Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
It is my assumption that in BIAB 2015 when in the Style-picker window one should be able to preview/listen to the styles, staying in the same window (not having to re-generate the song each time) to find a suitable style quickly and painlessly.
When I tried to hit the Play arrow in the Style-picker window I was greeted with an access violation the first time and subsequent times with a message saying "Can't play this demo because another one is still in the process of initializing. Wait a few seconds and try again."
Well I did wait a few seconds before trying again. In fact I waited a few minutes before trying again. And up popped the same message "Can't play this demo..."
BIABguy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,675
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,675 |
If you hit the green arrow to play, then it will invoke a web demo (which is not the song you are currently working, just a demo song) and NO regeneration is required. If you hit the "Play" button on the lower right of the screen, then it is going to apply that style to your currently loaded song and yes, it will regenerate, because it has to read your chord progression and come up with the arrangement. BIAB starts generating and then begins playing before it has finished (unlike RealBand, which generates the entire arrangement before starting playback).
That being said, I just loaded a song and selected several different styles. I could see the generation in the background, and tried several other styles right after it started playback, with no problems. But that could be attributed to machine differences.
If you just want to hear a sample of what the style sounds like, you can select the green button at the top, instead. That will load a sample file. Be aware, though that the demo button will use your default sound card setting (for example, on my laptop, my internal card is my default, but I have BIAB set to use my FastTrack Pro. Normal BIAB playback occurs through the FastTrack, but the demo files use the laptop's internal card, because it is default).
I would suggest maybe restoring default settings, resetting your sound choices and trying again. I do know it works correctly here.
Also, keep in mind that real styles with soloists (rather than rhythm accompaniment) takes longer to generate.
And I made the assumption you are using RealStyles, as MIDI styles generate immediately with no latency.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 343
Journeyman
|
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 343 |
Well you learn something new everyday....I knew you could play the demo's with the green play button or use the solo or band buttons but was unaware of the play button in the lower right corner...I'll have to look for that one and give it a whirl...Thank you..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
If you hit the green arrow to play, then it will invoke a web demo (which is not the song you are currently working, just a demo song) and NO regeneration is required.
... Be aware, though that the demo button will use your default sound card setting (for example, on my laptop, my internal card is my default, but I have BIAB set to use my FastTrack Pro. Normal BIAB playback occurs through the FastTrack, but the demo files use the laptop's internal card, because it is default).
I would suggest maybe restoring default settings, resetting your sound choices and trying again. I do know it works correctly here.
Thanks John for your help. The Style-picker window has always been the Achilles heel of BIAB for me.  I know the style I want (in my head), but after re-generating dozens and dozens of songs just to test out styles, I almost always come up short with a suitable style. I would like to stay in the SP window and just sample the sounds there, QUICKLY. I don't care about the chord progression. Just the styles please Ma'am. Right now my system isn't complying with BIAB. I hope you can help me with this. I have no problems whatsoever playing .mp3's, CD, audios, videos on my system (WinXP), you name it. But wouldn't you know BIAB throws a fit when I try to listen to the styles demo'd in the SP window. The error message is first: Need Media Player 9 or later, then can't play demo, another is still in process of initializing. TIA
BIABguy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
Well, that's it, then. If you don't have WMP 9 or later it isn't going to happen. I'm not at my XP PC so I don't know what I have, just that it was the latest version available. WMP can be updated separately from Windows. I believe you can do it from the WMP Help menu.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Well, that's it, then. If you don't have WMP 9 or later it isn't going to happen. I'm not at my XP PC so I don't know what I have, just that it was the latest version available. WMP can be updated separately from Windows. I believe you can do it from the WMP Help menu. Thanks for helping out Ryszard. I made it a point to say I have no problem playing any audio/video that's thrown at me with my system. BIAB is the only program that throws a fit if it doesn't see its preferred media player. In the past I have tried to relent, I have actually tried to install Windows Media Player! Current versions too! But every time I do so, my system balks and the installation fails. Go figure! So WMP 9 or later is not an option for me.
