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....................................
The other option is to simply purchase entire midi songs with the drums included. Picking one here and there would be both cost effective from a money AND time perspective. You can almost instantly see what is happening, and with the ability to hear them! ................ HeartoLearn beat me to the punch, pun intended. I will add that I would start with free MIDI files. Yes some a crap but many are very good. Plus the drum tracks in the free files maybe identical or very close to the purchased files. I have used the drum tracks from the free MIDI files. Plus your drums are lined up with GM drums. If your method was just a learning technique then just ignore this message.
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
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I will add that I would start with free MIDI files. Yes some a crap but many are very good. Plus the drum tracks in the free files maybe identical or very close to the purchased files. I have used the drum tracks from the free MIDI files.
Thanks for saying this! I was going to mention that as well and spaced it. There are a number of decent free midi sources.
If your method was just a learning technique then just ignore this message.
BIG +1!!! Lining up the drums to the correct line can get annoying.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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eddie1261
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"I was only saying to the queen the other day how I hate name dropping."
-Douglas Fairbanks
This came up when Ringo called me last weekend...
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For me, this is continuing education. Some of the new AI software I have been learning has pushed me further in the direction of sight-reading music. Standard notation is one of the significant ways musicians communicate.
Secondly, learning to play/program drums has been a serious issue I have avoided all my life. My new next-door neighbor is a drummer, so I can access a kit whenever needed.
As far as what is easy, that is simple in theory. Just hire a highly skilled professional drummer. Finding one is anything but simple other than paying the LA professional studio drummer price. Even then, nothing is guaranteed.
For me, drums and bass define the song. The more I critically listen to music, the more I find that unless the drums and bass are solid, I will not be attracted to the song.
If you don't have a bottom, you don't have a band. I just woke up...lol Crack of noon thing...lol
Billy
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I started out on drums.
It wasn't my choice. I moved to a town that at the time was small. All the instruments available for the school band were already rented. I really wanted to play the Euphonium, because I thought it had a beautiful voice.
All the new guys or gals got a practice pad and a pair of drumsticks. I practiced intensely, learned the rudiments that were presented to me (rudiments are the drummer's equivalent to scales, arpeggios, and ornaments), and quickly progressed.
Then the tenor sax player moved, and the band director asked who would like to try the sax. At that time, anything with a melody was good, so I guess I said "I do, I do!" more enthusiastically than the others.
It was one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me. Euphonium players don't get work, and the Euphonium isn't a chick magnet.
I rose through the ranks, became first sax in the all-state band every year, and also section leader, which goes to the first alto by default.
>>Fast forward>> I got in a road band. The drummer was a good singer, so I could play the drums while he got up front to sing.
Since every songwriter doesn't have the good judgement to add a sax part to every song, I learned how to get around on bass, rhythm guitar (barre chords) and keyboards. Switching instruments is good show-biz.
OK, here is my point of all this babbling.
I think every musician in a pop/rock/folk/country band should learn how to play drums. You don't have to learn enough to be proficient, but enough to understand them. At least the first dozen or so rudiments, and how to play simple backing rhythms on the drum set.
To me, this is as important as learning to get around on the piano keyboard.
It gives you a good understanding of what the drummer does, and when you are playing your preferred instrument, that helps you play with the drummer instead of playing at the same time the drummer is playing.
It will make you a better all-around musician.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Well, I could not agree more with what Bob said. Perhaps the best good fortune Bob had was being more or less forced to learn how to play drums.
There are many good reasons for band members to play several instruments. Drums and being able to play "with" a drummer is critical. It matters little how well or how many notes a nanosecond you can play if you can not play in time. Knowing how to play "out of time" is a very valuable skill. Playing "behind the beat," for example. To do that, you have to understand exactly what the drummer is doing.
There is a reason horns are not in most songs. Besides the obvious, the reason is money. Over my lifetime, we have gone from the Big Band era to DJs.
Having a horn section was always a treat for me. So was having a real B3. Not always possible, but very cool when it happens.
Money
It's a crime
Share it fairly, but don't take a slice of my pie
Money
So they say
Is the root of all evil today
Billy
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Great way to end that post Planobilly, with a verse from a 7/4 song .. perfect
/* I see what you did there */
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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I learned drum rudiments in 4th grade summer music camp. I consider myself lucky to have had that.
As far as music notation, I studied with the director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra and learned a couple of things.
But what I've done most is write horn parts for records made by other artists. I love a three-horn section, but I've played flutes or vibes just as often. I've written and played for everything from an Elvis tribute band to folk, country, soul, jazz septet, jazz big band, and up to symphony orchestra. Always fun to write for horns, though.
If you are interested in the best jazz horn writing, two words: Jerry Hey
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.
