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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 22
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OP
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Posts: 22 |
I have a 2004 version of Band in a Box, that I have only been able to scratch the surface of.
I have used it mostly to play Midi files and follow along with my Bass guitar. I am contemplating buying the 2014 version, and since I am retired, I have the time to learn the program. I am trying to get my guitar playing polished and I need software to help me out!
Is there a good structured way to learn this program (2014 versionb)?
The help file hasn't been much help on the version I have. I would guess the newer versions help file is also in a foreign tongue (to me).
The new program would not be much use to me if I cannot get good sounds from the instruments, So I would need some type of tutorial that would take me from start to being able to get the most of the instruments that are available in Band in a Box.
Roy
Roy
Les Paul Standard
Taylor 416 ce
Ibanez Musician Bass
Deering Sierra Banjo
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
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There are tutorials in the Support Section that will help. You can ask in this forum for specific info. Later, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2007
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It would be great if there was a course that showed you how to use BIAB, but there really isn't. One reason is that BIAB is used in so many different ways by different people. Ray's answer is the next best thing. There are tutorials on the PG Music site and on youtube, and the forums here are a fantastic resource.
I would add one thing. BIAB is the ultimate shiny object. An organized approach works best, at least for me. I have found that it helps to state goals and questions in writing to help focus on them as I search for answers. As new questions arise (and they will, believe me) I write them down, too, to pursue at a later time.
BIAB has always been the tool to do what you are looking for, and 2014 does it better than ever. Welcome to the community. We look forward to helping you grow!
Richard
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,094
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And Roy, Besides all of the excellent individual Video Tutorials and integrated help, there is a fantastic community on this Forum, willing to assist others wherever possible. You are not alone. Good luck! Trevor
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 22
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OP
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Thanks Folks! Thanks a lot!
Roy
Roy
Les Paul Standard
Taylor 416 ce
Ibanez Musician Bass
Deering Sierra Banjo
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,868
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I have a 2004 version of Band in a Box, that I have only been able to scratch the surface of.
Is there a good structured way to learn this program (2014 versionb)?
Roy Royz, the biggest problem with trying to answer your question is that there are simply so many different ways that you can use this program. That makes it a very difficult question to answer. There are, in fact, a number of tutorials and youtube videos to help on various issues. I can describe how I work with it. Some others here follow a similar path, but many others go a totally different route as well. I compose and write in BB. I work out the song structure, tempo, key, etc in BB and save it. I open that file in Real Band and use RB to render ALL the tracks into the real player's audio files. I import those audio tracks into Sonar and add my own live tracks for guitar, mandolin, and vocals there. Mixing and mastering are also completed in Sonar. That's "in a nut shell" how I work. Like I said, there are many other ways to get to a finished song while staying totally inside BB with or without using Real Band. If you are coming from 2004 to 2014, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised and satisfied. Lots of major improvements. I think the first version I started with was 2009 and what a huge difference since then. My suggestion: look up the tutorials and watch and or work thru them and learn as much as you can in a general manner about this program. Then, find the single path that works best for you. Your general knowledge will come in handy when you need to venture off that single path to do something else on those occasions when you need it. I normally follow that same path every time. Occasionally, I make a side stop or a detour. BTW: here;s the PG tutorials page: http://www.pgmusic.com/howtos.htm
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 03/11/14 05:12 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38
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There is a "Band In A Box Made Easy" DVD available ► HERE
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2006
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There is a "Band In A Box Made Easy" DVD available ► HERE Anyone got it and is it any better than our dozens of videos which I think are excellent?.
Last edited by sixchannel; 03/13/14 02:44 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99
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Hi Royz,
Welcome! I had a hard time in the beginning and could not seem to get going. Someone in the forum recommended to me to take a simple song I know well and build it in BIAB. Once you complete the song structure, change the song with different styles (jazz, bluegrass, country rock, etc.) and change the tempo. With the newer versions and all the real tracks, this is lots of fun. Add some solos, extra instruments and set it to loop so you can play along.
