I hope you're not lumping Bud in with that ongoing list?
Not at all. He says he reads four balanced and well vetted news sources, but then says he’s naive. I don’t think he’s naïve. Well vetted sources are a good thing.
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 hope you're not lumping Bud in with that ongoing list?
Not at all. He says he reads four balanced and well vetted news sources, but then says he’s naive. I don’t think he’s naïve. Well vetted sources are a good thing.
My comment about naivety was a tongue in cheek reference to Billy's post were he went into some detail discussing how misinformed I am regarding the current state of AI, etc., and how my described "cloistered net world" I reside in was not as I perceive it. Poor me.
But since the VAST amount of my time is spent mountain biking, hiking, trail building and studying/photographing old architecture (all with my wonderful wife) I reckon I'll survive my relatively brief net ventures.
Bud
Last edited by Janice & Bud; 05/07/2303:19 PM.
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And the one that isn't a hoax ... Santa really is an anagram of Satan!
Last edited by Gordon Scott; 05/08/2306:00 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 .
I agree with Bud to some extent about being 77 and continuing on my oblivious journey. I said something similar to Steve in North Carolina. "I am getting old, and I am going to die and leave these issues for you young people to sort out."
The moniker "Planobilly" mainly resulted from living in Plano, Texas.
My house was eight minutes south of the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, a place my wife and I have shopped at several times. AI may truly cause serious issues but what is going on in the United States is gloomy indeed … perhaps more than a bit dystopian.
It would be easy for me to continue my "oblivious journey." Well, that is, until I am personally negatively affected by AI or other issues I have limited control over.
I try to be informed. I try my best to put security measures in place. I sleep well at night knowing I have serious security systems in place and that I am well-armed, well-trained, and as well prepared to protect my family and friends.
There is no reason to get overly upset or excited about these issues. There are excellent reasons to be well-informed and put whatever measures in place you can to protect yourself.
Here is a known known. AI or not, there will always be a sub population of cognitively challenged and minimally educated adults that will believe in falsehoods. Here are just a few:
If you don't want the robots to take over, then don't invent the robots. You don't want a Terminator, don't invent the technology. AI is the current money grab and it will be developed to a point that something bad could happen. One thing you can count on is our "leaders" in DC will not do anything of substance to stop or curtail it unless it affects their power. I am not being exclusive here, both major parties are guilty. It is always about money and power. Even the climate. If there were no money to make, I guarantee you there would not be as much going on about it. I know as I work for a company that stands to make several hundred billion dollars from the green push and that is not an exaggeration. They are betting the farm on it. If the next election results in a regime change, and certain aspects of legislation gets repealed, we will be up the creek for some of it as a lot of the money is based on government handouts of course, which you and I are paying for.
As for the creative world, the gate keepers are always looking for ways to get more without paying more. Having an AI create is way better than some temperamental creative! The current WGA writers strike is all about the fact that the writers are not benefiting from the 'streaming revolution'. The model has changed, and they are still being paid like the broadcast rules specify. In their world it is kind of feast or famine. They have to live off the good jobs in the times they are not getting to write other stuff. Very similar to the music world.
AI is only going to make this worse.
Warehouses are getting more and more automated and as soon as they can invent a robot to do what a person is doing they go to it. Robots don't want days off, don't need sick time, and work tirelessly. You need a mechanic or two for repairs etc. vice a building full of people that have to have SS and Medicare taxes paid and health care and so on.
Its not all bad. I get to still play guitar and enjoy myself regardless.
I don't watch the news I don't really trust any of them to tell me the truth anyway. Deep fakes will soon hit the campaign trail and you will never know if what you are seeing is real or fake. The movies already do that. I am pretty sure the dinosaurs in the Jurassic movies are not real!
Just an opinion, everyone has one you know.
My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.
It feels a bit like the Bible is true because the Bible says it is.
Funny you should mention that, I was just the other day arguing at the dog park with a guy who was saying just that. He seemed to find the circularity comforting. I said, but Bob, I could write a book and say "everything here is true" and that wouldn't make everything true. He replied, but you're not God, and I gave up.
Verse 1: I was just a dog, my name was plain Until my owner played a cruel game He placed a ham upon my snout And snapped a pic, then sent it out
Chorus: Now thousands prayed for Hamdog's burn But there was no AI, no digital churn Just a simple prank, a foolish game Yet the internet was taken by this canine's shame
Verse 2: My heart was heavy, guilt weighed me down I never thought this ham could cause such a sound People sharing, commenting, showing love But it was all a lie, sent from above
(Chorus)
Bridge: I forgive my owner, he meant no harm But now my name is known, and my fame is warm Hamdog they call me, a dog with a tale And I'll keep on wagging, I'll never fail
Here is a known known. AI or not, there will always be a sub population of cognitively challenged and minimally educated adults that will believe in falsehoods. Here are just a few:
Santa Clause is real
You missed one.
Santa Claus has an E at the end of it.
Nope.
The e is for embrangle
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.
It feels a bit like the Bible is true because the Bible says it is.
I tweeted once "All of you people who base your opinions on the bible and what god says, where are people like me who don't believe in god supposed to turn for guidance?"
I had over 2000 hate mail tweets after that one. Some people were AGHAST that their could be someone who doesn't live their life based on some book that may or may not exist, that IF it exists is nothing more than a collection of stories that nobody can prove are true, and was passed down through generations, translated many times between languages.
It's like some religion based game of Telephone.
In a bar once with 8 people sitting at a round table, I whispered this joke to the person next to me and had them whisper it to the next person. The joke was this.
A guy walks into a restaurant. The waiter asks what he wants. He said "I'll have 2 pork chops, and make them lean." The waiter says "Sure sir. Which way?"
When that joke came back to me the girl on my left said:
"A guy walks into a restaurant. The waiter asks what he wants. The guys says "I want some pork chops but make sure they don't have a lot of fat on them." And the waiter says "Sure mister. Which way?"
That's how I view the bible I don't believe exists. Like a thousands of year old game of Telephone.
I wonder how AI would tell the story of The Loaves and the Fishes? Someone with an account care to test that?
You have something that to me is just a book of stories. Your belief system makes it "the bible".
The point of that post slightly left turn of a post was to say that people can believe what they choose to believe and like something they choose to like. Like Drake AI, Kanye AI, Usher AI, McCartney AI, Dylan AI, etc... Everything in life is optional. (Except that it eventually ends.)
... Everything in life is optional. (Except that it eventually ends.)
You forgot Taxes
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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!
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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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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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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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