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<...snip...>
There are many good reasons for band members to play several instruments. <...>
Billy Most definitely. You don't really understand an instrument, until you learn how to play it. Once you do, you know that instrument's place (or its job, if you will) and how it should fit with the rest of the band. That also lets you know how best to interact with it while playing your preferred instrument. My primary instrument is saxophone/wind synthesizer, my secondary is vocals. I can double on flute, drums, guitar, bass, and some keyboards, but I wouldn't audition for a gig playing these as my primary. However, I did play bass as my main for a while, when nobody was hiring sax players, including a gig for Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon. I find that my time on drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards immensely helps my sax/windsynth playing. The opposite is also true, knowing how play sax/windsynth helps me play the other instruments better. Many musicians have no idea of what the drummer is doing. They don't know the difference between a single stroke roll or a double stroke roll or the difference between a flam, paradiddle, ratamacue or any of the others. In addition, The drummer also sets the groove. He/she is king of the recording section, and all other instruments need to fall into the groove and either sync with it or complement it. For that reason, when I make backing tracks for my duo, or styles for Band-in-a-Box, I start by recording a drum part. It might be just the basic beat, and I might add the rolls, fills and other parts later, but without the groove, the band isn't tight. It's also the reason I don't like to substitute 'real drums' with my MIDI styles. My bass and drum parts are synced together to the microsecond. No two grooves are exactly the same. So subbing another drum part with a different groove just makes for a sloppy, non-cohesive sounding rhythm section. Knowing multiple instruments also enhances my listening to music experience. You probably know how when you listen to a great player playing something really cool on your primary instrument, it gives you a little thrill. "Man! That was great!" Since I know how to play drums, I can hear someone like Bernard Purdie or Ginger Baker do something cool and really appreciate it. Same for the bass playing of John Paul Jones, James Jamerson or Paul McCartney. Or the guitar playing of Jeff Beck or Jim Hall. Or the vocals of Mark Murphy or Aretha Franklin. And so on. There is so much wonderful music, both old and young out there, that there is more than a lifetime of thrills. Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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I thought about you, Bob last night. Usually, the only way to get me into a bar is to pay me...lol
Being new here in Sebring and wanting to get out of the house with my wife, we took a short drive downtown. I saw a bar made from an old gas station and a duo called "He Said She Said". We stopped for a few and drank a beer. I don't remember the last time I drank a beer...lol
The guy could play guitar well, and both could sing well. Everything was sequenced and well enough put together but pretty simplistic. It was too loud for the place, and the high end of the mix was not good. I guess things never get mixed very well without a sound person.
They had a nice-looking class-A motor home with a trailer behind them for the stage gear. It was apparent they had been doing this for a good while.
I did not speak to them so I don't know what their story is. They looked like they were trying hard to do the best job that they could. I got the idea that this is how live gigging musicians survive in today's world.
Well...no sax and no B3, not even recorded horn stabs. Nothing in a bar that would support that I guess.
Hope you and your wife are doing well.
Billy
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eddie1261
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a flam, paradiddle, ratamacue or any of the others. I had to comment here because it's a funny story. Back in he Motown band years we were learning some song or other, and the drummer said "It isn't this way on the recording but let me start it like this." And he played a ratamacue. We all said "That's cool. Do that." After which he told us "That's called a ratamacue." Months later we were on to something else and I said "Hey can you start this one like that other one? With a razzmatazz?" And from that moment on, that fill became known as a razzmatazz. That drummer, who was as steady as a jogger's heartbeat, ended up as a midwest area blues band on call drummer for those ALMOST good enough bands when they toured the Great Lakes area. We had dubbed him "Showtime" because he would incessantly ask us "What is showtime at this place?" (never just "When do we start?"), and he hired himself out as "Johnny Showtime." Haven't seen him for around 20 years now but I'm sure he still plays in perfect time.
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<...snip...>
Hope you and your wife are doing well.
Billy Thanks Billy, we are doing great. We had 20 gigs in March, and as the winter tourist season starts to wind down, only 16 in April. We've got +600 songs in our 'book', and I've done all the backing tracks myself. Sometimes from scratch, sometimes with BiaB help, depending on the song. All my tracks are mixed well, although sometimes it takes a few tries to get them just right. Something about mixing at home and then playing them live in a bigger room. Moe often than not, the first try nails it. I have an identical mixer and powered speakers at home. We have two regular gigs, and the rest are private parties. The owner of both regular gigs have assured us that even when the summer business gets slack, we still have the gigs. We make them a ton of money during the season, and they don't want to lose us. We are happy, and healthy, and having a great time. How are you doing in your new location? I'll bet you were cold this winter after leaving Miami. Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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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.
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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!
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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®.
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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!
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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)!
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