I downloaded the ASIO driver and it's on the laptop ready for the next time I work on BiaB. I'll let you know if it works for getting rid of that message "Couldn't open wave device."
Big thanks to all on this forum. Your help and enthusiasm is quite wonderful.
John,
Thanks for posting the screenshot. It helps a lot.
Looking at your setup, the program should be running. Also, for what it's worth, BIAB is much friendly with MME than ASIO so it's likely that the ASIO drive might not solve the problem.
Try this as an experiment and see if it helps...
When you start up BIAB, rightclick on the startup icon and select "Run as administrator".
Also, when you installed the program, which option did you choose?
Ha, Noel. Don't worry, I've been caught before (more than once). That's why I took a guess on the text. Trev
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.
I started BiaB. I then right clicked on the PC start icon.
I only see 2 things: Properties AND Open windows explorer.
I don't see "Run as administrator"
You don't see this when you Right-click on the desktop icon?
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.
I think it's supposed to be Right-Click (!) (Unless the mouse buttons are swapped.)
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.
1) I thought you meant the "Start" icon for the Windows PC at bottom left of desktop. My bad!
2) I had opened BiaB and didn't see the "Run Administrator". So I right clicked on the BiaB start icon (with BiaB still closed) and NOW I SEE "Run Administrator". It asks if I want to make changes to the computer with BiaB.
Allow it to make changes... that's what running in Administrator mode is about. BIAB is safe to run in Admin mode.
The aim is to see if running in administrator mode makes a difference. PG Music recommend that BIAB should be run in this mode... it needs to be tested on your computer.
Once you have BIAB running in Administrator Mode, use the program exactly as you would normally and see if the problems still arise.
I just re-read this thread. I think we are running John unnecessarily through the wringer here.
I agree about Running BIAB as Administrator, which is recommended, cannot do harm, and in some cases is required.
The initial post describes symptoms of BIAB being flaky, but remember, it DID work once. That makes me think all this about drivers is taking us off target.
John, the first thing we do when BIAB was behaving fine but starts acting up, it to reboot the machine and restart BIAB. Obviously, you must have done this many times since your initial report.
The second thing we do is go to the Options menu and do Return to Factory Settings. You can save any custom settings as you do this.
Then close BIAB, reboot and restart. Report back.
If it still has the same problem, I would like to resume the discussion about the audio device. We still do not know what is being used.
If that doesn't pan out, then I'm thinking John should reinstall the program.
And there is always PG Music Support. They are superb. They can even remote-connect to your computer to help diagnose a problem. To get to them, click on the gray Support tab up above. Almost all of us in this forum are fellow users; we're pretty good, but not the ultimate resource.
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.
You might have taken care of the problem! I did "Run Administrator" in BiaB.
I've then tried a lot of changes and I haven't seen the message [“MESSAGE: Couldn't open wave device. The likely cause is another program is using the audio playback, or has left drivers open.”] come up at all. Not even once. That's good and I hope it stays that way.
A BIG THANK YOU!
I still have the other question about stopping a style change when playing (on the Chordsheet). My goal is simply to compare the styles for the song.
Here's what I do: 1) Open my song and play it (to listen to the style) / then I click stop. The song stops. 2) I go to Style Picker and select another style (listening in “Quick” mode – not chords of song) 3) When I find a style I like, I select it at “Play using current Chordsheet for song” 4) The chordsheet appears and plays the song using that newly chosen style. But it keeps playing.
QUESTION: How can I stop the song from playing without going to Task Manager?
None of the icons respond (including the STOP icon). The song plays to the end then starts all over again. This happens even with the “4 bar preview” [“Play using current Chordsheet for song”] selected at Style Picker”.
So far, I've only been able to stop the play by going to Task Manager, to End Process {T.M. only shows one process open for BiaB]. Otherwise it'll go on playing forever.
Your result for your second question is not normal behavior for that function. Something is amiss.
If you choose either the demo or the play over your chord chart button, the screen should not go back to the chord chart. (Number 4 on your list) It should remain on the Stylemaker page and either stop button should stop the playback. You can return to the chord chart page selecting either the OK or Cancel button. Back on the Chord chart page, you can change anything--- key, tempo instruments, chords, etc.
I recommend you reset the default settings.
Options/Return to Factory Settings and then restart the computer.
I reset the default settings and restarted the PC. Everything seems to work correct now. It's probably time to close out this post.
Thank you,
John
PS. There is a longtime BiaB forum member that lives just 20 minutes from me. He said he would be glad to meet with me and show me some BiaB tips & tricks.
Another possibility is to update your RealTek audio driver to the latest version. Be sure to download the appropriate driver for your operating system.
Choose the "High Definition Audio CODECs" link, accept the disclaimer and click "Next". Then select the appropriate driver to download.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
Nope, because the RealTek doesn't have a native ASIO driver. However, I have successfully used ASIO4ALL with the RealTek on two different machines.
Also, if you happen to have purchased any Steinberg products, you get a generic low latency ASIO driver from them as well, which also works with the RealTek.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
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!
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.
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.
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.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.