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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2 |
I am planning to buy BIAB 2018, which I have never used before. I am recently retired and am looking to significantly improve my guitar playing skills. I've played guitar most of my life. I also have been playing mandolin for about 10 years. Most of my playing is at home. However, I also play both mandolin and guitar in a contemporary worship band at church a couple of times a month. My goals include:
Improving my fretboard knowledge (I am also working through several music theory books right now)
Adding backing band accompaniment to my solo playing to add structure, improve timing / rhythm and add a fun factor to my playing
Significantly improve my jazz guitar skills, which are pretty basic
Improve my country jazz / swing skills by playing in a band context
Improve my blues / jazz / country soloing skills by playing in a band context.
Produce lead sheets (and sample music tracks) for use by our worship band.
I am planning to by either BIAB 2018 Pro or the MegPAK version. My question is: is the additional content included with BIAB 2018 MegPAK worth the additional $140 over the Pro version?
Any input you can provide will be appreciated!
Thanks!
TeleSeattle (yes, I do play a Telecaster, and a Stratocaster...)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 18,352
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 18,352 |
Welcome to the forums.
Thanks for explaining your goals so clearly.
This subject comes up regularly. The very short answer is to purchase the best package that you can afford, especially if you intend to take advantage of a wider genre of musical styles, as you have indicated.
The Pro Pack is really a very light version and I think you will find restrictions of available styles fairly quickly. In my view, the MegaPak is definitely the best starting point.
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: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,862
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,862 |
Also.... keep in mind that PG Music offer a 30-day, money-back guarantee.
A number of people of these forums have used this to start with the basic package and then, when they know the program a little better and understand what it can do, they ask for a refund towards a more comprehensive version of the software (within the 30-day time frame).
This is something that you should discuss with the sales staff before buying.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2024
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,987
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,987 |
Agree with the recommendation to by the best package you can afford. I upgraded from 2008 which was a total step change and then upgraded the package I'd bought because in using the program I found so many things to play around with and wanted the ultimate in flexibility. The more you have the greater the possibilities.
You do end up with things you'll never use - I'll never need a 9/8 celtic style - but you'll be surprised at what you do use.
And BIAB is a one time investment. Buy the full program with all the addons just once and annual updates are usually just $99 so once you've invested staying up to date is inexpensive.
Plus you get the best product support i've ever seen for a software package. PG staff are helpful and knowledgeable and the forums are great. THat's useful because the manuals are detailed but huge.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 218
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 218 |
I was in the same position as you. Go well past the Pro pack, you will not be satisfied with what is available there. The ultra pack is the minimum I would recommend plus add ons if affordable.
BIAB 2022 UltraPAK
Xtra packs 1,2,3,4,5,6,13
2019 and 2018 49pak
Asus Zen Book UX533F 1TB ssd
Windows10 pro, 16g i7 64bit
Allen and Heath Z10fx mixer
Alesis V25 controller
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 878
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 878 |
I would also check out the FAQ's at this link. http://www.pgmusic.com/salesfaq1.htmAlso keep in mind that if funds are a wee bit short or tight, PG Music will let you set up an interest free automatic payment plan to keep the initial outlay down.
BIAB2024
Windows 10 Pro
WA6NCB
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 25,859
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 25,859 |
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 2002
Posts: 11,381
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 11,381 |
Maybe not the answer you were looking for, but - Ditto!
Dan, BIAB2024, SoundCloud Win11, i7(12thGen), 32GB, 1TB SSD(M.2 NVMe SSD), 2TB Libraries, 1 TB(WD-Black), 2TB SSD(M.2 NVMe SSD)Data, Motu Audio Express, Keystation 61, SL88 Studio, Reaper
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2 |
I will probably go ahead and get the UltraPak based on the recommendations of this thread.
And thank you to all of you that took the time to provide input. It's very much appreciated!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 117
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 117 |
Well, you really can't go wrong with the Ultra. You still won't have every style, but I believe they also give you a discount on the addon packs not included with the Ultra. I think there's an additional four more packs.
It's a little confusing. :-)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,583
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,583 |
Well, you really can't go wrong with the Ultra. You still won't have every style, but I believe they also give you a discount on the addon packs not included with the Ultra. I think there's an additional four more packs. What you will get are almost all of the RealTracks (minus those in the additional 25-packs, 49-packs, etc that they offer each year, and others that were only available specific years). However, while the XTRA RealStyles are nice, they are just style files created based on existing RealTracks. If you new which RealTracks were in the styles (don't ask, because I'm happy for PGMusic to sell their products), then you can easily create your own. They took the hard work of figuring out which RealTracks played well together and bundled them in styles. But even without the additional XTRA RealStyles, in theory, you can do everything someone with them can do, because you'll have the underlying RealTracks anyway. That being said, I highly recommend the RealStyles, because it is clear PGMusic put a lot of work into figuring out the various combinations that work well together.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2024/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,121
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,121 |
I'm late to the discussion but do have some thoughts you might want to consider. First, consider purchasing the Groove 3 video series, +++ Band-in-a-Box Explained +++. Both the Windows and Mac video series are presently on sale for $23.33 US. I suggest purchasing and downloading the video series so you will always have it available for use as a quick reference. Each video is 3 to 7 minutes long and the complete series is less than 1 1/2 hour. It will answer MANY questions you never even thought to ask. Second, Band-in-a-Box for Windows user Joanne Cooper has a video series, +++ Creating Your First Song With Band-in-a-Box for Windows +++ that is very reasonably priced. She provides step-by-step instructions on how to create a song from start to finish. Many forum users have stated her video series gave them a starting workflow process to follow. I'm positive these two products are worthy investments that will save you much time and frustration. Get them now, watch them and get a jump start on your Band-in-a-Box experience.
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
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,169
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,169 |
Like many others I started with the Pro version but soon found I wanted more. I then looked at the bits I wanted and found it was more economical to go directly to the UltraPak (for my needs I can't justify the Audiophile). I also have most extra Paks. I find with the UltraPak I have that much stuff available I can spend hours, if not days going through styles mixing and matching RealTracks then I come up with something I wasn't expecting that inspires me to another song. Unlike some I do a lot of this just for my entertainment and I do find I publicly perform songs I always wanted to but did not have the band for.
My thoughts
Tony
Last edited by Teunis; 03/27/18 06:11 PM.
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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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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