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Last Curtain CallIt's the weight of the world
you're wearing on your shoulders (you will wear)
like some martyr's crown (it will wear you down)
in all caps and bold
the tales of your trials will be handed down
in philosophy
the wisdom of your writings will be there to see
discernment of a sage (discernment, sophia!)
with soundness and clear vision
it warms our hearts when we hear
but the truth is you can't see
the forest for the trees
you just burn them down
when the cold wind blows
everyone who knows
better turn around
these things that you say
fade away when darkness falls
another day somehow slipped away
the last curtain call
it's the way of the world
you see the same old story,
see the same old play
the trumpet will sound
everyone will bow down
time to turn the page
your philosophy
ain't gonna set me free
like some fantasy (your fantasy)
the devil gets his due
and he shows up right on cue
but he looks a lot like you
these lies that we can't believe
they're only make believe
just turn them down
the cold wind blows
everyone who knows
better turn around
the lies that you say
are washed away when hard rain falls
another day somehow slipped away
it's our last curtain callThe StoryI started working on this a while ago, and found it again recently. I had some dummy lyrics on it, and threw more lyrics at it and hoped they would stick. I'm not terribly happy with it, as it's basically an anodyne and toothless protest song. I'd have preferred to have written something with more substance, but I haven't posted anything in a long time, and my kids said was worth finishing, so... here it is. I see someone posted a song the other day with a similar title. Great minds think alike? I don't recall coming up with the chord progression, but it's mostly circle of fifth stuff with lots of major7th chords - jazz lite, I guess. I worked on the lyrics for more time that I care to admit, but sometimes you make early choices that work you into a corner. At some point I had to decide if I was going to tear it down and start again, or just live with it. So I decided to just let it go and get something done and not get so precious about it. And yes, I rhymed "believe" with "believe". I expect the rhyme police will be knocking at my door any moment to issue a citation. I replaced the drum track with drums from UJam's Legend kit, using the patterns. I simplified them a bit, but if I had the energy, I'd go back and add some flams and maybe a few crashes. I tried replacing the guitars with some sampled guitars, but didn't like the results. There is a bit where a UJam guitar is playing, but it's so short that it's barely noticeable. Bringing the 12 string to the front of the mix was a last-minute decision. While putting together the list of instruments for this, I noticed that the piano was MIDI, so I went back and exported the MIDI track. I first tried using the Alicia's Keys piano and panned it against the other, but in the mix it had no effect. So I added some effects, and eventually got it to sounds like an electric piano. I could have just used an electric piano patch, but I thought it was amusing to go the long route instead. So the regular piano is in the first half, and the faux-electric in the second half. The intro is just an attempt to do something different. I wanted more of stereo ping-pong effect, so I might go back an fix it later. But it's late and I'm tired. As with most of my songs, the chorus is much too long. The chorus is so long that there isn't even time for a third verse or a repeat of the chorus. There's no instrumental hook, either. Putting together the harmonies was, as usual, a bit of a grind, but also the most rewarding part. There are some spots where overlapping vocal make it impossible to make out what's being said, so I guess it's a good thing I posted the lyrics.  Yes, there are some dissonances in the vocals, and they sometimes rub a bit against the chords a bit much. In some places my ears have gotten used to them, while in others, they really should have been fixed. The chorus runs through some loosely related chords (Amaj7/Emaj7/Gmaj7/Dmaj7) but I went with my ear trying to keep each line as sensible as possible with as many voices as there were. There's a lot of voice exchange and very little doubling, and I was likely a bit too creative. After going through the mix a number of times, I tried to cut out instruments so there wasn't too much going on. It probably needs additional work, but I figured I'd post it and get some feedback. All suggestions are welcome! Edit: I've cut back on some of the overlapping lyrics. BiaB InstrumentsStyle is =NEALG.STY (Neal - Even 16ths Acoustic Count) Custom MIDI Style: 1 Acoustic Piano (=PIANO_F.STY [AB]) RealTracks in style: ~362:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085 RealTracks in song: 4818:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm SteadyPushMuted ev 110 RealTracks in song: 4515:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Rhythm BroCountryPop8thsGritSteady Ev 110 RealTracks in song: 3226:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Rhythm CelticSongwriterQuinn Ev16 080 Vocals: SynthesizerV Studio 2: Kevin 2, Oscar 2, Sheena 2, Saros 2, Felicia 2, Sheena EffectsVocal Chain: GS VoiceCentric, Valhalla Vintage Verb (Chorus Space), Fame Studio (Vocals/Gtrs) Drum: UJam Legend (Soeder De Berg) Tight/Worn Kit El Gtr: (Intro) UJam Retro Finisher (Dimensional Chorus), Finisher Voodoo (Musheen), Finisher Voodoo (Slo Mo Sweep) El. Gtr: UJam Retro Finisher (Dimensional Chorus), Finisher Voodoo (Musheen) Bass: Waves RBass 12 String Guitar: UJam Retro (Scanner Ensemble) Piano: UJam Retro (Dreamer) Piano: Kontakt (Alicia's Keys) UJam Retro (Soul Signal Chain) Guitar: UJam Amber (You Want This) Master Track: Waves Magma BB Tubes, HorNET ThirtyOneMKII, EZMix 3 (Modern Pop Master Softer)
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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David,
Jim Steinman would have approved of that opening. Very cool.
