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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,104
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,104 |
I've always had good service from Sweetwater, and the same 'sales engineer' for many years. If I can't find it locally, they are my first on-line choice.
And Eddie, yes, I do tracks for my duo. I agree, it's economics, and a compromise. I make my tracks myself, which is time-consuming, but at least the tracks are in the key we want, and the arrangement we want. Plus, I get to leave out the most fun parts of the song for Mrs. Notes and I to play live.
Would I rather play in a 7-piece band? Yes. Only if all the players are as reliable and have the same work ethics as Mrs. Notes and I do.
Can I afford to live on what they pay each member of a 7-piece band? No.
Can I get work without tracks when all the other small acts around here use tracks? No.
So survival goes to the entity that is most adaptable to the current environment. We are survivors.
Sweetwater has survived because they do a better job than their competition. They are a little like our old but now deceased mom-and-pop music store, but they are on the other end of the computer screen.
We talk to the same sales people who know us personally, what our needs are, and seem to be more interested in selling us what we need instead of what gives them the biggest commission.
I do hope that doesn't change when the bean counters take over the business.
WWBW used to be a lot like Sweetwater but for wind instrument players. They were quite successful at that. They sold a large selection of wind instruments, mouthpieces, and accessories that GC, Sweetwater, and other on-line retailers ignored.
Then the corporate takeover happened.
A private company only needs to make enough money to pay for the employees and the owners, and keep up with inflation.
A corporation needs perpetual growth. It usually has about 49% of the people owning the company who are not working there (stockholders). And they don't need a 'salary' that merely keeps up with inflation. Their investment has to grow and grow and grow, so the corporation needs to be more and more and more profitable every quarter. If the profits don't exceed inflation, the stockholders will jump ship.
That means perpetual growth. You are only as good as your last quarter's figures.
The market for goods is finite, and eventually gets saturated. So how do you keep selling more and more and more (it's logarithmic)? First, you cut costs. And that is what happened to WWBW. The experts are gone, the salespeople are replaceable employees who have a McJob, not a career, the employees are directed to sell you whatever has the biggest price mark-up, so profit items are no longer carried, and the downward spiral begins.
Now I'm not saying that is what is going to happen with Sweetwater, and I hope it doesn't. It's just a possibility.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove & Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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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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User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!
Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!
Paket | Was ist Neu
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
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!
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."
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