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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49
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OP
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49 |
Earlier this week I ordered the new release of Biab 2012 on Hard Drive.
I paid the extra $$ for the hard drive installation for the convenience of having the complete program pre-assembled, installed, ready to play and avoid the hassle of downloads.
This morning I receive an email from PG Music Sales:
"Dear Band-in-a-Box Customer,
Thank you for your recent order of Band-in-a-Box 2012 for Windows!
Following is the link to download RealTracks Set 146: Jazz Fusion Soloing that was part of your UltraPlusPAK or EverythingPAK purchase....
We will be adding some additional styles to this set shortly! We will send these to you as soon as they are finalized."
Sooo...Pg Music's proclaimation, 'Band in a Box 2012 is here!" doesn't mean it's complete. Apparently it means they're just ready to take consumer's money now and send the rest of the parts later, self-assembly required.
Unbelievable! The point of paying extra for the hard drive version is the convenience of receiving a completed product. Helloooo?
Had PG Music disclosed something to the effect of, "OK. You can get 2012 now, but we haven't quite finished everything and we'll send the rest later", some users anxious to get their hands on the update would probably have pulled the trigger, but I'd have waited for completion.
PG's less-than-honest release didn't offer any such disclosure.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing trend. Previous releases have had similar buy-it-now-we'll-send-the-rest-later post-purchase gotcha's.
My order hasn't yet arrived. And since no tracking was provided there's no clue when it will arrive. When it does, it will be returned to PG Music for refund or completion of the assembly.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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I'm curious, what is your position on updates and patches?
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Quote:
Sooo...Pg Music's proclaimation, 'Band in a Box 2012 is here!" doesn't mean it's complete. Apparently it means they're just ready to take consumer's money now and send the rest of the parts later, self-assembly required.
Unbelievable! The point of paying extra for the hard drive version is the convenience of receiving a completed product. Helloooo?
My order hasn't yet arrived. And since no tracking was provided there's no clue when it will arrive. When it does, it will be returned to PG Music for refund or completion of the assembly.
Sooo, one Real Track could not be made ready for the big Christmas release so you expect PG to hold up the entire thing and miss Christmas for that? There's tons of new stuff in this release and this forum has a bunch of posts including the stickys from Peter explaining that one RT will be available soon. Yeah, you do have a point it could have been mentioned as part of their main advertising but everybody knows that stuff has to be written and proofed weeks ahead of time so occasionally something gets missed. You don't have to download this, I think they can send you a disc if you have no internet access but I'm not sure about that.
PG's moneyback guarantee is there and they always honor it so return it if you want but man, that seems a bit over the top, doncha think?
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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Send it back. Or email them. Tell them that you want a completed product.
I got my hard drive 2 days ago, and I have downloaded the RT in question, it took, under 2 minutes to download and install.
Just wait until January to get your hard drive. That should let things settle down a bit.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49
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OP
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Posts: 49 |
Hi Matt. Patches and updates are assessed for their fixes and benefits. Often, I'll wait weeks or months for PG's subsequent release of fixes to the initial fixes before incorporating them into the back-up installation. If trials appear to work correctly, then into the main install. It's reassuring and convenient to have a complete working program on hand for backup in the event of a disaster without having to cobble together bits and pieces to accomplish a reinstall. That's why I buy the hard drive vs download.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722
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Posts: 6,722 |
Quote:
Earlier this week I ordered the new release of Biab 2012 on Hard Drive.
I paid the extra $$ for the hard drive installation for the convenience of having the complete program pre-assembled, installed, ready to play and avoid the hassle of downloads.
This morning I receive an email from PG Music Sales:
"Dear Band-in-a-Box Customer,
Thank you for your recent order of Band-in-a-Box 2012 for Windows!
Following is the link to download RealTracks Set 146: Jazz Fusion Soloing that was part of your UltraPlusPAK or EverythingPAK purchase....
We will be adding some additional styles to this set shortly! We will send these to you as soon as they are finalized."
Sooo...Pg Music's proclaimation, 'Band in a Box 2012 is here!" doesn't mean it's complete. Apparently it means they're just ready to take consumer's money now and send the rest of the parts later, self-assembly required.
Unbelievable! The point of paying extra for the hard drive version is the convenience of receiving a completed product. Helloooo?
Had PG Music disclosed something to the effect of, "OK. You can get 2012 now, but we haven't quite finished everything and we'll send the rest later", some users anxious to get their hands on the update would probably have pulled the trigger, but I'd have waited for completion.
PG's less-than-honest release didn't offer any such disclosure.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing trend. Previous releases have had similar buy-it-now-we'll-send-the-rest-later post-purchase gotcha's.
My order hasn't yet arrived. And since no tracking was provided there's no clue when it will arrive. When it does, it will be returned to PG Music for refund or completion of the assembly.
Mine arrived within 3 days (played my first gig with it last night with another scheduled today) so "theoretically" you can get it and return it for your refund before Christmas.
Merry Christmas,
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,793
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Lawrence, you do have a bit of a point, but don't get too upset. It is easy to update the portable HD with any new additions, updates, or patches so you have a full single source backup.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8 |
Seems like they could include the Android and I phone apps on the disk too. To gain that functionality, you have buy those apps separately. It's like $0.99 each so not a big deal, but it's a little annoying.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449
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Well, at least on the Apple side, you can't distribute an app other than through the Apple store. During beta testing one or two times ago when the BIAB app was introduced, we had to register our phone info with PG Music individually. This was a pain for all concerned and would not work on a production scale.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49 |
Quote:
Sooo, one Real Track could not be made ready for the big Christmas release so you expect PG to hold up the entire thing and miss Christmas for that? There's tons of new stuff in this release and this forum has a bunch of posts including the stickys from Peter explaining that one RT will be available soon. Yeah, you do have a point it could have been mentioned as part of their main advertising but everybody knows that stuff has to be written and proofed weeks ahead of time so occasionally something gets missed. You don't have to download this, I think they can send you a disc if you have no internet access but I'm not sure about that.
PG's moneyback guarantee is there and they always honor it so return it if you want but man, that seems a bit over the top, doncha think?
Bob
Hi Bob. Yeah, if it was my company I'd have made a point of identifying this as something like a "just in time for x-mas release with more to follow". But it's Prof. Gannon's company and, of course, he can run it any way he sees fit.
However, it's my money (and time) and I choose how to spend it (or not).
Not to split hairs, Bob, but it's identified by PG as a whole set of RealTracks and accompanying styles. Not insubstantial.
Mostly, PG does a good job supporting their product. I'm just expressing my dissapointment with this release and bringing it the attention of others who may have similar expectations of receiving a completed product.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449
Veteran
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Quote:
Hi Matt. Patches and updates are assessed for their fixes and benefits. Often, I'll wait weeks or months for PG's subsequent release of fixes to the initial fixes before incorporating them into the back-up installation. If trials appear to work correctly, then into the main install. It's reassuring and convenient to have a complete working program on hand for backup in the event of a disaster without having to cobble together bits and pieces to accomplish a reinstall. That's why I buy the hard drive vs download.
Thanks, I see your point: you are primarily concerned with keeping a pure backup, and that takes priority for you over applying patches and updates right away, at least to the backup copy. I don't share your concern because the program has major updates every six months and you can always roll back to prior installs, but do I understand it. I always back up the patch files so I could reconstruct if needed, and you could put those on the hard drive rather than applying them to the hard drive.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49
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OP
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49 |
Quote:
Lawrence, you do have a bit of a point, but don't get too upset. It is easy to update the portable HD with any new additions, updates, or patches so you have a full single source backup.
Jazzmandan, it's been my experience that patches and build updates installed on the external drive don't transfer to a new installation or re-installation. I have only attempted to do so a few times and it was necessary to download them again. (Or save the patch/update installer files somewhere for separate, subsequent operations.) No, not too upset. There's just plenty to do with installing and learning the new release without having to finish building it myself. Frustrating. I'd have waited had it been disclosed.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815
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I can't speak for everyone, but I would rather have 95-99% of the product now, rather than wait 2 weeks to xx months to get 100%. PGM's customer base has been trained to expect product delivery in the first or so of December. That delivery date is quite important to meet customer expectations.
I work in quality and write quality control software -- the thing to always remember that until you ship product you have zero quality. I can accept updates and patches on BIAB software, because I know that the functionality I need to get the tasks done that I have to get done are there and working. Now if a major portion of the software was NOT working, then I am sure PG Music would have to miss their expected shipping date and take their lumps. In the end quality is relative to customers' expectations.
Kevin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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If the beta testers took any longer they would have had to double their take home pay. And that would cost the end user.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 615
Journeyman
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That certainly would not have been a deal killer for me (I manually downloaded and installed all the files so as not to wait for the HD to arrive (which it did, and VERY quickly.) Installing a patch or a new RT is not that big a deal, and you should not need to do it more than once (or a few times if you rebuild your machine from scratch every so often.)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Expert
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Quote:
Following is the link to download RealTracks Set 146: Jazz Fusion Soloing that was part of your UltraPlusPAK or EverythingPAK purchase....
So, has been that RT already released?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49
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OP
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Quote:
I can't speak for everyone, but I would rather have 95-99% of the product now, rather than wait 2 weeks to xx months to get 100%.
Kevin
Hi Kevin. I know. In the original post I acknowledged some would probably want to get the new release asap regardless. I would have preferred disclosure that it wasn't quite finished and therfore the choice to wait a little bit for completion.
Maybe I'm expecting too much? For example, when I take my vehicle in for a tune-up I expect it to be completed on delivery. I'd rather wait than have the shop mail the oil filter later with note to the effect of "..ooops! We didn't have it at the time!" and have to install it myself.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Well, I think the scenario originally was to have the one missing Realtracks set available for the release date, but something happened to preclude that.
A sentence to the effect that it would not be included yet would likely have been the good thing to do, but perhaps such was a simple ooversight up there as this time of year at pgmusic is, shall we say, rather busy for all parties involved.
Patches, updates, keeping track of them and installing them is or should be part and parcel of using *any* software by now, and avoiding that is something that any user does at their own peril, I should think.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
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Quote:
Thanks, I see your point: you are primarily concerned with keeping a pure backup, and that takes priority for you over applying patches and updates right away, at least to the backup copy. I don't share your concern because the program has major updates every six months and you can always roll back to prior installs, but do I understand it. I always back up the patch files so I could reconstruct if needed, and you could put those on the hard drive rather than applying them to the hard drive.
Matt, I usually pass on the mid-year upgrades and have sometimes skipped a year. I'll get an upgrade if it's feature enhancements are compelling for my applications and workflow. Pretty much the same philosophy for patches and updates. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
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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!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
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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 new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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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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