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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 55
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 55 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 22
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 22 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 70
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 70 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 55
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 55 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 22
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 22 |
I won't be buying either until there is a reason.
Dave
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 15
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 15 |
I wish I would have know of these issues before I just purchased the HD version yesterday.
Richard Venneman
Retired church organist, pianist, keyboardist
Yamaha DGX-660
Maschine MK3
Sampletank 4 Max
EZ Keys
A few basic IK Multimedia midi controllers.
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,199
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,199 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 55
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 55 |
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812 |
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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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 150
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 150 |
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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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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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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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 10 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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 10 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.
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