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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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DrRock Offline OP
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Dudded again...!

I have the Everything Pak on the USB drive which I bought only last November.

I posted on here that there seemed to be an inordinate lack of features in the Mac version when compared to the Windows version, yet the Mac version is the same price, and the Mac is probably the leading computer used for media purposes.

Now BIAB 2012 for the Mac is here - and STILL no Lead Sheet, still no useful notation (a rapidly scrolling single line is totally useless - may as well not be in there), and various other features that are in the Windows version but not in the Mac version.

And they want another $159 for me to upgrade, not counting the cost of my bandwidth for the download! And why exactly would I need to upgrade all the styles, sets, real tracks etc, as opposed to just downloading the few new ones?

PG Music - this really is scandalous. How can you, in all conscience, charge the same for the Mac version as you do for the Windows version, but with the Mac version being a crippled sub-set of the Windows version?

What is WRONG with you guys? WHERE is the Lead sheet and notation capability? Until we get that, BIAB is just a plaything to go widdly-widdly with on the computer on a desk.

Please tell me how you can justify the price, and why the lack of lead sheet/notation facilities... and why your effort on the Mac is so poor that we are regarded as second-class citizens?

I will NOT be upgrading BIAB. There is nothing in the 2012 version that would make me want to part with yet another $159.

Signed - a disgruntled customer who is happy to pay for good stuff, but is sorely tempted to look for "free" versions of software if the customers get treated this way.

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Can't be more agree with you,man!!!I wrote also angry letter to PG Music,but do not expect any answer,of course!
I do not understand that attitude towards Mac users!?Are we some kind of 2rd part people,musicians or...Obviously brothers Gannon worked hard to gain cash,but not hard enough,to please the Mac users :-((((
back to the point:
Why we,Mac users,MUST always wait for the new version and why is that huge difference between PC and Mac version?

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yea. I'm waiting to upgrade BIAB until they bring Mac up to date, but I doubt they will. So sad.

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The disappointing part is that some items have been on the "wish list" / requested for years. I would much rather have these than the 'features' introduced in 2012.

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Having missed adequate lead sheet/notation features in BIAB for a long time, I now learned to concentrate on the strenghts of the software (which are a lot !) while doing all notation stuff with another one - Musescore (http://musescore.org/) - it's free and absolutely suitable for my needs.
Being able to import BIAB.SGU - files, it's very easy to use with BIAB and the results are great.
So I hesitated not a second to upgrade to BIAB 2012 (mainly because of the new RealTracks) and I appreciate if BIAB will improve its unique characteristics while leaving notation etc. to others.

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Do not believe anyone here is trying to discredit the fantastic BIAB and how useful it is for the musicians.The point is WHY WE CANNOT HAVE BIAB EQUAL TO THE PC VERSION?What wrong is it about it?Do not we pay the same money for the software?Then why that discrimination?

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I thought the title of this thread was
"ARRGGGHHH - STILL no Lead Sheet or useful notation on Mac"
and not
"Differences Between the MAC and PC versions (2011.5)" or similar ...

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DrRock Offline OP
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Not sure what point you're trying to make there, Rob - the lack of lead sheet and notation IS a difference between the Windows and Mac versions - despite being charged the same for each version.

Musescore is pretty good, BUT it won't run in sync with BIAB, so it's a bit of a kludge to play a backing in BIAB and trying to keep Musescore somewhere close to where BIAB is.

Why should BIAB leave notation to others? It's already in the Windows version. And most other DAW-type programs have very strong notation (eg Logic etc) on the Mac.

I think it is a marketing decision rather than a programming one, and I think (IMHO only of course) that the decision is a wrong one. I think they underestimate the number of Mac users involved in making music, and who would dearly love to have lead sheet and notation capability.

BIAB actually DOES have a sort of half-baked notation - but it's only single stave, and flies by so quickly it's useless as a performing tool. And you can't read ahead, as most good sight readers do. So it's just a token implementation.

We need multi-line notation, plus the ability to print off lead sheets complete with chord symbols.

This has been requested by many people for a long time - and I really don't know why PG Music are ignoring those requests. They would get a lot more sales and upgrades if they included those features.....

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I won't be buying either until there is a reason.


Dave
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Folks, don't get me wrong - your calls for adequate notation features in BIAB are perfectly eligible - I just wanted to tell people who are not aware of MuseScore that there is a free application which can read BIAB-files thus making leadsheet printing (including advanced notation features) out of BIAB-files very easy and pleasable. Of course there are uses of BIAB where this approach is not suitable.

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I wish I would have know of these issues before I just purchased the HD version yesterday.


Richard Venneman
Retired church organist, pianist, keyboardist
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Maschine MK3
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A few basic IK Multimedia midi controllers.
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Hi rvenneman,

The program is brilliant. It's absolutely fantastic accompaniment software. I imagine that you're going to be quite amazed when you hear it.

Regards,
Noel

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DrRock Offline OP
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Noel96 - nobody is arguing that the program is not brilliant. It is.

But the fact remains that despite being charged the same for the Mac version as for the Windows version, a major feature such as notation and lead sheets is missing in the Mac version. Along with other features too - but this thread is about the lead sheets etc.

Now you may not have a use for lead sheets, or on-screen notation that is actually usable, but many people, including me, do. In fact I used the Windows versions from the very early days until I switched to Mac about 3 or 4 years ago. And the notation and lead sheet that evolved on the Windows version made the program actually very useful, in the real world. And everyone's real worlds are different, of course.

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fully agree with you!!!

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I have to agree totally. I love BIAB, but it is just unfair to charge the same amount for a program that is crippled in some ways in comparison to the PC version.

I will wait until I see these much needed features until paying for any upgrade.....

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Oh my!

I've been gone from this forum for a couple years. I stopped in to see if they finally added the lead sheet to the Mac version. Alas, no joy. ...sigh....

The thing is, they promised this back in 2010 for a future release.

Well i've got news for ya......times up


Arnold: "I'll be back" .......rrrrrrr

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In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!

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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!

We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!

We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!

If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!

Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.

Video: XPro Styles PAK 9 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!

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.

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins

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