I started with something that had only a few chords - like Amazing Grace. You can make it New Orleans Jazz with some horns, coffee shop quite with some strings, old time country with bluegrass, heavy metal with screaming guitars, Texas Blues with a slide, etc - just what ever style you like or don't like. Gives a good idea do the program's capabilities and may also give you some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Best of luck and hope you find this as rewarding as we all do on this forum. I just hope there is someday a way to meet these great people face to face.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,742
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The new program would not be much use to me if I cannot get good sounds from the instruments,
Roy
realtracks sound great! midi, depends on your midi sound device some tutorials that may be helpful https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfpd1dp6SywiAJI88A5SXT-gEJAzLZk1g
Lenovo YOGA 900 Window s 10 Home 64bit M4 pro Mac mini 1tb HD 24GB mem casio wk7500 presonus audiobox i2 usb interface
casio wk-7500
biab & realband 2025 everything pk both with Current builds
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 273
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 273 |
There is a "Band In A Box Made Easy" DVD available ► HERE The last post there seems to be from 2012, as far as I can tell. Is the offer still active? If so, specific instructions on how to get the DVD seem a bit unclear (or at least possibly outdated.....)
Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller; Asus A53E Laptop running Windows 7 - 64 bit; BIAB 2017 UltraPlusPak (upgraded from 2014 EverythingPak), running from Laptop's Hard Drive.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 22
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OP
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Ditto on "Band in a Box made Easy"..I would like a copy and would be willing to pay by paypal (or whatever).
Roy....And thanks for all the tips and helps!
Roy
Les Paul Standard
Taylor 416 ce
Ibanez Musician Bass
Deering Sierra Banjo
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Roy, there's lots of great advice above. You should enjoy the newly organized video page Videotrack linked to above, but however you learn best, there should be something for you.
However - I wanted to return to your original question and comment on "good sounds", since you asked specifically about that.
Around 2007, 2008 BIAB adopted a whole new way of making sound and added this to the still excellent MIDI handling it has always had. These new sounds are called RealTracks and RealDrums, and they are audio snippets of actual performers (good ones, too). What I'm trying to point out is that you can now get some great results from BIAB without even using MIDI. This may change your thinking a bit. If you would like more details about anything I said, write back.
And if you do still use MIDI, as many of us do, there have been lots of improvements in both hardware synths and software synths. More recently, BIAB began offering enhanced MIDI sounds and a limited set of software instruments to play them (HiQ, SampleTank).
I've tried to keep this simple, so just tell us what you'd like to know more about.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,868
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To follow up on the point Matt Finley makes about the sound quality.....
Simply go to the User Showcase forum and listen to some of the music people are making using 2014 and those who are still using the older versions.
Also hit the website pages for Floyd, Tommyad, Janice & Bud, and of course, mine as well, to see the superb quality that is possible with the current crop of real tracks in this very cool program. (not slighting anyone else not mentioned..... )
The quality speaks for itself.
I have had people tell be they "can hear the rosin on the fiddler's bow", and others ask all the time "who is playing" that instrument. It's that real. Nowadays I just tell people it's my studio band and a few close friends.
EDIT: I, and some others here, take the music outside of BB/RB into a 3rd party DAW where we do the mixing and mastering with some finishing plugins to give the music a polished and smooth finish. But... it all starts with the superb quality of the RB sampled tracks.
I don't think you will be disappointed. Besides, they still offer the 30 day unconditional return guarantee, in the unlikely event that you are.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 03/14/14 05:18 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,704
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Herb just gave you some excellent advice. I will add to that is also listen to some of my music as I use a mostly MIDI, as do a few others. Also read what styles and instruments are being used as many, including myself, combine MIDI, RT and RD.
I would like to stress the fact that it is not either MIDI or RT/RD. BiaB excels at both and it is very easy to use both in a song.
I also think that you will not be disappointed.
Good luck.
OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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.
Part of the challenge is that BiaB does so many things. Musicians with different needs are able to make it do lots of different jobs. Before you go much further, make sure you can say exactly what it is that you want it to do.
I have sent you a PM. Click under the "My Stuff" menu.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have the Band-In-A-Box Made Easy video CD mentioned earlier. I can't say it's any better than any of the other video tutorials but it is convienent to be able to view offline, rewind and repeat as needed or for viewing on a portable viewer or entertainment system.
The basic premise is how to build a song from scratch. A familiar country gospel song, I'll Fly Away, is used as an example. The methods presented make sense to me.
The cd's biggest asset is it helps a newcomer quickly get comfortable with BIAB.
The link given earlier is to a specific posting which has not been updated for some time. The forum itself is very active with one section devoted to BIAB. It is one of the few musical forums I've found where musicians will admit to using and liking BIAB.
The BIAB Made Easy cd costs $5 US to cover duplication and shipping. PM me for contact information.
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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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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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
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