The voices sound great - separated and mixed perfectly. Great song, arrangement, tracks selections and absolutely love the drums.
Excellent!
Bob
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It's very obvious you spent a lot of time and effort on this. Especially on the voices.
I'm not sure that the voices work well on the chords you have them singing. There seemed to be some dissonance in places between the underlying chords and the vocal notes. Lite jazz chords are good in the proper places but for voices, over the music.... maybe not so much. I was thinking this would be interesting as an accapella arrangement and might work better that way. But ...all that said, the chords and the vocals make for some very interesting and unpredictable changes that keep me interested and waiting to see what comes next.
Just a suggestion on the lyrics......
these lies that we can't believe
they're only make believe
just turn them down
These lies that are now belief
Are temporary pain relief
Just turn them down.
Well done.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
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David, great to see/hear you back. First, and most important, rhyming "can't believe" and "make believe" is perfectly fine in my freewheeling rhyming dictionary. So no ticket from me.  It's certainly an ambitious composition, and very well crafted, and it sounds GREAT with a lot of interesting movement and clarity. (Did I use the word "and" enough in the previous sentence? Yes, I think I did.) I still found it a challenging listen for some of the reasons you list in your post, but am sure it would sound better with repeat listens. Will do that for sure. I'm with you on the struggle between making a song "better" and moving on. Sometimes you just have to stick a fork in it. Sometimes...over and over again.
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Nice song, with beautiful harmonies that aren't always perfect, but certainly serve their purpose.
The overlapping vocals are a nice idea, but it is indeed hard to follow the main vocals, I would reconsider.
Call/response would probably be easier to understand and more pleasant to the ears.
But all in all, it's quite an interesting song that's worth fine-tuning.
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Nice song, with beautiful harmonies that aren't always perfect, but certainly serve their purpose.
The overlapping vocals are a nice idea, but it is indeed hard to follow the main vocals, I would reconsider.
Call/response would probably be easier to understand and more pleasant to the ears.
But all in all, it's quite an interesting song that's worth fine-tuning. I agree. I did have a hard time following the lead myself. I also thing this is a diamond in the rough and with a little polish it would be brilliant.
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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Hi nDav id,
i think it's a great song but needs a touch more polish. An earlier poster. suggested a call and response with the vocals. I, too, think that would be a choice to consider.
On the backing tracks part, I think you're fine as is. Just the vocals need another glance or two.
I used to bowl on Wednesday evenings until Di's health took the recent downward turn. Most of the people there know I create music and write novels. A couple of them asked me when I knew I was finished with a novel or a song. I told them: "When I get sick and tired of rewriting it".
Anyway, I think you have a really good project to tinker with as you see fit. It doesn't need much - as little spit and polish here and there.
Alan
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
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David, always fascinated by your work, esp the vocal/BGVs..you've created a thick, lush audio texture that is so interesting. I esp like all of your side notes, very helpful!! In listening, most of my ear was tuned into the vocals, so I'd say that any reservations you have about the instrumental backing are nits that went largely unnoticed. Regarding the "rhyming" issue, I'm really strict on that, but I think that "can't believe" and "make believe" would be accepted by most traditionalists, kind of like "show more" and "know more" would be OK. My only issue is the ending doesn't really meet the standards that the rest of the track set up. Maybe instead of what you have, make an accapela final 2-bar phrase--after all, the vocal ensemble is the gem of this, so why not finish it off with a vocal flourish? Thanks for posting!
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
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David, you had me at the intro! That backstory was so intriguing, I was practically vibrating with anticipation for the sonic payoff. And let me tell you, the payoff delivered!
