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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 38
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 38 |
Hi, I am using BIAB 2010.5 MegaPak under Win 7 32 bit. I am not happy with the instrument sound that is produced by BIAB. I bought this package with the understanding that it would be like a little band in the corner.
My hardware consists of: 1 - onboard HD Audio (on the motherboard) 2 - two Logitech Computer Speakers with a Bass Unit. 3 - one Yamaha P-85 Digital Piano.
The MIDI configuration is set as follows: Input = No MIDI Output = USB Uno MIDI Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
When I set the MIDI configuration to output USB Uno MIDI, the piano comes through but that is all. When I set the MIDI configuration to output MS GS Wavetable everything sounds like a Kazoo..lol
I am very computer literate but I am Audio illiterate. It seems as if there is something missing in my configuration. Without breaking the bank, any recommendations would be appreciated.
TIA northcoast
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,597
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,597 |
Hi, Have you tried using the VSC/DXi soft synth rather than MS Wavetable. Try this and see if it helps. You are in a fortunate position since you have a 32 bit operating system. - Opt. | Preferences | MIDI Driver
- Activate "Use VST/DXi Synth"
- Activate "Route MIDI thru to MIDI drive"
 Now a pop-up should happen to tell you that you have installed the soft synth. If for some reason, you do not see VSC/DXi in the top slot of the pop-up window, click on the drop-down menu list arrow on the right and select it.  All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 38
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 38 |
Thanks for the quick response. I made the suggested changes and yes, the sound seems to be much better. I am new at this so there is much for me to learn. When I add a Melody and than set up the Harmony to "Super Saxes", it sounds like an accordian instead of saxes. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon. Back to the Tutorials...
Thank you..Northcoast
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,616
Expert
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Expert
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,616 |
Quote:
I am not happy with the instrument sound that is produced by BIAB.
Unless you are using RealTracks and/or RealDrums, BIAB sounds are only as good as the synth it is playing through. It is my understanding that the Roland VSC/DXi synth won't work under Windows 7. BIAB ships with a Coyote Wavetable that will work under 7 but sounds the same as the MS Wavetable. PG sells Coyote Forte, which works under Windows 7 and has some nice sounds. You can try it for 30 days.
From what I can tell, your Yamaha P85 has only a few keyboard voices. If you want to use those, you would need the patch numbers from your manual and put those in the BIAB part(s) you desire. Depending on what instruments you want, Forte would probably do the trick. If finances are an issue, there are free synths that use readily available sound libraries such as VSTSynthFont.
R
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 623
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 623 |
There is a reason expensive sound modules are expensive. The Ketron is not cheap, but the sax sections sound less like accordions than any software sample player, and most other hardware modules. The vibrato tends to be a little heavy using the default sax banks.
I wish there were a way to make harmonies out of the upper banks though. Does anyone know a way ?
Jan - 12 Core AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 32GB DDR4 Win 10 64-bit Samsung m.2 SSD Boot drive,other SSD internal and USB drives. MOTO 2 Ketron SD90 Aerophone AE-30, Yamaha WX-7 Yamaha RX-v381amp
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,801
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,801 |
I use Real Band for this reason. It allows me to take a song i develop in BiaB and move it to Rb, where i can use several different softsynths, TTS, Sampletank, PS fretted, and even sound fonts if i want, and blend then with Real Tracks and get a very realistic backing band. Even cheap sound sources like Microsoft synth Gs, and VSc, need effort to sound decent. Learn which synth have good sounds. I like TTs for some sounds, sampletank for others. Still sometimes you have to add effects and tweak the sounds to get what you want. To get good results it take work and learning. If all you had to do was type in a few chords and out came a song that rivaled the best bands on the planet where would the art of it come in? There would be thousands of out of work musicians, and every concert hall in the world would be filled with computer geeks! eeeeeekkkkk that's a horrible thought!
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,504
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,504 |
Yes, as we all should know, MIDI has no sound, but simple recreates the gestures of a synth player and sends those gestures in digital form to the synth.
The synth creates the sound, and the sound a synth creates can be either realistic or lame or anything in between.
To get realistic sounds out of any MIDI program, you need good synths, either hardware or software, and the synth in your computer's sound card isn't going to do it.
For a computer user who doesn't want to add another amp and speakers, a small hardware synth like the Ketron would probably be a good bet. I'm sure there are some great software synths out there now, but I prefer hardware synths so I can't recommend any.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove & Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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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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2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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!
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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
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
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Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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