|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 4
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 4 |
I am playing with BB 2022 with an M1 Mini. I am noticing that a lot of song/styles, I guess you call them, have a lot of instruments that sound like an old Atari video game. Is this because I don't own all the sound packs needed, or is this just the MIDI engine making up sound for the particular track?
Is this the way the software is designed?
Last edited by nelsonmay; 07/21/22 03:23 PM. Reason: adding a note
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 621
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 621 |
MIDI doesn't make any sound.
Byron Dickens BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency. https://soundcloud.com/athanorsoundlabs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 4
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 4 |
Yes, I know, but clarinets and saxophones sound like video games. Do I need the Styles PAKs to fill in the counts that sound like Atari video games.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,565
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,565 |
I am playing with BB 2022 with an M1 Mini. I am noticing that a lot of song/styles, I guess you call them, have a lot of instruments that sound like an old Atari video game. Is this because I don't own all the sound packs needed, or is this just the MIDI engine making up sound for the particular track?
Is this the way the software is designed? I don't know anything about the M1 Mini. That said, it could be that the styles or songs you are hearing are MIDI based. Does the M1 Mini play MIDI files? Typcially, the quality of sound for MIDI styles depends on the quality of software used to interpret the MIDI information. With superior software synthesizers, MIDI sounds awesome. The standard computer software it could indeed sound like "an old Atari video game". BIAB styles that begin with an underscore (e.g. _ACCFOLK) are realtracks and are audio sounds. Styles that being with an equals sign (e.g. =TEXMETL) are a mixture of realtracks and MIDI. Styles beginning with M_ (e.g. M_CPLPNO) are a mixture of realtracks and superior MIDI tracks. Styles that begin with just plain letters (older versions of BIAB... e.g. ZZBOSA) or a hyphen (newer versions of BIAB... e.g. -ZZBOSA) are fully MIDI styles. Hope this helps. Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 621
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 621 |
Yes, I know, but clarinets and saxophones sound like video games. Do I need the Styles PAKs to fill in the counts that sound like Atari video games. That's not up to BIAB or any of the styles. That is up to whatever instrument that BIAB is driving.
Byron Dickens BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency. https://soundcloud.com/athanorsoundlabs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,088
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,088 |
I am playing with BB 2022 with an M1 Mini. I am noticing that a lot of song/styles, I guess you call them, have a lot of instruments that sound like an old Atari video game. Is this because I don't own all the sound packs needed, or is this just the MIDI engine making up sound for the particular track?
Is this the way the software is designed? Excellent information from Noel96 has been provided. Are you using the M1 Mini speakers to output the sound, or do you have a MIDI interface that allows you to use an external synth and external speakers? I am not familiar with the M1 Mini, but if it uses internal speakers, then possibly this will contribute to poor sound quality. You do need to have good sound reproduction capability. In the Mixer in BiaB, any tracks in Yellow font will be MIDI, any tracks in Green font will be RealTracks. I looked up the specification for M1 Mini and it simply shows built-in speaker. If so, it's likely to be a very small speaker and this may be the source of the issue. The software can produce world-class music, it's definitely light-years away from Atari video game sounds. You may just need an external sound-card interface and external speakers to get excellent results.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,088
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,088 |
Another thought: You may wish to inquire in the Mac section of the forums. There will be more users there who are familiar with your configuration. Hope this helps in some way.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,562
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,562 |
I just answered this same question in another forum.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,088
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,088 |
The user is obviously keen to find out how to resolve.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 836
PG Music Staff
|
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 836 |
You can also look at the font colour of the RealTracks in the bottom left of the Style Picker, or in the Mixer window. Green are RealTracks, Yellow are MIDI, and blue are MIDI SuperTracks.
Best,
Chantelle
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,598
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,598 |
.. or is this just the MIDI engine making up sound for the particular track?
Is this the way the software is designed?
.. clarinets and saxophones sound like video games
It is likely the MIDI engine for the sounds. A better sound source equals better sound (especially for any MIDI tracks). That would be my best guess, as most styles do not use Reatracks for sax/clarinet .. more likely a MIDI based track and the MIDI 'engine' (VSTi) is the source issue. At least in my experience. Good question and I think you know the source of the problem, just need to decide on a solution  There are many options Again, the MAC forum would likely offer better help.
Last edited by rharv; 07/22/22 11:55 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
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.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,160
Posts801,453
Members40,061
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean