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So I went to the Cancer Clinic surgeon today and the checked my ears and there's no fluid. I thought for sure they were blocked. Across the hall they have a big hearing clinic and they sent me over for a hearing test. Normal from bottom to 1000 hz.
Nosedive to 2000 HZ needing 55 db the whole thing does about a straight line down to 4000 where you need 100 db. They say I need hearing aids in both ears. Tests no cost. Fitting 50 bucks my insurance will pay. Try for 90 days return for the cost of the molds. Bear in Mind this is the Ear Nose Throat and Oral cancer centre so they have no agenda like the private places that make cash off pushing you to buy.
Oh it helped the Audiologist had an MA and looked like a 35 year old Morgan Fairchild with curves. Wow. Anyway she said both ears are the same. I have a copy of the report.
I noticed my Grandson's xylophone was broken last night, and the wife says it works fine. If I put it up to my ear and hit it hard it was loud and fine. Still no teakettle, alarm clock..can't hear them.
So all the stuff that sounds wrong in band in a box,
1. How do I cure that, use a eq (I have fairly good one I'm not using) and pump up the upper end when practicing?
2. Anyone playing horns with hearing aids? They say there are models with mute buttons, I notice 2 guys in my Brass Band take them out before rehearsal.
3. They say this is going to stay this way unless more chemo.
The good news is no sign of cancer but a CT scan with dye next week to check.
I can eat a bit the radiation killed the saliva and some taste.
The chemo got the nerves in my feet and I have terrible pain but got off all medications including narcotics for the last month, the told me today that I need narcotics, probably forever. Nice. They are waiting to see if they do a neck dissection and take out some nerves lymph glands and jugular vein. Good news is there was no cost coming up, the only want 50 bucks which I get back. The wait time of 20 minutes for a hearing test, and then I went back to the surgery team who explained the results and told me to try hearing aids and then back there and got the appointment for Monday. Can't bitch about that. Someone to amputate my right foot would be ok with me if the pain went, it's well, all you can think about at times.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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i have an apb out for tara and one male ccc (crazy cantankerous canuck) along with a 3 loonie reward.
coincidental, but im going to an audiologist next week to have a stubborn wax impaction whittled out. im totally deaf in the interim. they use eardops and i hear perfectly for a few minutes until the mass blocks my ears again so i know its just a temporary mechanical problem. the darned stuff seems bulletproof. meanwhile, biab is getting a well-deserved rest. i can't even hear my phone ring two feet away. not equal to your woes amigo but on the same rink at least.
i've been missing your posts. hope you get to feeling better, i miss swapping insults w'ya.
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Oki Dokey Okey. Seen Annie? Oakley?
Problem is when the pain gets bad you think only u are it.
They say booze might have cause the primary cancer but they can't find it at all. So the bride says no more booze for you.
On the other hand which is better, a shot of rye or a shot of morphine?
Beats me.
I miss being able to eat. And the new wardrobe is coming, I've gone from 240 to 170.
Oh well, I'm on the green side of the grass for now.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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John,
If they will pay for the custom molds, definitely go for that. Alot of times these days, they try to pawn off 'dome tips' which don't really seal all that well in the ear canal.
My company is one of the companies in N.A. that make custom molds. Been doing it for 51 years. The custom molds cost fraction of the cost of the hearing aids themselves; not even 1% of the cost, yet many audiologist offices don't want to bother with them because you have to come back to the office to be fit with them, rather than them shoving you out the door with a dome tip on the first day you arrive and pay them for the instrument (that's what they call the part that has the mics, DSP, and speaker).
That's quite a bit of hearing loss to try to make up for with EQ - 100 dB of gain isn't going to happen with just about any playback system. Of course give it a try. Use some hardware - got an old graphic EQ sitting around? Stick that in series before your speaker amplifier, set it flat, and boost the bands where you have loss. You'll get 12-15 dB of gain that way.
Then pull down all of the other bands and crank the big volume knob on your amp. That will get you 24-30 dB gain. It might be enough for you to notice the difference, but Mac has warned about individual band filters going into resonance - something I hadn't thought of, but is certainly possible.
In all of it, proceed with caution. Don't want to kill the rest of the frequency range that doesn't exhibit loss.
-Scott
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Thanks Rocker.
My system is a vista 64 win 7 to a Bose L1 through their version of 'mixer'. I hear weird stuff, as I said to the audiologist some stuff she was playing to me was a puff of air, and she said it was a tone.
I know little about the whole thing. I did write some crazy serious software for a local company who made a box in which you tested hearing aids and shipped them all over the world. But it was a Unix system that you put in the order and it faxed overnight confirmation, then when your product reached stage 1 sub assembly they got fax 2, then when it was at 1/2 done another fax went out, and when finished again, and when tested again another one, and when shipped again. All customer service. I did the inventory software, the picking program, the tracking faxing stuff, and they were a great company, paid the day you did the work, and treated me great. About 20 people worked there, and they were so impressed with the computers they bought and the programs. Never complained. I might have quit firefighting and done the computer thing full time, but I had too good a pension and too much potential so I kept on the 2 jobs thing until my Doc told me I was too old to work that many hours.
