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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 120
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 120 |
Hi All!
I think the upgrades for BIAB are "WAY" too pricey!!
I own quite a few digital audio software products, and none of them come even close to the extreme price percentage jump for upgrades as BIAB does.
Case in point:
Take Roland/Cakewalk's "Sonar".
Their last version (8.5) sold for about $499 (List). The upgrade to Sonar X1, their latest and greatest incarnation, which has tons of new features and top of the line plug-ins (processors, effects, VST Instruments, etc)is only $99.00 !!!
Look at the "Packages" page on the PG Music website.
Say you wanted to upgrade from BIAB 2011 UltraPlusPak (which list at about $469 list) to BIAB 2012 UltraPlusPak.
Your paying $279.00 for the upgrade!! You do the Math!! (that sounds like a ripoff to me)
While your on the "Packages" page, scroll over the "Upgrade From 2011 - UltraPlusPak" Download button. See all the things you get for the $279. WOW!!!
WAIT A FREAKIN' MINUTE!! I ALREADY HAVE MORE THAN 85% (if not more) OF THIS STUFF FROM MY "2011" UltraPlusPak!!! (Did I say Ripoff!)
I don't need another Hardrive, and as I said, I have at least 85% (if not all) of the listed RealTracks, RealDrums, Midi Styles Sets, Soloist Sets, etc. from my 2011 Version !!
Come on PG Music. I know we all need to make a buck and times are hard with such a sucky economy and such, but I think we're being taking advantage of here.
BIAB has come a long way from the early days when I first came on board back in 1998 or 1999, but so have all the other software products that I've purchased back then and stayed loyal to.
I want to know what you as "Users and Committed Customers of PG Music think about this.
Don't be shy. Let me have it!!
Harpo
It's not what you're "Playing", It's what you're "Saying"!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,448
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,448 |
If you are going to cite SONAR X1 as an example in your argument, you should use the numbers fairly.
SONAR X1 is priced $100 lower than was SONAR 8.5, at $399 list for the most pricey version. Upgrades range from $99 to $199 depending on what version you owned. Plus, the comparison is hardly relevant since SONAR 8.5 and SONAR X1 are in many ways different products.
Lots of things in the Cakewalk line changed with the introduction of X1, unlike the evolutionary change in BIAB from version 2011 to 2012, and don't forget you are skipping version 2011.5.
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: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,143
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,143 |
Well Harpo,
The secret is as I am sure you are well aware of is NOT to buy band in a box upgrades now or anytime they don't have a sale on, then you will get it for half the price.
Its probably just their business model being a small company and with biab filling a small niche in the music software business they are probably somewhat dependant on (people who are new to the software) people paying full whack outside the sale times.
But you and I Harpo know differently, at sales times we get a good deal.
Musiclover
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047 |
Harpo,
Am retired on fixed income...Now that said not missing any meals.
Will never own a new car or anything like that.
My first PG products purchase was Power tracks back in 2006 I think.
Upgraded a few times but not every year.
2010 Dec Purchased BIAB 2010, just a few days later, 2011 came out.
PG gave me upgrade for free due to recent purchase.
Mid 2011, 2011.5 with bonus paks came out for $99 bucks. Wow, all kinds
of new realtracks.
Was going to upgrade to Mega pak and patiently waited until DEC of 2011.
Mega Pak came out. Called to purchase and was informed for just a few bucks
more could get the Ultra-Plus Pak for think was $139 or close to that.
Wow, went for that, and also the Bonus Paks, this gave me All of the Realtracks
and even more. Best Christmas in many years.
June/July PG will be coming out with new versions like the usually do.
Dont remember, but usually the mid year upgrades are quite as hot as the
Dec ones. Will wait and see on the Jun/July offering.
Not sure on my Dec upgrade this year, maybe just the Standard BIAB and
bonus paks if they are offered.
Their technology has been jumping by leaps and bounds, their service and
customer support is beyond compare, their products are the best there is
really looking at what you get for the money.
We like to think of prices going up a lot, and they are across the board in
our lives, but PG Music and what they have to offer at all levels, especially
if you delve into it deeply is an incredible product.
Now you must think PG paided me a great deal to say this.
And you would be right....NAW, ROFLMAO, just a rabid fan and user of their products.
Going from the beginning the Ultra-Plus-Pak is steep, but you get almost every product
they sell in the pak.
