I’m new to BIAB. I’ve successfully created a few songs now, I’m gradually learning the nuances of the software slowly starting to form an efficient work flow for creating and arranging songs.
Im beginning to realize that (much like regular DAW recording) there are initial decisions made that can either help or hinder future editing. I’d like to create 40-50 tracks as quickly as possible. What is the most efficient work flow for creating songs. Is anyone aware of a video that outlines an efficient complete start to finish song creation work flow?
Thanks!
Stefan
MacBook Pro M3 Max Sonoma 14.1.2, BIAB Audiophile Edition 2023, Logic ProX 10.8.1, Focusrite 8PreX Interface.
This is a quick overview on creating a song in BiaB:
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
In general, I would not recommend anywhere near that many tracks in BIAB. I think BIAB is limited to 24 anyway. Develop your songs in BIAB and move those tracks to your DAW. Then erase some of those tracks (they are probably in the Utility Tracks anyway) and generate more tracks and move those to your song in the DAW.
I also think many of us here would recommend that you record live instruments in the DAW, but that's personal preference. We can discuss this more, as the topic is the right tool for the job. BIAB is amazing and unique in what it can do, but perhaps is not best suited for every step in audio production.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Also, a quick demonstration you can do that will reveal some of BIAB's more hidden powers the program has that can increase the efficiency of both accompaniment and arranging is to make 3 easy modifications to the PG Music video posted by Audio Track above.
Duplicate the Chord Chart of the song in that video. 12 bars, tempo, style and Choruses, etc
1. Add RealTrack 1924 Guitar soloist to an empty track
2. Select the second track that contains the Sax and replace it with RT-1320 (Medley)
3. Change the Chorus number from 3 to 2 rather than 1 as done in the video
Generate and play
The selected style, _NOON.STY has four instruments across 4 tracks. With the modifications above, the style now has 8 instruments across five tracks.
The RT-1320 uses a feature called RealTrack Medley Maker which is a 10 channel sub-mixer on each of the first seven original Legacy Tracks of the BIAB Mixer. Up to 10 additional RealTrack instruments can be added to each of these tracks. They can be panned and volume adjusted and configured to play simultaneously or alternately in multiple different ways. There are many PG Music preset Medley's to choose from or a user can create custom medley's from scratch.
Preset Medley's can be searched from the RealTrack Picker and the RealTrack Medley Maker can be accessed from the RealTrack Picker.
The addition of the RT-1924 guitar is a complementary instrument to the RT-1923 guitar included in the style. It's a different artist and instrument created to play in conjunction with the styles guitar. They work together as if the two recording musicians are playing together in the recording. There are many of these pairings in the RealTrack Picker and they aren't always both the same type instruments. For instance, some may be a sax paired with a soloist guitar. They will match up with complementary riffs or even duplicate riffs on occasion. They work both as stand-alone RealTracks in a style or paired in a style.
I hope you and others try this demonstration and let us know your thoughts here in the forum.
I'll do my usual mention of Henry Clarke's YouTube channel: here. Henry covers a number of things differently from the way PGM present them. Personally I prefer his style; YMMV.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
I certainly second the mention of Henry Clarke's videos. He is definitely worth following, he is an excellent producer of material with BiaB.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Well, the videos are great to explain the process.... but my question is what is the purpose of those 40 to 50 tracks? Is it for fun at home or do you plan on doing a one man gig type show with those backing tracks?
If it's for fun, you can take the time to create 10 to 12 tracks easily in a week.....and in a month or so, if you stay on task, you have reached your goal. If you;re doing a gig kinda thing and time is critical,, you can easily find a website or two where you can download songs that someone else has already built for BiaB and in a day or two, you're up and ready to roll. I've never used any of those kinds of libraries since I rarely do covers but I'm sure others can point you in the right direction. Some are free and some might charge a few dollars per song.... but with that many songs.... and since time is money.... if I was going to do that, I'd probably use that method as well.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Yes, back to the high number of tracks: BIAB cannot do that, so the OP will be looking at a different solution anyway. As I understand it, RealBand can support this many tracks, or use any DAW.
There's probably a joke in there somewhere. What do you get with 40 to 50 banjo tracks?
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
- Separated, mixable backing tracks to be played live for a scalable cover band. (I’m transferring the BIAB tracks into my DAW adding eq, plug-ins & effects if required then exporting to WAV from there into StageTrax 3 which is an IOS app for live backing tracks). - Practice tracks for fellow musicians: I want to make the complete arrangement for various musicians then remove parts and distribute to players/soloists/vocalists for them to use as a practice tool. - Make arrangements of traditional Fiddle tunes for a local fiddlers association. They play a catalog of several hundred selections… a lot of them are quite similar but just different enough that it matters so I find it hard to remember the idiosyncrasies. I’m looking to increase my familiarity in the genre and learn the melodies by creating BIAB arrangements to run through a few of them each day on upright bass to keep them fresh.
It’s easy to bang out a “complete” tune in a few minutes but it’s becoming clear that I’m only scratching the surface of what BIAB can do. As I learn more depth in the program I’m getting better arrangements and in less time.
In all of my newbie BAIB excitement it’s easy to forget that Rome wasn’t built in a day (as they say).
Yes…. I know It’s just an elaborate hobby… still it’s ultimately just for fun. As fun as it is … to me, playing music live is more funner & playing it well is the most funnest! So shortest path to the “most funnest” is what I’m after I guess!
MacBook Pro M3 Max Sonoma 14.1.2, BIAB Audiophile Edition 2023, Logic ProX 10.8.1, Focusrite 8PreX Interface.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
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
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean