I've composed an arrangement using BIAB. Ready to play over it and record via Reaper, I opened the BIAB vst plugin (the one I open in Reaper is Biabi Vst3i which I believe is the one to use). Doing that BIAB vst screen opens up. I load my song and generates it.
Issue is when I play it through the BIAB vst plugin it doesn't respect at all my change of styles and drums! Like it keeps a style over what I had decided.
I went back to BIAB stand alone software and checked. I thought that maybe I hadn't saved the song the way I wanted, but no, all is fine there and BIAB on the standalone prog plays the song with all the RT and RD changes that I wanted.
But when I open it in BIAB vst plugin, all is messed up.
I haven't played around with the BIAB plug-in a great deal and so I cannot give definite answer in relation to it.
I do use BIAB and Reaper, though. What I do is to use the normal, standalone version of BIAB. From BIAB, it's possible to drag tracks directly into Reaper. No special knowledge is needed. Just resize the programs so that both Reaper and BIAB take up about half the screen each.
Now drag the, horizontal row of tracks over to Reaper one at a time.
Alternatively, if you drag the MASTER track over, all tracks will be added to Reaper in one go.
Two considerations before dragging...
1. If you want to add reverb and other effects in Reaper as well as adjust panning in Reaper, it would be best to right-click on the Master track and "Set the mix to flat, dry and center" before dragging.
2. If you are happy with the sound of the song in BIAB, with BIAB reverb and panning, just drag the Master track across without setting the mix to flat, dry and center.
Hopefully this will help while someone investigates the VST3 plugin for you.
According to the second option, the bar settings are supposed to be honored. Did you use Bar Settings to make you changes?
#3 The new Band-in-a-Box® styles are great but I'd like to be able to customize them and replace some tracks. Can I do that in the Plugin? The Plugin now supports replacing style tracks just like Band-in-a-Box®. You can customize your style or open a saved song with a customized style in it. For example, if you load a SGU/MGU song saved in Band-in-a-Box®, you'll now see the customized settings that you used in the song, such as custom track settings.
#9 How about bar settings? The Plugin now launches the Band-in-a-Box® Bar Settings dialog and allows you to set bar specific settings. These include things like changes of time signature, tempo, volume changes (mute, un-mute), etc. for instruments.
Of course you could do this old-school like Noel has instructed, but then why would we need the VST?
Gave it a quick listen in Reaper. Dramatic style and drum change at bar 21 for me. As you stated the bar count got messed up from 8 to 13. Then at the end of the song the style reverted to original at bar 33 and the drums continued for a half dozen bars.
After that it got really messed up as I tried to play it again. Played for a while then stopped for a while... seemed to be lost.
@Noel : Thanks for the tip. At first it didn't work, freezing my BIAB. But then I realized my song was x3 (repeated 3 times) so this + the master combining all the instruments was the cause. I put the song to only play once and dragged and dropped the drums first then the bass (I don't need the other instruments, it's just to give me an idea of the final products but I'm gonna play all the guitars). Doing so, dragging one instrument at a time only took 1mn or 2 max to display in Reaper. So this solution does the trick. BUT, it's a pain in the butt and I shouldn't have to do that since there is the BIAB vst plugin. So while I can now record this is still disappointing.
@Pipeline : thanks for your help. Yes I made all the changes using F5/bar settings (to my knowledge this is the only way to input RT&RD changes anyway) so I don't understand why it gets messy through the BIAB vst plugin. What happens is that I have a RT A which is played ok, then it switches to RT B as it is supposed to, but this is where it gets messy since the plugin stay within that second RT and doesnt aknowledges any more changes (3 others). I don't understand why the plugin partially gets the arrangement. I will look into what you put to download in your post, didn't have a chance to give it a go so far.
Apparently I'm not the only one having issue with the VST plugin and another member (read here : https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=573356&gonew=1#UNREAD ) had issues as well and he pointed out one of his past thread where others as well did encounter issues. This is something which HAS to be resolved by PG. There can't be a Daw vst plugin not working properly if you have many changes in styles or drums.
Because I don't know the VST BIAB very well, my aim was to give you a workable alternative so that you are not stuck. I'm glad that my suggestion did the job for you.
In relation to the vst, there are others on here who know much much more than I do. Pipeline belongs to that group of people.
Thank you for the feedback Angelo! At this time the plugin does not support all the features included in the main program. Such settings like freezing tracks do not get preserved when opening a saved song through the plugin. Up until recently the plugin also did not support bar settings and style changes. However, the most recent update that is still in pre-release testing (v2.3.11) does include those features and will preserve any bar settings or style changes made in the main program when opening the same song file in the plugin. This version will likely be released sometime next week so keep an eye out for it and report back if you are still experiencing any problems. I appreciate your patience while we work these issues out.
Up until recently the plugin also did not support bar settings and style changes. However, the most recent update that is still in pre-release testing (v2.3.11) does include those features and will preserve any bar settings or style changes made in the main program when opening the same song file in the plugin. This version will likely be released sometime next week so keep an eye out for it and report back if you are still experiencing any problems. I appreciate your patience while we work these issues out.
