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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 6
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 6 |
BIAB is already capable of analysing an audio file to work out what the chord structure is. There are tools on the market that can also process an audio file to work out what each instrument is playing (e.g. RipX to name just one) and some of those tools clearly offer APIs. What I would find really useful is if BIAB could analyse an audio file and not only suggest the chords but also give a shortlist of perhaps 5 Styles that would probably match that audio file. Surely it can't be too difficult to pick out the bass and the drums and use that to suggest some styles?
Yes, we have a humungous list of excellent styles, but that means it can take forever to find a good match. Often I end up giving up and using one of the many great styles on my Tyros 4.
Each year BIAB upgrades offer an ever increasing list of new styles and for me this just means it will take even longer to find a good match for a particular song.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,112
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,112 |
This is an idea definitely worthy of consideration.
+1
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.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 188
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 188 |
+1 for anything that will help us find the right styles quicker!
I've started keeping a list of which styles sound similar to which songs (I know there's something similar already in BiaB but it's not very useful as it just tries to match the style parameters, rather than the actual sound).
A big collaborative list might be handy. It would be a bit subjective, but definitely more helpful than nothing.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,275
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Veteran
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,275 |
SteveM:
This was bandied about on the forum earlier this year, when BIAB2022 was available,
but the discussion got bogged down in AI (artificial intelligence) references.
Regarding your post, I believe that your suggestion "BIAB could analyse an audio file ... and give a shortlist of perhaps 5 Styles that would probably match that audio file." is pretty much what BIAB does now,
although the list of styles it pulls up is more comprehensive.
Even if BIAB had an algorithm (like RipX) to figure out what instruments were playing (and perhaps BIAB already does), it's not much help when it comes to applying the parameters to suggest a style.
Thus the previous AI discussion.
You said: "A big collaborative list might be handy".
That would get my vote with a big PLUS ONE!
LLOYD S
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 7
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 7 |
I guess the feature Toontrack has in the superior drummer would be much easier to implement.
To select drum patterns - which could be the base for all this ..
1. you can play a rhythm with keys or mouse..
2. then you get a result list.
This helps a lot.
Steffen Bernd-(Blues-Funk-Fusion)
=
BiaBAudiop.2023,Cubase12,Cinesamples,UHE,TAL,Spire, Pianoteq,SWAM,IKMultim,Spitfire Audio,NICollector
Yamaha Montage,HammondXK5,ASM Hydrasynth,KawaiVPC1
Charvel,Gibson,Maybach,Vola+AXEFX Turbo
Basses FenderJazz,Sandberg
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,652
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,652 |
TO THE OP STEVE // ALL.
haveing used biab/rb n' realtraks/drums/styles over many years and having done more than 90 songs with the pg products ive found there is no alternative if one is doing a serious (rather than a 'rough demo') song that one MUST go thru' every single rt//drum//style ie the thousands of options ie…many hours of work.
otherwise the prob by doing limited searches with keywords is one misses those 'golden nuggets of sound' that would really contribute to a song. just my opinion.
also imho AI/software suggestions will only take you so far.
i realised a long time ago…just gotta suck it up n' put in the hours of work…like we used to do in commercial studios. there are no shortcuts imho.
merry xmas // happiness to all.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 12/09/22 03:37 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 7
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 7 |
Yes - you are right.
I guess this is the same for all tools we as musicians use.
For instance - I bought a Yamaha Montage quite some time ago, but I simply had not the energy to work through Manual,
Youtube Videos, the User Interface and even the sounds ..
There were little issues every time - like how to transpose a part ... though this is so logical if you split your keys, that you have to transpose. But its not at the main performance screen.
Things like this are way to often in BiaB its even more crazy.
For me - I work this way ..
First I take some weeks and months to find out all about my VST Plugins, vst effects, software, keyboards, guitar effects and so forth. I try to do it like the pareto principle with 20% time I know 80% of the features .. mostly those I need most .. I organize performances, styles, sounds, effects, rank them and so forth
WHY
Because when I get into my creative moments I dont want to loose track, I want to stay in the flow and this IS REALLY REALLY hard with BiaB. To be honest I NEVER EVER used it for new songs the last year, though I wrote more than 50. I only use it for training myself playing chords, solos at the guitar or keyboards thats it.
