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I used to carve my lyrics into stones, but I stopped because typos are such a PITA to fix.  But to be honest, I still mostly write lyrics by hand. Why? Because a pen and a sheet of paper are more than just tools for putting characters and words on paper. When I'm writing and get stuck, I (unconsciously) start drawing little pictures (just like most people do during a long phone call). Or replace the dot on the "i" with a little heart if it's a love song. Or draw two eyes, a nose, and a mouth inside a uppercase "O" that’s smiling at me. Or I draw an arrow from line 12 to line 2 to show where that line should go,. Or highlight passages with borders or underlines. Or cross them out. Or put exclamation marks where the cool stuff is. You can always see how the text evolves, the process of writing. With a text editor and unlimited undo, you only see the final result. The process itself remains hidden and is quickly forgotten. That's a completely different stimulus for the brain. And last but not least, pen and paper work anywhere above sea level.
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Well, at least you can actually read it. I often go back to something I've written and after looking at it from several different angles and pondering over it, I still can't decipher it. I had a cashier ask me one day when I signed the credit card thing if I was a doctor. I asked her what made her ask that. She said, "your signature is totally illegible". Yes, I reckon it is. I had actually taken to printing the things I really needed to read later. What it is, is that my brain is 5 letters ahead of my hand, at times even on the next word, and my hand tries to catch up and the result would have Egyptologists who deciphered the hieroglyphics totally baffled.
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Views 149
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There's just something "happy" about reggae music. It's certainly a fun style to play with. Cool song.
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Virtually all of my writing is done on my computer. The main reasons are that it is easier for me and it is legible, my handwriting is a lot like my doctor's. Arthritis makes it difficult for me to write.
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In my college days I usually attempted to write down as much as possible during the lecture so I could learn it later during a study session. If I had had a computer I would have typed my notes. I doubt it would have made much of a difference in my overall college success since learning is a lot more than just taking notes. As for writing lyrics I never use pen and paper any more. The process of hand writing brings me no joy and I rewrite everything so much it would likely cause me to abandon the craft altogether. As for what tool I use to write lyrics...my favorite is Notepad++ (NOT MS Notepad!) Notepad++ is an extremely powerful text editor perfect for lyric writing, coding, hex editing, searching text in external text files, etc. I probably use only 10% of what it can do. Oh, and it is completely FREE! https://notepad-plus-plus.org/
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Views 149
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You are a low level accountant in a large corporation. You sit in the basement of the corporation's skyscraper doing insignificant paperwork. You look at the clock like it is a drum keeping time. You start to daydream and your mind wonders. It is like you are having hallucinations with some visions close and others far away, all backed by slowly shifting clouds. You are Lost in the Clouds BiaB style - Zenith Vocals and Arp Americana Tempo - 40 BPM I used all of the RTs in this style plus the MIDI side of the following: guitar - Solaris Gtr - Aurora Shift Piano - Kontakt - Vibraphone - Musser Utility track - UVI Workstation - Noctua - After Glow Via my breath and keyboard controller I am playing the Swam Bansuri. As always all comments are welcomed. Lost in the Clouds
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Super job, Izzy. Nice crafting of tiresome magazine lifestyle topics to a very fun theme. Reggae always feels uplifting to me, so I think this was a great style choice. Super arrangement! Had to double check the credits for the horn section--Nicely played! Super vocals, too. Old dog? Doesn't sound like it. New tricks? Definitely! My foots still tapping... Nice stuff!
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Here's an excellent video from the HIFIMIDI YouTube channel on programming funk bass lines in MIDI. The video uses EZBass, but you could use any good bass VSTi.
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B.D., Thank you - we both appreciate that. Bob
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Views 277
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blessings flow Hi Folks So, a while back, I found myself trapped in a doctor’s waiting room, forced to read a lifestyle magazine. You know the ones—full of "10 ways to live forever" and "why kale will change your life." It inspired these lyrics, but for years, I couldn't find a home for them. They’ve been unceremoniously rejected by Rock, Folk, and Blues, and were starting to gather more dust than my record collection. A friend finally suggested Reggae. The problem? My internal clock is apparently allergic to the "off" beat. I tried, but I think my rhythm section was fighting a civil war. Thankfully, "Band-in-a-Box" stepped in as the mediator to provide the foundation. At 71, I’ve finally birthed my first Reggae tune "Blessings Flow" . I know the learning curve is steeper than my doctor’s waiting room stairs, so if you’ve got any advice on how to make this old dog learn some new rhythmic tricks, I’m all ears. Bless up! .........please. Lyrics on Soundcloud Tempo 93 Key A Style is _REGGAE1.STY (Uptempo Reggae) 1153:Bass, Electric, Reggae Ev16 100 1156:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Reggae Ev16 100 1154:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Reggae Ev16 100 1155:Organ, B3, Rhythm Reggae Ev16 100 RealDrums in style:ReggaeClassic^1-a:Sidestick, Hihat , b:Sidestick, Kick, HiHat I played midi organ and brass BV's Me and Mel as usual
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Excellent. It's not a thing I've considered doing. I'm not optimistic enough. Your voice is rich and warm.
