As a side note, I don't compress these files. Years ago I did compress them using some kind of "Zip software" but when it came time to uncompress and retrieve them the Zip software failed and my files were lost.
A lot of us users of a certain age go back to a time when buying new storage media required a mortgage, so we looked for ways to save space. I remember thinking my system was hot because I added a second 40 MEG hard drive. MEGABYTE! And saying "What am I going to do with all this space? I'll NEVER fill this drive up!"
Remember partitioning drives because adding a second drive was expensive? What a difference 30 years makes. My smallest desktop now has 3 drives in it. Once has 4. And I would venture a guess that most people here can say the same bedcause this user base overall has a higher geek level than most.
Great example for me is the computer in the bedroom that is connected to my TV in there. It mainly holds movies and concert videos. About a year ago I decided to change D and E to 1T solid state drives. Took about an hour per drive to copy from spinning drive to SSD, and now that system runs like buttah!
Matt, you gotta be in nerd heaven with that new system.
Yeah, since I started building computers in 1983, I’m very pleased. I’ve been though what you describe.
But I didn’t spend a fortune on the new machine, only a small one, since I did not buy a screaming cutting-edge CPU and this has no graphics card at all.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
But I didn’t spend a fortune on the new machine, only a small one, since I did not buy a screaming cutting-edge CPU and this has no graphics card at all.
Perfect example of "horses for courses". Gamers, accountants, musicians, graphic designers... all have different computer needs. My video card was fine when I had 2 monitors. Now with 3, it is underpowered, but man, it is so hard to find a video card with 4 HDMI ports to fit this PCIe slot and (and this is the important part) doesn't cost more than the computer.
What we do is not that intensive, and I continue to laugh at the comments complaining about speed. What is so urgent in your golden years of retirement that you can't wait 45 seconds for something to happen on your computer? MCA and Columbia want your latest release so soon that 45 seconds is an issue? Hilarious.
I have just come to accept that people in general will always look for something to complain about. Like me complaining about my video card...
A lot of us users of a certain age go back to a time when buying new storage media required a mortgage, . . .
Oh yeah, I remember 3.5" and 5.25" floppy disks. And believe it or not as a college freshman I learned FORTRAN on punch cards. And get this . . . I still have the slide rule I used in High School Chemistry class. The teacher had a gigantic 6 foot long Pickett slide rule hanging from the ceiling as a teaching device.
The Gen Z kid says "Slide rule? Is that related to the trombone?"
The one thing I never used but now whish I had is the hand-crank mechanical calculator. I understand that was quite an invention.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Thanks, but it’s the throwback black box. No lights (and no sound!). Nothing to see here….
Yep would want no flashy lights either if going for a new tower, just want it to sit unnoticed in corner, so many PC's now have the flashy display, just puts me off them.
This is the case in my aging 12year old pc, I do like the soundproofing foam inside.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
........................ What we do is not that intensive, and I continue to laugh at the comments complaining about speed. ...............
LOL
I hear you Eddie. I remember waiting 20 minutes for a program to load via tape! Sometimes I would get a failure at the 19 minute mark and had to start over. I do not miss those tape days nor do I complain about waiting a few seconds for a program to load or do a chore. YMMV
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Hmmm ... I've just checked my little Raspberry Pi 4B and it's way, Way, more powerful than my first PC and has 26G of storage.
My own first home PC was a 40MHz AMD SX386 with 1MB RAM, 5.25 floppies and a 10M hard drive. I'd already used computers at college and at work for a decade or so, but that was the first time I reckoned I could just about afford something worth having.
Last edited by Gordon Scott; 11/14/2207:48 AM.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
My first personal computer was the first by Radio Shack. I am one of the few people you will ever know who SOLD computers to IBM, because this was years before the IBM PC came out.
That Radio Shack computer had 4K RAM (not M, and not T) and a cassette tape (not disk) for storage.
But even that computer was better than my first mainframe experience, where you handed in a deck of punched cards on a Thursday and they told you to come back Tuesday. When you did, a single missing semicolon had aborted the run, so there goes another week. Yes, I have patience, but I learned from those days to make few mistakes and make each try count.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
My first personal computer was the first by Radio Shack. I am one of the few people you will ever know who SOLD computers to IBM, because this was years before the IBM PC came out.
That Radio Shack computer had 4K RAM (not M, and not T) and a cassette tape (not disk) for storage.
But even that computer was better than my first mainframe experience, where you handed in a deck of punched cards on a Thursday and they told you to come back Tuesday. When you did, a single missing semicolon had aborted the run, so there goes another week. Yes, I have patience, but I learned from those days to make few mistakes and make each try count.
Ah, yes the TRS-80 or trash 80 we used to call it. I later had the Tandy TL-1000x, 16 bit processor running on an 8 bit bus! with 20MB hard disk. Then I started building my own when gaming was getting more demanding.
The gamers love the lights and bells and whistles. Not sure why the lighting is so important to so many of them.
Eddie, the graphics cards prices have come down significantly now since the mining for digital currency has cooled. Now that Nvidia has released their RTX-40 series you can get some pretty powerful cards in their earlier editions for a pretty good price, even less than the price of the computer!!! LOL!!
