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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Expert
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Maybe you need to tell them about how commercial songs are made in studios that they listen to on the radio/tv etc. When was the last time they heard a busker doing hard tuning with chorus and delay on purpose?!:-)
Windows 10 Home 20H2 Build 19042.487
BIAB 2021 (Build 818)
Intel(R) Core(TM), i3-4160, CPU @3.60 GHz RAM 16 GB, 64 Bit X64-based processor
Zoom UAC-2 (USB 3 interface-built in midi)
VoiceLive 3 Extreme, Sputnik Valve Condenser Mic
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Mario - like you, I'm not trying to "start a war"... but.. those pedal steel examples sound like ... good MIDI representations of pedal steel, not like a real pedal steel. It - and a good fiddle solo - are still the things that I have never heard "done right" via MIDI. Your sax/wind controller stuff - EXCELLENT - as good as real... some things can be done - you've proved that... respectfully, floyd btw... in fact... it was the never-ending search for "how do I get pedal steel and fiddle (that sounds "real") in my songs at home" that lead me to BIAB 3 years ago. End of search. I echo Floyd's comments. The end of my search was BB. Once I heard the steel guitar it was mission accomplished. I have yet to find any VST that replicates certain instruments properly. Fiddle and Steel are just 2 that I deal with in my music. Horns are also notoriously hard to replicate with midi. There are several sample packs now that do articulate the horns better. Guitar synths are also coming along nicely. However, to this point in time, BiaB and RB are the only products on the market that do fiddle and steel properly. I had a song of mine posted in the cakewalk forum. It had a fiddle fill or perhaps a solo in it... I don't recall which song it was. But, a guy who ran a studio for a living, and is a highly respected contributor in the CW forums commented on the song regarding the fiddle solo. His comment was, "Man, that sounds so real I can hear the rosin on the bow and the strings"...... you can not get that kind of sound with a fiddle VST using midi I don't care how long you set and program the midi note control parameters. On the wavelore steel VST..... it sounds like a bad midi piano that lets you bend the notes. 4 years ago I had this discussion: http://forum.cakewalk.com/Pedal-Steel-Guitar-Synth-m2356828.aspx
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi folks thanks for the support! Didnt need it really - I'm a bit evangelical over our awesome RTs - but my friend in SA is utterly convinced that it is all midi. Grr! SO - I've set him a task.  I've sent him one of my ALL RT SGU's and simply asked him to send me back the midi file he makes from it.  He may be some time!!! Cheers ian I'm still waiting!! Ian BTW - I'm still waiting!!!lol! Ian
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
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On the wavelore steel VST..... it sounds like a bad midi piano that lets you bend the notes. So I'm not the only one who has the impression it is a piano trying to sound like a steel guitar.
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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On the wavelore steel VST..... it sounds like a bad midi piano that lets you bend the notes. So I'm not the only one who has the impression it is a piano trying to sound like a steel guitar. lol
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2013
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On the wavelore steel VST..... it sounds like a bad midi piano that lets you bend the notes. So I'm not the only one who has the impression it is a piano trying to sound like a steel guitar. Here's the same setup (Kontakt and keyboard input) by a guy with a little more technological ability it appears. Gary White - Wavelore Pedal Steel Demo His demo, while still not perfect, is the best midi Pedal steel I've heard. The actual demo starts around 1:32 but it is worthwhile to listen to the entire video if you have time. He gives a good explanation of the scripting and midi programming involved to create the sound.
Last edited by c_fogle; 09/20/15 02:35 PM.
BIAB 2026:RB 2026, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2013
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BIAB 2026:RB 2026, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 433
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 433 |
Hi Ian,
Tell your friend that I live in Benoni in South Africa and if he comes to visit me I will show him the source files on my PC and demo for him how its done...
Henry..
I'm doing allright for Country Trash ....
