Dear Dr. Gannon:
Wonderful concept -sub par implementation. I have been using Band in a Box for 8 years and Real Band for almost 2 years. I am now convinced that your software is not written well. I have changed my computer and re-installed and rebooted enough to know that the problem is with the software and not with me or my system. The software crashes, gives many error messages, loses data while I am editing and does not perform functions as promised. I have spent hours on the phone with your tech support people who are nice and try to help- however a phone conversation will never solve the inherent problems with your code.

I do not feel comfortable spending more money with you by purchasing new Real Tracks until you fix the core problems with the programming. That would be like over-tipping a lousy waitress-it would be encouraging poor service.

Well as I see it from reviewing your previous posts most of your problems could have been solved by reading the book!Which you obviously have not.
It's obvious to me that you do not have the experience with the program to be swinging such a broad sword. This also is not the way to make friends on this forum. I would say most of us here love both programs and support PG Music. It's not perfect that would be just as foolish to say.

Flash,

I'm sorry you're having so many troubles with Real Band. Maybe we do things differently, but RealBand hasn't crashed on me since the first beta.

I reviewed many of your previous posts, and from what I can see, most of your questions were answered. i would agree with John (Silvertones) that you might want to read the manual. Also, keep asking questions. Every computer system is a little different, but my experience has been that RealBand works very well.

When you have a problem, ask the question. Be sure to include your computer configuration (or if you get tired of typing it, put it in your user profile). That helps us troubleshoot a lot. We're not paid by PGMusic; we're just musicians like you trying to make music. We're happy to help you as we can, but you need to ask specific questions and detail what you did (or didn't do). Sure, bugs pop up now and then, but my experience has been that BIAB, PTPA, and RealBand are fairly stable (at least on my computers).

Don't get rid of the car, just because you got a flat tire. Most of us here are happy to stop on the side of the road and help you get your tire fixed. We won't even ask for a tip.

Hi,

Next time you have one of those problems, please post in exactly what happened in a way that we could try to duplicate it. Also give basic computer specs, drivers you are using, and the exact version/build of RealBand you have installed.

Dude, your being a little harsh. Lots of folks here in this forum have successfully recorded many projects with RB, so the application has earned some level of respect. However, that being said, I certainly can understand how frustration can build when you working on a musical project and the "computer" seems to be hampering the creative process. Not an uncommon complaint at all (check out the diatrides over in the Pro-Tools LE Forum)

BIAB and now its more-DAW-like counterpart RB have been likened to the swiss army knife of muscial software applications. By that, I think it is meant that, they provide a ton of tools which you have to learn how to manipulate to get you final outcome. I have indeed seen things that at first didn't work the way I felt they should, but with a little persaverance and support from the forum I have always been able to arrive at the final destination.

So like others before have pointed out, just let the group know what exactly you are trying to do and I am sure someone will responded with a solution.

Good Luck

Calm down everyone- I love the software as much as you do -maybe more-but am totally frustrated.

I am using a Dell Latitude D620 laptop with Intel Core 2 T7400 with @2.16ghz with 1.99gb ram with 120gb HD.
I really appreciate everyone's offer to help. Just now I was copying a midi track to paste it and double it with another midi instrument and the mouse pointer changed to an hourglass and then I got the standard Windows message that Real Band had crashed and do I want to send an error report or not. I restarted RB which means re-choosing drivers etc.. and thank goodness I got a message do you want to recover last work-or something like this and most of my changes were reloaded.

I turned the computer on about 2 hours ago.

I don't know why it crashed. I also have a browser window using Mozilla open using a few tabs-like the one to get me to these forums, facebook, gmail.

I am running windows XP pro service pack 3 and Real Band 2008.5 with the latest update. p.s While installing the update I had several error messages but tech support told me to click ignore which I did.

I find RB to be a tad less stable than cakewalk or MTS, but not so much it stops me from getting stuff done. I did have some error messages a while bak, but they were system issues. What messages did you receive?

Just tried to start up Real Band and got this error message Access Violation at address 00463ACA in muodule 'Real Band.exe". Read of address 00000267 at: 00463ACA. I am able to keep going and use the program for now

I am using a Dell Latitude D620 laptop with Intel Core 2 T7400 with @2.16ghz with 1.99gb ram with 120gb HD.I am running windows XP pro service pack 3 and Real Band 2008.5 with the latest update.

flashgordon
gotta say some things.
these days ones choice of computer is critical for a daw.
if you peruse the net on various forums youll see people
haveing lots of issues in particular with laptops.
which is why some people buy laptops specifically built for daw
work. eg (and i got nothing to do with them..)
www.adkproaudio.com
which is the kind of stuff used by touring acts etc etc.
but its more expensive of course.

now in your case it might be a rb problem.
but ive fixed many systems for friends where they swore up
and down at the daw software , and once i looked at the situation it
turned out to be the computer itself wasnt set up properly.
or the sound device.

i'm not useing a laptop myself cos i'm finding all sorts of probs with em.
ive tested a ton of consumer laptops myself.
so i stay desktop. but "some people" do get things working.
if your patient we might be able to resolve the issue.
first thing is it must be set up correctly.
firstly runthe following and report back.
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
also please post a pic of both xp task manager showing ram and
cpu useage n processes, as well as a pic of rb preferences>>audio tab.

please state what sound device your useing.
and i'll try n help best i can.
or pm me.

ps , on some laptops you must disable wifi/the net while recording
cos it interferes with the recording process.

god bless.

One cause of an error on startup of RB is because it is trying to open a corrupt file.

If you get it open, close the project without saving by opening a different seq file. (Again, do not save the possibly corrupt file)
Close RB and see if it opens OK, then you'll know the file was the problem

After that you can try opening the backups of the file using 'File-Open backup' to see if it is OK, or you can whittle away at finding the error in the file.

for no apparent reason RB just crashed again-while I was in the middle of choosing real tracks. :-(

I probably have a corrupt file-how does that happen and is there a remedy-'cause the music is so sweet and i have spent countless hours producing this awesome tune.

Can you send me the file to try on my system to confirm if the problem is the file or the system?

dan@jazzmandan.com

you could try. https://www.yousendit.com/cms/compareaccounts . Free for files under 100MB

Quote:

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I turned the computer on about 2 hours ago.

I don't know why it crashed. I also have a browser window using Mozilla open using a few tabs-like the one to get me to these forums, facebook, gmail.

---

Just to be clear, am I reading this correctly that you have a browser open while recording with Real Band? If so, I recommend you not do that. In general, one should not have any non-essential software or processes running while recording. Pardon me if that's not what you meant to say.

Have you checked your laptop computer with the DPC Latency Checker? This is a highly-recommended tool for spotting problems with device drivers that cause audio or video interruptions (or worse). It's a quick download and a small executable file everyone should run periodically to make sure nothing is interfering with your ability to get good audio performance. Of course, some laptops come with unsolvable problems. Here is the link: http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

Also, for help diagnosing this, are you saying that BIAB works successfully for you, and it is only Real Band that gives you trouble?