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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392 |
THANKS to everyone for your varied and INTERESTING comments. My wife is a GREAT jazz/blues singer who has been singing professionally since about age 12.
I'm a blues dog guitar and harp player.
Luckily, we don't have to gig for the money but want to present an AWESOME show...which can happen if I turn down! (-: (Actually, I can hang with the better cats on the harp...after 20 years of maniacle study and practice!
But my wife's first exposure to BIAB gigging was before we met and was therefore BIAB circa 1990-95 so you can imagine why she hasn't been overly excited about trying it out on gigs.
But I'm WORKIN' on it and will ask her to read these posts.
The comments about letting BIAB regenerate its tracks every time rather than freezing or burning CD's is INTERESTING. Maybe a little dangerous but interesting. (Sometimes...not too often... the tracks gulp a little when being newly generated. Maybe a PC issue, not a software issue...but a gulp is a gulp soundwise regardless). (-:
Again....THANKS!!!!!
Jim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Quote:
The comments about letting BIAB regenerate its tracks every time rather than freezing or burning CD's is INTERESTING. Maybe a little dangerous but interesting. (Sometimes...not too often... the tracks gulp a little when being newly generated. Maybe a PC issue, not a software issue...but a gulp is a gulp soundwise regardless). (-:
Exactly. This is what I meant when I said working with Biab live was a chore. It can be done seamlessly because Mac and others have posted they do it all the time but man, you've got to be a real expert with the program and pay attention to a lot of moving parts to do it. It's not just be an expert with Biab, it's also being an expert with your laptop. I can't emphasise that enough. We're dealing with computers here and you MUST understand how they work intimately. It's knowing the drivers, latency, MME or ASIO, midi input/output, audio settings, etc. When something burps on a gig under pressure, you have to know what happened, how it happened and how to fix it RIGHT NOW and move on. As a keyboard player I always had my bass/keys split patches ready to go in case of emergency and I'll just play live and worry about the laptop problem at the break.
Now to be fair, part of it was this was 5 years ago and things have improved a lot since then. My new laptop is much stronger than the old one, Biab has a lot more features now but the basic concepts are the same. If you're using the new freeze tracks feature, the Conductor still works so you can rearrange your song on the fly and the song starts in just a couple of seconds because frozen tracks don't have to regenerate but then you're losing that cool "slightly different version" thing Mac and others like so much. And so it goes, everything is yes, but, yes, but.
Remember, if you're just doing songs beginning to end the same way all the time then you don't need Biab at the gig at all. It's just a song playback player at that point. Take a MP3 player that has good playlist functions and plug it in to your PA.
So, this is my convoluted way of answering the question, can Biab be used live? Answer: Yes, but...
Just try these different things out and find the best way that works for you and your lady.
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: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
On the other hand, running BiaB from a laptop on the piano's music rack is a LOT easier to get right than say, flying the F102.
Just sayin'
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392 |
Quote:
On the other hand, running BiaB from a laptop on the piano's music rack is a LOT easier to get right than say, flying the F102.
Just sayin'
--Mac
HA! You're dating yourself. The F102 was an interceptor introduced in the late 1950s. (-:
And as my screen name suggests...I'm a pilot and can attest that FLYING the F102 would be easy enough. LANDING it....not so much!
(-:
Jim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 101
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 101 |
I still like using my laptop for live gigs, but I also make higher quality mp3's, through adobe audition 3, and save them on my iPhone. There is a great app called "Backtrax" that allows you to play tunes one at at time and edit the order of your set list. It also has a show lyrics function, but that doesn't seem to work on my 4g phone (I probably need the new iPhone). I'm using a Bose L1 compact PA and the sound is great. I'm thinking of getting another one just for the stereo effect (for me, not the audience). I have two L1 mdl II systems at school that fill a very large auditorium with an amazing stereo sound, even using mp3's.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
HA! You're dating yourself. The F102 was an interceptor introduced in the late 1950s. (-:
And as my screen name suggests...I'm a pilot and can attest that FLYING the F102 would be easy enough. LANDING it....not so much!
(-:
Jim
Hi Jim,
Then you should also know that the '102's not so affectionate nickname was, "The Flying Brick".
Takeoff and certain lowspeed maneuvers could kill ya faster than mere landing attempts, as a matter of fact, the first thirty some pages of the operation manual consisted of a list of to never attempt under any circumstances.
Quite a few died trying to fly the @$#%^ thing...
But once a pilot got past those issues, she was a joy of a bird for her intended purpose, which, indeed was supersonic interception.
I picked that model intentionally because she could be so hard to learn to fly.
Wasn't no F-16 fly-by-wire where the computer keeps a yanker-banker from doin' anything that might result in augerin' in, dontcha know.
Check Six,
--Mac
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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 |
That was Greek 2 me ok?
Practice makes perfect.
My son replied no one is perfect why try then.
I remember feeling speechless.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
When my kids said that, (Don't we all at a certain age?) I told 'em just like my Daddy told me: "Excellence may be unachievable for mortals, however the PURSUIT of Excellence should always be your goal in all things."
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Or, as my former business partner said who was a major in the Air Force and flew F4's, you lose power in an F4 it takes on the flight characteristics of a set of car keys (pulls them out of his pocket and drops em for effect). You've got maybe 3 seconds to decide if you're gonna pull the curtain and punch out or not and as everybody knows punching out is no picnic either. I was AF intel he was the pilot, lots of stories between us. The 102 was a brick but the F4 was a bigger brick as in put those two big honkin engines on it you can make anything fly.
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: Jun 2012
Posts: 19
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 19 |
While we're talking about live playing with MIDI, what DXi (or hardware?) synths do you use (either for live or in creating the audio files)?
BIAB 2026 for Mac (started with BIAB 2006 for Windows)
Guitarist and Worship Leader from Townsville, Australia
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Hey Jim, I just realized, your handle. It is AV8 as in Harriers?
Lindsay, I probably wouldn't use midi tracks any more. The Real Tracks sound too good even if I'm missing the occasional song specific lick here and there. I did a couple of small gigs two months ago and I was told that our regular drummer couldn't make it after I was also told there would be no bass player. I'm ok with playing left hand bass but not without a drummer. I was planning to bring my laptop and use Biab just for bass and drums but the drummer was able to make the gig anyway. I was practicing some of the tunes at home using my Kurzweil PC3 and Biab going through one of my EV 12" powered monitors. It sounded really good using a RT bass and a RD drum track. I would have had a guitarist and sax along with me so it would have been a trio with Biab.
If it was just me and a sax and/or a vocalist I would use Biab as the full band and probably use all RT's. If I did need a few midi tracks to fill in the Forte DXi is plenty good enough for that but I could also use the Kurz for midi. I would depend on what I think sounds best.
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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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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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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 amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. 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, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
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