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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 213
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 213 |
Hey MusicLove, I am curious to find out about what program people are using to compliment BiaB. I am going to buy BiaB so by mentioning a program that can help in the production somehow I wouldn't think would be against the rules. That would be very strict rules if you can't express that. If you can send me a message to let me know I would appreciate it. If you came on here beating down BiaB in favor of something else I can understand. Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
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Hey SlyRuby,
Band in a Box ships with RealBand program, which is a DAW program complete with audio plugins and RealBand is designed to work with Band in a Box style files as well as a host of other features. Multitracking, recording Audio and/or MIDI, Mixing, even Mastering can all be done inside RealBand.
While there are certainly plenty of users who use and endorse other DAW programs, Sonar comes to mind readily, there are also a lot of users who use RealBand as well.
You might wait until you purchase your Band in a Box package to see what that is all about, for it is possible certainly to use just these two programs to produce the entire shebang.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Speaking of the audio being the weakest link, I was looking through reviews on inexpensive reference speakers the other week, and someone mentioned that they hooked up their M-Audio speakers to a Berhringer UCA202 instead of going directly to their audio card.
I occurred to my that I had a UCA202, and tried it out. There wasn't a huge difference, but the UCA202 was noticeably better.
The audio chain is only as good as the weakest link.
And as Mac said, if you can't hear it, you can't fix it.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
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Sly, don't even think about buying another DAW until you're completely familiar with Real Band. It works very well and it is fully capable of doing everything you need an audio/midi recording program to do at this time. Real Band IS a fully functional DAW and it's included with all but the most basic Biab purchase. I have advised folks for years that they should learn RB at the same time they're learning Biab. Spend an hour with one then have some coffee and spend another hour with the other. Keep on doing that until you can start answering other noobies questions here. Hang out on the RB forum and start reading all about it.
For you to talk about spending several hundred bucks for another DAW right now is like some rich guy letting his 16 year old kid take his 300K Ferrari to the DMV to take his first driving test. Kinda overkill, ya know?
Baby steps, baby steps. Learn how this stuff works first then when you can explain to another noobie on this forum exactly why you need another DAW, go ahead and spend your money.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 18,352
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Sly,
Bob (Jazzmammal) has given some very good advice. I think that Band in a Box and RealBand will take you a long way...
Enjoy!
BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 213
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 213 |
Sounds like a good idea. Band in a Box and RealBand is probably all I want. I was thinking about Cubase since I know it could be the best. But I am sure it is so high tech I would be at a loss. And RealBand will likely be all I need. And who knows 2014 might have more improvements. So I will just go for BiaB and use RealBand. Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 21,627
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The thing about Realband is that it supports BiaB features way beyond any other DAW.
Regeneration alone makes it worth learning.
No other DAW does that.
So if you are paying for BiaB features, you may as well learn a DAW that uses BiaB features, because you move on to a DAW to improve your final project, but sometimes you may want that DAW to be able to regenerate sections. That happens a LOT here.
In all other DAWs, if you decide to re-arrange the song, or add a verse, you have to go back to BiaB and regenerate everything, then import it into the DAW.
With RB you can continue to generate (even small sections) right on through the DAW stage.
Other DAWs DO have certain features and aspects that may make you eventually need to use them, but until then I agree with the above posts; learn RB as a DAW. Most of what you learn will 'translate' to other DAWs, so there is little time wasted on learning it.
You'll also learn what it can do that the others can't, and thus know when to switch to which DAW. Saves time in the long run.
Make your sound your own!
.. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 213
Apprentice
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Apprentice
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After all that was said here about Real Band I am looking forward to that program also now instead of just thinking about BiaB. Sounds like the best DAW for BiaB you can have. Then possibly for some reason someone could use another program like Cubase to import your production into it. Or parts of it. Who knows why. I will probably always use Real Band once I get comfortable with it. Maybe I will go to YouTube and see a couple demos on it to see what I am in store for.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
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After all that was said here about Real Band I am looking forward to that program also now instead of just thinking about BiaB. Sounds like the best DAW for BiaB you can have. Then possibly for some reason someone could use another program like Cubase to import your production into it. Or parts of it. Who knows why. I will probably always use Real Band once I get comfortable with it. Maybe I will go to YouTube and see a couple demos on it to see what I am in store for. Hi Sly Here's a good place to start! There's plenty more though!
BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 213
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2013
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Yes Real Band will be treated like it is part of BiaB for me. I will learn both. I am sure I will just fall in love with Real Band and never even think about Cubase. Once you familiarize yourself with this one and it works wonderfully with BiaB why use anything else right? These two programs together will really be interesting to learn. I will take my time with it all. I won't expect any productions from this for a month. I think just enjoy learning about it. Take it slow. It is kind of an adventure I think to learn all of this. It is almost December now. What if on December 1st it is up for sale? WOW!! The day I do see it will be amazing since I have been waiting for maybe 4 months or so for this to come out.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Well, my advice is to START with RealBand.
*It is already included in the purchase of Band in a Box.
*RealBand will give you a much better idea of perhaps which features and how to implement them are desirable for you and your workflow, etc. which will put you in a much better place to be able to make intelligent decisions regarding the choice of a different DAW software - or not.
*It is entirely possible to publish world class musics using RealBand and the plugins which come with it.
*Having the RealBand DAW along with the Band in a Box program shipping together as they are, gives you the chance to find out more about what it is that you may not know now concerning these issues. And these forums will prove very helpful as well along those lines.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
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i find Cubase to be very complicated, and a big learning curve. I have a version and have never tracked with it.
I usae RB for 95% of DAW work i do It actually does almost everything i need. However it is lacking in a few areas. Most of those you will not need at first. Learn RB and learn it well. Then add a good DAW later for things like Detailed automation, and such. Hopefully over the next years Rb will add those features as well. and there will be no need.
I recently bought Studio one only cause there artist version came with my interface free, and i grabbed the producer version for $49 black friday upgrade. I also own Sonar X-1, and Multitrackstudio, as well as reaper 4.5 truth is i never open Sonar anymore, and i never open Reaper either, really i hardly ever open MTS. I work for the most part in RB. If i want to really polish up a project with fancy automation and a few more plugs, some lane comping, Studio one will do all that.
It is my deep hope that RB adds those feature soon so I can just stay there 100% I love what the guys said about starting a project in BiaB and moving natively to RB and there you can generate tracks and part seemlessly.
Lenovo Win 10 16 gig ram, Mac mini with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2022, Realband, Harrison Mixbus 32c version 9.1324, Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app, Komplete 49 key controller.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335 |
one problem with expensive gear is the law of diminishing returns kicks in very quickly. is a $10,000 Neumann mic really 100 times better than a $100 Shure? Nope. Probably not even twice as good. So you can easily end up spending a ton for very minor improvements in your gear. Actually, Nuemann doesn't make a $10,000 mic. As someone who owns quite a few microphones, going from a Shure to an AKG C414 is a HUGE difference. The sound on a recording opens up. Much richer. Is it twice as good. Absolutely. The signal biggest thing you can invest in is a good microphone. Consider it an instrument, something that will last a lifetime. and anyway, even if you buy the best pair of near-fields out there, you still have to test/listen on a variety of other systems cause people listening to your music almost certainly will not have the monitors you have and every pair sounds a little different. While this is sort of true, what you do when you mix is to make it sound good on anything, be it iPod headphones or $10,000 Martin Logans. Why people spend thousands of dollars on a good mixing studio is to save time. Sure, you can come up with a good mix with just whatever you have, but it will take a lot of time. Like if you don't have a good subwoofer in your mix studio, then you perhaps won't hear that you have low frequencies that are mudding the mix....
Musician, Polymath, Google Jedi, Apple Master, Windows Wrangler and Digital Wizard. High ratings in Nerd-fu & Geek-fu.
M1 Mac Mini, MacBook Pro Touchbar 15", Intel 27" iMac, M1 Mac Mini
https://musician.social/@ericdano
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 20,752
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one problem with expensive gear is the law of diminishing returns kicks in very quickly. is a $10,000 Neumann mic really 100 times better than a $100 Shure? Nope. Probably not even twice as good. So you can easily end up spending a ton for very minor improvements in your gear. Actually, Nuemann doesn't make a $10,000 mic. As someone who owns quite a few microphones, going from a Shure to an AKG C414 is a HUGE difference. The sound on a recording opens up. Much richer. Is it twice as good. Absolutely. The signal biggest thing you can invest in is a good microphone. Consider it an instrument, something that will last a lifetime. I will respectfully disagree as I think you overlooked your mic preamp. I would invest in a good mic preamp before I bought a good mic. That Shure mic plugged into a good preamp will sound better than the AKG C414 plugged into a cheap consumer soundcard preamp. Just my thoughts and I’m not trying to start a war.
Me, it's not about how many times you fail, it's about how many times you get back up.
Cop, that's not how field sobriety tests work.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412 |
I've not been using BIAB 2013 much this year. started out well, did a few songs but as the weather changed my attention shifted to other things. Now the nights are darker and it's "stay in doors" weather my attention is turning back to BIAB. However, I've noticed there is no 2013.5 and I don't have time to read through 14 pages of posts on this subject. Can anyone tell me what the latest info on this is please? Looks to me that BIAB are doing something big for 2014 because no 2013.5 is released or am I wrong?
Thanks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 25,856
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Hi Paul. You are correct, there was no 2013.5 release. If past is a guide, the next version could come out in early December but again, the past is no guarantee.
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412 |
So maybe they are doing the 64 bit which would be MAJOR and maybe need more development and testing than usual...even an interface redevlopment? 64 bit would definitely be worth waiting until December What would be the benefit of a 64bit BIAB? Faster processing?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 25,856
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In other discussions on this, we've identified the ability to support more RAM as perhaps the major benefit, especially when using VSTs.
Faster processing is also theoretically possible, if the programmers take advantage of it.
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,565
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Actually, Nuemann doesn't make a $10,000 mic. Oh really? Here is one discounted to $8,000! http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SolutionDM/Why people spend thousands of dollars on a good mixing studio is to save time. And also because they buy into the marketing hype that implies a $10,000 Neumann is 100 times better than a Shure! The law of diminishing returns is a very real concept. Where someone draws their line as to "good enough" will differ greatly from person to person. If you are wealthy then purchasing the very best of the best for only a small improvement may make sense. If you are on a more limited budget (like most of us forum users) there are lots of places where spending the extra cash to buy high-end gear may not make any sense at all! Of course, each person has to decide for themselves as this is a very subjective process.
Last edited by JohnJohnJohn; 11/28/13 04:53 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148 |
Well, it would be great if they have spent the time making the holds, shots and endings sound more natural across all styles and maybe fixing the midi file output.
Already a great product for the most part but I find these 'little' things spoil it sometimes. Very fiddly to get them all right I daresay but essential for the finished article.
I would rather they did that than release more and more Gigabytes of real instruments that only work 90%.
Cheers
M
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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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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."
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!
The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!
There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.
If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.
We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!
Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!
There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.
Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed!
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