I found out the other day that 3 companies are still using thousands of lines of code I wrote, one told me that their stuff is still running on my stuff I did in 85. I should have asked for an annual royalty!
I remember one of the markets for the hearing aid tester was Australia and they had 200 units there. The testimonial I read about the customer service via the faxes was the reason they bought 10 more, and I got a $500 unasked for bonus for the letter. But it was the owners, the staff and the employees who told me this was a good idea, but too hard to do and still run the place, so the automation was, in the end, a lot of fun.
I remain of the opinion that the sky is the limit with a Linux Unix system, you have so much creative control.
Oh well, off to bed!
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Well, I don't want to be religiously offensive as I know that stuff fires you up John, but I am just grateful to God that you're still with us after your treatment ordeal, or at least, I hope the worst of it. Don't be riled now, I'm not giving you the sky pilot routine. I just enjoy your posts and outlook on life and thank the big guy it looks like there will be more to come. All the best.
John
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.
Well, John, I don't know what to say to any of this, except I am very happy to hear that the cancer is no longer in evidence.
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Thanks all.
I did say to the pray-ers, if you show me a church where people live past the average age, don't suffer, and the kids don't die of leukemia or die after car accidents I'm joining. Not to ruffle anyone's feathers. My Mother believes God healed me. She's 83 and she has no bone in part of her back and it has the nerves messed up so she can't walk. Been like that 10 years now. 4 to 5 steps to a wheelchair. Narcotics. Dementia. And her 400 member prayer chain Baptist Church can't get her out on Sunday though she'd love to go she just can't take it. So I go as sit with her while my Dad goes.
Don't get too shocked but I believe in God, but that's it. Not some book, or some guy with a radio show, just plain old vanilla Supreme Being.
The platinum chemo 3 times they pushed and dam spoilt my hearing,
The same poison ran my veins and dam spoilt my dancing,
The radiation cooked my neck and throat and damn spoilt my singing.
I have a version of a song I plagiarised from the 1700's I need to finish but it's downstairs and the walk is too painful to contemplate.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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john,
the booze theory doesn't correlate or every irishman and scot i know would have cancer. my dad was a heavy smoker and drinker yet lived to 86 and died from kidney damage from a fall in a nursing home. i seriously doubt that they have found the true cause yet. why can two people, one 'clean' living get it while his 'dirty' living twin brother escapes it? do countries with highest alcohol consumption have a correspondingly high cancer rate? i think not.
going back to my spoiling and pampering, 8 student aide trainees this weekend. 'scuse me.
to be continued...
btw, they booked a piano player/singer here on wednesdays who'll knock and rock your socks off. plays a combo of floyd cramer/jerry lee lewis. gets these old flatulents movin' i'll tell ya. problem is keeping him sober. he's a 'no show jones' half the time.
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Kewl Don.
Having the best day of the last 3 weeks. Only limping a bit and had a nice filet mignon for lunch with mushroom hunter sauce to wash it down, baked potatoe with sour cream and little pepper squash with bacon and Oka cheese/butter.
To bad I eat so slow and like a bird. The wife gave in and bought me 6 beers for supper last night, well it took until 2 am. to down 3, so I'm not setting any records.
I am uploading a video to youtube of my fall adventure up north with a band in a box version of Maple Sugar an old time Canuck Fiddle tune.
Stay tuned, that's some slow upload der eh Jaques wif da bad touque?
John Conley
Musica est vita
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hey john, you ccc (crazy cantankerous canuck), i'm ordering one of these: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Olympus-2GB-Digital-Voice-Recorder-With-USB-Direct-Silver/11084258and when i get it i'll record this bloke and email it to you, ok? his name is duane lewis and he is quite talented on piano while his vox is hohum and repetitious at best although he is very entertaining and animated in his delivery of 50's rock tunes. wudja like that? lemme know
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I have me one of those, use it to record Brass Band Rehersal so we can play along at home. Works OK. Check out the low end video cameras now out, you might have a hoot with one of those. I see them for not much more money. The Olympus takes some pulling power to get the cover off to plug the usb thingmajig into your mainframe.
The idea is good.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Hi John. Glad you're still with us. The pain in your feet sounds a great deal like periferal nueropathy. I have that all over my limbs. Almost kills me when I kneel. Feels like my knees caught on fire sometimes. Other times not.
God bless you and your family John.
Russ Anyday above ground is a good day Computer is Hp Pavillion Vision 6 Ghz quad core AMD processor 8 Gig memory 1 TB hard drive 6 GB hard drive Windows 7 Premium Loose nut behind the keyboard 
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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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!
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.
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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-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
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- 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!
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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.
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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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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