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RealBand
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38 |
Hello,
Current : BIAB 2008
Considering : Update to Plus Pack HD with Real Band
Hardware : PC plus MOTU 2408, Alesis HD24, four VS-2480
Software : Sonar, BIAB, Fruity XL, Ableton 5
I went through the Real Band demos and was blown away with what I heard ! Band in a Box has come a long way.
Being a studio owner I see an immediate potential in a studio environment for Real Band.
My main concern is with Sync-ing audio output from the computer to a stand alone digital recorder. In the past, with BIAB MIDI instruments, I just took the standard MIDI files into Sonar and added groove quantise-ing and recorded the sound module outputs into the digital recorder. Mixes are mainly done outside the computer. Once the MIDI file is in Sonar I can sync the computer to the recorder through SMPTE. BIAB does not support SMPTE or groove quantise-ing.
I am assuming that Real Band does not support SMPTE either. I am using an older MOTU 2408 that only has an D/A converter in 20 bit. Therefore I will be doing the individual track output transfers in digital because MOTU 2408 will pass through 24 bit digital data. It can receive/send up to 24 track of digital via three ADAT light pipe I/O.
Question : Does Real Band support Multiple outputs - one stereo or mono digital output per instrument?
(If you are familiar with MOTU 2408, "piano" to ADAT 1, ch 1 - "strings" to ADAT 1 ch 2 - "stereo drums" to ADAT 1 ch 3 and 4 - etc.)
The long way around of syncing to an external recorder is to visually line up tracks using using the count in, after each track is recorded into the multi-track. That can get pretty tedious and counter productive to any minor arrangement or instrument changes.
Question : Does Real Drums output the used "audio clips" by individual drum instruments ? In other words, were the "audio clips" created as a stereo audio tracks?
Stereo drum audio tracks includes the entire kit. This will not allow any processing of individual instruments, such as re-EQ'ing the kick drum, or applying a different reverb on the toms, etc.
Undoubtedly the addition of Real Band to my studio arsenal will be a plus. I am trying to get an idea of how much of its capabilities I can utilize. Sync to external recorder is an issue I want to understand well before spending $400. Versatility of generated drum tracks is another.
I appreciate any input.
Thanks
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
RealBand is based on the PowerTracks engine and look and runs very much like PowerTracks Pro. Both can support SMPTE. However, the user must realize that when Audio tracks are involved, which is what the RealTracks are, that realtime tempo stretching cannot be supported as it can be easily done with MIDI tracks but not with Audio.
--Mac
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
I can vouch for the syncng of the sequencer/DAW.
SMPTE and midi time code still apply.
If tempo is known it is easy, and if it isn't, one of the strong features of RB is the ACW which not only analyzes chords, but also tenpos, allowing one to rewrite the tempo map for syncing if necessary.
You are right- the drums are indeed a stero mix, but the ones I've used were recorded well enough that with proper EQing you can do a lot with the kit mix.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
About the RealDrums:
Do they work in *every* case?
No. There are certain types of productions where the drumkit mixing is a part of the production. In these cases, the producer is likely better off using a different drum solution that allows that kind of total control over each instrument in the kit, with separation.
However, for a good amount of work, the RealDrums have proven to represent a super shortcut that sounds very good to excellent. For example, I've been asked who the drummer was on the session. By another drummer.
--Mac
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RealBand
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70 |
Yoda, you can use use MIDI Sync as Sync Source. You would press play on RealBand and awaiting MIDI Sync dialog will pop up.Then hit play/record on your recorder. I use an HD8. works a treat!!!
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RealBand
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38 |
Thank you all for your response.
Interesting . . . The software engine for RB is Power Tracks and not BIAB and it supports SMPTE or MTC. Cool !
So when I get Real Band, there is a dialog box to send MTC. My VS2480 sends and receives MTC, so I can bypass the MTC to SMPTE converter. Cool #2 !
Question for Stephan326 . . .
Can Real Band act as the "sync slave" ? Your post sounds like RB can indeed do that. If I can control RB via MTC from the recorder . . . that would be Cool #3 !
About the drums. Although they are some of the best sounding drum samples I've ever heard, on most of my mixing process, I would need or want more control of each drum instruments. Fortunately I have several local drummers available to replace the finished drum track. Certainly there will be situations where Real Drums output will be just fine to use on the final mix.
I will be ordering my upgrade within a couple of weeks.
Thanks
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
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Veteran
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021 |
Yes RB can sync to either MIDI sync, MTC or SMPTE
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RealBand
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70 |
Yoda, that is absolutely correct!!
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RealBand
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
You really need to speak to Harvey Gerst. If you don't recognize the name, google it. Big time producer, engineer and studio owner. He's a forum member and uses Biab and Real Tracks a lot in his work. He's very helpful around here and if he doesn't see this thread, I would email him.
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.
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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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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 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 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- 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
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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
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