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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Hi Peter and the PG crew!
Any news on a date for a release of a new Mac version. I've trialled the PC demo on my Mac using VMX Fusion, and I really want some of those features in a Mac version! (VMX fusion is OK, but there are some glitches that appear).
I also want to do a screenstyle video for some of my students showing how to use some of the BIAB features to help with their practice - but for some reason the Mac screen capture program doesn't work very well with VMX Fusion/Windows BIAB.
Please give us Macheads some good news!
Cheers from the UK
Paul
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Man, do a forum search. There was a new thread about this just last week and many more going back months. The answer from PG himself is "they're working on it" and "maybe first quarter 09". Those are direct quotes. Check out the other threads.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Sorry dude, my bad.
Was in a hurry, saw nothing on the news page, fired off a quick post.
Next time I'll try and be more thorough before posting.
Cheers
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 264
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Hey Bob,
Did a more thorough search and read through the forum.
Found the post from Peter again. Looking forward to the new Mac version! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Paul
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I hope it comes with cheese, then it will be the mac and cheese in a box.. wait Kraft makes that here.... k d lang dinner...
For one, I am waiting for the same version, if possible to get a Linux port...now that should scream.....and the O S would be FREE!
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 264
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
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Hey John,
Let's hope it's not tooooo long!
I've found BIAB great for generating exercises/tracks for bass students to play along to, so they can have a harmonic element when they practice, but BIAB 12 is now sadly outdated. I trialled BIAB 2008 using VMX Fusion, the interface (VMX Fusion) worked OK, but it was a bit glitchy - and doesn't work very well with the screen capture software. BUT, I saw enough of the differences to know I WANT A NEW VERSION! I thought of doing bootcamp on my macbook - but then I've got to buy PC screen capture software too, as well as a Windows OS. Couldn't be bothered in the end - scratching by with BIAB 12 and waiting for news of a new Mac release....
I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't wait....
Paul
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199
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Paul,
The sad truth is that when Apple moved to OS X it really put a hurt on the Mac Version of BIAB.
For $400-500 you could get a relatively inexpensive PC with a monitor and load BIAB on that, and run it in 'native' mode. There is a thread on the Off Topic forum started by Blue Turbit which goes into a Screen Capture program, and a couple of them are listed there, either free or relatively inexpensive.
While it's not a Mac, it would get you up and running well quickly.
Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 150
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 150 |
It should be great if that post by PG is right.
I'm assuming that my RTs (all of them) will work in the Mac version as they are just wav files after decompression ( I'm running out of my PG allowance for this year).
I also imagine you will have to re-compress them to RARs or some other method if you want to save space.
(I'm guessing here).
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Hey Gary
Thanks for the post.
I'll check that post out and have a think...my gut feeling is that if Peter Gannon says that a Mac Version is coming down the pipes in the next few months then I'll be fine to wait until then. But I'll still check the options out so that I've got a back up plan - I'm gonna start needing some of the features that aren't available to BIAB 12/Mac REAL soon.
Thanks again.
Paul
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,165
Expert
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Expert
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Seeing how the standard tracks are in WMA for the PC, I would guess that the Mac version will use an Apple-centric compressed audio format.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 265
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 265 |
I just bought a Compaq laptop for my wife for $450. It's more than powerful enough to run BIAB, and came with a 250G HD.
Why not buy one and use it for a dedicated portable BIAB/music system, and stop hassling about Mac versions, which will never be as good as Windows versions?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,944
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,944 |
>> Seeing how the standard tracks are in WMA for the PC, I would guess that the Mac version will use an Apple-centric compressed audio format.
Yes, as mentioned in another post, we are working hard on the Mac version, and it will have RealTracks, RealDrums and AudioChordWizard.
We wouldn't use WMA files, since those are PC centric, and will use Apple-centric files (AAC/MP4, AIFF).
Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 12
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Jul 2007
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I think from the perspective of a lot of Mac users it's more of a hassle to buy a PC just for Band-In-A-Box. For me personally, I moved all my music production to a Macbook Pro specifically so I could be mobile and make music anywhere I wanted. Even if I got the Windows version and used it on my Windows laptop it's one more thing to have to carry around. I also use a MIDI redirector so I can send the BIAB output to the nicer sound modules I own for use in my recording software. Boot camp or virtualization doesn't work well in that case, so the solution of running it under Windows on Mac hardware isn't a good one.
Even if I did just give up on a Mac version and crossgrade, which Peter is very generously willing to do, the Mac version is perpetually dangling there just out of reach with commenst like "maybe Q1 of 2009". I'd hate to crossgrade to a Windows version and then a new Mac version finally comes out and I'm stuck. It's the status limbo we're stuck in that's the real problem.