Lyrically, you're not just painting a picture, you're commissioning a freaking Jackson Pollock. Seriously, lines like "'but the truth is you can't see --- the forest for the trees --- you just burn them down' and 'when the cold wind blows -- everyone who knows --better turn around'"? Pure gold! Quoting them all would take up more space than my grocery list... and honestly, I'm a little envious. Consider my lyric-writing license revoked. ✋︎
The backing vocals are doing the tango around the melody, and the harmonies are smoother than a freshly manicured ice rink. I'm getting serious Rubber Soul-era, John Lennon-esque vibes, but with a delicious helping of that slightly-fuzzy, "recorded-on-a-4-track-in-a-dusty-attic" lo-fi charm. It's like you've unearthed a sonic time capsule, dusted it off, and given it a knowing wink.😎
Honestly, you could call this thing "Last Curtain Call Suite" – it's got enough movements and sonic shifts to fill a triple bill. And here's my official decree: do not change a single solitary note. Intentionally messy or a happy accident, you've stumbled upon something truly special. This isn't just a song; it's a wonderfully weird, slightly-bent, utterly captivating minor masterpiece. ♕
Consider me a fan. I Love It!!! 💗
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Jazz-lite indeed. Hey, those lyrics you threw at it are perfect --AND have substance, David. The vocals are so well done. Man, you are so good at that intricate stuff. Know what you mean about being backed into a corner with lyrics. Glad you stuck with this. Hey, Hamilton will give you a precedence to quote to the rhyme police; they rhymed subject with subject four times in the same line.
Third listen now... The opening reminds me of Beatles. Dang, I can imagine writing all of those intricate harmony lines, and you say you cut back some. Haha. That's why I'm on my 3rd spin. This is totally brilliant, David. Please don't rely on your kids to know what's good enough. Yeah, I love this one, David.
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David,
Very detailed pop tune. I like the tremolesque start and ending. Interesting vocal harmonies, but I prefer these a bit simpler. Solid work on drums, I also have that kit. I would bring vocals down and band up. Thank you for sharing.
Misha.
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Hi, Bob. Jim Steinman would have approved of that opening. Very cool. Ha!  I wanted to add a bit of punch to the intro. I had the electric guitar track there, and decided to fiddle with it. It may not match the rest of the track, but at least it gets your attention. The voices sound great - separated and mixed perfectly. Great song, arrangement, tracks selections and absolutely love the drums. Thanks! I appreciate that, especially coming from you.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Herb. It's very obvious you spent a lot of time and effort on this. Especially on the voices. If only the amount of time spent on a song made it proportionally good.  I'm not sure that the voices work well on the chords you have them singing. There seemed to be some dissonance in places between the underlying chords and the vocal notes. Lite jazz chords are good in the proper places but for voices, over the music.... maybe not so much. I agree. I think it was an experiment worth doing, and learning from. The mix in the SynthV editor was much lower, so the voices were more dominant. I did go back and fix some of the more obvious "bum" notes. But I figured I'd let the song be what it wanted to be, and not fight it too much. I was thinking this would be interesting as an accapella arrangement and might work better that way. But ...all that said, the chords and the vocals make for some very interesting and unpredictable changes that keep me interested and waiting to see what comes next. Yeah, I was seeing how much of the harmony I could pile onto the voices. At the point where they were disagreeing with the instruments - which were already dissonant - it seems that dropping the instruments would be the better move. Just a suggestion on the lyrics...... Thanks! I'll rarely accept lyrics from other people, mostly because there was a reason I picked particular words, and am too stubborn to let them go even when the don't work. But I really enjoy seeing the direction that other people would have taken them. Plus, it tells me where they lyrics are weak. I appreciate the helpfully critical feedback!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Ron. David, great to see/hear you back. It's good to be back. I've been working on a non-music project for a couple of months, and it's going to continue eating up my time. I finally had to stop and make myself work on music before another month went by. It's certainly an ambitious composition, and very well crafted, and it sounds GREAT with a lot of interesting movement and clarity. (Did I use the word "and" enough in the previous sentence? Yes, I think I did.) I still found it a challenging listen for some of the reasons you list in your post, but am sure it would sound better with repeat listens. Will do that for sure. One of the problems is trying to figure out if "fixing" the quirkiness of the song will destroy the best part of it. It's a bit of a mess, what with all these vocals vying for attention, and trying to make everyone heard. The underlying progression is actually quite lovely, but you've never know that from the melody. I'm with you on the struggle between making a song "better" and moving on. Sometimes you just have to stick a fork in it. Sometimes...over and over again. Thanks! I think I'll let this one sit for a while. The right thing to do is probably to remove most of the vocals and trust that the melody can carry the song. That means getting rid of most of the harmonies, and using them sparingly where I do keep them.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, B.D. Nice song, with beautiful harmonies that aren't always perfect, but certainly serve their purpose. Thanks! They serve their purpose, but I'm not sure they serve the song. The overlapping vocals are a nice idea, but it is indeed hard to follow the main vocals, I would reconsider. I've gone back and brought down the vocals, dropped a few, and used TrackSpacer so the melody would dominate. It probably still needs a lot more pruning. Call/response would probably be easier to understand and more pleasant to the ears. Oh, 100%. Typically, there's room for that. The vocals were shoehorned in after the fact, and it shows. But all in all, it's quite an interesting song that's worth fine-tuning. Thanks! I'll consider doing a remix.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Mario. I agree. I did have a hard time following the lead myself.