Whats the main reason for this?
Hm, easy to answer, ITS SO HARD TO ADD FAVORITES and rank them. The workaround people provide are at CSV, file level and this not with 500 but thousands of styles included .. how should this work.
If for example I want to do a funk song.
I end up adding "FUNK" to the style or song filter .. then get 100s of results ..
Then I almost always loose myself in clicking through tracks soloing to tracks ..
Does not help.
One of my favorite tools EVER to work with was the ensoniq MR61 ..
Though not enough drum styles, worse sounds than TS or ASR, but it was so easy to use ..
1-2-3-4 record .. arrange with a few buttons click click click arrangement done ..
But save to floppy - not appropriate this days ..
But all the montages and this does not help, so I do it now with Cubase and Toontrack Superior Drummer.
Sometimes I take my bass while playing find a bassline- > record, then maybe add guitars or keys or immediately select from the drum sequences provided ..
Sometimes I start with the drums, sometimes with the keys, sometimes with the guitar, almost never with chord progressions, its mostly about good riffs ..
So still am happy I can use BiaB, I bought all styles all upgrades everything .. and its nice .
But I will only begin to really work with BiaB Song Writing if I am able to
1. Search for funk .. and get results
2. audition of tracks while ranking
3. sort by ranking -> select the best
4. come back - try the ranked - if they dont work, continue with the unranked
This way at some point all is ranked.
BEST WOULD BE to rank in different dimensions. But as my proposal said, if I would be able to just press
a key from 0 to 9 which is whatever rank I want it to be - and then use this to structure FAST..
->1 (at my keyboard) <- could be "best country songs" or "best in BiaB" or "style I will write songs for" or whatever ..
This is sooo easy, to implement and use, and its sooooooo helpful for everyone ..., as with nearly every approach towards biab it gives you fast structure to styles, songs or realtracks even midis ..
Last edited by Steffen Bernd; 12/17/22 03:59 AM.
Steffen Bernd-(Blues-Funk-Fusion)
=
BiaBAudiop.2023,Cubase12,Cinesamples,UHE,TAL,Spire, Pianoteq,SWAM,IKMultim,Spitfire Audio,NICollector
Yamaha Montage,HammondXK5,ASM Hydrasynth,KawaiVPC1
Charvel,Gibson,Maybach,Vola+AXEFX Turbo
Basses FenderJazz,Sandberg
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 608
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 608 |
I guess the feature Toontrack has in the superior drummer would be much easier to implement.
To select drum patterns - which could be the base for all this ..
1. you can play a rhythm with keys or mouse..
2. then you get a result list.
This helps a lot. +1
BIAB 2026, Studio Pro 8, Song Master Pro, Win11 Home. i7-9700K CPU, 32GB, ESI MAYA44eX, ZOOM UAC-2, Guitar Pro 8, Transcribe, (EZKeys2, EZD3, SD3, EZBass, EZMix3)
Amateur: fiddle, guitar, vocal, beginner on bass.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 608
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 608 |
I think the song title search function in BIAB is not of much help when it comes to help users find a style with matching characteristics/groove of a particular song (what I hears in my head and what I am looking for).
It helps setting the filter parameters; time signature, feel, and tempo to match the song and producing a list of styles with these parameters in no ranking order at all when it comes to match the underlying groove of the song.
In addition to these parameters It would be nice (not sure how) to have some type of search funktion that matches the drums (drum pattern/drum groove ..) of a song (best match).
Easiest would be to drop an mp3 file and BIAB suggests a list of best matching RealDrums.
Selecting one of the RDs drums would then show a list of styles with that RD in the stylepicker
Or even better as a second step to add another level of matching criteria e.g. to add on the bass and find the best matching combination of drum&bass and so on.
BIAB 2026, Studio Pro 8, Song Master Pro, Win11 Home. i7-9700K CPU, 32GB, ESI MAYA44eX, ZOOM UAC-2, Guitar Pro 8, Transcribe, (EZKeys2, EZD3, SD3, EZBass, EZMix3)
Amateur: fiddle, guitar, vocal, beginner on bass.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,976 |
Yes, a good idea. Will look into it.
Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
PG Music Inc.
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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.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
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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!
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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!
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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)!
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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-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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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.
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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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