover its value.’
Fresh Air is a Disinfectant
Patients treated outdoors were less likely to be exposed to the infectious germs that are often present in conventional hospital wards. They were breathing clean air in what must have been a largely sterile environment. We know this because, in the 1960s, Ministry of Defence scientists proved that fresh air is a natural disinfectant. Something in it, which they called the Open Air Factor, is far more harmful to airborne bacteria — and the influenza virus — than indoor air. They couldn’t identify exactly what the Open Air Factor is. But they found it was effective both at night and during the daytime.
Their research also revealed that the Open Air Factor’s disinfecting powers can be preserved in enclosures — if ventilation rates are kept high enough. Significantly, the rates they identified are the same ones that cross-ventilated hospital wards, with high ceilings and big windows, were designed for. But by the time the scientists made their discoveries, antibiotic therapy had replaced open-air treatment. Since then the germicidal effects of fresh air have not featured in infection control, or hospital design. Yet harmful bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
Sunlight and Influenza Infection
Putting infected patients out in the sun may have helped because it inactivates the influenza virus. It also kills bacteria that cause lung and other infections in hospitals. During the First World War, military surgeons routinely used sunlight to heal infected wounds. They knew it was a disinfectant. What they didn’t know is that one advantage of placing patients outside in the sun is they can synthesise vitamin D in their skin if sunlight is strong enough. This was not discovered until the 1920s. Low vitamin D levels are now linked to respiratory infections and may increase susceptibility to influenza. Also, our body’s biological rhythms appear to influence how we resist infections. New research suggests they can alter our inflammatory response to the flu virus. As with vitamin D, at the time of the 1918 pandemic, the important part played by sunlight in synchronizing these rhythms was not known.
What do you all think about that?
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
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Who knows? The info I posted about the Southern Hemisphere mentions high UV in the summer months can kill viruses. Some viruses. Personally, I don't think the fresh air part means anything but then what do I know?
What I know right now is it doesn't matter whether this thing turns out to be overblown media hype or a huge disaster. The Gov Coumo vid I posted is the reality of where we're at now because all he did is follow the same blueprint all other governments are following at this time. Trump just said the next 15 days will tell the tale so who cares about opinions, we're all in a holding pattern now.
Also, those in the stock market including me haven't lost a cent if you haven't sold anything. If you don't have to cash out because you need the funds, my only opinion is just hold and wait it out if your heart can take it. Maybe buy some gold.
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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This is very sobering and is poking holes in some of my comments. I'm posting this because I'm more then willing to change my opinion and it could be helpful for others. I commend you for keeping an open mind, Bob. I’ve attended lectures by Dr. Osterholm and read a number of his research papers and he knows more about infectious disease than anyone I can think of. Plus he is a very effective communicator. Anyone who thinks we aren’t facing a public health crisis needs to listen to this podcast.
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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Also, those in the stock market including me haven't lost a cent if you haven't sold anything. If you don't have to cash out because you need the funds, my only opinion is just hold and wait it out if your heart can take it.
The one good thing that came out of the last Federal budget is that the RMD age has been raised to 72, so I have 3 years for my equities to revive before I have to start drawing down.
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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Michigan has done much like many other states.
Shut 'er down. Restaurants, bars, gyms, anywhere people congregate.
Of course MI included some unenforceable rules, like take out food places can only allow as many people inside as can manage to remain 6' apart .. sigh
Some people have no depth perception and others have no idea how to guess 6 ft .. and who is standing around measuring to enforce this?
In the end we all need to be responsible.
We've enacted a work from home policy starting tomorrow. I had to write it for my department today (yay me).
At least staff will be safer.
Unfortunately a few of us have to man the stuff they can't from home, and be ready to assist those that need help working from home along the way. (yay me again)
3 of us in a 2 story office should be able to keep '6 ft apart'.
