Andrew, I can't say that this will be any help to you, but when I write a song it's like writing a short story about something that I've either lived through or am familiar with. Each new song has a meaning that grows out of a real moment, something I felt, something I saw, or something I couldn’t shake. Sometimes it’s a memory I’ve carried for years, and other times it’s just a single emotion that hits me out of nowhere and refuses to leave until I give it a place to live. The melody becomes the mood, the lyrics become the details, and before I know it, the whole thing turns into a snapshot of who I was in that moment. I guess that’s why every song feels a little like a confession and a little like a release. It’s the closest I can get to putting my heart on paper and hoping someone out there recognizes a piece of their own story in it.
Found this on AI: Summary AI tools are increasingly capable of evading detection mechanisms. As generative AI technologies advance, they often outpace the capabilities of AI detection tools designed to identify AI-generated content. This creates a challenging landscape in education and other fields where authenticity is crucial. Detection Challenges Many AI detectors struggle with accuracy, often misclassifying human-written text as AI-generated. The effectiveness of these tools varies significantly, with some achieving detection rates as high as 96%, but still facing issues with false positives. Arms Race in Academia The rise of user-friendly AI models like ChatGPT has led to an ongoing arms race between students using AI and educators trying to detect it. This dynamic raises questions about the fairness and reliability of detection methods, as they may not perform well under real-world conditions. Implications for Authenticity As AI tools improve, the reliance on detection mechanisms may undermine the integrity of assessments and evaluations in educational settings. Authentic human writing remains a critical asset in maintaining credibility and originality.
Well done. The magic of this one is the use of repeated and harmony lines...they make it really real. Everything about this is cool...cajon included. I LOVE the double solo...the counter line underneath doesn't compete but adds context. ACE writing, arrangement & mix.
Ok, just completed a test on my latest BiaB song. Geez, it worked GREAT. Let me sculpt the mix to my taste: a bit more snare, a little less ride, quite a bit more splash...and it all sounded perfect. On soloing the stems, did not detect the "cut off" issue on this particular drum track: Everything decayed quite naturally. A few notes: This is not a real time tool. You run the VST in record mode in your DAW to produce the stems, and you control the stems on subsequent replays in your DAW. The time to render the stems is not instantaneous. Probably took three minutes on my three minute long song. The processing power required to render the stems is unlike anything I have ever run on this PC. The Windows Performance Monitor indicated I was running at 75% capacity and my fans were SCREAMNIG. I'd never even HEARD my fans before in the year I've been running this relatively powerful hardware DAW. So I'm impressed so far. Definitely worth a trial if this is a feature you think you'd use. Did not try the revoicing or other features. Doubt I'd ever use them but I'd encourage anyone interested to test them out.
All pg users... review of audient id 24 interface... https://audient.com/landing-pages/julian-krause-id24-audio-interface-review/ JK is a tech reviewer of interfaces. (full disclosure i'm a user of one of audients humbler interfaces... do your own testing....the audient id 24 is above my pay grade...lol.) NOTE...if one is in the market for a new interface BUT WANT HIGH GAIN MIC PREAMPS...i suggest you check out SSL range of interfaces with 72 db gain apparently....these have got a good rep apparently...but always do your own testing. ALSO NOTE...some interfaces only offer a global setting of 48 volt phantom. one reason i like my audient is i can set each channel independent of the other including mutes etc etc. so check this out in any interface your looking at. hth...ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN TESTING. om
Hi Ron, An incredibly energetic song, with many tongue-twisting parts in the lyrics. Very funnily done and well sung, nice melody! For a moment I thought "take a bow" was meant for your president, but apparently not... I did have to scratch my head for a moment at this lyric: "The limousine has like ten flavors of seltzer water And a driver on bail for vehicular manslaughter And enough headroom for all the Harlem Globetrotters" Couldn't get what it really meant, even after the translation in Dutch, but I'm pretty sure it was funny! Hans
Thank you, Hans! So to break down the three lines of the bridge you were asking about into plain (but American) English: 1. The limousine has an amazing selection of mixers available in the built-in bar 2. The limousine driver has been criminally charged with killing someone with a car, presumably the limousine 3. The limousine has a raised roof tall enough to accommodate the tallest passengers, for example, The Harlem Globetrotters basketball team Funny interpretation about our "take a bow" and our president, but...no. Ha!
Awesome abd beautiful vibe from the get-go! Very, very impressive soundtrack-like arrangement and as always I love those Swam woodwind instruments. "IMHO this is your best yet", but if I listened to your whole repertoire I might think it wasn't!
Thanx so much Chay. I also like those Swam woodwinds and actually all of the Swam instruments.
Man, I loved Country Joe. Maybe I listened in state that was difficult to discern but it sure sounded good to me.
What I loved about that era was that every single band had it's own unique sound, and CJ & The Fish was one of my favourites. I always hear the ocean in their music. Joe was a brilliant and very poetic lyricist and among my favouite tracks are the "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die" album's title track, "Pat's Song", "Magoo" and "Janis" which flows beautifully into the instrumentsl, "Easter Jam". From the previous album "Section 43" is also an excellent instrumental, and a from a later album - I have it but can't recall the title, maybe "Together"? - "Donovan's Reef", from which are these superb lines: "It's all a mystery, the pages of history Oulastred the things that I most held dear." Though that doesn't apply to CG & The Fish and so many other bads from the 60s!
Wonderful, happy reggae love song! I was just in YT and there was a notification that you'd posted a new song, but I couldn't find it on your page. This song has 2 things in common with 2 projects I'm working on: inspired by J&B and lacking inspiration myself for instrumentals I'm just doing the finishing touches on my first reggae instrumental - that will likely be my next post as I'm still awaiting the final BVs for my first Chay-sung song - then planned as the following post is another sung song called "I Love You", but it's really about the 3rd great love of my life and/or a 4th yet to come one who alas is probably in Neverland!
Gig Performer Pro and Essentials v5.2.2 are available as a free update for all Gig Performer 5 users. This release expands what song part actions can do, introduces practical tools for building and managing your setup, and brings additional mixer and audio capabilities to Gig Performer Essentials. Many enhancements from user feedback have also been added. Gig Performer Pro: $169 Gig Performer Essentials: $59 Academic 50% and Partner 10% discounts available. More information about this release: https://community.gigperformer.com/t/gig-performer-5-2-2-is-now-available/27007 Latest video:
Marty, An excellent song. Love the melody and your excellent vocal. Great, great mix on this as well - the piano sounds are terrific! You are producing awesome music these days! Loved it! Bob
Thanks, Bob. Thanks also for mentioning the piano sounds, which to me sometimes seem more difficult than they should be.
Originally Posted by DC Ron
Nice one, Marty! Very engaging instrumentation anchored by your groovy bass. Love your vocals! Wish I could do those little yodels. They sound SO cool... Very nicely mixed, too. Great development of your narrative. Think you did a superb job connecting the dots. Hey, it's only rock'n'roll, but I like it!
Thanks, Ron. Wish i had more control over those yodels.
Originally Posted by Andrew Dee
Hi Marty! A single finger wave … I wonder which finger that would be? 🤔 I think we understand how finely balanced our democracies are, and how it’s incumbent on us all to protect what we have. How on earth did you get 1243 listens on Soundcloud since 5 April? Well done and well deserved! Andrew
Thanks, Andrew. Granddaughter Charley says, " 'Pinky Up' " is a better song. Yeah, wierd how that many people have listened. Always reminds me i wouldn't've made it as an AR guy. i thought the irreverant video would've put me on some FBI list, but the audio only hints at it.
Originally Posted by MarioD
Marty, this is a very clever song. Loved the single finger wave line! Super backing band, great vocal and mix. You certainly are producing some fantastic music, and they all are winners. Loved it
Thanks, Mario. When hands are that small only the middle one would be noticed.
Originally Posted by K-Dub Ya
Hey Marty, You sure know how to tell a story and this works really well. This feeds well into the underdog wins out theme. Don't know why you wanted to hold this one back, it's fun on so many levels. Good choice of BIAB style, loved your bass and your vocal suited the theme perfectly. Don't tell Mr.Dee, but i'm struggling with the current challenge. I know what I want to do and that's a tragic or mysterious feel. Just can't come up with the right lyrics and and a little used progression or one that hasn't been used before. No pressure, 3 & 1/2 weeks to the next meet!! Might be a while till my next upload. Cheers Marty.
Thanks, Lee. Oh, K-Dub Ya. OK, W. Okay, W. You got this and i am really looking forward to your offerings. You two are fine songwriters.
You are a great storyteller and together with your warm grandfatherly voice (love those low notes) and your steady bass playing, the combination is a flawless one, no need for a patch... other than for the sympathetic bumpkin. Great band, the clarinet solo sounds like made for this song, nice effects. Fun and upbeat song that wipes away all the worries in the world and will be hopefully played till the cows come home.
Originally Posted by jannesan
You are a great storyteller and together with your warm grandfatherly voice (love those low notes) and your steady bass playing, the combination is a flawless one, no need for a patch... other than for the sympathetic bumpkin. Great band, the clarinet solo sounds like made for this song, nice effects. Fun and upbeat song that wipes away all the worries in the world and will be hopefully played till the cows come home. Janne
Thanks, Janne. i started looking for a soprano sax for the solo, but none was fruitful. The clarinet surprised me --hardly any regeneration needed. Ha, you know that expression about the cows? Not sure the history of it, but knew it wouldn't be universal.
Originally Posted by floyd jane
Crazy story. Well told.... Cheering the underdog!!! Cool music. Well sung. Good mix. I like how their 10 kids all look the same age! fj
Thanks, Floyd. Always wondered about that expression, Underdog. Hmmm. Yeah, Ai, huh? What're ya gonna do? I tell it that all their kids looked alike and figured it'd get that it wouldn't just be a litter of 10 kids. That's why i use a small i for Ai, and also not to confuse it with my buddy Al.
Originally Posted by Ezekiel's Storm
Loved your song and your vocal delivery, especially the low notes. Fun instrumentation. You are my favorite bass playing bumpkin!
Thanks, Scott. i was going for a story told by Johnny Cash, but... i gotta get me one of them Bumpkin Basses.
Originally Posted by Janice & Bud
We too can picture Grandaddy Babu telling stories to a bunch of children sitting at his feet. 😊 That’s a fun story and a fun band to go with it. The clarinet was a nice surprise. As others mentioned your vocal sounds great. And your resonance on low notes is really good. Your bass is standout as is the mix and your always supportive video. Enjoyed it! J&B
Thanks, Janie & Bud. When our kids were little i'd tell them bedtime stories every night. Never had anything planned and just started ad libbing --jamming. Some of the stories were really good, and they all had some moral to them. Often i was amazed at how the story developed and couldn't wait for the next part. Another example of why there's no credit in creativity.
Originally Posted by vicarn
Hi Marty. A solid production on an old theme. Nice vocal baritone sounds here and there. What I'm scratching my head about is the "stealing wood" line. Does it have any relevance or was it purely to rhyme with good? Vic
Thanks, Vic. Good question. Back when i wrote this one i was reading a book where one of the characters was arrested on a felony charge of stealing wood --some exotic and rare wood that amounted to 70K. But yeah, it was mostly to rhyme with good. Janne
Thanks, Janne. i started looking for a soprano sax for the solo, but none was fruitful. The clarinet surprised me --hardly any regeneration needed. Ha, you know that expression about the cows? Not sure the history of it, but knew it wouldn't be universal.
Originally Posted by floyd jane
Crazy story. Well told.... Cheering the underdog!!! Cool music. Well sung. Good mix. I like how their 10 kids all look the same age! fj
Thanks, Floyd. Always wondered about that expression, Underdog. Hmmm. Yeah, Ai, huh? What're ya gonna do? I tell it that all their kids looked alike and figured it'd get that it wouldn't just be a litter of 10 kids. That's why i use a small i for Ai, and also not to confuse it with my buddy Al.
Originally Posted by Ezekiel's Storm
Loved your song and your vocal delivery, especially the low notes. Fun instrumentation. You are my favorite bass playing bumpkin!
Thanks, Scott. i was going for a story told by Johnny Cash, but... i gotta get me one of them Bumpkin Basses.
Originally Posted by Janice & Bud
We too can picture Grandaddy Babu telling stories to a bunch of children sitting at his feet. 😊 That’s a fun story and a fun band to go with it. The clarinet was a nice surprise. As others mentioned your vocal sounds great. And your resonance on low notes is really good. Your bass is standout as is the mix and your always supportive video. Enjoyed it! J&B
Thanks, Janie & Bud. When our kids were little i'd tell them bedtime stories every night. Never had anything planned and just started ad libbing --jamming. Some of the stories were really good, and they all had some moral to them. Often i was amazed at how the story developed and couldn't wait for the next part. Another example of why there's no credit in creativity.
Originally Posted by vicarn
Hi Marty. A solid production on an old theme. Nice vocal baritone sounds here and there. What I'm scratching my head about is the "stealing wood" line. Does it have any relevance or was it purely to rhyme with good? Vic
Thanks, Vic. Good question. Back when i wrote this one i was reading a book where one of the characters was arrested on a felony charge of stealing wood --some exotic and rare wood that amounted to 70K. But yeah, it was mostly to rhyme with good.
That's a top contemporary rock ballad BD. Loved the mix, style and instrumentation. You're on top form and onto a winner with this one. Excellent, kind regards.
Thank you so much for your really nice comment, Lee. Mucho appreciated
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!
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)
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!
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.
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