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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 28
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 28 |
Hi again!
WOW!!! I was completely blown away by the response I got to my first post where I asked "What's my best choice?" I was expecting to wait many days for a response, and even then, I expected only one or two replies. What can I say, except to thank everyone: <Greg64(Greg), Ryszard, Mac, MarioD, Danny C, av84fun(Jim), eddie1261, ZerZero, dcuny, TommyC, MikeK, jford, jazzmammal(Bob), flatfoot, and Matt Finley for your wonderful and most welcome replies ... and also a thank you in advance to any other members who may reply after I have posted this.
I included all the names of those above because I wanted to thank you ALL individually, not just for the knowledge you shared with me and the guidance you offered, but for the amount of time you set aside from your busy schedules to help me. Words can't express my gratitude. THANK YOU ALL, VERY MUCH! (Does this sound like an acceptance speech for an Academy Award? I hope not! LOL.
Okay, after hearing what you all had to say and the absolute enthusiasm you all share for this unique program, I am now pretty much darn sold on the whole concept of BiaB and a purchase in the very near future ... (After I mortgage the house and sell the kids, of course! <Hmmm! Tempting idea ... the kids, that is.>)
I have listened to many of the demos on the PG home page and I like what I hear. I actually found myself putting lyrics to some of the demos and my thought processes and creative juices began flowing like melted butter. Very inspiring! And my gut instinct, and that little voice inside me was screaming out ... "Just buy the damn thing, will ya, and start making music!" I will be checking out the user demos over the weekend. I recently located my old version of Kontakt 2 (bought in 2007) that I have never used simply because of other commitments over the years and the need to build a more powerful system than that of my old Apple computer. Owning Kontakt 2 makes me eligible for an inexpensive upgrade to Kontakt 5 if I choose. My new computer systems' OS is Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit, so I'm not sure if my version of Kontakt 2 will work on my system though. I hope it does. If it doesn't, then I will consider the inexpensive upgrade path to Kontak 5.
I know BiaB / Real Band comes with a DAW of some kind, but I have read exceptional things about Reaper. I would like to give this a try. It only cost $60 but apparently is still up there with the bigger names like Cubase, Logic etc. but at a much cheaper price. I would hope one day PG Music DOES decide to incorporate something in its program to accommodate the more classical / orchestral styles of compositions.
I do have a few more questions regarding certain hardware and audio/MID interfaces, but I will leave these for another time to post.
Thank you all again, and have a wonderful weekend,
Kindest regards
Dome
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,358
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,358 |
--> Like.
Reaper is excellent for the money. Just to make sure it's clear, when some of us referred to a sequencer software, we were referring to a DAW. Examples include RealBand, SONAR, Reaper, Logic, ProTools, etc. There is one major advantage of RealBand (besides it being free with BIAB) that is the reason I recommend you start with that first, and the reason is that it reads the BIAB files directly. With any other DAW, you will need to export tracks or do what BIAB calls Drag 'n Drop to get tracks into the DAW, and you will lose the chord symbols. The BIAB song format is proprietary, but since PG Music also makes RealBand, it alone can read this format. There are a few other minor subtleties about this, but for now, until Music XML is fully supported, RealBand is your best bet starting out.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 98
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 98 |
Dome,
You have just gone through a similar situation as my own, just about a week ago. I was blown away by the warm, receptive responses by many folks on here and their sage advice with helping make my purchase decision. They continue to be an invaluable resource and I'm confident you'll have similar experiences. I have to say, one week in, I have no regrets whatsoever. Once you get started, I'm sure you'll find your creativity opening up like you never imagined!
Welcome and congrats on your forthcoming purchase. Now let the good times roll!
Living in The Music City
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,217
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,217 |
Hi Dome, Quote:
I know BiaB / Real Band comes with a DAW of some kind, but I have read exceptional things about Reaper. I would like to give this a try. It only cost $60 but apparently is still up there with the bigger names like Cubase, Logic etc. but at a much cheaper price.
The DAW in the BIAB/RB partnership is Realband. It's unique in that it works exclusively with BIAB-created files and offers a nearly seamless integration with BIAB.
The above being said, I'm a Reaper user, too. My workflow practice is
- Create the song in BIAB.
- Find the best assortment of tracks to use in RB.
- Add instrumental fill-ins in RB.
- Finish off in Reaper (I love the ease of cutting / pasting as well as the extensive envelope control of just about every function that Reaper offers).
While Reaper is $60, you do not need to buy it up-front to use it. It comes as a trial and will still work even when the trial period is up. What it does is to remind you that you are past the trial date; it doesn't stop working or lose any functionality.
Just thought I'd share the above with you for what it's worth.
All the best,
Noel
P.S. My personal favorite is the UltraPlusPAK. I've found that this package provides just about everything one can get for BIAB/RB (i.e. Realdrums, Realtracks, Styles). I keep upgrading to this level and it does me just right.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,026
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,026 |
I just loaded Kontakt 2 on my Granddaughter's Win 7 laptop and it worked just fine.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021 |
Maybe you know this but in case you don't.
The DAW program you use has no influence on the quality of the sound you get. The sound card is what provides the sound.I guarantee, and so does PG,that unless you're doing all sorts of automation etc. RealBand will do everything you need and more. Some of these other progs can be very convoluted.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869 |
Ok .. be sure to check out KVR if you are going to get a sequencer - lots of freebie stuff and much of pro quality. It even has free sequencers http://www.kvraudio.com/q.phpCheck out crystal for a free synth and and and.... there are hudreds , even thousands... take care to keep focussed in your new |Virtual Dimension
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,593
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,593 |
BIAB and Reaper are the two main programs I use in my own projects. BIAB is unique and Reaper is, in my opinion, absolutely the best DAW you can find today for the money. It's very intuitive, pretty easy to learn (it comes with a great manual), includes a bunch of great plugins and it's so powerful (and even more) than much more expensive DAWs.
I absolutely recommend both of them.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,441
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,441 |
Welcome, and, yeah, Reaper's pretty darn cool. I should use RealBand more than I do, but I use BIAB all the time. Amazing stuff.
Definitely follow ZeroZero's advice -- KVR is a treasure trove, and a lot of the best stuff is free or inexpensive. As he mentioned, Crystal is way cool. I'm also very fond of the Alchemy Player, AAS Player, synths by HG Fortune, plugins by Variety of Sound, and the free synth Tyrell N6 by u-he. And don't forget Audacity, which is all you'll likely ever need for audio processing.
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2025 • Reaper 7 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
.
>>>.... Words can't express my gratitude....>>>
Actually you do a real good job of expressing gratitude.
-jdw
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869 |
Now how about lenfing me a hundred bucks? 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
Now how about lenfing me a hundred bucks?
Um, gave it up for Lenf?
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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: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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.
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Forums57
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