|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5 |
Hello folks. I am new here today, and seek advice on the feasibility of using BIAB for accompaniment, played through a laptop for live performance.
I am an old-timer [live bands in the 60's-70's], and now just play as a solo act 5-6 times a month,
for mainly seniors groups,like day-aways and nursing homes.
I currently use an acoustic-electric guitar and an 'M-Audio Black Box Reloaded' as a drum machine, to back up my vocals.
Indoors I run them all through a Fender Acoustasonic 2 channel amp, outdoors I use a 70's Yamaha mixer amp and columns for voice and drums, and just run guitar through the Fender.
Why I'd like to upgrade is twofold:
-The Black Box has no 3/4 time beats at all, a bit frustrating.
-I'd like to add a bass line if feasible, and perhaps a rhythm guitar or piano line.
I usually play about 30 songs each show, from a repertoire of about 300 altogether.
I have plenty of time between bookings to sort out a program of 30 songs from my total listings, but
I do requests also, so need fast access to any preprogrammed song.
I'd love for the software to have the capability of me accessing a lyric/chord sheet,
while a track plays, as I sometimes need to quickly refer to a lyric for about 150 of my songs.
I don't have a laptop at present, but my desktop at home is due for replacement, and even though I dislike
laptops, I can tolerate them if I use a mouse.
What I envision may not be feasible...a laptop I can punch up a menu of songs, click on the one I want to do, have the lyric sheet pop up, and start playing my accompaniment...direct from laptop to amplifier.
Any suggestions and/or advice would be most appreciated. Sorry my post is so long.
Disclaimer/ pre-apology: The more acronyms or hi-tech expressions used in response,
the more I will be lost as to the meaning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
Deacon, You have hit the motherlode. I can't address this in detail, but there is a vigorous community here who are using BIAB exactly as you wish to. It is everything you want and more. Brace for impact. You are going to get a LOT of responses.  Richard P.S.: If anyone blinds you with science, just tell 'em ta talk slow. They will.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
Yes.
And more.
Bass lines - are great.
Can I have an example of a couple of songs?
The jukebox feature in band in a box allows you to create sets and then play them.
You can have both audio and midi type tracks.
Go for the whole thing, don't buy piecemeal.
Actually if you have a set list you might copy and paste it in the next posts, that gives us an idea of genre.
As to the laptop question, I bought a 79 dollar remote keyboard and mouse set from HP, uses a small usb plug and works great. AND the laptop is a bit further and I can see it 'better'.
John Conley
Musica est vita
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,147
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,147 |
just do it.......i do the same with a 60s covers band. however, i find i get greater control with transferring the midi tracks into Powertracks and a little simple editing. lots of songs have distinctive bass lines or simple horn motifs that are easier to play in on PT. you can use the melody track on BIAB and the harmony to create riffs etc but the bass is much easier to do in PT. good example is midnight hour by wilson pickett - the bass is quite distinctive and i just played it in in PT.
but don't let me put you off in any way - BIAB is ideal for what you want - I'm just offering a simple way to customise your tracks to get exactly what you want - but 99 times out of 100 BIAB will do the job straight off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5 |
Thanks for the fast responses.
I play in many different genres...
-A lot of 10's-20's-30's-40's Ragtime, Broadway, jazz, blues.
Stuff like "All Of Me", "Hernando's Hideaway","Some Of These Days", "It Had To Be You", "Dream A Little Dream Of Me", "Makin' Whoopee", "St. Louis Blues", "St. James Infirmary", "Bye Bye Blackbird", etc, etc.
-A LOT of 50's-60's-70's country by J.Cash, M.Haggard, G.Jones, W.Jennings & others.
-A little bit of Bluegrass, a little bit of Gospel
-Older rock like F.Domino, B.Holly, Everly Bros, Beatles, CCR.
-Some seasonal stuff, [like Christmas], and some novelty songs.
-I would do a few Ventures instrumentals if I had bass, drums & rhythm.
Kind of a 'try-to-please-any-crowd' repertoire, as the senior citizens particularly
love tunes that take them way back to past times...it's amazing how many know the lyrics and give a good effort at singing along.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 600
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 600 |
One word of caution. The learning curve can be quite large. I have basically been playing with biab for close to 20 years and to date have been able to actually create 5 tunes I could realistically use on a gig. The software will do everything pg and the gang here say it will do if you take the time to learn it and the time to use it. However, you need to know it does take time. Entering the basic chords takes no time at all BUT entering the lyrics requires a whole new process. You need to play in the melody line from some sort of input device (most folks use a keyboard). When you hook it up it won't play in time with the software because of something called latency so you will need to get another piece of hardware (an audio interface). Then you have to line the words up with the melody exactly or it doesn't work quite right. Then after all of this you realize that the tune doesn't sound all that good and you have to spend countless hours trying to find the right background style and or real tracks to get it the way you really want it. Final results: exactly what you want but now you need to learn how to use the conductor feature so you can start and stop and repeat sections live on the set.
