Installed 2022 last night and am just starting to play with it today. Impressed with the general offering this year, PGM seem to have been listening. Also very grateful for the 20% tax gesture.
On playing about with Drum Stems I notice a couple of things. (to keep it simple all tests are from the Americana set with 7 stems each.)
1. Loaded Mix and Stems of AmericanaSlow128Fred into 32 bars at default setting, i.e. Substyle A, Chord C, set tempo to 60
2. When RDrums picker is first opened Stems box needs to be checked for the chosen style before pressing OK, but if I move off this to another style Stems box needs to be checked again. After generating if I re-open the RDrums picker all styles with stems are checked by default.
3. Auditioned each Stem separately and find there is a lot of bleed in from the Snare in the Cymbal and Toms Stems. For example there is not a massive difference between the HH Stem and the Mix, is this normal?
4. I reset the Substyle to A & B alternating every 4 bars and regen. The Mix changed but the Stems didn't. F7 revealed that all the stems are frozen by default when first generated and can only be unfrozen one at a time in the F7 page. The Stems Freeze buttons on the mixer are deactivated. When unfrozen the stems will regen, but this is a tedious process.
5. Changed drums style to Americana16thsSyncFred and, as expected, on regen, Mix changed but Stems didn't. When unfrozen Stems will regen to Americana16thsSyncFred, but are still named as AmericanaSlow128Fred. In F7 I erased the stems, again one by one, but these did not regen until I entered and exited the Drum Picker, regen was correct, but Stems still named as AmericanaSlow128Fred.
While I welcome the introduction of Stems and see a lot of potential, I hope that the above are teething problems to be addressed.
3. Auditioned each Stem separately and find there is a lot of bleed in from the Snare in the Cymbal and Toms Stems. For example there is not a massive difference between the HH Stem and the Mix, is this normal?
Yes. Just look at pics of drum kits in a recording studio, there's no way to avoid lots of bleed. People have been requesting this for years and some kept saying they could do all these great things but I think they were thinking of midi, not real audio stems. I've said for years the bleed through on the mics will be a problem, it won't be as great at some think. It's still useful because you can control the mix 'somewhat' but it's not perfect. You want to bump up the snare, you'll bump the kick and cymbals too, after all they're right next to each other with live mics. Still, you can achieve a decent mix you just have to experiment with rebalancing the whole kit.
When I was recording live bands I would spend more time on the drums than anything else. One way to use live drum stems is to put them into a DAW and use midi triggers that track individual drum kit parts and replace the audio with midi and them play the midi with a good drum program. But, the downside to that is you lose the live feel of the real drummer. Everything's a tradeoff. There are many techniques to use. Say the kit has an open hat and you want a closed one. You could use a midi closed hat and take the kit hat to zero and the trigger system would match the rhythm. There will be some bleed through the open hat from the overheads but the midi closed hat would mostly hide it. You can also use EQ to eliminate some of the bleed. Having drums stems to play with can be fun but it's a lot of work. No instant gratification.
All good points. When I experimented with the new drum stems feature, I had the most fun with the Latin drums and the ability to bring out or hide the pandeiro (the Brazilian reinvention of the tambourine). That is quite effective.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Downloading 2022 now. I'm seeing in the downloads a RealDrums Stems Set 2 included with the Bonus 49 Pak. Can I assume that the first stems just come with 2022? I'm not seeing a download for a Stems Set 1.
Yes, the first stems come with BIAB2022, but not a lot. I've counted 57 styles with stems in in the RealDrum picker. According to the promo video for the Bonus 49 pack, 36 of these are in Pt 2. I imagine that if these prove to be popular they will become an additional form of revenue for PGM, much like Styles Paks etc.
I would be interested to hear, when you try them, if you find the same issues that I commented on earlier.
I would imagine that when you really get down to mixing them, it will take several busses with EQs and compression to ferret out the best of the sounds. Hi pass low pass etc.
Maybe even a combo of the stems and the midi charts will be a cool idea. Stems RDs, charts VSTIs just tools to work with.
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
Happy holidays! I'm excited about the drum stems, which I think are a tremendous step in the right direction. I work in the contemporary/smooth jazz genre, and my RealDrums players are: Michael White, Ricky Lawson, Franklin 'Third' Richardson, Sput Searight, and Brian Fullen. Unfortunately the new stems aren't available for these, only Americana and country. In an exchange with Simon in customer service, it sounds like PGM is receiving a good response on drum stems, and I'm hopeful that some of the older C-Jazz and funk tracks will be made available. If they were, I'd upgrade my Audiophile 2021 yesterday! Still, there may be enough new RealTracks to warrant it. Thanks all.
Warren, I can’t cite the post but my impression is that we can expect more drums to have stems. I think it’s early days, and they are getting a few operational things settled now
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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 amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac 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 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.
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!
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.
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)
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