Jun/July time frame they usually offer new upgrade specials. Hang in there patiently
and grab one of them.
Just my personal experience.
Hang in there!
Last edited by seeker; 03/09/12 03:49 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,143
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,143 |
The thing to remember is, if you intend to upgrade at Decenmber to the following years program is NOT to upgrade in June/July to the .5 program as in effect what you are doing is paying the extra $99 just to have the newer realtracks a few mths earlier than the December upgraders.
And you save $99
But if you have the money to spend and can't wait them like many you may decide to upgrade to the .5 in middle of year.
musiclover
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,358
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,358 |
Harpo, I disagree with you. I think the upgrade prices are excellent value. Seems to me that you are looking at the overall and not the detail. From my perspective, the upgrade of UltraPlusPak Windows version 2011 to 2012 was mostly about Realtracks. A total of 202 Realtracks was added to 2012. For the upgrade price of $279, this means that each RT costs around $1.40. I find that incredible value! That I can have world class musicians playing the backing of the music I arrange for such an amazingly cheap price is brillliant. (If I wanted to professionally demo each of the songs I write, prices begin around $400 - 500 for a single song; and then I'm not sure whether I'll like the end product or not. I like the control that owning BIAB/RB gives me.) Then of course there are always the new features that come along as BIAB continues to grow. Keep in mind also that the upgrade gives the user the latest version of Realband in addition to BIAB. The PG Music suite is much more than just a DAW like Sonar. I have absolutely no objection to supporting PG Music. I find the company amazing to deal with and their products are incredible. If my support provides funds that allows PG Music to continue to evolve their music suite, I'm there.  Regards, Noel
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,026
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,026 |
It seems fair to me, with what it must cost them to record high dollar players and programing too. I used Sonor for midi editing but never upgraded it cause it didn't seem necessary to me, my music would have only been average at best without Biab. Plus you get a DAW (RB) with it too, and all the extra programs in the Ultra Pack. Sounds pretty cheap when you add it all up!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,114
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,114 |
Quote:
Hi All!
I think the upgrades for BIAB are "WAY" too pricey!!
I want to know what you as "Users and Committed Customers of PG Music think about this.
Don't be shy. Let me have it!!
I don't agree with you. I don't like spending my hard earned money any more than the next guy but I've always felt that PG Music's prices are more than fair.
Keith
2026 Audiophile Windows 11 RYZEN THREADRIPPER 3960X 4.5GHZ 128 GB RAM 2 Nvidia RTX 3090s, Vegas,Acid,SoundForge,Izotope Production,Melodyne Studio,SONAR,3 Raven Mtis
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581 |
Easy...DON'T UPGRADE ! Done.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,696
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,696 |
Harpo - I take it that it's the RTs you want. The hard drive makes it expedient for you to get them - either that or you could take a day or two to download . . . . what would that cost you. The RTs have attached studio costs for recording by name artist but is still good value as Noel explained.
But then to upgrade from your 2011 to 2012 - both BIAB and RB - it's only $69 and you can probably download it. That's pretty good value.
You'll be up to date and can choose your RT Sets individually rather than getting ones you don't want.
I hear your frustration - but at least update the programs - $69 for both BIAB and RB. Do the RTs as you can. You can't make all the new ones work anyway unless you update to 2012.
Cheers - Ian
PS I already have all midi styles, soloists, melodists and it bothers me to be offered them at every upgrade UNLESS there have been changes. Maybe an Ultra and/or Plus Pak with Pgm upgrades and New RTs - without the other add-ons - might be an idea. IMHO
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 67
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 67 |
I don't kown if there's many other software that can do what Biab do ? Considering that the upgrade consists of buying software + hardware, I don't feel that it's expensive... but I waited for the special prices of the end of year to upgrade ;-)
Free tools for Biab: Biab Scales and BIArpeggio to practice scales/arpeggio Biab Explorer: the other song picker
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
So Harpo, the moniker seems to suit.
This rant, if it was to have effect would need more than that as substance.
Are you aware of how much it costs to hire the musicians, have them play the stuff required, program that stuff, and then check it, beta test it, package it, and launch it.
We are in Canada now, so no one is holding a loaded snow shoe over your head and making you buy an upgrade.
Feel free to purchase the next version without mentioning that you ever owned anything and consider it a donation to the cause.
Play back a few songs on a 30 year old synth so you can have some cheeze to go with the ...