Now is this a recommendation for BIAB? Absolutely! For one thing maybe if you go through all of this we will be able to trade some arrangements. Our play list is exactly the same. If you go for it, go for the largest pak you can afford. The ultra plus mega pak gives you everything but the videos (which can be pretty much d/led from the pg site and the song and lessons paks. Believe me if you do it, you won't be sorry and will have a toy that will keep you busy for quite sometime.
Dell 610 dual Monitor, win 7-10, Sonar Plat, ProTools 10 & 11, Reaper 4, BIAB/real Band 2022, Easy Drummer, Superior Drummer, Kontact Essentials, Personnel Orchestra, Korg Legacy Analog & Digital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5 |
Earl, thanks but you lost me a bit on the "entering the lyrics " part.
Your "only 5 tunes after 20 years" statement is kind of anxiety-generating -
If it's that tough, I don't necessarily HAVE to have any lyrics or chords showing on-screen, just the backing track playing after I click on a programmed song.
I could still refer to my "big book" for the infrequent lyric or chord I need to refer to now and then.
What is main reason for the "largest pak I can afford"? I thought my needs were fairly simple....more like what PRO offers ? Perhaps I am not reading the specs properly.
The other thing, folks, if I was to get a laptop JUST for BIAB programming performance, not for general computer use, what spec should I be going for ?
My local computer guy knows nothing of music applications.
Thanks again, everyone... sorry if I sound as obtuse as I feel....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,808
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,808 |
Deac, what i do is go to the internet and down load .kar files. They are midi files that have embedded lyrics that will scroll on the lyrics window in either RealBand or Powertracks. I process them through good software synths, add RealTracks and RealDrums as needed, and play them The jukebox feature allows me to set the time gap between songs as I need and stop if I need and restart where i need. Very doable.
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
There are 10's of thousands of songs kicking around. Lots of songs end in .mgu or .sgu
Use google and you are going to find people with websites hosting the songs.
Be advised, if you are a junk collector like me, I have 8 versions of All of Me, only one of which is in my favorites folder.
Another source is Notes Norton. I have the Early Rock and Roll Era fakebook, and his chords for the song. From there it's a matter of deciding if you need the melody, or just to expand a verse or two, I hate songs that are done in under 2 minutes, add a verse BE HAPPY!
John Conley
Musica est vita
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Quote:
Why I'd like to upgrade is twofold:
1. The Black Box has no 3/4 time beats at all, a bit frustrating.
2. I'd like to add a bass line if feasible, and perhaps a rhythm guitar or piano line.
3. I usually play about 30 songs each show, from a repertoire of about 300 altogether.
4. I have plenty of time between bookings to sort out a program of 30 songs from my total listings, but
I do requests also, so need fast access to any preprogrammed song.
5. I'd love for the software to have the capability of me accessing a lyric/chord sheet,
while a track plays, as I sometimes need to quickly refer to a lyric for about 150 of my songs.
6. What I envision may not be feasible...a laptop I can punch up a menu of songs, click on the one I want to do, have the lyric sheet pop up, and start playing my accompaniment...direct from laptop to amplifier.
7. Disclaimer/ pre-apology: The more acronyms or hi-tech expressions used in response,
the more I will be lost as to the meaning.
Hi Deacon and welcome. I modified your post to add the numbers.
1-4: Biab has a whole collection of 3/4, 6/8 and 12/8 styles, great bass lines, it has the Jukebox feature that allows you to create sets and organize them any way you want.
5. I think you're referring to seeing the lyrics for a song while it's playing? If so that's no problem either.
6. Absolutely possible, several people on this forum are doing it.
7. This is the biggie. You're saying right here you're not computer and/or software literate. Obviously this is a forum and I don't know you at all so please forgive me if I'm leaping to the wrong conclusion. If you have some experience with DAW's and midi great. If not I'm tempted to say forget it. DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. And midi is well, midi. If you don't know what midi is and have no experience with it, then it's really going to be a long slog for you.
