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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 31
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 31 |
I am trying to get the best sound possible especially when recording to cd.
Is there a sound card everybody raves about or software everybody who is anybody uses.
Right now, using the DX that comes with BIAB.
All new to this and I can't find any mention in the forums.
(using BIAB for practice and back up. Basically, Bass and drums when on the piano.
maybe add some piano when I am on the guitar.) Not sure this matters, but I thought I would throw it in)
Ron
Thks for any and all help.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Best possible sound? Now there's an interesting request. Since you referred to DXi, I'm assuming you are asking about a MIDI solution. But first, a few questions: What's your budget? Have you checked out the sample sounds on this website, at http://www.pgmusic.com/dare_to_compare.htm ? Do you have a preference for a hardware or a software solution? Your question has been discussed a great deal on this forum, but older posts are not stored. Perhaps there are fewer recent questions now that Real Tracks and Real Drums are available. These would play on any soundcard. Although I have some pretty good MIDI solutions, I find I am using them much less now for rhythm tracks.
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: Mar 2009
Posts: 31
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 31 |
Would be willing to spend 2 or 300 if it made a big difference.
If I can to it with software, I would rather that.
Will check out the sample site, I did not see that.
Ron
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,486
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2002
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Hi Ron,
This is a never ending and personal quest - just when you think you have something you like it is not long before you are looking for something better - but there are basic things that give you a good platform
1. You mention DX but I hope you have found the VSC DXi on the BIAB pak disc's which is superior in sound quality to the basic and old VSC DX
2. If you are using Vista 32 then you need a soundcard that can deal completely with the faster way that Vista deals with audio and the one I have found to be excellent value is the Creative SB X-Fi Xtreme gamer sound card which has sound creation features and the "what you hear" recording feature
3. Now that BIAB has developed it's "Real" (drums and tracks) ranges, audio files of piano-bass-drums and guitar etc - these do really make the sound like a studio quality output - we have made quality demo/backing tracks CD's with these and they can even fool musicians with quotes like "which studio did you use?"
I have over the last few years been lucky enough to have all the top samples - soft synths - etc and some are good but expensive - as a musician I did not like spending hours setting up etc.
Another option is a hardware sound module which are easy to use and give an excellent sound like the Ketron SD2 and SD4 and of course the Roland SonicCell which also has guitar and mic inputs
However I have settled with the options 1-2 and 3 above
jazzman
BIAB - RealBand - 2022
Windows 10 64
Zoo computer with 7i processor- SSD 1TB -2TB HDD
Roland keyboards
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
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I have the Ketron sd2 and it makes everything sound so amazing. I does add a layer of complexity to making backup tracks, but I think I might start experimenting with Realband in that respect. The cool jazz sets my wife and I do we practice with Band in a Box but play with just the flute and my digital piano. Now that I have the Ketron I am leaning towards adding her new Acer netbook to the mix and using some Band in a Box tracks, but I need to have about 10 passes through the sets without glitches in order to be comfortable with it.
Mixing Realtracks with the Ketron sd2 is an amazing thing, the midi tracks are way better, and then once a Realtrack is introduced it seems that the midi tracks also turn 'Real'.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 31
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 31 |
I will probably get the sound card, but I also like the software in the samples.
I am leaning towards the Native Instrument Bandstand over the Roland sound canvas.
From what I have read, these are software base with very little setup and that is important to me.
What do you guys think of the Native and Roland set up.
Ron
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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I have not used Bandstand.
I have used about every Roland/Edirol hardware synth, and now use the Roland Fantom XR. PG Music was using Roland units (Edirol SD-20) at the time I bought my first one, and I upgraded over the years. I prefer a hardware solution. In the past I used East West Colossus, a 2 GB software set, with great results, but I like the quicker response of the hardware unit when making frequent changes to songs. As I mentioned, with Real Tracks and Real Drums, I only use MIDI now for melody and harmony instruments.
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: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
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Expert
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Posts: 1,259 |
I,m not knowledgeable like the folks above, but I'm using Coyote Fortedxi based on redommendations on here. It's software and I dowloaded here for $40 FWIW. I would probably go for a better soundcard and hardware if I needed more.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Soundcards, in and of themselves any more, do not have their own sounds. So, a good soundcard will give you the best representation of the software synth already installed on your computer (if you're using Windows). Other software synths, like the Roland VSC, or Coyote, may give you a slightly better sound, but for me, a hardware synth is the way to go.
The Ketron SD2 was mentioned earlier, and for $400, it's a phenomenal piece of gear. Plug into the computer with an USB cable, and then plug the outputs into a mixer, amp, or powered speakers. The sound quality is unbelievable, and will blow away anything you'll hear as far as a sound card and most software synths, and it's plug and play. For someone starting out, that is what I highly recommend, unless you need a keyboard attached to it.
You WILL need a good sound card to get any external audio into your computer, as well as out of the computer. For this, I'm recommending the M-Audio 2496 Audiophile. With no sounds of it's own, it's purely an audio interface. It records external sounds, and then plays them back. It also has a MIDI interface on it.
So, if you're doing something like guitar, vocals, and some synth tracks, a Ketron SD2 to cover the backing synth tracks, the M-Audio 2496 to get the audio in and out of the computer, a small mixer board (the Behringer UB802 works real well) and a couple of mics, and a set of monitor speakers (I prefer powered ones) and for less than $1,000 you can be ready to produce near pro quality sounds.
Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812 |
Greetings,
I agree with Gary here for the most part:
¨So, if you're doing something like guitar, vocals, and some synth tracks, a Ketron SD2 to cover the backing synth tracks, the M-Audio 2496 to get the audio in and out of the computer, a small mixer board (the Behringer UB802 works real well)¨
While the M-Audio 2496 is good, there are a couple of new Firewire interfaces that are just outstanding. Check out the Profire 610, and 2626. The Mic Preamps are getting rave reviews, and you dont need an extra mixer. Great driver support, even for Vista. Ultra low latency. I like to read actual customer reviews, instead of magazine reviews. You can do this with google, or just go to Sweetwatersound.com and you can read them there.
Hope that helps,
Ed
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Well, I differ in one respect, I use the ketron with a usb midi interface to a Roland keyboard. I have both outputs jacked to the mixer. I then use the thru function to play the sounds in the ketron and can thus use it's soundset and layer it with the sounds from the Roland if I want. The liimitation is fiddling with another sound level, but it sounds great.
I also just use the Ketron and leave the keyboard out if I'm playing a horn.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Ed,
I have issues with Firewire, I don't use it, I don't like it. I prefer either PCI or PCI-e bus, even though it's hard for laptops. I don't even like USB that much, at least for audio.
However, for those who want to use it, and enjoy it, I say 'good on ya!' Enjoy.
Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
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Firewire can work fine, if you make sure of a couple things, first one is that your firewire interface on the puter is a TI chipset.
Second thing is that it is not IRQ sharing.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
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I use sampletank free for midi playback for basic instruments, PG programs work great with it, so I imagine the full version would rock. For softsynth i have had nothing but a positive experience with it.
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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