I'll get started here. Let's start at the beginning. Some of this will be over simplified.

A computer has hardware devices, like sound cards, and then it has programs you run (software), like those you mentioned. The sound cards (including whatever is built-in) have drivers, which often include a choice between ASIO and WDM. Another way to say this is that the drivers do not come with the software programs, they come with the hardware.

About ASIO, you do not NEED to use ASIO. In certain cases, such as playing or recording a keyboard that uses a program for its sound (software synth), you might. Otherwise, it is not necessary. Sometimes the WDM works better, sometimes the ASIO driver; you have to try it or follow the manufacturer's instructions.

ASIO4ALL is not ASIO. It is a wrapper that adapts WDM to look like ASIO to a music program.

Now, about your system, if you can hear a CD playing on your computer, you have a soundcard (it may be built-in to the motherboard). We need to know whatever you can tell us about that.

BIAB generates two very different kinds of music. One is MIDI, which has no sound at all and requires a hardware device or software synth to play the instructions MIDI sends. We need to know what you have for that. The other type of sound is audio, and that is just like your CD would make. If you use RealTracks in BIAB, and RealDrums, you would hear the sounds even if you have nothing to play MIDI.

So, please tell us about your computer. And look in BIAB under the Options menu, MIDI/Audio Drivers and tell us what your choices are for Output Drivers and Synthesizer/Sound Card. If nothing else, for the MIDI Output, choose Microsoft MIDI Mapper for now, just so you can hear something.

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; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.