If you are just a hobbyist playing around a bit then sure, get the basic Pro package and have some fun and when you learn it and decide you like it buy the full enchilada. However, you're a gigging old pro musician and you're talking about setting up a pretty complex laptop and software combo to go out and actually make money with and it has to be right with no nasty surprises. That takes a lot of expertise on your part. First, you have to be almost an expert computer nerd to understand what's happening in certain situations with your laptop, then you have to really understand Biab and how it works. You can't have some weird thing happen in the middle of your set and you have no clue about it. What you'll wind up doing is using two complete setups. Your old original set up in case something goes wrong and your new setup with Biab.
There is an answer to this however and Silvertones can tell you all about it. That is to use Biab at home to create Wav's/MP3's of your songs and all you do is play them from a song list on your laptop with the lyrics displayed at the same time. You know what Wav's and Mp3's are? You're not running Biab live. If you don't need all the hassle of creating these songs yourself with Biab, you can simply go on line and buy all the fully professional studio backing tracks for any song you want in any key you want just no vocals. Cue one up and start singing. They cost $6 or $7 each, less when you bundle up 15 or 20. But for 300 songs that's still a lot more than buying the Ultrapak. That's turning yourself into a live karaoke performer. Using Biab live allows you to be a bit more interactive than that but it could be difficult for you to learn what's necessary to accomplish that.
Just giving you some ideas.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,775
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,775 |
Deacon3, if you are trying to do a note for note cover then you should use
RealBand, (RB), it comes free with Band-in-a-box (BiaB). Be prepared to do a lot of editing to get your exact covers. You may get a song or less a month this way.
If you are looking for some great backing tracks that are not an exact cover copy then use Biab. Just input your chords, pick a style and play then save the file. You should be able to get a song out per hour or less.
BiaB and RB are very in depth programs. However for generating backing tracks they are very intuitive for a musician to use. Like you I am a guitarist. I was playing along with BiaB about 20 minutes after installing the program! The longer I use it the more in-depth I get with the program. I still only use about 30% of what BiaB can do, but I use the parts that I need to use. I do not use lyrics and it sounds like you do not need to use that portion of the program either; I’ll let someone who uses lyrics tell you how hard or easy it is to use.
It is a the perfect program for what you need to do.
PS – I do covers also. I do not do exact copy covers and most people don’t even care!
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 20
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 20 |
Deacon
You will find that there are many different ways that people achieve this same end, & you need to work out the best way for you, depending on your computer & musical skills.
Others have already given you there methods, all of which work for them.
I create all my backing tracks myself, using the following method.
Source the chords, either by ear or using chord books, internet, etc. (my fav internet site for this is Betty Lou's guitar site).
Plug these chords in to BIAB in the layout you want (eg, intro, verse chorus etc).
Pick an accompaniment style - this can take a long time, esp at first.
When you are happy with the backing, save it as a mid file, then close BIAB & open file in Powertrax.
As mentioned by others, you need to allocate the lyrics to a melody track. You can either play the melody, or what i quite often do is just fill the entire melody track with the same note, 4 (or 3 depending on time) beats to the bar. This is just to hold the lyrics, and gets deleted later anyway.
Type the lyrics into the melody track as closely as possible to the correct beat.
Split the melody track into seperate melody & lyrics.
Save and play with either Powertrax or BIAB. Both of these can display lyrics & chords while playing. Alternatively export to Wav or MP3 file, but no lyrics unless you want to get into a type of file called CDG.
I usually find that it takes me around 1 - 2 hours to create a backing track I am happy with, another hour or so to add the lyrics (using the fake melody method).
Another thing you need to be aware of is that some laptops create noise through the audio output to some devices, so I would suggest that before laying down your hard earned, you try any laptop out with the equipment you are going to be using.
Hope this helps.
Simon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725 |
Quote:
What I envision may not be feasible...a laptop I can punch up a menu of songs, click on the one I want to do, have the lyric sheet pop up, and start playing my accompaniment...direct from laptop to amplifier. Any suggestions and/or advice would be most appreciated. Sorry my post is so long.
Deacon43,
What you envision is just what I and numerous other musicians do everyday. Lots of good advice already I am sure even though I did not read all the responses . . . so I won't add anything other than if you would like a PM or even give me a call I'd be happy to go in detail as to setup suggestions etc. But even though it may have been said already I will suggest you get as much of the program you can swing, especially where realtracks are concerned.
To reiterate many on this forum do just what you want to do and more with this software. In fact your post and questions remind me of my inquiries a few years back. My only regret is that I had not found this software sooner.
Welcome aboard!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 241
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 241 |
-I would do a few Ventures instrumentals if I had bass, drums & rhythm.