Sorry, I don't have any patience any more. I have waited over a year for this VST to do what it needs to do. I have bought two versions of the VST and it is still a work in progress! When you have an updated version in pre-release it needs to be made available to those of us who want to and have paid to use it. It is called "open beta testing". I have asked nicely for this in the past and been ignored. Time to start listening to the customer.
Bugs are very annoying for customers of all software. Sadly reality shows that no software ever shipped will have no bugs at all. Releases that are driven by features have naturally less bugs than ones that are driven by deadlines.
I guess the team responsible for the plugin couldn't make it for the 2020 release. That's the bad side about it. The good is that PGmusic seems to know that and is actively trying to fix stuff for the current release. What really would be outrages if we had to wait another year and to pay to see those fixes. And I have seen this in my early DAW days with Magix. Currently I use Reaper which may be not the best DAW, but i see updates at least once a month. Not because it's so buggy, but small features are added constantly.
We can hope that the plugin team gets more funding (man-power, working hours, etc) for the next release. That is, after they have fixed the bugs of the 2020 release
What could also help if PGmusic invites some of the veterans for a closed beta. I have the impression that the software is only tested in-house. Input from the outside may improve the situation. Though I should add that also some musicians should be invited to test that have no experience with BiaB. The old-timers are used to the tridden pathes. Fresh input is also a good ingredient in an ever changing world/market.
Masi
PS: I hope to see an intermediate release of 2020.1 including new features.
....We can hope that the plugin team gets more funding (man-power, working hours, etc) for the next release. That is, after they have fixed the bugs of the 2020 release ........
It's too much pressure on just one guy, he is at it 24/7 just about. There are so many thing that need doing, the backlogged ToDoList is getting longer and longer...
Up until recently the plugin also did not support bar settings and style changes. However, the most recent update that is still in pre-release testing (v2.3.11) does include those features and will preserve any bar settings or style changes made in the main program when opening the same song file in the plugin. This version will likely be released sometime next week so keep an eye out for it and report back if you are still experiencing any problems. I appreciate your patience while we work these issues out.
Sorry, I don't have any patience any more. I have waited over a year for this VST to do what it needs to do. I have bought two versions of the VST and it is still a work in progress! When you have an updated version in pre-release it needs to be made available to those of us who want to and have paid to use it. It is called "open beta testing". I have asked nicely for this in the past and been ignored. Time to start listening to the customer.
+1 PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO IT It's dragging out too loooooooong, I sit here and haven't been able to use it yet in the real world.
When you have an updated version in pre-release it needs to be made available to those of us who want to and have paid to use it. It is called "open beta testing". I have asked nicely for this in the past and been ignored. Time to start listening to the customer.
You are welcome to join the pre-release testing forum. Send me a PM if you'd like to join.
What could also help if PGmusic invites some of the veterans for a closed beta. I have the impression that the software is only tested in-house. Input from the outside may improve the situation. Though I should add that also some musicians should be invited to test that have no experience with BiaB. The old-timers are used to the tridden pathes. Fresh input is also a good ingredient in an ever changing world/market.
All of this has been going on using veteran as well as nooby testers for as long as I've been on the forum. You've been invited to join the Pre Release Testing Forum so join the fun.
My comments and prediction when the plugin was first released was first, it wasn't ready for prime time and it still isn't and second, people will expect the plugin to basically duplicate the full program and not be Biab Lite. Peter replied the plugin was never intended to have all the Biab functions. It's function is to allow you to create tracks directly inside your DAW not to be the full program as a plugin. This is exactly what the plugin video demonstrates. He took an existing song in his DAW and added some Biab tracks along with some multiriffs. For that it works great.
If someone wants to use a full Biab arrangement as a starting point inside their DAW, they start that in Biab as normal then they can easily drag the whole thing from Biab to the DAW as Noel described. It was then asked if I do that then what do I need the plugin for? My answer to that is exactly, you don't! I asked that same question when the plugin was first released. We already have the Drop Station and if the plugin can't duplicate a major portion of Biab functions then who needs it? Peter's answer was what the vid shows. Add some Biab tracks to an existing song.
I can see the potential but it needs so much to fulfill that potential. The expectation users have is to be able to make their favorite DAW act like Biab by using the plugin and of course they think that means the entire program. Biab as a plugin! How cool is that? I agree, that would be a big deal. To be fair, that's not what PG promised, users just assumed that's what the plugin would do.
The plugin does do what they say it does and it could be this is as far as it goes with the normal bug fixes and such but no major revisions. We'll see.
Bob I agree with you for the most part. People expect to much from a plugin. It was never extended to be BiaB we already have that. Having said that it does have several features that don’t work yet, and as you said fix those bugs and let it rest. Make it capable of reading any BiaB song file and following that file, then able to add RTs/RDs/looped/midi tracks into a DAW. Make sure it syncs and follows tempo properly, can drag the RCs from RDs properly, clean up the mute solo play arrangement and you have a very nice tool.
Pipeline, while I agree with you in part. As far as real world use, I have done several projects with it as it is and it did a great job. It is useable right now. That doesn’t mean there are not limitations in some of its features but there are workarounds till those are fixed. You should know that as you are the one that always finds them. Sometimes you actually amaze me at how many ideas and solutions you work out.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
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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.
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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
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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)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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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.
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