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Hi all, Brand new here. Considering purchasing Band In A Box soon. I was hoping to get some direction from the pros in here! I'm a singer/songwriter who typically writes and performs with only my voice and an acoustic guitar. I have a collection of songs that could really benefit from additional layers of music. Currently I use a Zoom H4n field recorder to record my guitar and vocal tracks separately and then I bring those into Reaper for EQ, mixing and output. But I am really not good enough at playing other instruments such as drums, bass, etc. to record those tracks. So I'm looking for a good way to add these other layers to my music. So here are my questions... 1) for a typical workflow, could I bring an existing recording into BIAB or would it be best to lay down a drum track (or other click track) with BIAB and then use that as a backing track to record a new vocal track? 2) can I bring a vocal track into BIAB or is that more of a RealBand (or DAW) function? 3) will I be happy with the acoustic guitar strumming in BIAB or is my live recorded acoustic track going to be better? 4) I worry that using the RealTracks in BIAB will make my song sound like other BIAB songs. Is that something to be concerned about? Or, once I mix it all up will it sound like my song and not like every other BIAB song? 5) related to above, how do the solos work? I am assuming they will be the same solo every time they are used so that would be a problem in an original song. Right? 6) would you consider BIAB to be mainly a practice tool to use for creating backing tracks (for performing or writing) or is its output nice (and unique) enough to be used as accompaniment for a demo? 7) what would the typical workflow be for someone who has composed a song on an acoustic guitar? something like this maybe? - write song - enter chord progressions into BIAB - add various instrument layers in BIAB - export backing track from BIAB - record vocals using backing track in headphones - mix backing track and vocals in a DAW 8) Based on what I've seen so far it looks like I need to spring for the UltraPlusPak or be unhappy with missing RealTracks!  Is that correct? 9) is BIAB the right software for what I want to do? Thanks so much for any assistance you can provide me. I really appreciate it! John
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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JohnJohnJohn (or is it John, John, John -- did you get in trouble a lot as a child? -- ha, ha)
1.) You could bring the live track in and add instruments to it -- but your timing would have to be pretty good. I would lay down the click track with the BIAB drummer and build from there.
2.) You can bring one audio track into BIAB -- but I really use a DAW for that (I user Sonar, but RealBand is a DAW).
3.) I use a lot of the acoustic guitar parts from realtracks. They seem to fit in well.
4.) That is a legitimate concern. The goal is not to use a BIAB backing and plop your vocals on top, but to use BIAB so it is part of the song. That sometimes is easy and sometimes it's not -- but it can be done.
5.) The solos can be regenerated over and over again and be different each time. You can also cut and paste and move things around to make it "different". Yes, after awhile you can hear those BIAB riffs in other folks' songs and recognize them -- that why we always want more realtracks. Having said that, there is a lot of variety available right now.
6.) I think you can use biab to make pretty decent recordings. How good sounding is up to your skill level. Even though a bunch of nashville studio musicians perform a lot of the realtrack samples that I use, Nashville (from what I hear) still will frown on BIAB demos (and probably LA and NY, too). So, don't let them know until it is too late!!
7.) That is probably the exact work flow I use.
8.) UltraPak Plus is the way to go (for me).
9.) I think BIAB is a great tool and a lot of fun. Whether it is right for you, is up to you. Traditionally there is a mid-summer sale in biab-land, but who know what will happen this summer?
Kevin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I agree 100% with Kevin. I would add that you should go to the user showcase forum and listen to some of the music there. All of the music there was generated by BiaB and/or RealBand and all of the songs are very good. Some of the songs are Biab/RB totally, some with parts of RealTrack cut and pasted together, some were initiated then morphed into what you hear and some are all of the above. This way you will get an idea of what BiaB/RB can do.
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Hey Kevin! Thanks so much for your detailed reply! I was checking out some of your music here http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=1144009 You have some really nice songs! Are there any specific songs there that you did with BIAB? And, yes, pretty much all my life people have been shaking their head at me and saying "John, John, John"! (hey, there's a song in there!)
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Thanks MarioD, I listened to a few songs they were pretty impressive! Gotta take a few minutes and listen to a bunch more.
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I'm just John the John cubed thing makes me feel about 30% of what I should.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
Hey Kevin! Thanks so much for your detailed reply! I was checking out some of your music here http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=1144009 You have some really nice songs! Are there any specific songs there that you did with BIAB?...
Those are all BIAB tunes with me adding guitars,vocals and such. If you go to the "full song info" page at soundclick, I show what BIAB did in each song (at the bottom of the lyrics). When I post them here, I detail out exactly what realtracks/midi stuff I used.
Kevin
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Welcome John. Judging from your opening post, you've got a good handle on this, and you've been given some wisdom already. I got into this digital stuff to augment my own songs and it's been perfect. Good enough when I was only using MIDI and even better when the RTs came along . . . you'll want those. As for my work flow - I start with the chord sheet. My own acoustic is only used in RealBand. The better synthsizer you have for midi, the better BIAB sounds. RTs are beautiful. You'll have a great backup band in no time, and you'll want to use RealBand. All my songs on my site are done with PG Projects - beginning to end. Whatever you use, you probably won't add your own acoustic - and if you have a good mic - you should add your acoustic in RealBand or whatever DAW you decide to use. Backing tracks in BIAB, full mix in DAW. Boy are you going to have fun!   Cheers - Ian
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Yo 3 Johns,
All good advise already, so all I will do is welcome you to the forum.
Later,
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Geez Ian I liked you better before the photo.  rotf (What am I doing here...)laughing. Help me up.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
I'm just John the John cubed thing makes me feel about 30% of what I should.
I figure its my hook and if I repeat it enough...
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Quote:
Welcome John.
Judging from your opening post, you've got a good handle on this, and you've been given some wisdom already.
I got into this digital stuff to augment my own songs and it's been perfect. Good enough when I was only using MIDI and even better when the RTs came along . . . you'll want those.
As for my work flow - I start with the chord sheet. My own acoustic is only used in RealBand.
The better synthsizer you have for midi, the better BIAB sounds. RTs are beautiful. You'll have a great backup band in no time, and you'll want to use RealBand.
All my songs on my site are done with PG Projects - beginning to end. Whatever you use, you probably won't add your own acoustic - and if you have a good mic - you should add your acoustic in RealBand or whatever DAW you decide to use. Backing tracks in BIAB, full mix in DAW.
Boy are you going to have fun!
Cheers - Ian
Thanks for the advice Ian! I'm looking forward to this!!
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Quote:
Yo 3 Johns,
All good advise already, so all I will do is welcome you to the forum.
Later,
Thanks Danny!
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Liked your songs Kevin - nice vocals
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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>>>...7) what would the typical workflow be for someone who has composed a song on an acoustic guitar? something like this maybe?...- write song...- enter chord progressions into BIAB ....>>>>> There is a lot of variation in the workflow. I always start with BiaB, then move to realband at some point of development. Which point? ...it depends. My way is that I work out the chords, melody and structure in BiaB. When I am figuring out whether I want 2 verses and a chorus, or 2 choruses and a verse, BiaB is the tool to use. It is much harder to change your u mind after the song is ported over to Realband. When I get to Realband its time to try adding various realtracks. Well this is the idea anyway. I run into various issues with almost every song that have me bouncing back and forth between the two programs a coupleof times. THen again, some people on this forum do everything in Realband, and sometimes I can get everything I need just using BiaB alone. Here are some songs that kind of fit the creative process you decribed. Almost all the instruments are Real tracks. https://www.youtube.com/user/flatfoot50?feature=mhee/
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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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Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
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Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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 PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
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)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
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!
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