I have been having problems with Mac v.2018 which I will document here shortly. In the mean time am I correct in thinking that if I revert to v.2016 I can still use the newer RealTracks and RealDrums that came along with the 2018 release?
I have been having problems with Mac v.2018 which I will document here shortly. In the mean time am I correct in thinking that if I revert to v.2016 I can still use the newer RealTracks and RealDrums that came along with the 2018 release?
Indeed we need more information from you as to the actual problems you have with Mac 2018 Band.
You bring up a very interesting idea that I am not so sure will work.
As best as I understand this RealTracks and RealDrums are very closely related to the style when you launch Style Picker.
Therefor using tracks and drums created by another version of the Band can't be loaded into the Song you will be working on.
If this is wrong, someone who knows more than me about the Mac Band will be along shortly to correct this.
Mac Audiophile 2020 2019 2018 2017 USB plus previous years versions
Not I. Although I have a 2016 serial number, I bought so close to the 2017 release that PGMusic exchanged for 2017 (thanks!) after I sent the 2016 hard drive back and those files are no longer available for download.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Mike, I am not referring to the views that are available. What I am trying to get corrected is related to jukebox mode and when exiting jukebox, BIAB becomes unusable. I playe live using BIAB today and one wrong click in jukebox mode can destroy an entire performance.
W, I will attempt to document my process of going back to 2016 to see if there is a version where I first see the jukebox problem appear.
What I have now is a old 2007 Macbook in which BIAB 2016 works perfectly for my needs, (live performance) and a much newer and faster 2010 Macbook that worked wonderfully until 2018 was installed that can take up to 20 to 30 seconds to LOAD a song and then randomly start playing that song at measure 8, 17 or even measure 47. Lots of the stopwatch and beachball icons.
.... In the mean time am I correct in thinking that if I revert to v.2016 I can still use the newer RealTracks and RealDrums that came along with the 2018 release?
If you install 2018 it will put the new DEFAULT.SOL that should have all the new RealTracks in it. There are also other files that contain the new RealDrums and drum info.
If you then extract Band-in-a-Box.app out of the latest 2016 update with something like Pacifist and rename it Band-in-a-Box 2016.app it should all work.
We haven’t seen any problems with the jukebox. If you have a folder of songs that duplicate the issue please send a .zip of them to us at support@pgmusic.com
I recorded a quicktime video of the problem. I will try to attach, but it appears that the is too large. Soo...I sent it to youtube (my very first youtube!)
What I am trying to get corrected is related to jukebox mode and when exiting jukebox, BIAB becomes unusable.
First of all thanks for zeroing in on what you were having problems with.
However not having the problems you talk about in your video or even in general ( macos high sierra )
I have also tried this in Mac Band 2014, 2015 , 2016, 2017 , and 2018 with no problems. My copies of Mac Band prior to 2014 are in another recording studio.
Last edited by w; 06/26/1811:44 AM.
Mac Audiophile 2020 2019 2018 2017 USB plus previous years versions
I looked at the video, and noticed you were using a lot of RealTracks (at least in the video). Not sure if this is the answer or not, but I was curious what you had this setting set to in the RealTracks prefs window.
- Jay
MacPro 5,1/12 core@3.46GHz -- MacOS 12.7.6 -- ATI 7970 -- 32 Gig RAM -- Crucial 500GB OS SSD -- Samsung EVO 1TB Audio/Sample SSD -- BIAB 2026 -- Logic Pro X -- Cubase Elements 14 -- Too many plugins
Jay may be onto something. I know the 2007 MacBook—my wife and daughter each had one.
These came with 1G RAM upgradable to 3G (mid 2007) or 6G (late 2007). Likewise, it came with an old, slow 120–160G hard drives. Unless it has been upgraded to an SDD, this is a slow Mac by any standard.
If you do not have 3G RAM, I may have a pair of sticks that will work (I meant to recycle but it may be in a box in my garage). Anyway, if you need and I still have, it’s yours. You pop the little keyboard clips, if I recall correctly.
If you still have a mechanical hard drive, an SSD (solid state drive) will make your MacBook run many times faster. 240–250G drives run $50–$80 on Amazon.
High Sierra will not run on these. Lion is the latest OS but most are running Snow Leopard as you can still run PPC apps with Rosetta enabled.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Well... in my very "un-scientific" tests here (counting in my head), turning this option off probably adds about 20-25 seconds of loading time, as compared to the same song with that option turned on.
Hopefully that's the only problem. It would be nice to hear back if that takes care of it for him.
- Jay
MacPro 5,1/12 core@3.46GHz -- MacOS 12.7.6 -- ATI 7970 -- 32 Gig RAM -- Crucial 500GB OS SSD -- Samsung EVO 1TB Audio/Sample SSD -- BIAB 2026 -- Logic Pro X -- Cubase Elements 14 -- Too many plugins
Jay, I’ve been away from the computer for a few days but did change to high from medium. Maybe a few seconds faster but no more than 3 or 4. Since all tracks are frozen, my thinking was this would not save much time. The beachball and still spins and the song begins to play at random measures. When I get time I will try going back in “time machine” to see if there is a point where everything works. These problems are fairly recent.
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There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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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.
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!
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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:
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-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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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
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)
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