first of all I want to thank you, also on Maha’s behalf, once again for your good wishes and your understanding - we appreciate them more than you might imagine.
Like I wrote there won’t be many contributions to the forum this year - this one took many months to accomplish and we were lucky that Maha had some better days a couple of weeks ago, so she could do the mixing and appear in two smal scenes in the video. I’m afraid it might take quite some time before she’ll be able to go on with all that.
Maybe I will post one or two earlier songs/videos, but I’ll have to check them first wether or not they’re good enough for your ears end eyes.
As to ‘Heck, I Was Just Dreaming’: Got the idea to write a Chuck Berry hommage when Janice & Bud & Peter poblished a song using the Chuck Berry style - I think it was C. C. Rider.
I’ve been a huge Chuck Berry fan ever since - in fact I’m pretty sure it was him resp. his marvellous songs that lit my fire of love for Rock ‘n’ Roll and guitar playing in general.
And I still think that he was one of the greatest story tellers of them all - lyrics like ‘Too Much Monkey Business’ are immortal, aren’t they...
So here’s my humble attempt to bring the names of 51 great Chuck Berry tunes into a (more or less) reasonable order.
Hope y’all gonna have some fun listening and watching even in times like these that stifle any laughter for so many reasons whenever you switch on your TV.
Take good care,
Stefan
========================================
Musical data:
Bass: RT 2149 (New Orleans Boogie) Piano: RT 2151 (New Orleans Boogie) Guitar 1: RT 1718 (Texas Blues Rock) Drums: Written in MIDI played by MTPowerDrums
Vocals: Me Guitar solos: Me (Fender Strat Jeff Beck Signature, Vox VT 20
Like always designed in Band-in-a-box and worked out in RealBand.
Maha mixed the thing using Reaper for the first time. Also for the first time she used one or two CLA plug-ins. I really admire her for having the will to accomplish the song despite being ill. She tried to keep the sound rougher than usual - my tinnitus ears are completely satisfied with it. Thank you so much, honey - whatever you do: I love it!
Floyd beat me to the punch ... said pretty much what I was thinking. He just said it better than i would have.
You're not just a songer/songwriter.musician ... you're a world-class entertainer. You've never posted anything I didn't think was fabulous. And this one is so good!
Before I moved from St. Louis about 10 years ago, I lived across the highway from Chuck Berry ... about 4KM between us. (That's 2 1/2 miles). We actually lived in Wentzville, Missouri ... a western suburb of St. Louis. When I was still playing in a band, he dropped in and sat in with us 4 or 5 times over a period of about 3 years.
You perfectly captured the CB sound! That was an amazing video and fantastic song. Loved every second of it!
Also, it was so nice to see Maha well enough to participate. Di and I think of the two of you everyday. We send our best and most special wishes to her. You already know my thoughts about you're deteriorating eyesight.
Wishing everything good for both of you. Take care and be safe ...
Well, that was a ton of fun! An awesome idea wonderfully executed in all respects . . . and I can only imagine the amount of work that went into this. It shows. Everything about it was top notch. Simply outstanding!
I had the honour of watching this marvellous video and your song before, but this one is even better than that one. You did a tremendous job! I know what time and effort it had cost Maha and you to get it all how you wanted it to be, but -WOW- what a good video you both made! All those funny things in it. You have to watch it severall times and still you have missed something.
When you placed your latest post I was afraid this video wouldn't come in the Forum, but luckily you have to say goodbye about a dozen times before you really do. And even then I'm not sure.
It's really cool how you managed to assemble this Chuck Berry collage. Anything that hearkens back to a simpler time always feels like a more enjoyable listen for me. Thanks for posting.
PURE FUN and some excellent Berry n more riffing...extremely well done.
I did a tribute to Brian Wilson building a lyric on Beach Boy.Wilson lyrical snippets and titles. I even did it in mono - but had to remix it to stereo as NO ONE wanted to hear mono. Philistines! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-oL9YQQ3mc&ab_channel=raycochrane It was in the days of dead simple vids for me.
This song AND video represent a major effort - Maha did a brilliant job. Fun, rockin', fun and also a good brain tease trying to match titles to the songs in my head. My fave Berry album is a Chess remaster 2 x CD thing at present...really good sound and Johnny Johnson can be heard pretty clearly in them. EXCELLENT
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Hi Stefan Love the video. You did an amazing job getting all those titles into the very clever lyrics. Excellent vocal and the guitar work is brilliant. Regards, Leon
Floyd beat me to the punch ... said pretty much what I was thinking. He just said it better than i would have.
You're not just a songer/songwriter.musician ... you're a world-class entertainer. You've never posted anything I didn't think was fabulous. And this one is so good!
Before I moved from St. Louis about 10 years ago, I lived across the highway from Chuck Berry ... about 4KM between us. (That's 2 1/2 miles). We actually lived in Wentzville, Missouri ... a western suburb of St. Louis. When I was still playing in a band, he dropped in and sat in with us 4 or 5 times over a period of about 3 years.
You perfectly captured the CB sound! That was an amazing video and fantastic song. Loved every second of it!
Also, it was so nice to see Maha well enough to participate. Di and I think of the two of you everyday. We send our best and most special wishes to her. You already know my thoughts about you're deteriorating eyesight.
Wishing everything good for both of you. Take care and be safe ...
Alan
Hi Alan, if your intention was making me blush: success. You're far too kind, thank you so much for that heck of a comment. Maha and I are so glad that Di and you enjoy our stuff ...
Unbelievable: I know someone who played with Chuck Berry? Several times? I guess that must have been very exciting!
Please give Di a huge hug - all the best to you both.
Well, that was a ton of fun! An awesome idea wonderfully executed in all respects . . . and I can only imagine the amount of work that went into this. It shows. Everything about it was top notch. Simply outstanding!
My best to you both!
Deej
Hi Deej,
thank you so much, Maha and I really appreciate your positive comment a lot and we're happy you enjoyed watching and listening.
Wow! The amount of love and labor put into this! Totally fun to listen and to watch. Packed to the top with creativity and humor. Damn, you solved one hell of a word puzzle Excellent playing and production.., just cool stuff in a raw. I think CB would approve it! Thank you for sharing. Stay well and take good care of Maha.
I had the honour of watching this marvellous video and your song before, but this one is even better than that one. You did a tremendous job! I know what time and effort it had cost Maha and you to get it all how you wanted it to be, but -WOW- what a good video you both made! All those funny things in it. You have to watch it severall times and still you have missed something.
When you placed your latest post I was afraid this video wouldn't come in the Forum, but luckily you have to say goodbye about a dozen times before you really do. And even then I'm not sure.
Give Maha my best wishes, We'll talk again, Hans
Hi Hans,
thanks a lot for those very kind words you found for the song / video.
Yes, due to Mahas illness I don't think there will be anything new in the near future. One video we started to work on already in 2019 is waiting for her to act in the missing scenes; the video recording of another one (starring the usual suspects) had been scheduled for February but that session had to be cancelled because of the first Corona wave and old farts like us didn't want to take any risk. And the respective song is also waiting for Maha to get back to the computer again, too.
Unlike you who seems to be coming up with a new great song every week, I feel pretty empty... But whenever I manage to assenble a new video you will be the first to have a look at it (which is not an honour as you wrote, but pretty normal,because we're friends.)
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!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
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.
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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!
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This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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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!
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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.
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!
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Love your Berry-style guitar playing.
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