|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
Al posted a blues instrumental in February. A lovely piece that caught my ear. We started collaborating on turning it into a vocal track as well. Al's been unavailable of late - circumstances & life get in the way. I've continued to work on it and asked a friend, Alison Reynolds - singer, songwriter, cellist - to contribute a melody & vocals. Alison did just that and it's fab. The backing is Al's creation: Key=Fm , Tempo 70, Style MIDI Instruments are : Finger Electric Bass (34), Bright Piano (2) RealTracks in song: 3438:Guitar, Electric, Soloist BritPsycPopBallad Ev 065 RealDrums in Song: BluesRockSlowEv^5-Snr,Ride RealDrums in Song:BluesRockSlowEv^5-a:Snare , b:Snare, Ride I'm looking for comments/suggestions/ideas to improve it so that I can present Al with a tidy package of his excellent work. Here's a faux mastered version for your ears. WARNING - it's a bit dark. All Night Tears Here's a remix taking account of most suggestions made yesterday. I tried all of them but not all "worked". I discussed and trialled the "pitch" bits with Alison. She's adamant she intended and likes the slides/drops in V1 so we agreed to leave them be. I'm still working on the metallic sound Misha hears...there's a graininess to the el. piano that seems to be the problem. All Night Tears 2 I've had another crack at suggestions. Some are easily done - others less so. The lead licks between vocal phrases are edited from the main solo track which was, in the original, the star & song long. Editing them to fit meant working with, essentially, what was there in line with the progression. I've reduced them to very few in the verses and as long or short as the phrase allows. The reverb & delay are on the guitar from the outset...baked on. I added the chop guitar - sadly BIAB didn't have a real track that worked at the tempo so I had to edit one - every beat of it - to fit. I looked into the ride cymbal - it's there in the Real Drum track BUT is so quiet that it took three iterations of EQ boost to bring it forward enough & then there were, as expected lots of bits of snare & other cymbals that made things ugly. In the end I tracked down the ride in the BIAB RD folder required, found the samples track, snipped the ride and edited it into the song...one hit at a time that made the chop seem like a breeze. El Piano removed from the intro. I'm not sure how I feel about the result as yet. I'll need to listen for a bit. As mentioned, I'm trying to stay as close to Al's original as possible within the circumstances. Oh, and to satisfy Mark's curiosity & cobbled together a different solo from the phrases available in the other two sections that are the same (verses). All Night Tears V3 A little more tweaking and, since I was about it I temporarily replaced the bass with my own part. Not as busy, not as fretless and toppy, (though BIAB described it as finger played), just becasue I felt like it. Normally I'd have played the chop guitar but after the time editing I'll leave that alone. I'll probably ditch my bass tomorrow. ANTears Bass Replace Lyrics You look as though you've faced a 1000 fears, Your eyes are red, Your nose is too. Tell me what they did to you. For you to flood with all night tears. Chorus It's black and white what's gone on tonight It's black n blue what's been done to you It's back to back & blow by blow Home is the last place you should go. V2 It's plain to see what happened to you The narcissist beat a fresh tattoo Don't light a match The gas is strong It doesn't matter baby It's not you who's wrong Just weeks ago was wedding party cheers A honeymoon a brand new life Bad jokes about trouble & strife Now love's drowning in all night tears. Chorus It's black and white what's gone on tonight It's black n blue what's been done to you It's back to back & blow by blow It's not a life that you should know. Chorus It's black and white what's gone on tonight It's black n blue what's been done to you It's back to back & blow by blow Home is the last place you should go. Home is the last place you should go.
Last edited by rayc; 03/24/23 06:09 PM.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,825
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,825 |
Hi Ray,
She sure has a lovely voice.
The best part for me is the harmony part at the end of the verses/choruses - spot on!
A few suggestions to improve what is potentially a very good blues:
1. Drop the lead guitar way in the background on the verses - it's not required and distracting from the lovely vocals.
2. Vocals in the verses need to be quite a bit louder. Plus some of the notes need manual volume editing.
3. Needs a bit of a tidy up with some vocal phrases out of time and a bit pitchy.
4. Could do with a guitar playing the offbeat only to augment the snare in the verses but this may not be possible given you are editing a finished instrumental song.
Most promising Blues and well worth spending a lot of time on it.
Look forward to hearing version 2.
Best Regards
Nigel
Nigel Spiers
Christchurch, New Zealand
info@nzacoustics.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,098
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,098 |
Hi Ray,
I remember this one from Al. I love minor key blues, probably my favorite thing actually.
I really like her voice, and I like the lyric she wrote too. It needs to be louder in the mix though.
The way I approach lead guitar with a vocal, most of the time the lead guitar should be doing fills around the vocal, not soloing while she is singing for my tastes. It needs to compliment the vocal, the call and response thing, not compete with it.
