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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143 |
I am using BiaB for many years. I use it at home. I am not a professional musician. I play piano and use mp3 files generated by BiaB on my desktop PC. I like to use a laptop with BiaB installed to use just the basic features: typing the chords, using realtracks and realdrums, playing thru my audio active monitors via mixer.
The laptop will not be used for other things than BiaB. I like to know what the requirements are to use BiaB for above mentioned tasks.
Thanks,
Jan R.
piano: Hammond Skx Pro
guitar: Ibanez LGB30
guitar amp: Boss Katana 50 MKII
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974
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Jan, since BIAB 2015, the program has three activations each year. This allows you to install it on both your desktop and your laptop.
There is no ‘basic’ version of the program. The program is the same; the differences in packages is the number of RealTracks and styles you get.
Most laptops have a smaller hard drive but if you bought BIAB on a USB drive you can just move that between computers.
When connecting a laptop to monitors, I recommend a USB sound module instead of plugging into the headphone jack.
If I misunderstood your question and this isn’t the info you needed, write back. For example, are you looking for the minimum requirements for a laptop to be able to run BIAB?
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143 |
Thanks Matt,
Yes, if you can give me an idea of the minimum requirements? Because I will not use the laptop for normal PC activities I don't like to spend to much money.
Last edited by J R; 03/11/19 03:59 AM.
Thanks,
Jan R.
piano: Hammond Skx Pro
guitar: Ibanez LGB30
guitar amp: Boss Katana 50 MKII
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974
Veteran
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974 |
OK. I think the best way to put it is that BIAB requires more computer power than most programs. I would not skimp on the laptop if it were for BIAB and you want a satisfactory experience. To my knowledge, the most important factor in regenerating RealTracks is the CPU. After that, a fast hard drive to load them. Finally, you should consider having more than the minimum memory. The display is the one thing that doesn't matter. A good way to measure a computer's fitness for BIAB is the free utility, Geekbench 4. Report the single-core speed. I realize that the minimum specs given by PG Music are far lower than what I'm describing. Here is what it says: https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.requirements.htmOne more thing: if all you want to do is play back MP3 files you make on your desktop and copy to the laptop, then any laptop will do. Playing back audio files is almost no load on a computer at all. I use a little SONY recorder that takes MP3 and WAV files and plug that into a PA. For that matter, playing back frozen BIAB songs also requires less computer power, because they are already converted to audio. It's just (re)generating the songs that takes the power.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143 |
I copy MP3 files to a usb stick. But the reason I want to use BiaB on a laptop is that I can easy change instruments or styles and that I can follow the chords.
I will look for a laptop with adequate specs.
Thanks for helping.
Thanks,
Jan R.
piano: Hammond Skx Pro
guitar: Ibanez LGB30
guitar amp: Boss Katana 50 MKII
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974 |
That makes sense. Changing instruments for melody or soloist tracks doesn't matter, but changing styles means regenerating the song and my comments above apply.
Good luck!
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 6,731
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Jan R,
If you do not want to spend a lot of money, my suggestion, get a pre-owned Lenovo Thinkpad i7 quad core with 8-16GB of RAM and at least 256 GB (preferably SSD drive) ThinkPad T430 might be a good option. They are build like tanks (military specs, not your average electronic shop laptop) and are very easy to maintain (upgrade ram or hard drive). You can get them for $200-$300 used. Parts are cheap if something breaks. Should run BIAB well and should last for years.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143 |
Thanks for the information. I like to go for new. I will look for the two laptops you suggested.
I found a HP laptop:
screen: (1920 x 1080)
Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U
memory: 8 GB
Storage: 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD
Video: Intel UHD Graphics 620
I think the extra 1 TB hardrive is a nice option. I can store all the Realtrack en Realdrum files on.
Thanks,
Jan R.
piano: Hammond Skx Pro
guitar: Ibanez LGB30
guitar amp: Boss Katana 50 MKII
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974
Veteran
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974 |
Jan, that’s almost exactly what I have as a laptop. It will be fine!
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143 |
Matt, using ssd 256 GB for the program + hdd 1 TB for realtracks and realdrums, is that combination slower than all the data stored on 1 ssd of 512 GB?
Thanks,
Jan R.
piano: Hammond Skx Pro
guitar: Ibanez LGB30
guitar amp: Boss Katana 50 MKII
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382 |
Hi Jan,
I'd say having everything on the SSD would be faster. The difference will be even bigger if the 1 TB HD is an external USB drive, since USB is so much slower than the SATA connection used by internal drives.
Thanks
Kent
PG Music
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,261
Veteran
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Veteran
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Packing everything on some SSD sure would be faster. Yet for all practical purposes stuffing RealTracks onto some HDD would be quite ok. I even have a complete BiaB UltraPak installation running smoothly from a 400GB *SDcard* with an i5 tablet PC here.
Martin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,974 |
Jan, your question has already been answered well. You would be fine with BIAB on a standard hard drive. A SSD is much faster than a hard drive, which in turn is faster than a drive running under USB.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 143 |
Yes, thank you all for your respons and advice. I will go shopping for a suitable laptop.
Thanks,
Jan R.
piano: Hammond Skx Pro
guitar: Ibanez LGB30
guitar amp: Boss Katana 50 MKII
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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 2025 Italian Version is Here!
Cari amici
È stata aggerate la versione in Italiano del programma più amato dagli appassionati di musica, il nostro Band-in-a-Box.
Questo è il link alla nuova versione 2025.
Di seguito i link per scaricare il pacchetti di lingua italiana aggiornati per Band-in-a-Box e RealBand, anche per chi avesse già comprato la nuova versione in inglese.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 - Italiano
RealBand 2025 - Italiano
Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!
Bonjour à tous,
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music
Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:
BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation
Voilà, enjoy!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!
Update Your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 to Build 1128 for Windows Today!
Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Stay up to date—get the latest update now!
Update to RealBand® 2025 Build 5 Windows Today!
Already using RealBand® 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 5 now from our Support Page to ensure you have the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Get the latest update today!
PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 is here! This new version introduces many features, including VST3 support, the ability to load or import a .FLAC file, a reset option for track height in the Tracks window, a taller Timeline on the Notation window toolbar, new freeze buttons in the Tracks window, three toolbar modes (two rows, single row, and none), the improved Select Patch dialog with text-based search and numeric patch display, a new button in the DirectX/VST window to copy an effects group, and more!
First-time packages start at only $49. Already a PowerTracks Pro Audio user? Upgrade for as little as $29!
www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm
Video: Summary of the New Band-in-a-Box® App for iOS®
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new Band-in-a-Box® app for iOS®! Designed for musicians, singer-songwriters, and educators, this powerful tool lets you create, play, and transfer songs effortlessly on your iPhone® or iPad®—anytime, anywhere.
Band-in-a-Box® for iOS® :Summary video.
Check out the forum post for more information.
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