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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21 |
One reason I decided to upgrade to 2020 was to get those vocal styles I heard, the 2 part a 3 part ones such as _laud.sty or _Glory.
I decided to punch in some cowboy chords for what might sound good (G,A,C,G), a little "Pink Floydy", and I find that the vocals are literally singing wrong notes. It sounds kind of like a comical YouTube video of "World's worst choir) where an inexperienced choir is making a horrible racket.
Is there some way I can improve on this. I understand that these gospel-style background vocals may sound a little bit discordant at times because of the style, but they sometimes seem to be singing completely different chords than the ones I have set in the grid. Perhaps they need more complex chords assigned instead of those basic "cowboy chords"?
Any advice would be appreciated. I was hoping to use these vocals sparingly, just as a little flavor toward the end of some of my songs.
As always, thanks a million!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,766
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,766 |
My experiments using the demo song chords yielded the same results as you report. Tried forcing the vocals to a simple arrangement, which did not change my results much, if any.
Y'know, it sounds pretty cool if you don't look at the chords. But choices like singing a G# over an Em just don't fit in any of my musical contexts.
My early attempts to use the Oohs/Aahs were similarly frustrating, but these have gotten better over time with PGMusic's improvements, and are now often very useful. Hopefully these newer ones will improve as well.
Sorry I can't offer much more.
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,608
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,608 |
When I tried the progression G A C G just now using _LAUD.STY, it worked for me. What I suggest if it happens is to freeze all the tracks on the file and then send the file to PG Music so that they can hear the issue. They will then implement a fix as soon as the problem is solved. Regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 583
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 583 |
And, how about cutting back on all that vibrato? If BIAB could only get close to the jazzy vocal voicings found in the Genos and SX 900 arranger keyboards. Such voices would layer-in behind chord changes quite well.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 266
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 266 |
One reason I decided to upgrade to 2020 was to get those vocal styles I heard, the 2 part a 3 part ones such as _laud.sty or _Glory.
I decided to punch in some cowboy chords for what might sound good (G,A,C,G), a little "Pink Floydy", and I find that the vocals are literally singing wrong notes. It sounds kind of like a comical YouTube video of "World's worst choir) where an inexperienced choir is making a horrible racket.
Is there some way I can improve on this. I understand that these gospel-style background vocals may sound a little bit discordant at times because of the style, but they sometimes seem to be singing completely different chords than the ones I have set in the grid. Perhaps they need more complex chords assigned instead of those basic "cowboy chords"?
Any advice would be appreciated. I was hoping to use these vocals sparingly, just as a little flavor toward the end of some of my songs.
As always, thanks a million! Considering your desire to use these vocals "sparingly," you may want to consider creating your own background vocals using Synthesizer V (Synth V for short) with BiaB's vocal styles as reference. Synth V is a powerful free voice synthesizer program that has gotten a lot of attention in the last year or so. You can also create midi files of the notes you want the vocals to sing and import them into Synth V where you can then add your lyrics. And if you happen to use MuseScore, another user has created a script to convert MuseScore files to Synth V formatted files. Though it only has one female English voice, you can create your own male voices from hers that span all of the vocal ranges. I've explained how to do this in the Synth V forums (search for English male vocals topics) and provided links to samples that I created because I'm planning to enhance some of my BiaB created instrumental demos with synthesized vocals due to the fact that I'm not a singer. Here's the link to Synth V's website if you're interested: https://synthesizerv.com/en/
Tom Levan (pronounced La-VAN)
BiaB 2024 Win UltraPAK Build 1109, Xtra Style PAKs 1-11, RB 2024, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, Intel Q9650 3 GHz, 16 GB RAM, 500 GB SSD & 2 TB HDD, Tracktion 6 & 7 (freebies), Cakewalk, Audacity, MuseScore 2.1 & 3.4, Synthesizer V
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 266
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 266 |
And, how about cutting back on all that vibrato? If BIAB could only get close to the jazzy vocal voicings found in the Genos and SX 900 arranger keyboards. Such voices would layer-in behind chord changes quite well. You can completely control how much or how little vibrato you want the vocals to have in Synth V as well as how much breathiness and tension.
Tom Levan (pronounced La-VAN)
BiaB 2024 Win UltraPAK Build 1109, Xtra Style PAKs 1-11, RB 2024, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, Intel Q9650 3 GHz, 16 GB RAM, 500 GB SSD & 2 TB HDD, Tracktion 6 & 7 (freebies), Cakewalk, Audacity, MuseScore 2.1 & 3.4, Synthesizer V
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 540
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 540 |
One reason I decided to upgrade to 2020 was to get those vocal styles I heard, the 2 part a 3 part ones such as _laud.sty or _Glory.
