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No, RT's are not soundfonts. That's for sure.
But I think they are pretty closely tied to MIDI in their 'create and control' aspects.
To me, RT's are recorded tracks with the ability to use them intelligently as samples of varying length, and with nice variation (vs exact repetition). That's a unique combination in music software.
Last edited by rharv; 02/03/12 04:57 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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I personally think you are close to the 'truth' here.
Realtracks can operate without midi.
A Newbie has enough on their plate with music terminology when all they remember is a few licks from stairway. Learning terms, general music etc is ENOUGH. The company (pg), in my opinion, would be crazy to develop things expecting hobbyists with racks of old midi hardware making one phrase all day. Sure they do that in the movies. We/They want to make music.
I can spend 4 hours a day on the keys, some time on piano, and I don't give a hoot which it is, but 99 percent of the tracks are substituted with realtracks. I mute the piano and the melody, play the thing looped for about 10 minutes and move on.
Just thing this through. You own the joint. The new technology allows you to get very good sound, and have great guitars and drums etc. Or you throw midi at the newbie. Really.
The poor new guy comes in here with a Yamaha keyboard from Radio Shack and in 10 minutes some one tells him he has to hook it up and here we go again. And we need to explain ASIO. Not again.
The fact that the software can be used by someone who spends all day on the signature lick for Fever, and gets 2 bars done, great. I don't care how it sounded at first. I played it with drums only the 1st time through, the bass only then both. Use a cool organ sound. I can ad lib. No need for midi at all, except wait for it...my Korg uses midi inside.
Thus midi is insidious, and often hideous. That's a problem I've not had with Real Instruments, and it seems obvious that each release and beta things get better as the software that interprets those phrases matures.
The bottom line is if Joe shows up with his Yamaha and he can't play it through so he can duplicate Toccata and Fuge in Dm and see the score, so darn.
But in the end he's happy because without any interface, without knowing a cc from his backside, Joe Newbie made music with his new band and Liked It. Wow.
I know you all are waiting for the next midi hardware release, but I just bet it runs as packets on the internet, so that the lighting control market isn't left out. And I bet they call it something else, like a production data transport packet. Cool.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
<...> If real instruments sounded worse than MIDI instruments you would never see anything else in a real studio. All real studios have a disproportional amount of equipment geared towards real instruments and real voices. <...> but in all the 100's of sessions I've ever done no one has ever said why don't you play your MIDI guitar it sounds better than your real guitar.<...>
So then you've never seen a synthesizer in a studio? MIDI drums? --- I have.
I have even been hired to play wind synth in a studio. A guitarist/vocalist hired me to play this MIDI guitar part on his CD http://www.nortonmusic.com/mp3/_personalchoice.mp3 (used with permission from the copyright holder). Both he and I play guitar. But he thought guitar synth was right for the lead on this song.
I've also been hired by another producer to play synth trumpet. And I've been in recording sessions where the drummer played an electronic MIDI drum set (Roland V drums if I remember correctly).
Which sounds better or worse? Neither. Use the right tool for the job. Because a MIDI sax sounds different from an acoustic sax, is no big deal -- Selmer sax with a rubber mouthpiece sounds even more different from a Keilwerth with a brass mouthpiece.
Acoustic does not sound better than MIDI any more than a Fender Strat sounds better than a Gibson Les Paul.
Does an acoustic piano player refuse to play a digital Rhodes voice because it doesn't sound like either an acoustic piano or an acoustic/electric Rhodes? Some perhaps, but not most -- as long as the digital Rhodes sound was appropriate.
Sometimes I prefer real acoustic instruments, sometimes I prefer MIDI instruments for the sound. When recording backing tracks for my duo in my home studio I generally prefer MIDI, even if the tone is not quite what I want (as long as it is close). Why? The audience doesn't know the difference and the ability to edit MIDI tracks far outstrips any tone issues.
Quote:
<...> As a guitar player, I would never use midi for guitar parts.<...>
In the wind synth community we call this HIB (Home Instrument Bias), and many people have it. However, most of us do not. My HIB is saxophone, I've been playing it for over 40 years. I use MIDI sax live on stage a lot, even though I bring my acoustic sax. The problem with HIB is that many players look to the synth pad and notice what the acoustic instrument will do that the synth patch will not do. And this is generally true. What many HIB people don't look at is what will the synth patch do that the acoustic instrument will not do. So when I play synth sax, I'm playing synth sax to play the sounds and/or nuances that my 'real' sax cannot reproduce. It's one more tool in the tool box and I feel that I would be foolish not to use synth sax when appropriate for the song.
I have 11 different sax patches that I have on my on-stage wind synth module, and I use most of them. They have different tones (one is a physical model of an alto sax that is made of glass instead of brass). Like guitars, saxophones are capable of producing a wide variety of sounds. Stan Getz sounds nothing like John Coltrane who sounds nothing like Clarence Clemmons etc., etc. Most of my synth sax sounds are closer to the 'universal' sax sound than Getz tone is to Coltrane tone.
MIDI is a very flexible and musical tool. I use it when I need it and I use physical instruments when I need them.
I don't do pre-recorded loops at all though (YMMV). Why? I am a musician and I want to participate in the creative process as much as I can. To me using pre-recorded loops is like painting by number while using instruments I play and/or edit myself (whether they are MIDI or physical) is more like oil painting. I am in complete control of the output.
- What if I don't like the way the loop plays a note? In MIDI I can change it, in loops I cannot.
- What if for a particular song I'd like the piano part to be an acoustic piano instead of a Rhodes? In MIDI I can change that, in loops I cannot.
- What if I want to eliminate the tambourine on a track? In MIDI I can do that, in loops I cannot.
- What if I want to change that held note to a sforzando followed by a crescendo? In MIDI I can do that, with loops I cannot.
- What if I want to transpose one instrument up or down an octave so it doesn't 'fight' with another in the mix? In MIDI I can do that, with loops I cannot.
- What if I want to eliminate a drum roll and put a non-roll measure in without interrupting the decay of the cymbal in the pre-roll measure? In MIDI I can do that, with loops I cannot.
- What if I want to change the timing of the notes in a strummed or glissed chord? In MIDI I can do that, with loops I cannot.
- What if I want to change that slow/chorus Leslie speed on a B3 sound to a fast vibrato? You guessed it.
- There are literally an infinite number of other musically valid things I can do with MIDI that I cannot do with loops - and whey I get done editing and listen, it's rewarding to think "I did that!".
To summarize, there is nothing wrong with MIDI generated synth sounds. They may sound a little different from a physical instrument, but then two similar physical instruments can sound much more different. Physical instruments can do things that the emulative MIDI patch cannot, but then the MIDI patch can do some things that the physical instrument cannot. If the MIDI synth is good, the audience does not care if you are using a MIDI or physical instrument. The editing capabilities of MIDI are light-years greater than the editing of pre-recorded loops.
So for me, I'll play acoustic and synth sax, electric and synth guitar, acoustic and synth flute, plenty of MIDI instruments I cannot play (like trumpet, trombone, harmonica, etc.), MIDI bass exclusively (I even sampled my Faux-Fender-Jazz Bass), and for my backing tracks, good old editable MIDI (including some samples of acoustic instruments that I sampled myself). For my situation I am picking the best tool for the each task at hand.
So I guess I'm a moderate.
Once again YMMV.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Holiday Weekend Hours
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Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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