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
Brace yourself for another exciting episode of PG Music Retirement Village Rec Room debates!
That is funny stuff...laugh out loud!
Now, if someone would just wipe the drool off my chin and remind me what we are talking about...lol
Oh, now I remember.
If the BMI person is correct in all the assumptions, that is a pretty tall order to comply with.
But...
Let's just say for the moment that somehow I did that.
Let's just say that somehow I was able to convey my song idea to a super-skilled professional vocalist.
Let's just assume I was able to convey my musical ideas to highly skilled studio musicians.
Let's just say the BMI guy said WOW!!
Then what? What does that guarantee?
I wrote the song for Taylor Swift. What do you think the chances of her singing it are?
As you can see, there is a long and winding road to Nashville and the penthouse that she lives in there, or anyone else for that matter. There are an incalculable number of twists and turns on that road.
After all that immense amount of work and good luck, BMI still can not guarantee you have a hit on your hands.
The takeaway from the BMI video is writing great songs is anything but easy. Getting past the gatekeepers is difficult at best.
If you happen not to know, BMI has a website and there are many interesting articles on its home page.
Now let me guess, if I pay to read this author's book, or go to a seminar, then I too can be one of the 75 people out of 50 million trying to get a cut???
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........
And If I am not the artist's brother or producer the odds are............
Would I be better off as an Indie artist writing the best songs I can that I want to write and doing my own thing with shows and indie releases instead of dropping acid and thinking someone is going to take my whiskey song over at Warner Chappell???
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......
And I wonder if the percentages have dropped since Irene wrote her article?
Wait!
They have puddin' in the rec room!! I better get my walker and get shufflin,
I think I see my old buddy....John...think his name was John...John...John...John, John John,
Oh hell, not even he can remember, what did I say? Where is my pill!!!!!
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
I've actually had a sit down meeting with Jason back in 09 where he listened to my music. I won't recount here what he told me..... It wasn't bad....
I didn't, however, score a publishing deal out of it.
I think I have at least one of his books somewhere around the studio. I have Pattison, Rogers, Blume, Marino, Frederick, Anderson and a few others on my shelves for reference and reading. You can learn something from everyone.
Who decides what that "WOW" factor is in the song? I believe it is the audience, the listeners. Not necessarily the guardians of the gates.
If you haven't watched the movie "I can only Imagine".... you should. It goes along nicely with what JB is saying in the article. Mercy Me was a good band with good songs but when they played a showcase for the guardians of the gates in Nashville, they were told.... You're not good enough. Not interested. The option was.... get better or get out of the business. They came back with the song which is the title of the movie.... the rest,as they say is history. It only takes ONE SONG to make a career.
AS NSAI is fond of saying.... It Begins With A Song. The question is.... can you write it?
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.
According to Jason, the "#1 Mistake Writers and Artists Make" is writing a song that that's not exceptionally better than the competition.
Jason calls it the "wow" factor.
But according to him, it isn't a single thing. The opening line has to be exceptionally better than the competition. The lyrics have to be uniquely better than the competition. The concept has to be fresher than the competition.
The list goes on.
Certainly, there is useful information in the article.
Luke Combs wrote a great new song called Fast Car.
I can't say enough good things about it!
It is a REAL song! What a hook! Great lyrics! Mezmerizing. Like it was written by a PRO. It even has a slightly feminine touch to it. I can't explain. Just amazing.
Man oh man oh man, real songwriting is BACK.
Ain't it fantastic!
Who knew they would start writing great songs like this again!
What happened?? Is the music industry saved???
He sure didn't make any mistakes with this one.
In fact, he showed us how it is done!
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
I started out on Burgandy but wound up on the harder stuff. "Happy juice" just doesn't cut it...lol
There was something on the nightly news about this eleven-year-old girl who thought Micheal Murphy sang like an angel. She did not know he was an old guy! She finally got to talk to him after the CBS news story.
Writing based on the rule book or writing to meet someone else's expectations are fine & dandy if that's where you want to be. The Comb's cover is pretty much note for note though the addition of steel is unnecessary other than to connect with his genre touchstones - it lacks the great voice and sincerity of Tracy's original and he pushes his vocal distortion a bit too much but so long a TC gets some $ all is good. Deep satire David, deep and missed by many.
Last edited by rayc; 07/08/2312:10 AM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
My advice to those of you who think all current music sucks is, go write a hit song that meets your standards.
Yep. Go put your money where your mouth is.
Originally Posted By: Planobilly
The idea that there is little to no "good" music being written is not accurate.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
The idea that there is little to no "good" music being written is not accurate.
Indeed.
I've just a few days ago come back from Swanage Jazz Festival here in the UK, which obviously informs my own tastes. Others will have quite different tastes. These were three bands from whom we bought CDs, much of their output is new compositions: Invisible Apples Yetii Hip Harp Collective
I've never heard any on radio, nor seen any on TV but these and many others are out there in clubs and at festivals and concerts.
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 .
The idea that there is little to no "good" music being written is not accurate.
Indeed.
I've just a few days ago come back from Swanage Jazz Festival here in the UK, which obviously informs my own tastes. Others will have quite different tastes. These were three bands from whom we bought CDs, much of their output is new compositions: Invisible Apples Yetii Hip Harp Collective
I've never heard any on radio, nor seen any on TV but these and many others are out there in clubs and at festivals and concerts.
It's the local music scene where the innovation still exists. In this area of NC, there are 2 local original music playing bands that I am aware of. I know the guitarist and drummer in both of the bands. They are regularly appearing with other original bands at venues and shows. One of the bands is a heavy metal band.... they call it "sludge metal" and the other is more pop/progressive. Both appear to have a sizeable and growing cult following.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.
It's the local music scene where the innovation still exists.
I'm sure that's a pretty sound observation.
From my own background, primarily in Engineering, but also with a good dusting of the sciences, another factor for innovation is cross-pollination of ideas. Ideas that come into one field, initially completely out of kilter with another field, and then a crazy idea becomes an exciting idea.
I've just realised that two of those groups are from the same city (Bristol, UK).
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 .
Luke Combs wrote a great new song called Fast Car.
I can't say enough good things about it!
It is a REAL song! What a hook! Great lyrics! Mezmerizing. Like it was written by a PRO. It even has a slightly feminine touch to it. I can't explain. Just amazing.
Man oh man oh man, real songwriting is BACK.
Ain't it fantastic!
Who knew they would start writing great songs like this again!
What happened?? Is the music industry saved???
He sure didn't make any mistakes with this one.
In fact, he showed us how it is done!
That there is some slick undercover slamming.
My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.
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.
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!
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.
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)
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Have at it. 
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean