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I went to a rehearsal last night. Set up my keyboards... powered on my trusty EPS 16+ sampler and stood there as the power supply burned up and started to smoke. (Sidebar: Has anybody ever tried to find parts for a piece of equipment that was 11 years old when the company went out of business, and THAT was 12 years ago?) I took the thing apart last night and there was so much damage... capacitors all swollen.... obviously more to fix than it's worth.
So this morning I got online ans started hitting the usual suspects... eBay and Craigslist. I found some stuff but not a lot. And the thing I can really use is an EPS 16+ because I have all these samples on discs....
I was finding a lot of the EPS available, but the samples are not backward compatible and my samples will not work in an EPS. I was not sure of that when I started shopping, so I struck up a conversation with a guy in PA and it turned out he had an EPS 16+ for sale a short while ago. I explained that in my position, my budget would only allow me to spend what he wanted for the EPS, and since that wouldn't work I guess I would just have to make do without it. I explained why things were bad and that here I was at age 60 going back to playing in a bar band for supplemental income and that it was so bad I was in danger of losing my house.
He wrote back to me that he himself was an aging musician and hoped that by age 60 he had a house to be close to losing and that he would have thick enough skin to play in a bar band again. Also that his EPS 16+ did not sell on Craigslist at the price he wanted and that it must have been the universe telling him to let me have it at the price he wanted for the EPS.
Sometimes things happen that just renew my faith in humanity. I am truly blessed far more than I believed just a short time ago.... Now I need a reason to be near Philly so I can meet this guy and thank him in person.
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
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Hang onto the old one. Nothing is nonrepairable, actually, but if for no other reason than the old one may be able to upchuck parts if the replacement ever needs them.
--Mac
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Yeah, the floppy, the display wasn't damaged, the keyboard is fine.... they are the identical model..... it was quite an event with that burning smell in a cramped basement.
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
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I second what Mac says. Baryy and I had matching Juno 106's, and his died up long ago from abuse, and I kept his old one. Mine has hardly ever been played (maybe a year or so) and is in almost perfect shape. Knowing I have guts for it is cool. It's one of my older synths, so finding parts would be next to impossible unless (like Mac) you are into replacing actual components and parts on circuit boards. Sounds like you've met quite a wealth of good people lately. Maybe Karma is catching back up. 
Make your sound your own!
.. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
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It may be. All of you here are on that list.....
AND my friend Rachel, the one that sings like Emmylou Harris, has another Ensoniq synth I will take off her hands. That will make 6 different Ensoniq models in my museum....
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
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Eddie, my main axe (actually my only axe with keys) is an Ensoniq VFX SD. Still cranking away since 1989.
Before that I had an ESQ1; which was Ensoniq's first synth after the Mirage Sampler. I used to save sequences and patches via cassette tape data transfer (modem screech!).
The VFX SD has key aftertouch, which I used to use to some effect on held chords. Sadly, almost no keyboards these days have that feature, nor soft synths.
The Ensoniq folks were the real deal. It's really too bad they sold back in the day; as soon as they did - the innovation stopped.
Glad to hear of your good fortune. Pay it forward.
-Scott
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Oh, and by the way - there's a song hiding in your story. Write it.
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Scott, I have an ESQ-1, and SQ1, a VFX, a VFXxd, a dead EPS16 + and a new (to me) EPS 16+ on the way and a TS-10. All Ensoniq, all the time. The VFXsd doesn't boot anymore so it isn't pictured, but here's my studio rig.   I have had Ensoniq my whole musical life. Love the way they sound. Here's how the place actually looks right now. Did some moving.  
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
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I thought my work area was messy ,but you win Eddie !
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That's not mess, that's work goin' out the door.
I know people who keep very tidy home studios, but nothing ever seems to get into the can for some reason.
Eddie's is very tame, actually, you oughtta see what this place can look like when there's a deadline looming. For one thing, if it was my studio, that dead Ensoniq would be in the pic, opened uo and awaiting components with the soldering stand still there waiting to burn some poor unsuspecting soul. Behind the coffee mugs.
--Mac
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Journeyman
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I used Eddie's picture to prove to MY wife that it is not just me!
I'm doing allright for Country Trash ....
I used to care, but things have changed (Bob Dylan)
BIAB 2022W + RB
M-Audio FastTrack C600, Rode NT2-A
Digitech VoiceLive 4
Epiphone Sheraton, Ibanez 12str, Washburn 6str, Cort 6Str Nylon
Yanagisawa Tenor Sax
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Quote:
I know people who keep very tidy home studios, but nothing ever seems to get into the can for some reason.
I recently bought an amp from a guy who has a home studio. It was beautiful, all set up in a sun room, with the best of everything, a huge TV sized monitor, latest MAC, an array of vintage guitars and keyboards all artfully arranged around the room, the latest Tascam with automated sliders, portable acoustic panels and much more. I was awestruck.
I asked to hear some of his music. He fumbled around a while then took me to somebody else's web page and played a song that he "added a track to" about ten years ago.
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That's not a mess at all, it's mostly the contrast with the cables against the white wall that makes it look messy. Hang some black cloth on the wall and it will look much better. I made the mistake well, not really but sometimes I wonder, of buying a very modern and cool looking corner glass desk on sale for $200. It looks great when it's clean but man, the dust. As soon as it gets dusty it looks like crap and every 10 days or so I'm forced to pick up all the papers, disc's, flash drives, keyboard/software manuals, car keys and everything else that lands on it and dust the thing. It's like having a black car, after one day it looks like I haven't touched it for a month but when it's clean it looks sharp.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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I went away for 10 days and came home. (The latter is implied eh?)
My wife has always loved decorating and the shows. Her mother gives here 80 or 200 magazines every few months and she pours over them for hours, huddled in a corner with little light, imagining this or that floor treatment, jeez. Then the TV shows on cable. I just leave.
But she descended on my 'studio' and painted it, redecorated it. So proud.
OMG, on the walls were 80 pictures, 8 1/2 x 11. All framed in glass things with little clips to keep the glass in place. Book shelves I used all the time, with great cloth over the shelves so you have to get the darn cloth out of the way to get anything.
Then the sound triggered the glass...which one?
What do you say?
I saw the big Mac at Best Buy...I can afford it I guess. Wow. I'm going to fill my house with stuff.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Hey Eddie, that doesn't look bad at all, and there's nothing that some cable ties couldn't fix. Or, Bob's suggestion of a black background.
It does look functional, and that's what counts.
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
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Save the cable ties, you may need 'em for handcuffs one night...
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Mac, Quote:
Save the cable ties, you may need 'em for handcuffs one night...
Sounds like you've played with some of my old friends. 
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Eddie, Back in the day, I had my Ensoniq VFX-SD repaired at Al Nalli music in Ann Arbor, MI. The thing started to emanate a 'honking' noise at full scale and come to find out, this was fairly common with the VFX/VFX-SD. Inside, there's an edge connection between two different PCBs and the fix was to hard-wire the two halves together. Here's a page dedicated to them that shows the repair that was done to my axe. http://www.syntaur.com/tech_vfx.htmlOne thing that they were not well known for was robust mounting of the PCBs inside of the case - even though the case is a beast in and of itself. If your case creaks and squeaks when you pick it up by the ends, it could very well be that some stuff inside just needs to be re-seated, like that edge connector that lives inside. I'm guessing you have the O.S. diskettes. If not, I can see if I can make a copy (if I can find a 3.5 around here somewhere) and stick it in the mail to you. Let me know via PM. -Scott
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Ann Arbor, eh? Hmmm..... Even though that is where that school up north is located, maybe I will take a run up there and drop it off. I will have to get permission from the Buckeye nation to do it, but I really would like to have the VFX back up and running.
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.
1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.
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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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Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
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If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!
The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!
There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.
If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.
We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!
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Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed!
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