Background: My explorations continue. This time I tried to focus on dynamics using Studio One’s volume and panning automation. If you listen and comment . . . thank you.
Technicals: 70 BPM
BiaB Style is -60SRKBL.STY (60's Brit Rock Ballad 2) Style MIDI Instrument Acoustic Piano (1) RealDrums in style:RockEven16: a: Snare, HiHat b: Snare, Ride
Me Electric Bass Korg Vintage Tremolo Guitar Korg Space Voice Korg Wet Distorted Guitar Korg String Machine Korg Synth
Poem: Black hole, black hole, man can barely comprehend The enormity of the power you hold within
First proposed by John Michell in 1784 This was the beginning and astronomers wanted more
A quandary, a distortion, of space and time You are an unparalleled beast and freakish paradigm
At your center may lie a gravitational singularity Where spacetime curvature and density become infinity
You consume asteroids, planets and even radiation Anything that gets too close will face annihilation
The universe is indeed a hostile place for life to thrive Full of violence and destruction; it’s hard to survive
So what is your purpose and what is your goal? To eventually consume the universe as a whole?
Something tells me that can’t be your role For even with you, God’s in control
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.
My question is who's on piano. The Song Memo doesn't say.
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.
Bas Thumper, Nice experiment! A bit repetitive, but love soundscape. Neat synth & bass work! Love Korg sounds. Thank you for sharing.
Misha.
P.S. If you don't like to sing there is always a vocal synth. Some people here done incredible things with it. Would be interesting to hear it with the lyrics you wrote.
We are both reading a current sci-fi book for which this would work very nicely in a film of same.
"At your center may lie a gravitational singularity Where spacetime curvature and density become infinity"
Ah yes ... a gate!
A sync library might like this as snippets here and there could fit in a variety of scenarios.
Well mixed and very nice bass lines.
J&B
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I like it, you play a nice bass motif and it's nicely arranged and mixed.
Overall I find it a bit monotonous, the same chords over and over again.
I would include more parts like the bridge to have more variety and keep the listener more interested in what might come next.
Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, obviously I tend toward repetition but monotony is not a good thing. This one has an A and a B phrase, I'll try to incorporate a C phrase on my next one . . . if can I remember
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.
Nice Sc-iFi feel, captures the gloomy mood of the vast universe, like in a low budget space movie from the 60's. Very good selection of instruments to create the rhythmic bed. I don't find this tune monotonous, I'm already feeling I've been abducted by that unparalleled beast. I was expecting to hear big infinite reverb on a synth, but this tune works also without it, maybe the black hole is sucking all reflections Sounds like the bass is sometimes out of tune, but maybe that's because the distortion in space and time I'm quite sure you could find a Stephen Hawking sound-alike synthesizer to read the poem. That would be cool...
BassThumper, A suitably ominous soundscape.I liked all the synth sounds.Because you included your poem I was expecting a spoken word passage; did you consider that?
My question is who's on piano. The Song Memo doesn't say.
The drums do sound good here. I suppose a combination of the RD and your mix. good job.
The piano is midi from back in the day I suspect. So no one is playing it as it is computer generated.
Yes, I know the piano is MIDI but I was wondering who programmed the MIDI. They did a fine job.
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.
Bas Thumper, Nice experiment! A bit repetitive, but love soundscape. Neat synth & bass work! Love Korg sounds. Thank you for sharing.
Misha.
P.S. If you don't like to sing there is always a vocal synth. Some people here done incredible things with it. Would be interesting to hear it with the lyrics you wrote.
Thanks Misha, sorry for the repetitiveness. I am aware of vocal synths but too much going on now for me to explore them . . . maybe someday.
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.
Steve, this the perfect song for a long star ship journey to the final frontier. I liked everything about this one.
Great work!
Hey Mario, many thanks for the listen and positive feedback.
On our long journey let's be sure we have a good supply of Dilithium Crystals on board.
We don't want matter-antimatter contact; especially if black holes are in the neighborhood
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.
We are both reading a current sci-fi book for which this would work very nicely in a film of same.
"At your center may lie a gravitational singularity Where spacetime curvature and density become infinity"
Ah yes ... a gate!
A sync library might like this as snippets here and there could fit in a variety of scenarios.
Well mixed and very nice bass lines.
J&B
Thanks so much for the listen and positive review.
But I suggest we first send in a probe to be sure that this gate actually works
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.
Nice Sc-iFi feel, captures the gloomy mood of the vast universe, like in a low budget space movie from the 60's. Very good selection of instruments to create the rhythmic bed. I don't find this tune monotonous, I'm already feeling I've been abducted by that unparalleled beast. I was expecting to hear big infinite reverb on a synth, but this tune works also without it, maybe the black hole is sucking all reflections Sounds like the bass is sometimes out of tune, but maybe that's because the distortion in space and time I'm quite sure you could find a Stephen Hawking sound-alike synthesizer to read the poem. That would be cool...
Janne
Thanks Jannne, glad you didn't find in monotonous. I always tune my bass before recording, so maybe there's something else going on. And the Stephen Hawking synth is great idea, I would never have thought such a thing would be commercially available.
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.
I like the slightly dissonant bass part...it adds some spice which made it def, not monotonous. Good playing by you on the keyboard & bass. Fun SciFi FX.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
BassThumper, A suitably ominous soundscape.I liked all the synth sounds.Because you included your poem I was expecting a spoken word passage; did you consider that?
Robert
Thanks Robert, I didn't think to speak the poem myself but I like Janne's idea of a Stephen Hawking voice simulator if I could find one.
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.
This reminds me a bit of Disney's "The Dark Hole" movie. It's pretty, but also too long.
Which was of the intent of the music, so... Keep experimenting!
I didn't know Disney did a black hole movie. I really never much enjoyed their productions.
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.
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!
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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!
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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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
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-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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-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
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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!
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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.
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