Towards the end it's ok for them to both play at the same time, just like the way you have it now.
You have the start of a top notch minor key blues song, looking forward to hearing where it goes.
Last edited by BlueAttitude; 03/22/23 12:44 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
Thanks Nigel,
I've copied those suggestions and will apply each for a remix/repost tomorrow.
Thanks Dave,
I'll work on that. I'm trying to retain as much of the lead as I can because it was the lead & melodic instrument in the original version. Rather like the pedal steel part in the country ballad he and I did based on his instrumental.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,653
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,653 |
Hi Al, Ray and Alison.
This is smoothly done and well sung.
I have one suggestion as Verse 1 has a different rhyme structure to Verse 2.
Perhaps change it to:
"You look as though you've faced a 1000 fears,
Your eyes are red. Your nose is too.
And now you flood with all night tears.
Tell me what they did to you."
Vic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,372
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,372 |
Ray,
Pretty cool stuff! A very good start. Good drive, composition, vocals(!), phrasing, bass all good. Mix balance of all instruments is fine but..
Dave said it better than I would about the lead guitar. So I +1 on his comment. What distracts me the most is that metallic bell sound ringing that is present throughout the tune. The "after touch" tail, not the "hit". I hope I am describing it clearly. In any case, good effort. Thank you for sharing.
Misha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,123
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,123 |
I remember that song. You added a pretty cool lyric that kinda reminds me of my Abused song.
As for the production/arrangement, I agree with Dave, call/response would work VERY well in such a slow song.
I would probably double the guitar and put it L/R to frame the (really great) vocals, but that's just a personal preference of mine.
Lots of potential.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
Hi Al, Ray and Alison.
This is smoothly done and well sung.
I have one suggestion as Verse 1 has a different rhyme structure to Verse 2.
Perhaps change it to:
"You look as though you've faced a 1000 fears,
Your eyes are red. Your nose is too.
And now you flood with all night tears.
Tell me what they did to you."
Vic
Thanks Vic, Actually the rhyming scheme is the same - it's the 2nd half of V2 & that is in line with where V1 starts in the progression.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
Ray,
Pretty cool stuff! A very good start. Good drive, composition, vocals(!), phrasing, bass all good. Mix balance of all instruments is fine but..
Dave said it better than I would about the lead guitar. So I +1 on his comment. What distracts me the most is that metallic bell sound ringing that is present throughout the tune. The "after touch" tail, not the "hit". I hope I am describing it clearly. In any case, good effort. Thank you for sharing.
Misha. Thanks Misha, I'll look into the annoyance factor - probably the delay on the guitar.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
I remember that song. You added a pretty cool lyric that kinda reminds me of my Abused song.
As for the production/arrangement, I agree with Dave, call/response would work VERY well in such a slow song.
I would probably double the guitar and put it L/R to frame the (really great) vocals, but that's just a personal preference of mine.
Lots of potential. Thanks B.D.T., I'm incline to keep the song sparse at present but will attempt your suggestion & decide from there.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,946
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,946 |
Hey Ray.... Man that is the best thing I have heard from you. Really nice.
My production critique is....
Loved the guitar. But as others have said, pull your faders down completely in the verses and choruses. A few strategic fills are fine. Instead of a guitar, use the Hammond B3 real track number 686 and let THAT float under the vox. Let the guitar rip on the solo.
Maybe bump up the vox a bit.
Other than that...loved it
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
Hey Ray.... Man that is the best thing I have heard from you. Really nice.
My production critique is....
Loved the guitar. But as others have said, pull your faders down completely in the verses and choruses. A few strategic fills are fine. Instead of a guitar, use the Hammond B3 real track number 686 and let THAT float under the vox. Let the guitar rip on the solo.
Maybe bump up the vox a bit.
Other than that...loved it Thanks GH, The new mix has the guitar reduced. I'm trying to stick to Al's original arrangement/instrumentation. A B3 is something I use on almost every track but, for the above reason, I've not dragged it in. I'm trying, also, to stick with Janice & Bud's mantra of simplicity while attempt to stay true to Al's base. I will, however, do as you suggested for the fun of listening.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689 |
Ray, don't mind if I jump in here, having just listened to V2.
I had the same reaction as others to V1, that the guitar soloing directly against the voice was competing for attention to the detriment of both fine parts. This is effectively addressed by V2. Thoughts on that:
1) The mixed-down guitar still commands attention as a lead instrument, even at a reduced volume (this struck me as particularly true for the very first mixed-down note.) There are times, I think, where silencing the guitar completely would really be the best way to support the vocal — but you don't want to sacrifice that guitar material.
2) The main guitar solo, now dramatically highlighted by increased volume, is fairly sparse, and not necessarily the best section of the overall instrumental piece. There are, I think, more interesting parts that are now subordinated to the voice that the listener might wish they could hear by themselves, at full volume.