I also thing this is a diamond in the rough and with a little polish it would be brilliant. Thanks! After reading your comments, I've removed some of the more obvious offenders. It likely needs a more dramatic re-do, but hopefully it's somewhat improved.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Alan. i think it's a great song but needs a touch more polish. An earlier poster. suggested a call and response with the vocals. If there were room - and those bits added enough value - I'd do that. As it is, I've tried to remove the main issues. I used to bowl on Wednesday evenings until Di's health took the recent downward turn. Most of the people there know I create music and write novels. A couple of them asked me when I knew I was finished with a novel or a song. I told them: "When I get sick and tired of rewriting it". Heh. It's like the question of when an album is done - when you run out of money! Anyway, I think you have a really good project to tinker with as you see fit. It doesn't need much - as little spit and polish here and there. Thanks! I've made some minor tweaks, but I suspect a more drastic cutting on the harmonies is what's called for. But that's for some other time. Thanks for stopping to listen and comment!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Tom. David, always fascinated by your work, esp the vocal/BGVs..you've created a thick, lush audio texture that is so interesting. I esp like all of your side notes, very helpful!! In listening, most of my ear was tuned into the vocals, so I'd say that any reservations you have about the instrumental backing are nits that went largely unnoticed. I suspect you heard the remix. Regarding the "rhyming" issue, I'm really strict on that, but I think that "can't believe" and "make believe" would be accepted by most traditionalists, kind of like "show more" and "know more" would be OK. My only issue is the ending doesn't really meet the standards that the rest of the track set up. Maybe instead of what you have, make an accapela final 2-bar phrase--after all, the vocal ensemble is the gem of this, so why not finish it off with a vocal flourish? Heh. I had initially thought of doing an instrumental fade, but that song was already long enough. Then I had a quick chaotic ending where the instruments stopped at different points, with an acoustic guitar that kept strumming until it stopped. You know, the standard BiaB ending. It was cool, but I finally went with a short ending. I did consider a vocal tag, but was a bit burnt out at that point. If I go back for a remix, I'll certainly give it more thought. Thanks for listening and the suggestions!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Mssr. Serious. David, you had me at the intro! That backstory was so intriguing, I was practically vibrating with anticipation for the sonic payoff. And let me tell you, the payoff delivered! I'm glad you liked it. Lyrically, you're not just painting a picture, you're commissioning a freaking Jackson Pollock. Well, that's likely more accurate than you intended. Seriously, lines like "'but the truth is you can't see --- the forest for the trees --- you just burn them down' and 'when the cold wind blows -- everyone who knows --better turn around'"? Pure gold! All right, I'm going to have to stop you there. While that was kind of you to say, in my mind that's the problem with the lyrics - it's recycling cliches and relatively easy rhymes. But that's a me problem, because sometimes those cliches and rhymes are exactly what a song needs. Consider your license reinstated, with honors. The backing vocals are doing the tango around the melody, and the harmonies are smoother than a freshly manicured ice rink. I'm getting serious Rubber Soul-era, John Lennon-esque vibes, but with a delicious helping of that slightly-fuzzy, "recorded-on-a-4-track-in-a-dusty-attic" lo-fi charm. It's like you've unearthed a sonic time capsule, dusted it off, and given it a knowing wink.😎 Well, that "lo-fi" vibe was what I was aiming for, so I'm glad that came through. Honestly, you could call this thing "Last Curtain Call Suite" – it's got enough movements and sonic shifts to fill a triple bill. And here's my official decree: do not change a single solitary note. Intentionally messy or a happy accident, you've stumbled upon something truly special. This isn't just a song; it's a wonderfully weird, slightly-bent, utterly captivating minor masterpiece. ♕ I'm glad you enjoyed the song it all it's messy quirkiness. Thanks for listening and all your kind words!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Hi, Marty. Jazz-lite indeed. Hey, those lyrics you threw at it are perfect --AND have substance, David. The vocals are so well done. Man, you are so good at that intricate stuff. Thanks! Know what you mean about being backed into a corner with lyrics. Glad you stuck with this. Hey, Hamilton will give you a precedence to quote to the rhyme police; they rhymed subject with subject four times in the same line. Ha! Third listen now... The opening reminds me of Beatles. Dang, I can imagine writing all of those intricate harmony lines, and you say you cut back some. Haha. That's why I'm on my 3rd spin. This is totally brilliant, David. I'm glad you liked it! Please don't rely on your kids to know what's good enough. You misunderstand. My daughter was the one who told me to finish it up. Not her style at all, but it was worth finishing. She did like the change in rhythm in the chorus, though. Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment!
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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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.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
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!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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