I've read all the posts and I understand Peter's reluctance to give concrete delivery dates, but at this point it's gotten kind of ridiculous. If I knew the fate of a Mac version one way or another I'd be able to make a good decision, but as I said, the current limbo makes it impossible to choose. Peter, if your bread is buttered more on the Windows side then you need to just say so, axe Mac development, and let us all crossgrade.
--Jim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,270
Veteran
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My sister went through this same issue a number of years ago.
She is a dedicated "MAC" person but was frustrated with BIAB there. Things that we (her 3 brothers) did with our PC versions, she simply could not do at all with her Mac version.
We finally convinced her to "go PC" and she similarly (to Sam) bought an inexpensive 2nd hand PC laptop, then used the PGMusic "crossgrade" program during one Christmas season, to switch.
She's been happy ever since!
She gets full usage of all the latest BIAB developments PLUS she's found a few other programs that are just not available for the Mac. She now has the best of both worlds (IMHO). Sure, she could have waited for the new "we're working on it" release for the Mac, but look at all the time she would have "wasted" being frustrated.
I don't say here that PC is better than Mac. I won't even go there. In fact, if the shoe would have been on the other foot, (i.e. if the Mac version was way ahead of the PC version), I'd have bought a used Mac and cross graded that way.
PGMusic has to look at their bottom line.
If it makes more sense (and more money) to spend time and resources on the PC, I suspect that is where they will continue to concentrate.
Just my CDN 2 cents worth <grin>
LLOYD S
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 264
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Thanks for everyone's comments - especially Peter's.
The fact that Peter says a Mac version is on its way makes my decision to be to hang on for a bit....though the arguments for a cheapie 2nd hand PC to run it ARE attractive.
Please keep us all posted Peter, I guess that's all we can ask.
Paul
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 265
Apprentice
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Apprentice
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Quote:
I think from the perspective of a lot of Mac users it's more of a hassle to buy a PC just for Band-In-A-Box. For me personally, I moved all my music production to a Macbook Pro specifically so I could be mobile and make music anywhere I wanted. Even if I got the Windows version and used it on my Windows laptop it's one more thing to have to carry around. I also use a MIDI redirector so I can send the BIAB output to the nicer sound modules I own for use in my recording software. Boot camp or virtualization doesn't work well in that case, so the solution of running it under Windows on Mac hardware isn't a good one.
Even if I did just give up on a Mac version and crossgrade, which Peter is very generously willing to do, the Mac version is perpetually dangling there just out of reach with commenst like "maybe Q1 of 2009". I'd hate to crossgrade to a Windows version and then a new Mac version finally comes out and I'm stuck. It's the status limbo we're stuck in that's the real problem.
I've read all the posts and I understand Peter's reluctance to give concrete delivery dates, but at this point it's gotten kind of ridiculous. If I knew the fate of a Mac version one way or another I'd be able to make a good decision, but as I said, the current limbo makes it impossible to choose. Peter, if your bread is buttered more on the Windows side then you need to just say so, axe Mac development, and let us all crossgrade.
--Jim
I bought a PC many, many years ago just because I got tired of waiting for the BIAB "Mac version" which was never close to PC version. Things have not changed, and I avoided years of frustration (also save a lot of money with much cheaper PCs). I still have a Mac and use for some things, but not BIAB.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,165
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,165 |
I switched to Macs last spring and am very happy. The ONLY program I lack on the Mac side is an up to date BIAB. I also have many songs to finish in Sonar, so I created a Boot Camp partition on my MacPro. Running BIAB in Boot Camp works great--I get to use my Echo AudioFire soundcard and it works fine in with MME drivers. I arrange and generate RealTracks and RealDrums---then I drag and drop them into my Mac Audio drive via MacDrive. When I am ready to use them I reboot into OS X and fire up Logic.
Once Peter and company gives me an OS X version I can streamline my methods. Once I get the last songs either completed in Sonar or exported via OMF to Logic, I can get rid of Boot Camp.
Last month I began running BIAB on my MacBook Pro via Parallels and the external 80 GB hard drive. It works fine.
These compromises are workable but not ideal. I know Peter won't release an OS X version until it is as powerful and as stable as the PC version--I am comfortable with that approach.
Once you see a posting asking for beta testers on OS X, you know a release will be imminent.
Fred
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hey Fred
I couldn't get the demo version of BIAB to work with Parallels, so I switched it to VMX Fusion. It kind of worked, but was just a bit glitchy - and a PC owning friend of mine downloaded the demo BIAB for windows and we had a good working out of it on his PC, worked TONS better than with Parallels, or with VMX Fusion come to that. Maybe my MacBook needs a bigger spec.
Anyway, if PEter's reading this, if he wants beta testers for OS X please put my name on the list!
Cheers
Paul
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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It's not THE new version you folks are waiting on, but there is a new maintenance release build #31 announced as of January 19. Go here: http://www.pgmusic.com/support_macintoshupdates.htm
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: Dec 2008
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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 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
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Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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