I once was having a debate on here (about whatever) and used an example from video games as an analogy, which promptly went right over everyone's head and didn't help my case at all So here's my question - Is it possible that people who play video games and people who play BBox are two demographics so distant that there just is no overlap whatsoever? Am I the only one?!
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BBox 2022 Audiophile, Mac Pro Intel, OSX 10.6.8, 800x600 (TV VGA)
I use BB but I don't play video games.... does that help?
The most recent video game I own is the Microsoft Flight Simulator that still as the World Trade Center Towers in downtown Manhattan. They removed them from the next version. I haven't flown that simulator in twenty years now. As a licensed pilot, it's one thing to jump in a plane and fly somewhere and spend an hour doing that... it's another thing totally to do that same flight in a simulator sitting in a chair at a desk waiting for the miles to tick away.
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.
I don't think so, isn't forum member Allanah an avid gamer.
I tend to dip in myself often but mainly on VR (Quest 2) all the time these days, though I am no dedicated gamer, most of the time not finishing the game, especially if its fairly difficult.
Still enjoy it though, just tried Assassins Creed VR (got to mission 10 before I got fed up with it as was not helping my eyesight) so have moved on now to Peaky Blinders VR. So far its enjoyable.
Eyesight is not good which is a factor (Nystagmus) but still you have to work with what you have.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
No, you are not the only one. Not only do I play video games I wrote a couple for the Bally Astrocade video game's user group. I also did a golf game for the Atari computer system, but both of those were years ago. Now on occasion I will play a couple of Wii games, mainly hockey or pinball.
Love is grand. Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I have to confess that I've never played a video game in my entire life. Not that there's anything wrong with video games. I'm getting the picture that there is no definite connect or disconnect between video games and BiaB users.
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.
I've been playing video games since the old Atari and before that on arcades with Space Invaders and Asteroids and even Pong. Nowadays I play FPS games on the computer as well as other types.
Another thing which brought on this thread is when I heard this:
Now, I instantly recognised the game this song is from, because I've played it - and I also instantly recognised the BBox style that's clearly been used in it, because I've played it
And that made me wonder just how many people would be able to make that claim, which I still remain convinced is - hardly anyone!
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BBox 2022 Audiophile, Mac Pro Intel, OSX 10.6.8, 800x600 (TV VGA)
Is it possible that people who play video games and people who play BBox are two demographics so distant that there just is no overlap whatsoever? Am I the only one?!
Before my health took a nose dive and I couldn’t pass my flight physical, I had a private pilot’s certification and flew Cessna 172, 182, and 336 routinely. Now the only way that I can get my flying fix is with MSFS and a set of Varjo Aero VR. The only other games that I play are some of the old WWII submarine simulations.
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
<...snip...> So here's my question - Is it possible that people who play video games and people who play BBox are two demographics so distant that there just is no overlap whatsoever? Am I the only one?!
The last video game I played was “Pong” on my Atari computer. It got boring quite quickly. Of course, the games are much better now, but I have other things I'm more interested in doing in my play time.
So FWIW, count me in the group that plays music, but not video games.
I do enjoy playing a few games occasionally with my children. Mario Kart is lots of fun. Personal all time favorites are Tetris, Sonic, Mario, Street Fighter, Soul Calibur, and a few more. I am not a gamer, but would play once a week for half an hour or so.
One of the last games that really hooked me is actually on mobile devices / phones called Brain It On. It's a puzzle, but of very different kind. It makes you think outside the box (I am not talking about BIAB). Pretty cool brain exercising app. Levels could last as little as a few seconds. Great time waster if you are standing in line or waiting for bus, etc. I urge those who like logic games to try it. I think first 20 levels are free and than it is only couple of dollars to buy full version. Runs on Android, iphone and their tablet counterparts.
I do enjoy playing a few games occasionally with my children. Mario Kart is lots of fun. Personal all time favorites are Tetris, Sonic, Mario, Street Fighter, Soul Calibur, and a few more. I am not a gamer, but would play once a week for half an hour or so. .......................................
Misha, I want to thank you for naming me as one of your favorites
Ducking and running for cover.
Love is grand. Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I could say I'm an avid gamer. Lately, I've been playing 7 Days to Die. Any other players around here? My friends and I set up a private server through 7d2d.net for just $6/month, and we have some slots free. If anybody wants to join, PM me.
Years ago I was an Atari Tech fixing the game machines and computers all the way up through the Atari ST series which I was introduced to MIDI on it because it was the only computer with a built in MIDI interface at the time. I did play lots of games on the Commodore 64 and Atari. In the 90's I got hooked on the PC version of the Tomb Raider Series with Laura Croft. I still love Red Dead Redemption 2 today and I find some of these high end graphics are mind blowing. It seems like yesterday I was playing with 8 bit pixel graphics and now the latest 3D Unreal Engine stuff. I have always loved high tech whether music or computer stuff.
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
I used to be. I had a ton of games for my Atari ST computers. I even programed a couple of games for the Bally video game. A football game I did was published. I also did a golf game for the Atari but I didn't submit it for publication. I found out that those funny looking plugs on the Atari ST would allow me to record music so I purchased a keyboard and started on my MIDI journey.
{edit} I do have a WII and I still play pinball on it. I was a real pinball wizard back in the day. I still love real pinball games.
Last edited by MarioD; 01/07/2503:29 PM.
Love is grand. Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
That's really cool Mario, that is how I got hooked into MIDI myself. I did not know you programmed games!!! I went to Nevada Gaming and Technology school in Las Vegas to learn how to work on Poker, Slots and gaming machines. Included in my courses was Video Arcade, Jukeboxes and Pinball machines. I got to work on them old Bally Pinball machines and others in school. It was a lot fun. The strange thing is I never did go into the Casino trade. I ended playing music for some time and then moved to Arkansas and went to work for Xerox, Canon, and Sharp till I retired a few years back.
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
Having gotten my private pilot license as a younger man I have always been fascinated with flight. Not having the deep pockets and discretionary income necessary to rent, let alone own an airplane, I was forced to go with flight simulation. As far as games on a computer go, I've spent a lot of time with Microsoft Flight Simulator and a couple of other flight sims that put me in the cockpit of the worlds most advanced military fighters.
Funny story.... My oldest daughter also got into the MS flight sim. I had the 2000 version. One day I walked in and my daughter was flying a heavy jet. She was flying around New York City.... Straight ahead were the twin towers. Yep..... Plowed right into one of them. I thought to myself, where did I go wrong? But she turned out ok in the end. My daring outlaw flying consisted of flying a Lear under the Hudson bridges.
Aside from those and a brief period of fascination with solitaire and pinball, I don't really spend time with games. I've never gotten into the multiplayer games online. Not ever to check it out.
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 probably no surprise to most of you that I'm a gamer (as well as being both a BB user and musician) and I've written music and done sound design for games too. These days I mostly play Zelda or Souls style games, but I have a soft spot for RPG's.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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 new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
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.
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/W33htTrz/Mario.png)
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/PJvJzySk/download-image-1707264869251.png)
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean