Soundcloud link: https://on.soundcloud.com/vODqeEH2rml6wmY6qI YouTube link: I recently re-watched "Casablanca," and was inspired by the scene in Rick's Cafe where the Nazi officers were singing a German song, so the resistance leader Victor Laszlo led the French people in singing the French national anthem to drown out the Nazis. So I thought I'd try writing a national anthem: National Anthem Let’s all join together for this nation we love, Land of the fortunate and free. Let’s all join together for this nation we love, protector of liberty. We honor our brave soldiers, who fought in foreign wars, And let us always be prepared to defend our sovereign shores. We celebrate our snow-capped peaks, our rivers, lakes, and streams. Blessed with nature’s plenitude, in our fertile fields and seas. Bequeathed a strong democracy, and distinguished history, A country built by immigrants seeking opportunity. No problem is too difficult, that we can’t overcome; Our nation is invincible, when our people work as one. Let’s all join together for this country we love, Land of the fortunate and free. Let’s all join together for this country we love, defender of liberty. Our people are determined to achieve prosperity, We’ll move ahead with fortitude to fulfil our destiny. to fulfil our destiny. All music tracks by BIAB; vocals by Angus Buchanan. Style is MARCH_16.STY (March 16 Style) Style MIDI Instruments are : Tuba (59), Brass Section (62), Clarinet (72), Glockenspiel (10), MIDI Drums :1 Standard Drum Kit (1) Timpani 48 (from DRAMORK4.sty) Piano 1422 (from _CABNJAM.sty) Bass 2478 (from _CABNJAM.sty) Drums (from _CABNJAM.sty) Guitar 2930 (from _CABNJAM.sty) Warm Pad 90 VocalOosAhs 2976 Cornet Bb from MuseScore 4 I used Audacity for mixing and vocal reverb.
Hi Marty, It's always nice to hear a historical story-song! I enjoyed your bass and vocals, and the BIAB fiddle solo really kicked it up a notch. Great lyrics and mix, too - nicely done! Bob
Hi Janice & Bud, There's so much I like about this song! - "The good news is the bad news coulda been worse" is a great hook, - Janice's excellent lead vocals, and how Floyd's backing vocals meshed with them perfectly, - Bud's cinematic imagery in the lyrics: "left the front door standing open when you walked out," "Tom Petty T-shirt in a corner on the floor" - Peter's guitar work.... All in all, a superb country/Americana tune, very nicely done! Bob
Hey Brian, Cool song! You really nailed the country song vibe, it hits all the right notes - great beat, the singer sounds like the real deal, and the fun lyrics hit the mark. A tip of my Tractor Supply baseball cap to you! Bob
Wow, what a beautiful pop ballad! The piano provided a superb accompaniment to the wonderful vocals/melody. And I thought the modulations into "But I can feel" and "I never knew it was the end" were very nicely done. I also liked the strings and guitar. Great lyrics, too! Bob
Hey sounds great to me still! I still remember the original, I believe. Sounded very familiar so I guessed I loved it the first time! Great work y'all.
FUN harmonies! Wonderful! The moments where the trumpet gets the "rrrrr" tonguing effect ... CHEER!!! The whole trumpet track is phenomenal. The bass is wow! If this is you having fun, Mario, MORE FUN, please! One of your best, no doubt about it. SUPERB.
Mario, How on Earth did I manage to miss your comment? I have no idea THANK YOU so much for your wonderfully kind comment. I'm so glad you liked this song. You're an incredible musician, so, for me (like I've said before), a compliment from you is high praise indeed!
Hi, B.D. AI can do mean country vocals! My worthless comment is that drear is archaic and I've never heard it used before. Fortunately, my brain automatically converted drear to dreary so you didn't have to. Fun song, your research paid off!
Thanks for the info, David I didn't know that. My dictionary of choice translates it to "drear adj. [poet]" And since my lyrics are pure poetry, I thought it was a perfect fit. And, as it happens, it also rhymes nicely with "dear" and "beer" Cheers🍺🍺
Hi All, I have been using Band-in-a-Box for many years and currently use Band-in-a-Box 2024 for Windows and the Band-in-a-Box iOS app version 2.0.7 on my iPad. I have around 60 older songs that I created several years ago (probably with BIAB 2022 or earlier). These include original songs from my band as well as many practice songs. For each song I have: • SGU/MGU files • sometimes MGX files • matching *_render.m4a files These songs were carefully customized: • drums removed or muted in some arrangements • specific RealTracks selected • styles adjusted • many mix and arrangement changes made manually The rendered M4A files sound exactly as intended. In older versions of the Band-in-a-Box iOS app these songs worked perfectly: • the notation and chords were displayed • the original rendered M4A audio was played After updating to iOS app version 2.0.7, the notation is still correct, but the app seems to ignore the existing *_render.m4a files and regenerates the accompaniment from the SGU file. The result is different: • some styles are replaced • some RealTracks are different • the arrangement no longer matches my original rendered version I also noticed something interesting: When I use “Open → Local Song” in the iOS app, there is an old file called “your_old_biab_songs.zip” shown with the label “M4A+ Ready”. However, opening this ZIP causes the app to crash. The ZIP is not visible in the iPad Files app, so I cannot inspect its contents. I assume it is an old import created by a previous version of the app. My questions: 1. Has support for older BB2Go songs with *_render.m4a files changed in the newer iOS app versions? 2. Is there a way to convert or migrate these older songs so the existing rendered M4A audio is preserved and used by the iOS app? 3. Is there a utility in BIAB 2024 Windows (or another method) to embed or link an existing *_render.m4a into the SGU file without rendering the song again? 4. Is “M4A+ Ready” related to this older ZIP import format, and is there a way to recover or convert these songs? The important point is that I do not want the songs regenerated. The existing M4A files represent the final arrangements I created over many hours and are the performances I want to hear. I only need the iPad app to show the chords and notation while playing the original rendered audio. Thank you very much for your help.
This is actually my first look at workflow in Suno. Henry does a good job illustrating the process. Not going to change anything I do today, but who knows what the future for my music making will become.
I thought the lead guitar sounded natural instead of quantized. I like the little interactive instrumental bits. I understand what you mean about BIAB enabling us to unleash our creativity!
This program's graphic layout is pretty antiquated and there are multiple ways to go to the lessons, which makes it pretty difficult to navigate. I found the easiest way is to load the program, click the grey "welcome" button (which is itself a problem because it's grey and I missed it, thinking it would light up), click the grey "begin lessons" on the far right, then use the tiny green left and right arrows at the lower right corner of the blue/navy blue horizontal banner to work through the program. Ignore the toolbar at the top. It will bring up the hyperlinks which will take you to the chords. The content is there but the layout is atrocious.
I like this: a history research essay via a song. You created a fun song with its upbeat melody, vocal delivery, and melody. I like the ending sound effects. You need to hire that bass player: he kicks a$$.
Shigeki, thank you for your kind words. "I don't think anyone but you could have created this song." I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Thanks, Andrew. "Tickety-boo" is an old-fashioned British term that means things are as it should be or correct. You're are pretty close on the chord progression for the chorus. I've put the song's chord chart below in case you are interested. Verse: D Gmadd4 A7 D Prechorus: B7 Em A7 Cm Chorus: Eb G7 Cm Abm Bridge: D Gm D
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac 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 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.
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!
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.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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Great work y'all.
THANK YOU so much for your wonderfully kind comment. I'm so glad you liked this song. You're an incredible musician, so, for me (like I've said before), a compliment from you is high praise indeed! 
Fun song, your research paid off! 
Cheers🍺🍺
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