"Blasting every day" reminds me of a great story...
Years ago, a young fellow moved in across the street with terrible taste in music. I was getting really tired of hearing "f... you" played at the top end of his Saturn's car stereo.
So, I dragged my Peavey bass amp (150 watts) up near the door then turned it up - just short of busting windows. Then I started playing allowing the amp to rumble a bit.
Young fellow started messing with the car stereo. I stopped. He told his friend he did not know what was wrong with the stereo in the car. Then he started again. I started again. Repeat. He finally stopped and went into the house so I stopped.
The neighbors told me - hey you are getting really good with that bass guitar.
I was sitting in my mobile home one day many years ago. I had Peter Frampton Comes Alive on the stereo and I was learning a few of the songs working on them note for note. THis album had just come out a few months previous and it was starting to hit the airwaves.
Anyway, I'm sitting there working on the songs and generally minding my own business when I hear BANG BANG BANG OPEN UP THIS IS THE POLICE from directly outside my door. Knowing that the neighbors had called the fuzz on me previously, and although I was playing at a much lower volume this time, I nevertheless, peeked out the window to see who actually was beating on my door.
I saw 2 guys standing there. One had a high and tight haircut, could have been Law Enforcement. However, he didn't carry himself like LEO. And the other guy was a long hair guy.... Not LEO.
So I opened the door and the long haired guy says, hey, hope we didn't scare you... yeah, we ain't the cops. We hear you playing the guitar and figured we'd stop in. I invited them in and we talked a bit and they asked me to play what I was playing when they knocked on the door so I did. They asked me if I had any plans for the night. They explained that they had a band and were booked at a local country hole in the wall and asked me to come jam with them if I wanted.
So with nothing to do that night, I agreed and went to jam. They offered to pick up my bar tab. Of course, I don't drink a lot, not even back then, so they got off lightly. At the end of the night they thanked me and asked if I'd like to do it again the following night. Sure....
Saturday night was just as much fun as friday night was. At the end of the night they handed me $100 for gas and a job offer. So I ended up joining the band and went on to play with those guys in 2 different bands for 3 to 4 years.
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.
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!
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!
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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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