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Views 843
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Two things that struck me in the intro: The hmms had a kazoo buss to them and Joliz sounds like she's in another room. I think this is more apparent because of your voice, guitar & mandolin having a shared "room". Ace mandolin touches by the way. Really good song, simple, heart felt.
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Something tells me you'd do a killer version of this in a higher key for the verses. Still cool though.
Replies 36
Views 2,030
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I saw that article and it hit home in quite a few ways. My situation is a bit different. I hand-wrote lyrics on legal or steno pads with cross-outs and inserts as the lyrics came together. Only when done would I use a typewriter, later a computer to enter them. That changed seventeen years ago when I had a massive stroke losing the dominant side of my body—I'm left handed. Though I write daily, lyrics are few and far between nowadays—it just doesn't give me the pleasure that I used to enjoy. Three months ago, I had the Vivistim implant done. I am patient #2 on the West Coast. Patient #1 turned out to be my piano tuner for thirty years till his stroke a month after mine. We were featured speakers at the Pacific Stroke Association conference last Wednesday talking about our experiences with the process. Since then, my main progress has been handwriting. I have begun writing cursive again—something I never taught my right hand in seventeen years. I can't just pick up my fountain pen (ball and gel pens are less forgiving as to angle) and go—my arm has not caught up to my hand yet—but I am enjoying the struggle and the process. I feel it may unlock that creativity again; at least, that's the plan. We'll see...
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It sounds like your brain and mine are on the same wavelength--observing others and making up stories. My favorite line: "Lonely lovers kissing stars" Excellent band choices. I like the slow down ending.
Replies 36
Views 2,030
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Extremely high commercial value. Extremely catchy pop melody. This is so well produced. Sehr gut!
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Views 1,248
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I'm a fan and I certainly take a bow! Funny and wild ride on your limousine. Well produced with great vocals, I always enjoy your harmonies. Janne Thank you, Janne! Harmonies are a lot of fun to sing, glad you like these.
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Views 1,290
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Mario, This is really enjoyable listen from every angle. The background tracks are mesmerizing. Nice pickin' (cool trills!) Your sax is superb. Expressive! You turned the situation into music one can get lost in... fj Thanx so much Floyd for this fantastic review. I appreciate it.
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Views 458
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David, Thanks very much from both of us! Bob
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Views 277
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Chay, very nicely done. Cool effect when you introduce the harp, but all the new instrument reveals are unique and cool as well. Super mix. Top marks from me for your foray into a new band genre. "Irie, Mon!"
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An error message about exceeding limits in Band-in-a-Box (BIAB) usually happens for two reasons: 1. "Too Many Bars / Exceeding Bar Limits"Band-in-a-Box has a strict maximum limit of 256 bars. If you are working with multiple choruses, ensure your total bar count does not exceed this limit.The Fix: Reduce the number of choruses or shorten your song structure to fit within the 256-bar maximum limit. I believe that where there are multiple choruses defined in the choruses box, that the bars limit over the repeats limit is significantly higher; IIRC 2048?
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That's a heckuva group of session guys you put together. Really standout guitar solos. Nice mix ... remarkable how open you can make that many tracks sound. Enjoyed it, J&B
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Views 2,555
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Hi Floyd, I'm very impressed by your musical journey over the last couple of years, first with the piano, then the lead guitar, and now this! Sounds good to me, nice lines, and nice transition to the guitar. Guitar sounds great, nice tone, good lines. Have you explored any of the bonus preset packs that you can get for S-Gear? Some are not usable (for my music) but some are pretty good. Thanks, Dave...appreciate that. I grabbed all the preset packs when I bought S-gear. I should look to see if there is anything new since then. A lot of great variety there especially for rhythm track ideas (but I end up using RTs mostly for rhythm) Like a Samurai making his katana, you put your heart and soul into fashioning your mandolin. Your soul now comes out in its sound. Glad you saved some of that boundless soul for the guitar ending. Cool band, too. Thanks, Marty! Hi Floyd, Everyone here is talking about your mandolin, of course, but I just want to say that this bossanova track is very beautiful in itself. Great tempo, good band, and a really nice melody. I think you would say about this: "You made good use of Biab," but here that melody is really yours. I did miss your vocals a bit... The mandolin was a very creative find. The South Americans use it a bit less. You had to put a lot of effort into getting the sound out of it, but I must say, you succeeded well. Is it hanging on your wall again? Or do you have "wild" plans for it? Hans Thanks, Hans. I'm taking it off the wall almost every day...
Replies 25
Views 1,565
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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 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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