I used to care, but things have changed (Bob Dylan)
BIAB 2026W + 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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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 11,008
Veteran
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On the wavelore steel VST..... it sounds like a bad midi piano that lets you bend the notes. So I'm not the only one who has the impression it is a piano trying to sound like a steel guitar. Here's the same setup (Kontakt and keyboard input) by a guy with a little more technological ability it appears. Gary White - Wavelore Pedal Steel Demo His demo, while still not perfect, is the best midi Pedal steel I've heard. The actual demo starts around 1:32 but it is worthwhile to listen to the entire video if you have time. He gives a good explanation of the scripting and midi programming involved to create the sound. Yeah... imagine the learning curve. You have to first and foremost, be fairly proficient with playing a keyboard. Then, you need to understand all the things he's discussing such as the neck positions and what you can and cannot do at each. It never shows in this video what he had to do on the keyboard to record this stuff in to the midi track. Yeah, it sounds much better than the wavelore demo's. You would think the factory demo would have been done better, huh? I did see a video a few years ago where you could see what the player was doing on the keys.... Sorry, I could not find it. It was very well done and the audio sounded like a steel guitar. It almost convinced me to buy it and try it until about that same time I discovered that BB/RB also did steel, and PG was offering a 100% MBG..... Wavelore was not. They have a free trial version. As I recall, there was little documentation with it. playing around with it in my DAW, I couldn't get that clean steel sound. Heck it might still be in the laptop. The good side to the wavelore is, if you can play keys well enough, and can get the steel player mindset, the possibility exists to play some specific melody lines. That's something that RB will not do. However, for my purposes, the steel in my tunes essentially need to do fills and the occasional solo, and BB/RB does that kind of thing extremely well. So far, I have not had the absolute need for a steel to play the melody. Anyway.... 2 more of my cents
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,976 |
>>> it was "suggested" that these are not HUMAN people playing REAL guitars, pianos, accordions etc etc but very very good midi. None of it is ACTUAL, its ALL midi, whether its called a Real Track or not.
Yes, the RealTracks and RealDrums are real people playing real instruments. Even the pianos are real - we record on a Yamaha Disklavier Grand piano - this has the advantage of recording the notes used - but it is the audio recording that we use. Out of the 1,500 RealTracks that we've done, a few are intended to be synth sounds - and those are recorded on a synth of course, because there is no "real instrument" for those.
Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2013
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>>> it was "suggested" that these are not HUMAN people playing REAL guitars, pianos, accordions etc etc but very very good midi. None of it is ACTUAL, its ALL midi, whether its called a Real Track or not.
Yes, the RealTracks and RealDrums are real people playing real instruments. Even the pianos are real - we record on a Yamaha Disklavier Grand piano - this has the advantage of recording the notes used - but it is the audio recording that we use. Out of the 1,500 RealTracks that we've done, a few are intended to be synth sounds - and those are recorded on a synth of course, because there is no "real instrument" for those.
I imagine it has to be somewhat rewarding to have a product that even professionals think it's too good to be true and real but in the end, it really is that good and is actually real.
Last edited by c_fogle; 09/22/15 07:51 AM. Reason: corrected spelling error
BIAB 2026:RB 2026, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,250
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OP
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Posts: 2,250 |
>>> it was "suggested" that these are not HUMAN people playing REAL guitars, pianos, accordions etc etc but very very good midi. None of it is ACTUAL, its ALL midi, whether its called a Real Track or not.
Yes, the RealTracks and RealDrums are real people playing real instruments. Even the pianos are real - we record on a Yamaha Disklavier Grand piano - this has the advantage of recording the notes used - but it is the audio recording that we use. Out of the 1,500 RealTracks that we've done, a few are intended to be synth sounds - and those are recorded on a synth of course, because there is no "real instrument" for those.
I imagine it has to be somewhat rewarding to have a product that even professionals thing it's too good to be true and real but in the end, it really is that good and is actually real. Thank you for taking time to repsond, Peter. C Fogle - your quote is spot on! I guess where my SA friend is coming from is that he is seeing midi files for some, I guess, Piano files when he transfers them to RB for further work and so has come to the conclusion that they ALL must be like that. Also - can anyone confirm that some RD tracks are or are not recorded using electronic drums sets, as he says he is sure that some RDs have midi files available? I think he been drinking too much "Home Brew"!! lol! regards and thank you for all the input from everyone. Ian
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Peter Gannon mentioned somw time ago that RealDrums are recorded to stereo files and the midi is transcribed by a human that is listening to the stereo files.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Peter Gannon mentioned somw time ago that RealDrums are recorded to stereo files and the midi is transcribed by a human that is listening to the stereo files. Poor Man!!  I wonder what you have to have done wrong that day to get THAT job!!??  Ian
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Expert
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Everything should have midi triggers on to record midi also not just the Yamaha piano, these can be used for realcharts, realdrumcharts and virtual instruments.
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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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Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
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Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
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!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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!
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