Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#282516 01/29/15 10:32 AM
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 273
N
newbert Offline OP
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
N
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 273
I'm interested in having BIAB emulate what many digital pianos do natively - that is I'd like to have BIAB's styles follow (in realtime) the chords that are being played on the piano.

My DP can do this, but the native styles really stink in comparison to BIAB's. Of course, the BIAB styles normally follow whatever chords have been input into BIAB ahead of time, but I'm interested in learning whether BIAB can follow chords being played on a DP (hooked to the computer thru MIDI of course) without having any chords input into BIAB beforehand.

Is there a way to do this?

If not, is there other software (PC or iPad) that can do this?

Thanks!


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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Nope. The reason why Biab is so good is inputting the chords first allows it to come up with a complete arrangement ahead of time. I also like arranger keyboards, I have the Korg PA1XPro and the weakness with an arranger keyboard is it doesn't know what the next chord is until you play it so the chord transitions, especially the bass lines, can sound choppy. Biab avoids that because it knows what all the chords are going to be before you hit play and the bass lines and chord changes sound very good.

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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,868
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,868
If you are looking for good "real time" piano sounds, and don't want to spend a fortune.....

might I suggest you look at Sonar. More precisely, Cakewalk's Music Creator and pick up the Steinburg piano's sound pack. Total cost will be around $70 or so.

I have it and it provides some really nice pianos. I think there's 10 different ones in it from honkytonk to several Concert hall baby grands.

Any real time soft synth will work better if you use a dedicated audio interface running ASIO drivers as opposed to the factory sound cards in all off the shelf machines using MME drivers.... the latency will drive you nuts with MME.....

But yeah, I can play any of those software piano's in real time with no discernible latency.


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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
That's not what he's asking about GH.

Originally Posted By: newbert
I'd like to have BIAB's styles follow (in realtime) the chords that are being played on the piano.


He wants Biab to follow his chords in real time without inputting the chords first, nothing to do with latency or the quality of the piano sounds. Only an arranger keyboard does this.

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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,868
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,868
Originally Posted By: jazzmammal
That's not what he's asking about GH.

Originally Posted By: newbert
I'd like to have BIAB's styles follow (in realtime) the chords that are being played on the piano.


He wants Biab to follow his chords in real time without inputting the chords first, nothing to do with latency or the quality of the piano sounds. Only an arranger keyboard does this.

Bob


Roger that.... yup... I misread his request.


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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 273
N
newbert Offline OP
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
N
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 273
Thanks for the replies, guys.

Yup - I think that Bob's right that a good arranger keyboard is what's called for. Too bad the accompaniment on mine doesn't sound nearly as good as BIAB!


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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
I really enjoy a good arranger keyboard but man, they're expensive. I would love to have the new PA3X but big bucks there and the new Tyros 5? Fuggettaboutit.

This is the reason I first got into Biab years ago. Have some fun with all the styles at a reasonable price.

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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 577
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 577
Originally Posted By: newbert


If not, is there other software (PC or iPad) that can do this?

Thanks!


Hi newbert, I have used One Man Band, although the user interface is not great it will do auto-accompaniment. You can try a free demo anyway so it's worth a go. Don't expect anywhere close to the quality of BIAB accompaniments though.

http://www.1manband.nl/omb/

Rec


BIAB 2022 UltraPAK, CbB, Studio One 5 Pro, Fender USA Tele, Harley Benton Fusion & others.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
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.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,211
Posts801,964
Members40,070
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
Quamido Pirendo, Allan63, brekkea, isledge, Gtrplr66
40,069 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 115
zedd 110
DC Ron 101
rsdean 89
Noel96 79
Today's Birthdays
mike5256
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5