Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#18993 04/03/09 02:00 PM
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
E
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
E
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
Greetings,

I just wanted to let the forum users know how effective BIAB has become as an all around Arranging & Producing tool for Live Performance. I played in a Latin Jazz Fusion band for the Acapulco Jazz Festival and we suddenly had 10 extra minutes of showtime to Produce. I was given 2 hours notice of this. Using BIAB, I was able to compose the melody and chords, harmonize the melody, print out high quality parts AND rehearse the song before playing. The whole thing took 39 minutes, and the guys in the band (and the audience) seemed to be very pleased. Here is a very short Youtube video of the final performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuNzlv71ze0

A big thanks to BIAB and PG Music for making my musical life much easier!
Ed

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,572
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,572
Very nice, Ed, and great band!

Or should I say, "So What"? We just had another thread about songs based on the changes from other songs...


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Mucho tres kewl.


John Conley
Musica est vita
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Nice gig, man.

You havin' fun!


--Mac

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8
N
Newbie
Offline
Newbie
N
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8
I know it seems like I show up on this forum only to discuss BIAB problems,
but I need to say that BIAB has changed my musical life ever since that day
a dozen years ago whenI was strolling down an aisle at NAMM and met Peter
Gannon at the PG booth. After about 15 minutes of his demo, I had my
credit card out (and I'm a stingy guy)! I constantly use BIAB to:

* practice (play along)
* arrange tunes and guitar parts
* print out transposed charts for the horn guys
* illustrate theory examples when teaching lessons
* record backing tracks for some gigs
* reharmonize tunes
* find the right key for singers
* educate myself on Latin rhythms
* burn the head of an unfamiliar tune into my brain
* etc.

I could keep going with this list, but you get the idea. So thanks from me too.

Nate

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 5
Newbie
Offline
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 5
A huge thank you from me too. BIAB has changed my life, and has brought back the fun in arranging. I've used it for a few years now (OSX and Windows versions) and it's the best investment I've ever made in terms of software. The realtracks are truly awesome, jaw dropping insanely great. I'm currently recording an album with a female singer and we're using BIAB on all tracks.

So... thank you PGMusic!!!!


Hens Zimmerman

PS: Those waiting for the OSX version should simply install bootcamp. It's very easy and I kinda regret not having done this earlier.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
So here's a different take. I love BIAB, too, but from a different perspective. I'm using BIAB songs by others and modified by me for my wife and I to play at retirement homes and hospitals. We used to use canned karaoke tunes. Our use of BIAB has save us many hours in cutting and pasting in a wave program.

BTW, could that be a Kanstul 1525, like mine, being played? Now that's a sweet horn.

Stan


Cornet Curmudgeon
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,572
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,572
Quote:


BTW, could that be a Kanstul 1525, like mine, being played? Now that's a sweet horn.

Stan



I don't know what is used in BIAB, but I have one. It is a great horn.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
E
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
E
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 812
Greetings all,

Thank you so much for the kind comments!

Yes, that is my other ¨Baby¨Kanstul 1525, I´ve had just about every Flugel out there, and for me the 1525 is the bomb. I think Matt Finley is playing one also.
When the new Mac version of BIAB comes out, I will be in total music heaven. Having switched to Mac OS Leopard and the New version of Pro Tools, there has never been a better time to make music on your computer. At least for me, gone are the days of Driver and Latency issues, crashes, odd midi timing, etc.

As Peter says........¨Have Fun!
Ed

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
You are so right on, Ed. I had a Kanstul 1025 which also has a nice tone, but the 1525 is even better. Even my wife, a flute player who hates trumpets, loves the 1525 tone. I got a custome trigger setup on mine to match the 1025 setup. Flute players absolutely will not tolerate sharp D's and C#'s.


Cornet Curmudgeon
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Slide on 3rd valve, trigger on 1st valve slide if needed, plus train the ear.

Don't use any slides or triggers for certain practice goals, "lip" it in.

Then, when you use the trigger, its a breeze to stay tempered.

Nuthin' hampers an ensemble of any genre like an out of tune trumpet section except an out of tune bass...

Judging from the heard evidence, far too many trumpet sections haven't worked on the above, eh?

First thing I do when I lead a section is set up the Stroboconn, give 'em some visual feedback -- really helps a lot for those who get into it and WANT to improve.


--Mac

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
No tempered 3rds in the Brass Band. Circle the note, Pythagorean thirds. Tough on a 3 valved baritone, marching or for brass band. Usually use the 3rd valve in lieu of 1 and 2, it's flatter.

Euphoniums with the 4th valve are easier to play in pitch.

And of course Trombones are the perfect instrument, in the hands of someone who knows what the are doing. Especially if I have an itchy ear. They sit behind me....!


John Conley
Musica est vita
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Modern US military bands tune and play to tempered scale though.

I dig that sound better than the Just or Pythagorean, which actually must be changed, either by lip and ear or sometimes via the slide too, if the song changes keys out of the four that the Pythagorean tuning is set for at the time.

Arrangers shouldn't write modulations outside of the magic diminished quad where that tuning works. The Tempered Scale may be a tradeoff, but it opens up those horizons, among other things.

Recreating the old band sound is another thing entirely though and has its own merits. I know very few players who are able to switch back and forth successfully without needing a time period to acclimate from one to the other or back.


--Mac

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,486
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,486
Hi John,

It is always great to read your interesting, honest and well informed comments
jazzman


BIAB - RealBand - 2022
Windows 10 64
Zoo computer with 7i processor- SSD 1TB -2TB HDD
Roland keyboards
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Now, now, we all know the trumpets are never out of tune except for the ones who play too loud.

I agree that lipping down is the way to go if you can get proficient at it. As for me, the triggers do make life easy.


Cornet Curmudgeon
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
By all means use the triggers in performance, especially in ensemble work.

My reference to lipping down is a *practice* recommendation.

Practicing hearing the intonation and correcting like that makes the use of the slide a breeze after a bit of time, of course.

Just a practice tip.


--Mac

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Well, Mac, I had to do some lipping down today. We were playing at a retirment home and the piano there was less than exemplary. Using the trigger didn't get the slide our far enough. As I was relaxing my lips a bit to hit those D's in tune, I thought of your previous post. Irony is alive and well.

Stan


Cornet Curmudgeon
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
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.

Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.

Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.

Holiday Weekend Hours

As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:

April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours

Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!

— Team PG

Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,221
Posts802,045
Members40,070
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
Orchestr8, dimtass, Quamido Pirendo, Allan63, isledge
40,070 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 127
zedd 110
DC Ron 94
rsdean 86
Noel96 76
Today's Birthdays
flashlarue, gary133, kirbonite
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5