3) A way to address both (1) and (2) would be to relocate some of the "background" soloing by moving it in time to play along with that main solo. Construct a virtual duet by overlaying passages from various points in the song onto the solo. The repeated chord progression should provide plenty of candidate material for "promotion" to "Virtual Second Lead Guitar".
This might be completely out of line with your approach to this project as a treatment of the original recording, but I would have fun experimenting with that kind of cut-n-paste editing of the solo onto itself.
Anyway, I'm enjoying following this work in progress and look forward to its next incarnation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,946
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,946 |
Hey Ray.... Man that is the best thing I have heard from you. Really nice.
My production critique is....
Loved the guitar. But as others have said, pull your faders down completely in the verses and choruses. A few strategic fills are fine. Instead of a guitar, use the Hammond B3 real track number 686 and let THAT float under the vox. Let the guitar rip on the solo.
Maybe bump up the vox a bit.
Other than that...loved it Thanks GH, The new mix has the guitar reduced. I'm trying to stick to Al's original arrangement/instrumentation. A B3 is something I use on almost every track but, for the above reason, I've not dragged it in. I'm trying, also, to stick with Janice & Bud's mantra of simplicity while attempt to stay true to Al's base. I will, however, do as you suggested for the fun of listening. One way to really clean up a mix is to use aggressive fader control. Totally remove unnecessary things from the mix. Don't let them linger and clutter it up. In the verses.... nothing but rhythm and strategic fills. I get the whole thing about being faithful to what came before.... but when you added vocals, and they are so good, everything that came before was now up for serious editing. Again.... just my opinion.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,825
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,825 |
Hi Ray,
I think your getting closer with Mix 2.
A few suggestions:
1.Leave electric piano out of Introduction and first Verse and Chorus. Then bring it in the second and subsequent verses - to give the song some build. Maybe a touch more reverb/delay on the piano.
2. Choruses - add a ride cymbal to give them a bit more energy. Ride Cymbal should also be in the guitar solo section. I just grab a ride hit from the Internet and paste it in. Time consuming but works a treat and definitely worth it if you are working on a quality song.
3. Yes I agree with others - either drop the lead guitar fills altogether or bring them up in volume significantly and take all that extremely long reverb off them. I would drop them altogether - there's plenty of action from the bass to support the singer.
4. Guitar fills - normally start a full or half beat after a vocal phrase and meld into the next vocal phrase. Don't leave a gap between the end of each fill and the vocals. Otherwise the song doesn't flow.
5. Guitar Intro and Solo - I don't mind a sparse solo and there are plenty of effects on the guitar to fill in all the spaces.
6. Vocal volume in verses - much better but a few notes disappear so they may need manual volume editing (not compression). Plus they still may be a touch quiet.
7. Vocals in the choruses - excellent and right volume also. A few manual edits in timing and note volume may be required.
Sounding Good - Keep up the good work.
Best Regards
Nigel
Nigel Spiers
Christchurch, New Zealand
info@nzacoustics.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,300 |
Thanks Nigel,
I've made some more adjustments and added bass.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,497 |
Hi, Ray, Al & Alison !
What a fine collab on
this haunting tune !
I like it much - in fact
everything about it !
Cheers
Dani
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,372
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,372 |
Ray,
I don't know which is better V3 or replaced bass. Really, both sound good. V3 has more interesting passages, while "replaced" is more bold.
That "bell" sound I was talking about seems from elec. piano. I am surprised no one mentioned it, as some comments are very deep. Probably it's the difference in our hearing, as I can hear it still pretty dominants in V3.
In any case, love the tune. A+ colab!
Misha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,136
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,136 |
Love the sound of that first bass, too, Ray. WOW, this is such a brilliant next-level to an already terrific tune. I love the way you kept Al in there. SO sweet --the guitar, I mean... well, you, too. After listening to the first one, I went back to hear Al's original. SO good. Then came back to hear the last version for a truer experience. I now thank myself. Yes! Your bass is much more to the feel. Dang, that guitar sounds so good. Allison was an outstanding choice for the cool-lab. The perfect melody and passion. Hoping for more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,207
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,207 |
Well, Alison sounds great! We remember her fine cello performance on one of your previous songs too. Her lead and harmony vocals portray the sad, sad story in a manner that reflects the heroine’s pain and yet also her strength. And the powerful lyric certainly sets up the stage for that. The band ... Well, thanks for the mention of our sparse arrangements and, man, you've gotten a boatload of responses regarding the mix so we'll just kick back and see what happens.  Having blathered that we do like what you've done with it and the most recent version sets up a nice soundstage indeed for this minimalist production couple! J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
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®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,413
Posts804,609
Members40,120
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean