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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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mrgeeze Offline OP
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The expectation that OS updates may cease in 12months+-.
How much after that before support for Rosetta ?
Nobody knows. I would opine at least another year.
But it sure seems like then end is coming

Mac OS's now offer impressive multiprocessing power for ARM chips.
Exactly what we need for re-generation of Real Tracks in BIAB.
Rosetta is absolutely an impediment to taking advantage of this evolving technology

It might be a good time to get serious on a non-Rosetta dependent version of BIAB.

Clearly its a significant investment in time and development $$$.
Non trivial, if you will. But it has to happen
And times a wasting.


After all, BIAB Mac sales are leading the way these days. At least that's what some people (ok only Peter Gannon himself) are saying.

Last edited by mrgeeze; 06/10/23 05:15 AM.

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The good news is you can install windows on the Mac hardware and Biab will keep working update after update after update.
The generate issue speed with Biab can can be fixed by playing the files direct from the hard drive like all DAWs do rather than piecing it altogether and loading it into RAM first. It was made to generate then play like this because of old 90's hardware thinking.
I showed this working in Reaper and it's instant, even 255 bars, it has absolutely no problem. So the BBPlugin can work this way NOW so it will be way quicker than the current Biab way, instant, this too has also been shown with real examples using the RealTrack source files.

All this I have shown with more real examples using the source files that Biab working this way can be a live arranger working from midi keyboard input playing any chosen style live on stage.
So no need to spend $6000 on an arranger keyboard.

Every other software is crossplatform programming so it's released at the same time with same features Win Lin Mac.

All this is absolutely no problem, the hardest issue is getting PG out of it's 90's thinking.

It's a no brainer !

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Originally Posted By: mrgeeze
The expectation that OS updates may cease in 12months+-.
How much after that before support for Rosetta ?
Nobody knows.


Everyone who pays attention knows.

Apple is required by California law and EU treaties to support operating systems for 3 years after first release. Sometime in late October, they will announce the official EOL date for the 3 year old MacOS — this year, it will be Big Sur. All large corporate clients and government agencies will be emailed when this occurs.

Although not required, they do release critical security updates for 5 years (and sometimes longer if a nasty security flaw is revealed).

Any Mac that shipped with OS 10.7 (2012) can use Internet Recovery to reinstall the original MacOS that came with the machine—there's a support bulletin, of course. Apple no longer provides restoration DVDs for 2011 and earlier Macs but there's a whole slew of users who keep these disk images archived.

Apple will give plenty of warning when Rosetta 2 goes away—just as they did a few years before 32bit support and Rosetta were dropped.

Then there is the Vintage and Obsolete Hardware list that's updated twice a year. You can read the details here.

Obtaining service for your Apple product after an expired warranty


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I’m a mac new customer and very happy with BIAB 2023. I’m also a delphi/windows and mac/xcode programmer. I know what it would take to rewrite a 5+ million line of code app. Too long is how long. It would take about how long it took to write it the first time.

In short, rewrites kill companies.

I’m sure PG himself is way too smart to attempt a massive rewrite of a big application into a new language. If it was my call, I’d port to FreePascal’s native M1 compiler if that is stable, if Embarcadero itself doesn’t release a native mac ARM M1 delphi compiler.

People giving advice and saying it’s a no brainer to rewrite in C++ (which is a terrible language by the way) are the problem. PG will still be in business long after those “rewrite in C++” people are all in nursing homes. Okay, grandpa, let’s get you down for your nap now.

Warren


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The BBPlugin is an ideal place to start as it uses crossplatform JUCE that is released at the same time on Win/Mac and could be on Lin.
Keep the Win and 6 months later Mac released how it is but get the generate code into the Plugin, this will give instant generation of RealTracks/Drums, faster than 90's way Biab works now.
It will give you a Plugin, Plugin Standalone and a Live Arranger. If I could get the RealDrum generate code into Reaper PG could certainly get the RealTrack generate code into the Plugin. Once this is done other functions can be added as they go if need be. In the long run I think you will see the the current WinBB then 6 months+ later released MacBB phased out.

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Originally Posted by musocity
The good news is you can install windows on the Mac hardware and Biab will keep working update after update after update.

The great news is that no one has to.

Hopefully we'll see AS Native for 2024 but it's not really the priority that all of "the sky is falling" folks think it is. BIAB 2023 works great over Rosetta 2 on my M2 Studio and M1 MBAir. It will in 2024, too, though I would like to see AS Native by then.

A much bigger priority should be VST3 support for Windows users without any of the 3rd party wrappers currently required. Native Instruments dropping VST support last October has pushed that issue forward for many users. Well, not I because I am on a Mac.


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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.

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  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
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  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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