I've been using BiaB EverythingPak since 2007 and have been updating every year 'till 2013. The past two years I didn't have the opportunity to update and, since I was completely happy with the content, didn't feel I missed out that much.

How wrong PG proved me to be...

I got to update (upgrade) to BiaB UltraPlusPak 2016 and I was completely blown away. The GUI is upgrated, the functionality is enhanced and all the new Realtracks... Just wow!

In the past three years I didn't get around to writing music and visiting these forums all that much. Now I have some time to do what I love to do, and BiaB is there to help and inspire me. Thank you Team PG for making such a great tool as BiaB!

Grtz. Mike

Mike,
Glad you have some time now to enjoy music again.
Some of us take it for granted, some of us complain, and it's nice to hear from someone who has been away for awhile.

BiaB/RB is indeed fascinating and one of a kind.
Realtracks rule. Have fun!

I've been a faithful updater for many years, and I'm still impressed each year with the new things.... so I can imagine that what you just experienced was pretty freaking awesome.

I need to get around to installing my new 2016 version. I skipped the 2015 update, so I am looking forward to a host of new RT's.

I never got the sampletank and super-midi's stuff going, I will have to figure that out, too.

Hi, Mike -

Looking forward to seeing more posting, as well as your helpfulness as in the past, from you.

And yes, even though there are some growing pains with some of the new features of 2016, especially with the rewritten style feature and the new chord grid enhancements, they are being worked out diligently by PGMusic, and the new sounds are AWESOME!

Kevin,

I've just installed BIAB 2016 on a new computer and how I got Sampletank going was to download ver. 2.5 through my account at IK Multimedia's site. I then installed it independently of BIAB and unchecked the option in BIAB when I ran set up. After I installed ST, the Authorization Manager from IK Multimedia automatically kicked in and the required serial number was available at IK Multimedia under "Support | User Area | My products".

After that, when I opened my first Supermidi track, I was prompted by ST to give the path for the BIAB instruments. In my case these files came off "C:\Program Files (x86)\IKMultimedia\Instruments". Using the "Browse" option, I simply navigated to there.

As a note, the above option is set through "Prefs" in ST and the path needs to be directory immediately above the "Band In A Box" directory.

Hope this helps,
Noel

Mike,

Welcome back. Didn't get to know you before so I'm looking forward to hearing your songs and reading your comments (please don't read that as though if I did know you from before that I'd automatically dislike you )

I'm REALLY glad you made your post. The program does have quirks and faults but it's really easy for the faults to make us overlook how good we have it when we are involved with using and learning the product everyday.

All I have to do is listen to ANYTHING I recorded prior to using PG Music products versus listening to anything after to immediately realize the amazing things these programs can do to make my musical output better.

I like to play with music, not play music. With Band-in-a-Box, RealBand and the piano and guitar chord dictionaries I can create songs that I hear in my mind but am not capable of playing on an instrument. I can quickly craft midi or audio chord progressions, melodies or solos. I can use top session musicians playing instruments I do not understand or can not afford. I can use midi and audio loops, heck I can create loops! All this and UserTracks too. This is before I even start including using VSTi, VST, third party samples and loops.

Yes, we have it good.

Hey Mike,

Welcome back! I am also glad you made this post. There are few people who concentrate on a few glitches of this awesome product, and typically do not mention anything good (or, very little). All in all (and NOTHING is ever perfect, as you well know), BIAB is a product that is ONE OF A KIND! There is NO match for what BIAB allows you to do.

So, yeah ... I'm happy to chime in and ditto your post. BIAB is plain awesome!!!

For those who concentrate on just those things that aren't working the way they expect to, fine. There is a need to point those things out. BUT, be honest and fair and admit that Dr. Peter Gannon and staff have come up with the BEST product for creative people in music. BIAB is IT.

RealBand is another story - some like it, some don't. I've never bothered to really get into it since I've been working with SONAR so many years. No chip off my shoulder there. Plenty of people have their individual tastes on DAWs.

At any rate, thanks for the enthusiastic post, Mike!!!

Thanks for your post MikeK. BIAB is a great product and I have no sympathy for those few who do nothing but complain. The only app that approaches what BIAB can do is iRealB and it is a distant second. Nowhere near as sophisticated as BIAB. I have no complaints whatsoever about what I use BIAB for, auto-accompaniment. Ray

RB is not the best DAW ever, but it does allow BiaB features in a DAW environment. That has a LOT of value.
Many users don't realize the value in RB (having never tried it). I guess I just don't understand why you wouldn't bother. It's free (included with BiaB) and does things neither BiaB nor any other DAW can do.
It's like an intermediate step from BiaB to your DAW of choice and offers SO many benefits..

Don't get me wrong, I did "try it". But, for what I am doing, it's just not my cup of tea. Maybe, sometime down the road. And I am not complaining about RB. It's great for those who find it useful with their workflow. Mine is just different. Not taking anything away from RB here at all.