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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 just purchased 2010.5 MegaPak and I am thinking about upgrading to the EverythingPak but I have a few questions.
1 Is it worth it?
2 As I understand it everything is on an external disk drive, what happens if the disk crashes?
3 Is the LessonPak worth the upgrade?
My motivation for the upgrade to begin with is to achieve a better more realistic sound.
TIA tim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,597
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,597 |
Hi Tim,
I take it that this is your first purchase of BIAB.
My feeling is that you won't be disappointed. The EverythingPak or UltraPlusPak will give you all the Realdrums and Realtracks. Having these will provide you with all available studio sounds and thus give you the biggest possible choice when making your own music. Whilst both of the above Paks come on a USB drive, they don't have to be run from USB. It's possible to install from that drive onto your internal hard drive. The USB drive then becomes a backup set of installation files should you ever need to reinstall. That's exactly how I run BIAB. Other people choose to install the program so that it runs from the USB drive. The option is yours. If you do choose to run from USB, though, I'd suggest getting a second USB drive to backup the installation USB.
Four or five years ago (pre-Realtracks and -drums) I started with a MegaPak. The very next opportunity that I had to upgrade, I converted that to a deal that gave me everything. I haven't been sorry since. I learned from this that once you have everything, some very good update deals become available every half-year. These have allowed me to "top up" the program and keep me with everything that PG Music produce for BIAB/RB.
Regards,
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 |
Great information...thank you very much
tim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574 |
Great answer from Noel, and I did the same, installing from the provided hard drive. Nevertheless, PG Music could assist you if you ran from their hard drive and it developed a problem, since they keep records of sales and registered users.
I'm not familiar with the Lesson Pak, but I was wondering if you were asking about that in connection with your final comment, that you wanted better sound. If you are asking how to get the best sound, please write back and we can give you advice. Tell us about your system.
I'm also curious about your purchase of 2010.5. Version 2011 has been out since early December.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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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 |
Great, OK..
I have a Win7 Based system with an AMD Dual Core Processor and 4 GB Ram.
I have a motherboard with on-board HD Audio.
I have two small Logitech computer speakers.
I also have a Yamaha P-85 Digital Piano with a USB UNO MIDI connection.
The MIDI Audio Setup is as follows:
Use VST/DXi is checked.
Route MIDI through to MIDI Driver is checked.
MIDI Input = No MIDI Input
MIDI Output = USB Uno MIDI - This used to be set to MS GS Wavetable.
Thanks tim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,597
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,597 |
Hi Tim, Quote:
I have a Win7 Based system with an AMD Dual Core Processor and 4 GB Ram.
I have a motherboard with on-board HD Audio.
I have two small Logitech computer speakers.
I also have a Yamaha P-85 Digital Piano with a USB UNO MIDI connection.
The MIDI Audio Setup is as follows:
Use VST/DXi is checked.
Route MIDI through to MIDI Driver is checked.
MIDI Input = No MIDI Input
MIDI Output = USB Uno MIDI - This used to be set to MS GS Wavetable.
I don't think that I'm fully understanding your above post. Do you have a problem getting BIAB to play?
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,612
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,612 |
The lesson pak will not improve your sound, it may improve your playing though.
I thought it was well worth the $20 difference, but some may not have any use for it.
You can still run everythingpak from the internal drive if you want, or use the external drive or both. It gives you options during install.
Most of us make a backup copy of the disk in case it crashes. However, I think PGMusic keeps your purchase on file just in case..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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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 |
I'm sorry, I meant that I was not happy with the sound I am getting out of BIAB.
I am not having any problems getting sound out of BIAB.
I was thinking that if I added more RealBand sounds I would appreciate the real music sound more...
tim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
If it's not RealBand then the problem is your synth. Band in a box, when not using RealDrums or RealTracks uses midi, which was the industry standard for making sounds.
The best of the non 64 bit synths is either of the free, sent with the software Roland VSC Dxi synth. You go to opts prefs midi and check the dxi box and select it there.
The other is the Coyote Forte, that's some small change.
If 64 bit you either do the same as above, check the dxi box and there is a workaround there if you don't figure that out ask.
If you still need a 64 bit midi synth then you might consider picking up the Music Creator 5, it has the TTS-1 synth as part of the package for 60 bucks, plus you get the software.
The other option is to ensure you go all Realtacks. Some people love them and use nothing else, others won't touch them. (Which I don't get.)
I'm still using both sometimes, but prefer all RealTracks.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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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
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
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- 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
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
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Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
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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.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
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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