band-in-a-box vs. real-tracks and real-drums

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Hi everyone in this wonderful music community. I'm a newbie here and I'm very interested in getting to use BB and in particular the realXXX technology currently available. Do I need to purchase RealTracks and/or RealDrums in order to create arrangements with "Realparts"? or real-styles are already available in the typical BB Pro version? if this is the case, then what is teh extra functionality of Realtracks and RealDrums?

Thanx in advance,

Vasilis Delis

Hi Vasilis

Welcome to the forum and join in the fun of music

The Pro BIAB 2009 version has only the odd track of the new RealXXX's and IMHO the cheapest way to get the whole deal is to choose a version that is what you can afford upto the Ultra Pak

For years we have been using midi tracks through to the best soundcard/softsynth/samples we could get our hands on but now we have real audio files as well

The new RealXXX's are stunning and once used you will never go back

You can make arrangements with the cheaper versions and using VSC DXi soft synth - but you will not have many style variations although later you can add extra styles etc and the RealXXX's when you need them - but the big package is cheaper
jazzman

Thank you Jazzman. So I understood correctly, in order to have "real" arrangements I do need realtracks and realdrums, right? the richer the BIAB version, the more styles I can embelish with real-audio parts, right? In other words, the Pro BIAB version offers only midi styles, right?

Best Regards,

Vasilis

The Pro version does include some of the RealTracks and some of the RealDrums, as follows:

Quote:

Pro Band-in-a-Box and RealBand 2009 for Windows

This package includes Band-in-a-Box, RealBand, Styles Sets 0-3, Soloist Set 1, Melodist Set 1, RealDrums Set 1, and RealTracks Set 1. For new customers looking to get started with Band-in-a-Box and RealBand, without any of the extra Add-ons, this is the purchase for you!

However, the more RealTracks and RealDrums sets you have available, the more you will be able to do. Weigh carefully the cost of separate RealXXX purchases against the price of one of the higher Paks which include most or even all of the available styles and realtracks.

--Mac

I totally agree with Mac. It's well worth spending a little more to get as many RealTracks and RealDrums as possible. You won't be disappointed.

Hi Vasilis

Besides the midi styles there is also one of each of the RealXXX's - but you will see from the comments so far that they agree with my recommendation for the bigger Pak offering the best value

jazzman

For what it's worth, most of the MIDI styles are also pretty darn good.

As it always is with MIDI, however, the better your synth(s), the better the sound.

Noel96,

The link to your site resulted in an error. Got another?

I'd like to hear your music.

Thanks!