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
Technology changes by the moment, and a person can go broke trying to upgrade every bit of software and hardware to the latest greatest version. My fatherly advice to my son (who always wanted to upgrade everything all the time) was:
1) for hardware: wait until the software you use will no longer run well on the old machine
2) for software: Don't upgrade everything. Each year upgrade the product that adds the most features you need. If a product goes 2 or 3 releases without adding anything that's important to me, then I just keep using the old version and stop upgrading that product.
For the past several years, BIAB has been the only music making software that has consistently added new features that pique my interest.
3) upgrade at the most advantageous time. Introductory prices are lower, and it's foolish to let the sale run out if you know that you want to upgrade.
4) in order to do that, you need to know which product you plan to run with. For me, it has boiled down to the PGMusic suite... they do everything I need.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,690
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,690 |
Nah, i don't think it is to much, i just stopped upgrading some other stuff that i don't use as much. If Sonar had the technology to make RTs and added 200 or so each upgrade i bet it would be much more costly.
If i play golf i will spend $50 per outing, and if I play racquetball $20 to $30 per session. I play music about twice a week now, and it cost me around $200 per upgrade, and that is about $3.85 cents per session. Pretty cheap i might say.
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
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
Quote:
Nah, i don't think it is to much, i just stopped upgrading some other stuff that i don't use as much. If Sonar had the technology to make RTs and added 200 or so each upgrade i bet it would be much more costly.
If i play golf i will spend $50 per outing, and if I play racquetball $20 to $30 per session. I play music about twice a week now, and it cost me around $200 per upgrade, and that is about $3.85 cents per session. Pretty cheap i might say.
that's a good way of conceptualizing the value added by an upgrade.
Every hobby costs money. This hobby can actually EARN money. No matter whether you use BIAB as a hobby or as an income producing product, it comes out less expensive than most of the alternatives.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 196
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 196 |
I think BIAB is fair compared to prices for sample libraries for example. It all needs to be put in perspective. How much do or would you spend on booze each week, fags or a holiday if relevant? When you compare it to the enjoyment you get on a continuous basis instead of a fleeting moment then I’d say its good value.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
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Posts: 8,333 |
I want to spend more on booze but I loose my beer all the time. I can't smoke in the house I guess. Havn't tried in years. It used to work ok though. I used to make charitable donations to underprivileged women, but the music where they work is too loud and it's too dark. So I quit that too.
I like a good steak once every few weeks. Those are about 12 bucks for 2 and at 20 times a year that's a good hobby I'll keep until it's too cold to hit the bbq.
I'm sticking with the upgrades I think. And a nice Havana once a month.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581 |
I buy every upgrade whether I need it or not...but that's just me. Gotta have the latest and greatest, especially BIAB / RB !
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110 |
Well, if I may say so, when I consider the VAST amount of goodies (RT's and software tweaks) that seem to CONSTANTLY improve at near exponential levels... My brain is in perpetual synoptic meltdown...in a feeble attempt to absorb and (if I'm lucky) apply those newly formed, revised, and polished incentives that are so exhuberantly bundled with each and every release. I am delighted at PG's efforts...humbled actually. There is a METRIC TON of effort and attention to detail that is applied all along the chain...from the least, to the greatest... From the exceptionally skilled, blessed, and talented instrument players themselves---to the grips, guitar techs, cable runners...to those blessed souls who gratiously provide clean and supplied restrooms (I love you too!)---I chat with the gal at work all the time (hey, I used to...I'm a Navy man...we're some cleaning fools). To everyone at Team PG: Bravo! I digress--- I think another person coined it correctly: If you're so inclined, and you have the patience of Job, then sure, wait until the annual release at a discount; else, you could "selctively" choose what specific "bumps" you'd like if you favor a particular genre...or RT set. That's what I like: Flexibility. The choices you make can range from All, to some, to a few, to... Unfortunately for me, I happen to be of the "all or nothing" personality LOL To date, I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. Well, I do have one: Insufficient time and brain power to fully utilize it ALL!!! Have Fun, Eric
JOHN 10:10
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722 |
I worked for Jack Daniel's, yes the whiskey for 30 years and the founding father Jack himself made a statement very early on in the history of that American icon . . . "All Goods Worth Price Charged". IMHO BIAB is one of only a few products I have ever purchased, besides Jack, to which I would share that statement.
Later,
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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
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
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You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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