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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 8
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 8 |
What is the best external sound module for acoustic guitar and electric bass. Have checked into the Ketron and Roland SD-50 but can't find much information on these devices. Do they just play the midi created from BIAB or does a separate contrller have to be used. Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Hi bgober, and welcome to the forum! I really like my Ketron SD2 with Band in a Box. You don't have to do anything more than turn the Ketron on and have it connected to computer and selected properly in BiaB to play back the "normal" GM sounds and using it with the Upper Banks is quite easy to do as well, for there is a Patch Map made for the SD2 posted over on the Support Pages here. As to whether the sounds of *ANY* MIDI synth are "best" or not can be quite subjective. As MIDI sounds go, the samples included with the Ketron SD2 are, in my book, a cut above the norm. The Ketron SD2 is also very user friendly and rather easy to use, is small in size but large in sound. The following demo is several years old now, posted on the Ketron USA website, I put it together using the SD2 driven by PGMusic's Powertracks Pro Audio program, which is fundamentally the same in operation as the newer Realband program, only difference really being that Powertracks does not include the Band in a Box Autoaccompaniment engine. So this is just a strict MIDI sequence. http://www.ketronusa.com/sounds.asp?mod=SD2First selection at top of page. After all this, I still heartily encourage anyone shopping for a MIDI synth to take their time and try to AUDITION the possible selections that interest them, for everybody has their own idea or two about what sounds great in the way of MIDI instrument imitations. It is indeed a subjective thing. --Mac
Last edited by Mac; 03/02/13 08:24 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109 |
awesome sequence Mac! I'm very impressed...
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730 |
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: 1,259
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259 |
When I heard Mac's SD2 demos a few years ago, I immediately got one and haven't been disappointed. I've tried Aria and other soft synths (from Sonar X1). None compare with the SD2 that I've tried and it's very easy to use the SD2 with Sonar. The only button on it that I use is the power switch. Very simple to use. FWIW
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,163
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,163 |
If you want authentic sounding guitars and basses in a midi synth, then be sure to check out Yamaha's "Mega Voices" on their latest keyboards. You should be able to find a video or two of them on YouTube as well.
There is also a software program they use to convert a standard midi guitar file into one that utilizes their mega voices. The software adds the slides, pick sounds, mutes etc that a real guitar has in midi format.
Trax
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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® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
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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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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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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
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