My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.
I had a Texas Instruments TI 99-4/A. It was a horrible base computer but if you bought the "Breadbox" expansion unit it got better. You could add 32K more RAM and whatever other cards it used. Programs came on ROM cartridges that slid into it, and the fatal flaw was that after a while that card receptor slot became worn and the carts were not able to seat tightly. As anything with friction/tension based connections will.
That expansion box was something else. It connected with a big flat cable about 4 inches wide terminating into a 3/4" thick connector. It ran some proprietary version of BASIC, with a cart for Extended BASIC. It was truly awful.
I had the idea that if I bought a disc controller card and decided that if I could get the terminating resistors right I would have the only TI around with hard drives. It took me 4 cards, at $139 each, before I got it right but I finally got it to work, and I ended up with 2 720k DSDD 5 1/2" drives in it. I was the envy of the local TI user group. until another guy named Jim managed to code a BBS, which I got a copy of and ran. Pretty slick stuff for 1989!!
But even that computer was better than my first mainframe experience, where you handed in a deck of punched cards on a Thursday and they told you to come back Tuesday. When you did, a single missing semicolon had aborted the run, so there goes another week.
At college we used to send paper tape to the main campus in another town to load and run, so had a similar delay. My first batch of programs all came back because I'd set all variables to something and apparently the compiler wanted zero to be either +0 or -0. Just plain old zero was verboten. Sigh. Valuable lesson, though.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
I'd used computers at work during the 80's so that was my first contact with computers. I got my first PC in about 1997. I built my first computer in 1998.
My son was 7 and he asked me if he could help build it. I said "of course" and I explained each and every part and what it did. I put in each part and started the screws for him. He tightened them down as best could and I cinched them down.
By the time he was 10 he was building his own computers, installing the OS, downloading and installing updated drivers, etc.
He hasn't came out of his bedroom since! ................
I've been gladly taking his hand me downs for the last 10 years or so on PC's because he builds high end gaming systems with far more power than I need. He just builds for himself and his friends.
Fortunately I was able to pull him away from the PC long enough to get him 6 yrs of piano lessons and 5-6 years of guitar lessons. He was my backup guitarist for a couple of years on the flatpicking contest circuit when he was in his early teens.
This thread really takes me back. Back in "the day" we had a VAX/UNIX system here at Case Western Reserve University known as the Cleveland Free Net. They used to have 40 minute time limits so the connection would drop after 40 minutes and you had to dial back in. There was a chat system and you'd be right in the middle of a chat and your time would end and you had to dial back in again. However, if you created a group and was the moderator of that group you got a different level of logon and you had unlimited time. I created the Synthesizer and MIDI User Group (SMUG) and got the elevated logon.
With that Unix based system, you could use Telnet and I used to Telnet into computers at colleges all over the world. From there you can use commands like grep and who and look through databases for users. I did that once and queried my last name and got hundreds of hits. I saved those email addresses to a text file, wrote a letter introducing myself and sent it to every one of those people. Oddly I was not related to even one of those people as my last name is an extremely common Slovenian name. I did make contact with a guy at a college in then Yugoslavia who was raised in Ljubljana where my ancestors came from. He told me that the name is so common I'd have to know the 2 block area where my relatives lived.
I miss stuff like that from older days. I DON'T miss that paper tape you mentioned, or COBOL and FORTRAN card programming, or tape drives in general. At one of the jobs I worked, if you worked 3rd shift your first job at 11pm was loading backup tapes. There were 3 different recording systems, they all ran different form factor tapes, and they didn't all run every day, so there was this system of sleeved pages noted Sun thru Sat on a hanging bander with exact language of what got backed up that day and what didn't. Crazy. Now that kind of stuff is thankfully all automated and scheduled.
With maturity of hardware came a certain simplicity, and Matt went back to basics with undated hardware.
And now you make me want to do the same, as I like the concept of dedicated computers.
With maturity of hardware came a certain simplicity, and Matt went back to basics with undated hardware.
One of my favourite simplicities (though setting it up is a bit of a faff) is my BackupPC server. It sits in a brick built outbuilding beyond a real firewall from the house and in the early hours of every morning it backs up my fileserver to a plenty large enough hard drive. No tapes or other removable media to remember, organise, store, restore, keep safe, etc. Just a simple web access to the various backups over many months and a checkbox and confirm to restore.
Luxury
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
This is my first computer. For the Gen Z's this is not a musical instrument, is not connected to the internet, doesn't use batteries and doesn't even need electricity. Don't laugh, this brilliant device invented around 1620 and known in the US as a "slipstick" put men on the moon and brought them back alive.
For scale, the round object is called a dime; US currency, that could be used to buy 10 pieces of Bazooka Joe bubble gum. It could also be used in a pay phone . . . what's a pay phone? That's another discussion
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Same here ... which shows how reliable they are. As a sailor, I also recognise that they don't mind salt water.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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!
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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®.
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Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
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Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
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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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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!
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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)
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