Band-in-a-Box is beginning to have some competition. DAWs are starting to include arrangement tools. Sample libraries called song construction kits have audio loops of individual instruments and an example mix of all the instruments mixed together.

Despite all the audio choices MIDI will continue to be a vital tool. One small piece of good news. The MIDI standard 2.0 released January, 2019 at the Winter NAMM show includes provision for two-way communication between devices. That means soon devices and programs will talk to each other and automatically figure out what to do so they work together.

Even without MIDI 2.0, current midi instruments are easier to use with more user friendly features like built in patterns, presets, strum engines and effects.

A few years ago PG Music created a video demonstrating how RealTracks and MIDI can work together. The RealTrack plays most of the time but for the two bar break the RealTrack is silenced and a midi instrument plays the two bars on another track. After the two bars the RealTracks plays again.

Jim Fogle - 2024 BiaB (1111) RB (5) Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk by BandLab (CbB) - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home