Go to Free Ventures midi files site on the web and you will find 69 songs that have been made and they are really close to the original. The bass, durms, guitar, it's all there. All you need do, is edit them for your needs. By the way, I too am a old 60's music lover and player. Just import them into either Real Band or Pro Tracks for editing, if you have them. If not, you can aslo import them into BB. Hope this helps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5 |
Thanks to everyone for the great replies.
I am contemplating what to do, and will take some time to think this over.
I have ZERO experience with DAW's or MIDI, and as jazzmammal points out, this lack of knowledge may make BIAB not worth trying. I didn't actually regard myself as computer-illiterate, as I have been using a PC for about 25 years, but since retiring 11 years ago I've done little with any software except for Microsoft Excel and Word, which I use daily.
Web surfing, spreadsheets, Word songsheets and online banking don't broaden one's horizons much.
That being said, I doubt anyone ever started out with DAW's or MIDI already knowing how to use them, so perhaps I could learn.
I know what WAV's and MP3's are. I'm sure this would be good, but it would remove my ability to do requests, which is a big part of what my audiences have come to expect.
I need no exact "cover" or tribute-type backgrounds, quite the opposite, just looking to make generic backgrounds.
Probably 55 of my annual gigs are "free", and about 7 are paid...so a large investment isn't practical when I might only have 5 years or so left for the "lugging-around-equipment" element of solo performing.
I'm leaning toward getting BIAB Pro, and a new computer [which I need anyway] and doing some experimenting. Perhaps I'll stay with a desktop, and get a laptop later on if I can become functional with BIAB. Thanks again everyone, I may shoot a PM off to those who indicated this would be acceptable. Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,725 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,168
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,168 |
Hi Deacon43 and welcome,
If you do decide about upgrading band in a box just to let you know that Pg music run a sale around mid December and folks save a lot of money when they buy around that time.
good luck
musiclover
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021 |
Like this?  I use RealBand that comes with Band in a Box. The first 3 wave forms are drums, solo & kick Drum. They provide cues as I'm a bass player. Then there's the lyrics & chord sheet. When I play I also have the small JukeBox screen tucked away in the upper right hand corner. You can't see all of the tracks but most songs are 9-12 tracks. I wouldn't say it takes 20 years for 5 songs but unless you are very computer literate it will be a chore at best.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Quote:
I know what WAV's and MP3's are. I'm sure this would be good, but it would remove my ability to do requests, which is a big part of what my audiences have come to expect.
I need no exact "cover" or tribute-type backgrounds, quite the opposite, just looking to make generic backgrounds.
This is actually good. First, you would not have time in the middle of a gig to create a new song from scratch in Biab for a request. They all have to be set up ahead of time regardless of if you're using Biab live or creating an Mp3 like John-Silvertones does.
Since you're not concerned about doing exact covers, that makes things a whole lot faster and easier. I have thousands of Biab songs I've downloaded from the internet from various sites including Real Book One with all the jazz standards plus tons of regular stuff from polka's to R & R. I can easily email them to you. You could with very little effort open one of those songs and if it sounds correct to you simply save it in your songs folder and that's it, you're done. You may want to change a chord or two, maybe change the chorus repeats or key sig. That takes all of two minutes.
Have you listened to all the Real Track demos? If not, have a listen. If all you need are generic background tracks they're absolutely killer. You mentioned Bluegrass and Country. Listen to some of those, they will blow you away. The one weakness with the RT's is they can't be edited to create a specific guitar line from a Johnny Cash tune or whatever but if you're not concerned with that then they sound simply awesome.
Midi is different. Midi can be edited precisely to create exactly what you want. That's what the Ventures post is referring to. In addition to the Biab files I talked about I also have hundreds of killer midi files. The problem with midi is you need a good synthesizer to play them through. The basic soundchip on your computer won't cut it. I'm a gigging keyboard player and I have several thousand dollars worth of keyboards and sound modules plus software synths to play my midi's with and they also sound great. But if I were to give one of my midi files to someone who doesn't have my level of equipment, that file could sound like crap which brings us back to the Real Tracks. RT's were invented by PG to solve the midi synth problem and man do they sound good. You just can't edit them to do the intro to Satisfaction for example. You either have to play that yourself of just do without it. A midi file would have that guitar part in it but you may not like the sound of it if you don't have a $500 (or more) synth.
Still I think you can do this and I would recommend the Ultrapak with all the RT's especially since you're getting a new PC anyway.
More stuff to think about.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5 |
Thanks again all...I have a lot of info to digest. I much appreciate the time you all took to respond. Will no doubt be back with questions once I "get going". Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
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!
Don't wait - order today!
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!
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.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
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!
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,305
Posts803,025
Members40,086
| |
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