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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 647
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 647 |
Each year I hope for fixes to the notation, or a better notation functionality, and each year I am disappointed.
BIAB hasn't done much to it's notation functionality since 2004. The new PDF print is nice, but we have all been doing it it with Cute PDF for years. Nothing new there.
There has been chatter on the wishlist for Music XML so that we can move our print requirements to a dedicated notation product, but I don't see that here this year either. BIAB is a great program, and each and every year we get 50 new features and 101 new real tracks, but never a better notation function
Now there are many users that don't want or use notation, but there are many of us that rely on the printed music for our performance. Some of us are still in the midi generation, and couldn't care less about Real Band , Real Tracks, sequencing or any of the other clever stuff. We just want BIAB to create music for us to play along with, and notation that matches what we play.
Perhaps next year. For me there is nothing in 2013 that I can see that would I would even consider spending $1 on. Sorry PGMusic, you missed my boat again this year
BIAB for Windows Version 2019 (643)
Windows 10 (1909)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,271
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,271 |
Dave:
As a long-time BIAB user, I understand your situation, I just fail to see the problem! (grin).
If BIAB does everything you need except notation, why not just create the song in BIAB, and export a MIDI file into a notation program. Sure it means you have to buy (or use) two programs, but they`re just 2 tools to use to get the project done.
If you were going to build a wooden box, you would need a saw and a hammer.
You wouldn`t try to cut the wood with the hammer nor use the saw to put in the nails.
What you`re asking BIAB to be is a `hammer-saw`,
It is first and foremost a music accompaniment program.
The fact that it also has some notation capabilities is just a bonus.
If those capabilities do not meet your requirements, then I would just use something that does.
If PGMusic spent a ton of time and effort on BIAB`s notation functionality, no doubt there would be similar posts to yours on this forum, lamenting that emphasis and neglecting some other. In software development, you will never please everybody.
For me, I`m just glad to have a reasonably priced program, that does MOST of what I need it to do, from a company that listens to its users and tries to accommodate their requests as best it can. For the few things I find that it WON`T do, I`ll use another `tool`.
Just my 2.1 Canadian cents worth!
LLOYD S
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 647
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 647 |
The problem is that BIAB does not export chords. Either that or they are not truely a midi event.
Been there, done that, and it's not a viable solution
I can almost buy that it's not a notation program, but they should fix what they have. It doesn't work. Multiple ending, repeats and many of the other function have got 7 year old bugs in them. Although we can vary the number of bars per line, all the bars on that line will be the same size, not dynamically allocated by the number of notes or lyrics.
I would gladly pay for a notation program - in fact PGMusic has a link to one of them on the website - but they won't provide all of the information to allow the song to be properly exported.
The arguements have been the same forever. Often the solution I am given is whiteout and a sharp pencil. I just can't see the audience of Real tracks not complaining if there was a bug, yet those of us that want the notation to work as designed seem to get pushed back into the corner.
If it just worked properly I wouldn't need to compalin every year. And thats my Canadian 2cents as well
BIAB for Windows Version 2019 (643)
Windows 10 (1909)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,944
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 15,944 |
Hi Dave, The new notation features in 2013 are: 1. Print to PDF (direct printout from BB to a PDF, without requiring an external program, and it works with fonts being embedded (which was a problem for some pdf drivers) 2. Leadsheet Window can be resized fully. Previously the Leadsheet Window was a fixed size, so sizing it would only show part of the window. Now the whole window rescales in size, so you can have a small Leadsheet window visible at the same time as other windows. 3. Section text letters now inserted at better position 4. Minor change on printout, positioning of notes better You are correct in that Music XML wasn't added this time. I am not aware of the bug you refer to regarding multiple endings. There was one like that fixed about a year ago (regarding 3rd endings in a song), but if you have an example song, please send it to support@pgmusic.com or make a post here. << Some of us are still in the midi generation, There are lots of new MIDI features added with this version. MIDI SuperTracks were added in 2012.5, and with 2013 we add 50 more MIDI SuperTracks, ability to use a RealTrack as a MIDI SuperTrack (by copying the MIDI to another track and playing it), a SongForm feature for re-arranging your song (applicable to notation as well) and more. And we've added new MIDI sounds, inlcuding some real nice Acoustic Pianos, and Strings, and an easier way to add the MIDI sounds from VST/DXi synths.
Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,477
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,477 |
Dave, it is not BIAB but the MIDI standard that does not support exporting chord info. BIAB does export chord info into its companion program, RealBand. And the free 3rd party notation program, MuseScore, reads BIAB files, including chord info.
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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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!
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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
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
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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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