I decided to punch in some cowboy chords for what might sound good (G,A,C,G), a little "Pink Floydy", and I find that the vocals are literally singing wrong notes. It sounds kind of like a comical YouTube video of "World's worst choir) where an inexperienced choir is making a horrible racket.
Is there some way I can improve on this. I understand that these gospel-style background vocals may sound a little bit discordant at times because of the style, but they sometimes seem to be singing completely different chords than the ones I have set in the grid. Perhaps they need more complex chords assigned instead of those basic "cowboy chords"?
Any advice would be appreciated. I was hoping to use these vocals sparingly, just as a little flavor toward the end of some of my songs.
As always, thanks a million! Hi steambc, Thanks very much for reporting that. I wasn't able to duplicate the issue, and I made a little video showing me using that _laud style, along with the progression you put in: https://youtu.be/Dhl8REVejiIBut, there might be other issues at play in your song file that are causing the issues. Another user mentioned freezing the Band-in-a-Box file and sending that to us, and that would also be a great way for us to hear exactly what you're hearing, and maybe we can help that way as well. Thanks, Tobin
*************************
Tobin Frank (he/him)
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,148
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,148 |
well done Tobin - what a great way of dealing with a problem
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21 |
One reason I decided to upgrade to 2020 was to get those vocal styles I heard, the 2 part a 3 part ones such as _laud.sty or _Glory.
I decided to punch in some cowboy chords for what might sound good (G,A,C,G), a little "Pink Floydy", and I find that the vocals are literally singing wrong notes. It sounds kind of like a comical YouTube video of "World's worst choir) where an inexperienced choir is making a horrible racket.
Is there some way I can improve on this. I understand that these gospel-style background vocals may sound a little bit discordant at times because of the style, but they sometimes seem to be singing completely different chords than the ones I have set in the grid. Perhaps they need more complex chords assigned instead of those basic "cowboy chords"?
Any advice would be appreciated. I was hoping to use these vocals sparingly, just as a little flavor toward the end of some of my songs.
As always, thanks a million! Hi steambc, Thanks very much for reporting that. I wasn't able to duplicate the issue, and I made a little video showing me using that _laud style, along with the progression you put in: https://youtu.be/Dhl8REVejiIBut, there might be other issues at play in your song file that are causing the issues. Another user mentioned freezing the Band-in-a-Box file and sending that to us, and that would also be a great way for us to hear exactly what you're hearing, and maybe we can help that way as well. Thanks, Tobin Wow, thanks to all who responded! I have a serious flu that is making it hard for me to even sit at my desk, so I will reply to everyone shortly as my condition improves. Tobin, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your getting back to me and making the video. I'll bet dollars to donuts that I neglected to set the key. A very stupid rookie mistake. Your examples sounded just fine. My results were comical, but this was because I hadn't set the key... I'm sure of it. To anyone who is reading this and is considering buying this software or upgrading: Don't hesitate! Do it! Look at the attention they give to technical support... Absolutely outstanding. And in version 2020 it is SO MUCH EASIER to find styles and RealTracks that are appropriate for your songs. I was hedging on upgrading from V. 2014 and I am ecstatic that I upgraded. Again, I'll be back in touch with everyone shortly after the flu starts making its exit. Thanks to all. What a great community!
Last edited by steambc; 01/08/20 08:11 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21 |
"well done Tobin - what a great way of dealing with a problem"
You got that right. Where else do we see such attention to customers' concerns?
Last edited by steambc; 01/08/20 08:12 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 14
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 14 |
One reason I decided to upgrade to 2020 was to get those vocal styles I heard, the 2 part a 3 part ones such as _laud.sty or _Glory.
I decided to punch in some cowboy chords for what might sound good (G,A,C,G), a little "Pink Floydy", and I find that the vocals are literally singing wrong notes. It sounds kind of like a comical YouTube video of "World's worst choir) where an inexperienced choir is making a horrible racket.
Is there some way I can improve on this. I understand that these gospel-style background vocals may sound a little bit discordant at times because of the style, but they sometimes seem to be singing completely different chords than the ones I have set in the grid. Perhaps they need more complex chords assigned instead of those basic "cowboy chords"?
Any advice would be appreciated. I was hoping to use these vocals sparingly, just as a little flavor toward the end of some of my songs.
As always, thanks a million! An old thread, LOL. However, inasmuch as I am still using BIAB 2008 and was having a similar problem - and solved it - I'll post! I set up a backing track to practice saxophone with Keith Jarrett's tune "Country" using the C_Soft style, and kept on hearing occasional minor thirds where they didn't belong, eg. on Bb7sus chords and on Bb/D chords. Really didn't want to hear those #9's! Unchecking "Add embellishment of chords" made them go away.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 8
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 8 |
Where is that checkbox located?
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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 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
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!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
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