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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11 |
Hi all,
My name's David and I'm writing from Newcastle, in the chilly North East of England.
I had checked out BB a number of times in the past, but the GM / MIDI nature of the beast really put me off. For me, MIDI is only an application I consider for electronic music, or keybard tracks within non-electronic music styles. Some of the MIDI 'guitar' parts and particularly the brass solos (those toy trumpet sounds) are just awful. (Sorry, this is leading to something good!).
But, when I heard the demos of the 'all-RealTracks' songs on the PG website, I was blown away at the realism, the sound quality and the possibilities. You are SO on to something here !!!
I bought the BB 2010 MegaPAK on Thursday and although I've only downloaded the core BB program and one subsequent set of RealTracks so far (Set 61 - Ballad Pianos), I am so impressed with the quality and the ability to have these convincing performances built into my tracks. I haven't installed the RealTracks Sets 1-6 and RealDrums 1-3 that come with my purchase, as I'm waiting until the DVDs arrive.
I will be using BB 2010 exclusively for RealTracks and intend to buy every pop/rock/ballad/funk RT that is / will be released by PG .......... in fact I have already bought a further 3 x addon RealTracks; the afore mentioned Set 61 - Ballads, and Set 22, and Set 70.
At the moment, I am just practicing with the program and having fun putting the beautiful Piano accompaniment performances in Set 61, to the chords of the tracks that I am soon hoping to record.
I am a writer / producer of modern pop / rock / indie music, with a general British sound influence. Although I love songwriting and producing, I get frusrtated that my musical performance skills aren't up to my production and technical skills. BB 2010 is therefore the perfect discovery for me, as I can focus on the song writing and prouction, and have BB sort out the nailing of a lovely bass line, or rhythm guitar part!
Brilliant stuff - my only anxiety at present is that PG aren't going to keep up with my appetite for pop/rock RealTracks, or that the focus may be biased towards Jazz and Country (as it does seem to be a little, dare I say). Your Pop and Rock RTs are fabulous, please keep them coming !
Thanks for a great program and look forward to being a part of this great forum,
Regards,
Last edited by DavidRogers; 12/21/09 01:56 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,327
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,327 |
Welcome to the Forums, David. BIAB/RB are great products and, as you have already discovered, PGMusic are sensational to deal with. Enjoy learning about BIAB.
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11 |
Thanks for the welcome Noel. Yes, I forgot to say that I ordered last Thurs and given that I am in the UK and PG are in Canada I was not expecting to even see the BB box (being sent via UPS) before Xmas. However I just checked the tracking number and my box was out of Vancouver and over in Philadelphia within 12 hours of it being ordered ! A couple of hours later and it was in Louiseville, departing to cross the big pond, so I may get it tomorrow or Wed, which is unbelievably fast for this time of year!...... that's service ..... Also, I didn't get my automated email with my download links, so I used the 'Live Chat' facility on the web-site. I'm normally very skeptical of these live chat things for support but I put my issue to "Will" (a real person!), and he replied in seconds with my UPS tracking number, and confirmation that he'd resent the download email (which appeared seconds later). The world needs to learn about customer service from the Canadians in my book! Similarly, the purchase, download and install of the RealTrack addons that I subsequently bought was fast, painless and worked flawlessly. 15 minutes after hearing the lovely Piano Ballads demo, I had that addon in my BB, playing my chords! Am I a fanboy ...... guess so ! I do have some suggestions though; [EDIT: I clearly lost the plot on this next bit, as I've checked back at the PG store and of course you can get genre-specific RealPAKs, ie... Rock/Pop RealPAK 3, etc. So just ignore the suggestion below, although I do think it would be good to offer a 'bundle' wher the buyer can choose the RealTrack Sets they want, ie... any 3 RT sets for $70 ..  ] 1). The RealPAKs don't work for me, as they combine Pop/rock tracks with Jazz and Country. I would guess that a lot of people's musical style preferences bias either towards pop/rock, OR, jazz, OR country. Maybe not, but for me, I would much rather buy a 'bundle' of the pop/rock style RealTracks , that don't include jazz and country. I dare say there are some Jazz fans out there that wouldn't want pop/rock tracks. How about offering a 'choose any 3 realtrack/realdrum addons as a bundle and get 20% off' type proposition ? 2). I would guess that RealTracks have elevated BB in a new direction and many people (like me) that would not have considered the original (MIDI only) BB, would be very interested in BB now with RealTracks and RealDrums. But I think a lot of people may be put off by some elements of the name, and imaging of the product. Also, although the 'plug in mode' is awesome, there are some elements that could be better aligned to use with external DAWs. (for those not using RB). Eg.... You could developer a 'RealTracks/RealDrums only' product called "RealSession" which focusses on the automated production of performances (to selected chords) for various instruments, to go straight into tracks in a seperate DAW. Sure, that's exactly what BB does now, you say !! But the workflow could be changed to make this something more like 'EZ Drummer' (but for musical tracks, with the ability to choose chords). It could be a true plug-in in the DAW, and for this type of product/application I would leave out some of the more traditional 'accompaniment features', like Melodist, etc. I hope you 'get' where I'm coming from here - I love the program and it's amazing putting these RealTracks into my songs, but the BB format as is, isn't the best suited for this type of DAW-orientated application; I guess it's better suited to the live accompaniament side of things, as was originally intended. Thanks for an amazing product that is currently without peers!
David,
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 137
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 137 |
Maybe you wourld have been better off David getting the ultrapulus pak on usb drive and probably saved a lot of money in the long run.
Then you could have tried out everything as there are hundreds of realtracks. I'm in UK too and the usb drive is the business.
If you decide to go this route then I'd contact PG before the sale ends.
Paddy
Last edited by pwhack; 12/21/09 05:20 AM.
Paddy McGurk,
Liverpool,
Don't mention the Beatles!!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 11 |
Hey Paddy, I thought about that, but the problem is I have no interest in all of the Jazz and Country content. Then again, by the time I buy all the Rock/Pop RealTrack sets, I'll probably have spent the same, which I guess was your point ! Still - I quite like buying bits progressively as I need them - it keeps things interesting, rather than knowing you have everything there, all at once, at the beginning. I'm just about to buy some RealDrum sets, now that I've confirmed which ones I get with the MegaPAK (to prevent buying something I'll already be getting when the DVDs arrive ). Cheers,
David,
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
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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 Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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 PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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