If you are as old as I am you may remember the Maestro Rhythm King. It was one of if not the first drum machine in the 1960s.. It had awful sounding drums and even worse rhythms as well as a foot pedal to make it start and stop on a dime. If you are not familiar with it see and hear it here:
Anyway my good friend BobH was over Sunday and we put on a short drum machine loop as a click track and jammed to it. BobH came up with a great guitar track that fit the repetitiveness of the drum machine so we thought why not make a song out of it. So we added our own parts to the drum track and hopefully spiced it up enough so it wasn't so redundant.
BiaB Style = Awaken2 - Slow Meditative New Age Tempo = 100 PBM
I deleted the guitar track Drums- UVI Workstation - Prime 8+ - preset Clean Frank Bass - Ultra Analog VA3 - 30,867Hz - preset Quzo bass Strings - Ultra Analog VA3 - Angelicals - preset Oxygen PT2 Piano - Ultra Analog VA3 - Factory Library - preset Play A Low Note Utility track - EastWest play - Symphonic Choir - preset Full Choir
Bob is playing the rhythm track on my SX Tele guitar. I am playing the lead and harmony on my Harley Benton fake Gretsch guitar and via my keyboard and breath controller the Swam Tenor Sax. All three went through Amplitube.
As always all comments are welcomed.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Nice job, Mario and Bob! I just finished walking and feeding my 3 dogs their breakfast. This is the first thing I'm listening to. What a cool way to start off the morning.
ThinkPad i9 32GB RAM 7TB SSD; Win11 Pro; RME Fireface UCX II; BiaB 2026 Ultra Studio Pro 8; Tonalic Studio 1; Reaper v7; Bitwig Studio 6; Melodyne Studio 5 Gig Performer 5; NI S61 MK3; Focal Shape 65; Beyerdynamic DT 880 & 770
Cool track, Mario, nice instrumental bed and I like the melody and harmony parts you came up with on the guitar. Sax sounds good too.
I don't remember that particular drum machine, but I had a much simpler drum machine from Maestro many years ago, called the Rhythm Jester, early 70's maybe. Fun times!
Man, I learned a lot about drums by programing drum machines. Ringo was an amazing time-keeper.
You and Bob have great sessions. Must be a blast! Man, that's some fine "sax" playing. Very moody tune. Sometimes slow beats are harder to keep than faster ones. Good thing you had that drum machine to keep you on track. Keep jammin'.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
Very cool, dreamy song! Doesn't sound redundant in the least. You provided a lot of interest around the theme. I was surprised it ended so abruptly. Thought this would just drift off like a dream...
Ha! Great job on all live instruments, and good on you for keeping your vintage gear in play. It all sounds super!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Nice job, Mario and Bob! I just finished walking and feeding my 3 dogs their breakfast. This is the first thing I'm listening to. What a cool way to start off the morning.
Thanx so much for taking the time to listen and comment on this jam.
Originally Posted by BlueAttitude
Cool track, Mario, nice instrumental bed and I like the melody and harmony parts you came up with on the guitar. Sax sounds good too.
I don't remember that particular drum machine, but I had a much simpler drum machine from Maestro many years ago, called the Rhythm Jester, early 70's maybe. Fun times!
Thanx Dave.
I think the Rhythm King was the first from Maestro and yours was a later model.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Man, I learned a lot about drums by programing drum machines. Ringo was an amazing time-keeper.
You and Bob have great sessions. Must be a blast! Man, that's some fine "sax" playing. Very moody tune. Sometimes slow beats are harder to keep than faster ones. Good thing you had that drum machine to keep you on track. Keep jammin'.
Marty, yes Ringo was a human drum machine as always kept perfect time.
Yes Bob and I do have a blast jamming. We started using the drum machine so we could not only keep in time, we do have a knack for wandering, but also so we could bring them into BiaB and possibly post them.
Thanx for this very kind review.
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
Very cool, dreamy song! Doesn't sound redundant in the least. You provided a lot of interest around the theme. I was surprised it ended so abruptly. Thought this would just drift off like a dream...
Ha! Great job on all live instruments, and good on you for keeping your vintage gear in play. It all sounds super!
Thanx Ron. It ended so abruptly because that was the way those old drum machines stopped. I though ending it like that added some realism.
I do have some vintage gear but a drum machine is not one of them. What you heard was from UVI Workstation , a soft synth using bank Prime 8+ and the preset called Clean Frank, weird name for a preset isn't it!
I'm glad that you enjoyed it.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Thanx David. I did realize there were so many drum machines! I never used drum machines on a song until I got the UVI software. I always just looped a BiaB drum track. Back when I was gigging I would never use a drum machine.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
As for the "stone age" drum machine, thanks for sharing. I never heard of that thing. There's definately value in history, it gives one a grounded perspective and an appreciation of the technology we have today.
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.
As for the "stone age" drum machine, thanks for sharing. I never heard of that thing. There's definately value in history, it gives one a grounded perspective and an appreciation of the technology we have today.
Thanx Steve.
I hear ya. I wish I had half the tools to make music today when I was gigging. When I was gigging I used a Casio Strat MIDI guitar controller and three tone generators and my long time friend had three synths for his keyboards but the sounds back then were no where as good as the sounds today. But I had fun back then and I am having fun today so that's all that matters.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
This is really cool and inventive tune. The King is used in such a way that I didn't pay any attention to the quality of its sound, thanks for sharing the information about that "beast".
The chord progression is very unique and mysterious, great effects on the guitars, the sax adds enjoyable warmth. Other synth sounds are a treasure chest in this electro-ambient-jazz wonderland, reminding me of a Finnish band called RinneRadio.
This is really cool and inventive tune. The King is used in such a way that I didn't pay any attention to the quality of its sound, thanks for sharing the information about that "beast".
The chord progression is very unique and mysterious, great effects on the guitars, the sax adds enjoyable warmth. Other synth sounds are a treasure chest in this electro-ambient-jazz wonderland, reminding me of a Finnish band called RinneRadio.
Janne
Thanx so much Janne for this wonderful review. I tried to mix the drum machine like they mixed drums back in the 1960's. They were mixed a lot quieter than they are mixed today.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Thanx Floyd. Adding the breath controller with my keyboard opens up a lot of possibilities I don't have with my wind controller. There are a lot of VSTis that are replicating the old sounds.
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64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
That's a really beautiful theme, Mario, and I love that recurring guitar phrase. Gorgeous!
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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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!
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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!
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.
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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.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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