We're doing our best to do the right thing. Whether the employees stay home after hours is anyone's guess but we did what we could, and because we are in the tech business we're trying to help other local businesses do this too.
Almost every support request we received today was for additional remote access for employees of other companies, so it appears others are doing much the same.
I read one study (yeah I know limited sample) where people with no symptoms (didn't know they had anything until tested and exhibiting no symptoms) were exhaling more 'load' (more live germs) than those with symptoms. My thought was it may be related to decreased breathing capacity in those with symptoms, but I found it interesting, since previous thought was the more symptomatic people were more contagious. I think it was an article on the Massachusetts outbreak for those interested.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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I will test the sunshine idea pretty soon. I wash my boat with clorox every time I use it. Florida sunshine and salt water will kill most anything including stainless steel....lol The boat must be the most virus free thing I own.
Last edited by Planobilly; 03/16/20 07:32 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
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I watched the NBC Nightly News and the ABC Evening News on youtube last night it was pretty surreal. Even as old as I am I've got to say that I've never seen anything like this, especially on a global scale.
Even President Cheeto seems to have realized the gravity of what we're facing and has stopped denying what most of us at least suspected might be coming months ago. No doubt he's looking through the lens of how all of this affects his re-election chances but it's better than him calling the whole thing a hoax or a liberal plot against him.
Let's all hope the worst case scenario doesn't come to pass. Dr. Anthony Fauci is a breath of fresh air when it comes to being straight with the public, even though the truth hurts sometimes.
Here's a big old plus one for science over politics and spin, ... especially in a time of crisis.
Take care and be safe.
Last edited by bobcflatpicker; 03/17/20 03:15 AM.
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Lost a couple of more gigs  Looking at the bright side, it means I have less exposure to possibly infected people. On the dim side, that's a lot of combined income as Leilani is out of work too. I play once a week at an outdoor restaurant, if they close this down, I'm completely unemployed except for 2 private parties in April that haven't been cancelled (yet). Back on the bright side, it gives me more time to work on style and fake disks for BiaB. I've got two new style disks done, and we just got three fake disks back from the subcontractors I use to choose the styles. So we are going through the fake disks song by song, playing them in real time, triple checking the chord changes, holds, hits, rests, etc., and making sure everything works as well as it can within the limitations of Band-in-a-Box. We send our the fake disks to subcontractors to choose the styles, telling them not to favor the Norton styles, but to choose the best style for the song. (If I picked the styles myself, I'd surely favor mine because I know them best.) Then we'll update the style picker data, make installation routines, web pages, and release the disks. This should help people who are in self-isolation, as if we are quarantined, we need toys. I live with my windows open (no A.C.) and here in Florida there is plenty of sunshine. I think I'll spend some time working in the yard. Good luck to all (we need it) 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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here is a good resource for factual numbers: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.htmlSince discovering this site, I've been marking the numbers on my calendar to chart the daily change. To give you an idea of how the numbers are escalating globally... on Monday (yesterday as I write this) the total number of cases globally was 153,524. I'm assuming that was all cases since mid december when the problem was first identified in Wuhan. That's 153,524 cases in 3 months As of this moment, (one day later) the number of cases is 195,892. And the day isn't over yet. In one day the number grew by 27% of the total cases over 3 months. The graph of cases outside China looks like a hockey stick. (That moment when you feel bad for the senior citizens, then realize you are one!) edit: this site continually updates its totals. Since posting this a little while ago the new total has risen to 196,639... day still not over. The one-day increase is now 28% of the previous 3 month total
Last edited by Pat Marr; 03/17/20 11:11 AM.
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The news is coming so fast from so many sources it's hard to keep up.
Here's an interesting one about grocery stores in the North Eastern part of the US. Several have implemented senior hours meaning the first hour or so of opening is reserved for seniors only. They get first crack at all the items that were just restocked that night. It's early, like 6 am but hey, I think that's a great idea and I can get my butt out of bed for that right now!
Let hope that gets implemented everywhere.
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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I was in the store yesterday. The only thing in the frozen section was 2 bags of brussel sprouts.
...Deb
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I killed one of my chickens yesterday. I hate killing my animals. I wonder what the kids would think if they had to be there.
The good part was the chicken and rice and biscuits . It tasted just like just like 1956.
We walked over to my neighbors house and talked from behind the glass and left some chicken on the door step. She is in her eighty. Her husband died a few months back and life is not very good. She has plenty of money but money won't buy you happiness.
There are no cases of the virus in the Florida Keys. I want to go fishing pretty soon.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
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In the Retirement Village I live in I’m president of the lawn bowls club. Yesterday I had to make the decision to suspend formal lawn bowls for an undefined time. I have also had to point out to a number of elderly people that social interaction is probably not a good idea. Some of the elderly folk really struggle with some restrictions they are being asked to support.
The other issue is how long will all this last. Our Prime Minister said this is a long haul and expect six months at least.
This will give me a heap of time on my computer doing stuff.
I was to go to Europe at the end of June for a river cruise. Looks like that is shot, I just hope I can recover some of the monies I spent on it. Then I can buy another AmpleSound Guitar (the Martin looks to be coming).
Anyway enough from me.
Tony
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Well, they banned bands here because they "draw crowds" and all my gigs except one private party have been canceled from now to the beginning of June. I suspect that one last gig will be canceled as well. So I'm unemployed for the next few months. If the virus isn't contained by June, I'll be out of work even longer. Things could be worse, Leilani and I have no symptoms so are probably OK, and with no money we have no where to go  Being self-employed, we do have some reserve in savings, but not knowing how long this will last, we are tightening our belts. And we're hard at work making new style 'disks' and fake 'disks' for Band-in-a-Box. Notes
Last edited by Notes Norton; 03/18/20 10:41 AM.
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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Bob, here in San Jose several grocery stores have reserved 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. for seniors.
Something that I hadn’t considered was that seniors were fearing the thought of shopping
because of the large crowds.
I have been in self-quarantine recovering from surgery since Jan.7 and it looks like
I now have a much longer way to go. Music in general and BIAB in particular has been
a blessing in my recovery.
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Bob,
You just can't pass up a chance to get in your political shots, even if they come nowhere close to resembling the subject.
So once again a very sincere post from Lambada on a very serious subject turns into shots at the POTUS, wow.
Best of Luck to ya,
Last edited by Danny C.; 03/18/20 01:47 PM.
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Danny,
Criticizing a sitting president for their handling of a national emergency isn't necessarily political. It's simply freedom of speech.
My comments would have been the same regardless of who was POTUS if they had spent weeks or even months denying what is happening and ignoring advice from every health official.
Best of luck to you too.
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Hi All again. It looks like Hong Kong will go the same way in the end. We're getting hit now by a second wave (probably the first real one) of people returning to Hong Kong or escaping to Hong Kong where quarantine is still voluntary, although that could change today. I think a lot of people let their guard down here, thinking it was a China problem and that we were over the worst of it. I fear not. I see S Korea, who have done an amazing job of testing I think due to them having a pandemic test run a couple of weeks prior to the real outbreak, are now facing new clusters. Latest Chinese research is showing that people with Type A blood are more at risk and in Italy, the overwhelming majority of those who are dying are over 80 with pre-existing health issues. There's also research in the US saying that the young are at risk too. Certainly a lot of young people here catching it according to the stats. Everyone seems to agree that social distancing is the way to go, but its not easy, especially when you're at home all the time with extra time on your hands and we're talking weeks. I've lost track now, but I don't think they'll be school for months.
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I think everyone realizes that the response to the pandemic was badly botched at the Federal level but rubbing salt in the partisan wound isn’t necessary. The folks who argued that this was a hoax will be dining on crow for years to come.
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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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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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.
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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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