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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124 |
Does anyone use BIAB Windows on their Mac with Parallels, Bootcamp, etc.? Is there a benefit/detriment to doing this as opposed to using the Mac version of BIAB? Why have you chosen to use one vs. the other? I understand that there are still some features available for WIndows that are not available for Mac and perhaps this will always be the case (the lead sheet window is the thing of most interest to me, but perhaps I can get around this by importing into notation software- although I guess I'll still have to enter chords manually).
I am a relatively recent Mac owner (about 5 months) and I recently loaded Virtual Box and Windows 7 on the computer. I have been playing around with Virtual Box, but don't have any Windows software loaded except that which is a part of Windows 7. I am trying to decide if I should crossgrade to BIAB 2011 for Mac or load my 2007 WIndows version and upgrade to 2011.5 when it is available.
Virtual Box seems to be running pretty well, but I assume that running native Mac software would be a smoother user experience. Thoughts?
-Larry
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382 |
Hi Larry,
Other people may chime in about which version they like better, but I used to have Windows 7 on my MacBook Pro, using Bootcamp. Everything ran at native speeds, so it was just like using a regular PC with the same specs. I really didn't run into any problems at all, and I highly recomend it to anyone who wants to use Windows programs on their Mac. Band-in-a-Box worked great, by the way.
If you use a virtual machine like Parallels, VirtualBox or VMWare Fusion, you can jump between OS's on the fly, but you can probably expect to see some decline in performance, due to the fact that you're running more than one operating system at the same time.
This decline in performance may or may not be an issue, depending on how powerful your Mac is.
Thanks
Kent
PG Music
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124 |
Thank you, Kent.
I may give Bootcamp a try too. I think my computer is fast enough that I wouldn't have much of a problem using a virtual machine (although I could use some additional RAM). However, I am having some difficulty getting the virtual machine to recognize my printer. As BIAB is the only software I would be using under Windows (at least at the moment), I guess I have to weigh the additional features available in the Windows version against the simplicity of using only Mac software on the computer.
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335 |
Quote:
Is there a benefit/detriment to doing this as opposed to using the Mac version of BIAB? Why have you chosen to use one vs. the other? I understand that there are still some features available for WIndows that are not available for Mac and perhaps this will always be the case (the lead sheet window is the thing of most interest to me, but perhaps I can get around this by importing into notation software- although I guess I'll still have to enter chords manually).
No real reason to use the Windows version. In fact, it really doesn't make sense at all. You'd be using up several gigs of space and losing out on things like the DAW mode. The lead sheet feature isn't worth losing the DAW function to me.
Quote:
I am a relatively recent Mac owner (about 5 months) and I recently loaded Virtual Box and Windows 7 on the computer. I have been playing around with Virtual Box, but don't have any Windows software loaded except that which is a part of Windows 7. I am trying to decide if I should crossgrade to BIAB 2011 for Mac or load my 2007 WIndows version and upgrade to 2011.5 when it is available.
I'd crossgrade now. The additions like RealTracks are totally worth it. Unless there is something you absolutely have to have that only runs on Windows (nothing I can think of) I'd ditch bootcamp and reclaim the hard drive space.
Quote:
Virtual Box seems to be running pretty well, but I assume that running native Mac software would be a smoother user experience. Thoughts?
There are a couple of things. When you run something like that, it takes a lot of the available memory. So, if your Mac has say 4 gigs, you'd want to give Windows and Mac OS X half (2 gigs) which means, you probably are going to have less than that when you are actually running programs. The more programs you have loaded, the more memory you are going to use, and BOTH programs will start swapping out to virtual memory (ie: hard disk). When that happens, then your hard disk head is going to be jumping all over, and your system will start crawling.
I really can't see why you'd want that. I used to use Band in a Box under Parallels BEFORE they came out with a good Mac version. Like the YEARS between version 12 and version 2008 I believe. My 2006 iMac handled running BinaB alright. But now that there is a fully native, feature rich (not quite complete but darn close) version, there isn't a good reason for me to run the Windows version. So, I took it off, regained quite a few gigabytes in space back, and gained the really cool DAW feature that lets you take BinaB tracks and drag them to your favorite DAW to play with.
About the only thing I miss from the Windows version is the Ear Training thing it had
Musician, Polymath, Google Jedi, Apple Master, Windows Wrangler and Digital Wizard. High ratings in Nerd-fu & Geek-fu.
M1 Mac Mini, MacBook Pro Touchbar 15", Intel 27" iMac, M1 Mac Mini
https://musician.social/@ericdano
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 83
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 83 |
I have both versions, but really prefer the windows version, since it has more features that I use. You have to check for yourself, what you really want to have and need.
I need the leadsheet window, the vocal wizzard, the possibility to add text directly to a certain note, need the possibility to record vocal directly into the program etc. Love to have the practice box etc. etc.
For that the windows version is way better and offers quite a bit more stuff and comfort.
So long,
mos
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124 |
Thanks for the thoughts eric and mos. I do like the idea of being able to drag files into garage band, but I also like the lead sheet and some of the other Windows features. The space bootcamp takes up isn't a big deal because I have more than enough space on the drive to run a separate partition and if I want to run Windows virtually, RAM is cheap enough. I guess I really need to think about how I am most going to use the program and decide what makes sense.
Thanks again.
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335 |
However, there is a ram ceiling in iMacs. It's not like a MacPro, where you can get something like 32 gigs of ram. You are limited to like 8 i think on newer iMacs. That might sound like a lot, but it really fills up quickly, and if something like 4 gigs is allocated to windows.....
It comes down to what are you going to use. Are you going to use the leadsheet feature? I looked at it, and it is easier and better for me to use Finale to generate leadsheets.
Are you going to use the vocal wizard? I'm not.
Do you need to record? Here, I would think the Mac would be a better choice as you can use Garageband which I'd say is infinitely better than the Windows version of BandinaBox's recording abilities plus you can then use Logic to further tweak things.
Practice box is nice I guess.......as is the ear trainer in the Windows Version. I still think the Mac version is a better choice if you are on a Mac.....use Mac programs.....etc.
And who is to say that PGMusic won't put in the leadsheet in an update? Perhaps 2011.5?
Musician, Polymath, Google Jedi, Apple Master, Windows Wrangler and Digital Wizard. High ratings in Nerd-fu & Geek-fu.
M1 Mac Mini, MacBook Pro Touchbar 15", Intel 27" iMac, M1 Mac Mini
https://musician.social/@ericdano
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 124 |
The limit on the new iMacs is 16 GB and obviously in the case of bootcamp it would all be available (unlike running Windows virtually), but your point is well taken. There are good arguments on both sides to be sure. One option is to use the Mac version but keep my old Windows version installed on a small virtual or bootcamp partition for the cases I would need the lead sheet window.
On a different point, you had indicated your missing the ear trainer that is available in the Windows version. It's an added program/expense, but you may want to look at Earmaster Pro if you haven't done so and/or are not familiar with it. I find it to be a very good and flexible program.
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 335 |
I guess. I think it would be better to start a thread and vocally state to PG Music that we want the LeadSheet in the Mac version.
Earmaster is nice, but there are some web things that work as well. I just kinda liked having that simple little ear thing to quiz students with....
Musician, Polymath, Google Jedi, Apple Master, Windows Wrangler and Digital Wizard. High ratings in Nerd-fu & Geek-fu.
M1 Mac Mini, MacBook Pro Touchbar 15", Intel 27" iMac, M1 Mac Mini
https://musician.social/@ericdano
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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!
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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
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