RB is a DAW with a lot of BiaB functions. It does not have all the features, but allows one to open BiaB files and add to them and regenerate portions, and mix and complete songs.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
Probably Yes, although I think it would depend on the project. RB is a DAW, so you could use that or you could use something else.
[I happen to use SONAR, but only because I learned Cakewalk programs before PG Music offered their own version. So, my workflow is BIAB into SONAR.]
However, RB can do something NO other DAW can do, and that is open a BIAB song file directly. Then you can regenerate parts of tracks, something even BIAB cannot do.
Thus, my recommendation is that you fire up RB and learn what it is capable of, as you may want to use it even if you also own a third-party DAW.
And, welcome to this forum.
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.
As I use only 64-bit vsts, I don't think that is RB's strength. But you are right, I will spend some time getting to know it before I rule it out.
I especially noted your comment "However, RB can do something NO other DAW can do, and that is open a BIAB song file directly. Then you can regenerate parts of tracks, something even BIAB cannot do." That seems to be a big plus!
RB 2015 can use 64bit VSTis, and VSTs. So that is not a problem. I have track several projects entirely in RB. I seldom even use BiaB anymore. I find RB does 90% of what BiaB does in simply generating basic tracks for a song bed. I mix and process them right there. If i run into a situation where i can't get RB to do what i want i have Presonus' Studio one Pro where i can do what ever i want.
SIde note i was noodling around in Studio one last night, and trying different sampler sounds that come with the program. I was messing with a drum track that was basically a midi file i downloaded. I ran the file through EzDrummer, which is so easy in SD1, all one has to do is drag the VSTi onto the track, and a box pops up and asks "do you want to replace what ver synth it is using" Which in my case was their "Presence" sampler. Then i opened up EzDrummer and set it to multi output, and in the track inspector in SD1 their was a drop down arrow i opened it and it has check boxes for all the outputs of EZD. check each one and a track appears for each. Add effects to taste and mix down. Very cool deal.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
If going to a 3rd-party DAW (with non-FX BIAB/RB tracks) is the goal, would the path BIAB to RB to DAW be the recommended path?
RB allows audio recording but BIAB offers more options (from Robh), so I would think that both BIAB and RB need to be in the equation.
Absolutely.... that's my path... however, rarely does anything I create in BB end up in my finished song projects. Most of the tracks I use are generated in RB and they are the tracks you hear in my tunes, along with me playing live. All live recording is done in Sonar.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.
... Are there any functions in BIAB not available in RealBand?
Yes. Depending on how you work you may notice them or you may not. BiaB is much faster at generating/creating new ideas; it is setup to try a lot of different variations/styles very fast. RB is more of a "I want to do this here and that there' type setup. It requires more input from the user, but also offers some features/controls that BiaB does not, so your question can go both ways.
If you have some DAW experience and familiarity, you may find the RB workflow much more flexible and powerful. It's more linear (like most other DAWs). If you don't, BiaB may be more suitable to you. There are many users who don't seem to mind the difference between the two. They are separate programs for a reason. I hope this remains so for the foreseeable future. Both have their strengths.
They are very different in how they actually perform, but both do indeed share a lot of the same functions .. it's all about your workflow.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Thanks to all who replied...including tech support.
I have gone through many videos while running both BIAB and RB, and now appreciate the differences between the two.
I am amazed at the power of BIAB and the quickness to get down ideas.
RB is definitely useful - especially, as was pointed out, for loading up a BIAB song directly. However, as a Reaper user, RB probably won't replace it... but who know?
Once you go back and forth a few times between Reaper and RB (to add another part, or change a part you generated previously) you may adjust this opinion. Or you may find that getting the 'basic idea' down in BB (style/chords/tempo) is quick, but then you can have more control finishing up the generating/arranging in RB. Then comes the decision of 'when do I need to leave RB and go to another DAW?'.
That's the line that fluctuates for a lot of users. I grew up on PT, so the workflow in RB and knowledge of how it works allows me to stay there for most if not all of the project. Do whatever fits and feels comfortable for you. You're farther than a lot of users already. If you understand what RB does, you'll know when you want to use it. Many BB users never even open RB!
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
I have found at times that RB is actually easier than the big DAWs like reaper, sonar, studio one to do basic tracking in. I like to use it for most projects.
Where I tend to move over is where I want to really do some advanced type techniques on a project. Still RB will handle a pretty complex mix if you learn it. It has all the basics.
When I bounce a project to, or start a project in Studio one is where I either have no BiaB tracks involved, or I just need some real complex tricks. Like I said above. SD1 has the best comping and drag and drop features I have seen the more I dig in I appreciate the thought that went into that DAW program. It is a very young program and does not have the crazy routing of reaper, but to me that was too much work. It does not have as many big name plug ins as sonar, nor does it have as rich of a midi system, but I don't do full midi written tracks. What SD1 does best is save workload, and to my ear has the best headroom available for tracking. It also has a plethora of unbelievable workflow enhancements.
We need to see each tool as it wa intended a tool in the box. A good carpenter can make a better piece of furniture with a set of hand tools than I can with a full shop of the greatest tool around.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
Isn't DAW functionality speculative? Realband recorded audio and will let you split tracks into clips but I don't think it did everything Cubase Sx could do did it. What are things that RealBand does better than Cubase 5 Sonar X3 Similitude Reason 7 Apple Logic Orion Synapse Reaper Fruity Loops Ableton LIve All of these are so different from each other
We should respect how our competitors do things because more or less most of these aren't that expensive. So I always try to support the creators of products when I can.
Yes, DAWs are all different to suit different needs, and you can always use the one you want for whatever you choose to do. Some of us consider the realtrack/realdrum availability so huge that we end up needing a reason to leave RB as opposed to a reason to use it. If I need something it doesn't do I'll use another DAW at that point.
Realband excels above others at: Generating/Regenerating tracks (audio and MIDI) like BiaB. Multiriff - Generates lots of variations to more quickly assemble a track. Pitch Shift audio; with the algorithm in use (Elastique) it does this quite well and pretty quickly.
other things I like and feel are better than some .. Direct support of JBridge A couple of the PGMusic FX included with RB including PeakLimit, RTA and Vinyl Tool make some tasks quick and easy. Vinyl tool is liked by many who are transferring their vinyl albums to digital. Once discovered it is often used for this task.
MIDI editing is pretty powerful in RB compared to some others, with the data filter options (X2) it can do a lot in one pass. This is especially true if you use Sysex and uncommon CC's and such. Also routing MIDI to ports; 16 ports with 16 channels and lots of flexibility.
Hidden backups; every time you save you can have a backup of the previous version stored (and with a different filename extension so it doesn't clutter your current lists). I know a few people that didn't appreciate this until they needed it. You can also control how many backups of a given file and how many altogether, and even decide what happens when you exceed desired limits. If more people knew about this it may save them some time/effort when they think they lost work, or a file got corrupted, or a rogue plugin won't allow the song to open, or they messed up a mix ..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
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.
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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
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SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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!
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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!
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!
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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