BIABguy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,037
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,037 |
Just wondering though is there an option to play the basic style over the chords in your song and at the same timing without actually loading it into a song?
Web demoes are fine and all that but I personally don't find them a good indication of how they might sound in a song of my own.
Take the situation where you have found a style that you quite like, but haven't saved the song and want to audition other styles over your chords and at same time (without web demo) they I find to get a good indication of how it sounds I have to load it into my song, amd in the process maybe forgetting the name of the other style that fitted quite well.
I know that I can go to recent styles and all that, but would be nice to load just basic style into song without changing the phototype.
The text that appears over the play button lower right in stylepicker says "listen to style before loading it" but I can see it does load in main biab GUI.
Musiclover
Last edited by musiclover; 04/30/15 04:28 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,831
PG Music Staff
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,831 |
Yes, windows media player is required for Band-in-a-Box. Of course it comes that way with Windows, already pre-installed. So you'd have to go out of your way to remove it. It isn't the windows media ** player** per-se that is required, it is underlying functionality for decoding and processing wma files that goes away if you de-install it. It would be analogous to ripping out the entertainment system on a new car, because you dont need it because you prefer your iPad. And then finding that some unrelated other things get broken in the car 
Have Fun! Peter Gannon PG Music Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Yes, windows media player is required for Band-in-a-Box. Of course it comes that way with Windows, already pre-installed. So you'd have to go out of your way to remove it.
Ironically I am using an audio-optimized version of WinXP. All the non-essential stuff (just music-related essentials) have been removed from the installation. You say WMP is required for BIAB yet BIAB plays its midi and audio files perfectly on my system! Only when trying to use this demo feature in the SP window do I have audio problems with BIAB. It isn't the windows media ** player** per-se that is required, it is underlying functionality for decoding and processing wma files that goes away if you de-install it. Yet strangely enough, all the other features of BIAB work on my system (as mentioned above).
BIABguy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
In the past I have tried to relent, I have actually tried to install Windows Media Player! Current versions too! But every time I do so, my system balks and the installation fails. Go figure!
I must make one correction here. A version of WMP does live on my system, I just checked. It is v.2. (mplayer2.exe) It's a great version BTW! I just recorded some new songs last night in Reaper (.wav) and tested one out now in WMP v.2 and guess what? It played PERFECTLY. But as I mentioned before I cannot upgrade this version to newer versions. If PGMUSIC can make the guts of BIAB work (midi/audio) as it does on my XP computer, without forcing users to use WMP, they can certainly make the Stlyepicker demo feature work also. This ain't rocket science.
BIABguy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,675
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,675 |
Well, I could be wrong, but I doubt they are going to try to make BIAB work on any flavor of XP going forward, since it is no longer a Microsoft-supported operating system, and in your case, a [presumably] third-party modified version of XP.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,827
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,827 |
I ran into the same issue in 2011 upon first returning to BiaB. My preferred media player was WinAmp so I deleted Windows Media Player only to find out I needed it for BiaB demo files. Microsoft will let you download the last version of media player, 11, that works with XP but you have to have service packs 2 and 3. ++ HERE ++ is a link you can follow to download Media Player 11.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Microsoft will let you download the last version of media player, 11, that works with XP but you have to have service packs 2 and 3. ++ HERE ++ is a link you can follow to download Media Player 11. Thanks for the heads up Jim. Earlier today, on a whim, I tried to install WMP 11. It failed, as I expected. But then I tried WMP 9 and lo and behold it installed! I had previously tried many of the earlier versions and none would install so I eventually gave up. So after that I fired up BIAB and tried the SP window demos. I am happy to report they work now! 
BIABguy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2025!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
Check out all the 202 New RealTracks (in sets 456-467)
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
The 2025 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2025 49-PAK!
Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 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 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
- Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
- Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
- Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
- Playable RealTracks Set 4
- RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
- SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
- 128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
- Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
- Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
- RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®!
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 9 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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums58
Topics84,587
Posts781,319
Members39,691
|
Most Online25,754 Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|