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Considering the number of DAWs available nowadays (including RealBand), I wonder which are the user's favorites (which could include RealBand).
Would users care to tell us about what product they use, and why?
E.g.
- Availability of VST's,
- Price,
- Value for money,
- Ease of Workflow,
- Capability, Features
- etc etc
Also, how much DAW work gets done in RealBand before moving to your 'other' favorite DAW, if any.
Thanks for your input.
VideoTrack
Last edited by VideoTrack; 01/23/14 08:35 PM.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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SONAR.
Because I learned it first (when it was Cakewalk Pro Audio) and because it does everything I need a DAW to do.
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.
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I use Sonar X1 essentials as my DAW.
I have been using Sonar since the days of Calkwalk Pro.... before VST's
I start my projects in BB as my writing tool. Then I open the project in Real Band and render all the tracks I plan to use plus the extras, into wave and import them into Sonar. I add more tracks by going back to RB as needed, and I don't hesitate to delete tracks that don't fit the song.
I work in Sonar because I am very familiar with it's most important functions and I like the way I can work in it efficiently.
Cost of Sonar X1 was low, and since I did a cross grade from Music Creator, I saved a bunch.
To be honest, I have not used RB as a DAW because I like the way Sonar does what it does.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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I am another Sonar user. I started with Cakewalk when it was Pro Audio thus I have been with this DAW a very long time.
I will try to answer your questions individually.
1- availability of VST’s – not a problem as there are thousands of third party VST’s and VSTi’s available – some are free.
2+3 – price and value for money – that depends on what the buyer is looking for – the best buy DAW based on this criteria is RB – it’s free – Note that I do not upgrade my DAW every year – my last version of Sonar I had for 5-6 years so you have to include things like update costs in your evaluation.
4- ease of workflow – I believe that comes with familiarity of your DAW – I can work very rapidly in Sonar wear as I come to a grinding halt in RB because of this.
5- capability/feature – I work mostly in MIDI and Cakewalk’s products have been the leader in this field for a long time – Sonar X3d also excels in audio production also.
In another thread about changing DAWs I posted something like this: If you have a favorite DAW then use that DAW. However if you don’t then use RB. You already have it and it will probably do everything you need it to do. If you run into something that you need to do in RB but can’t then and only then should you start looking for another DAW.
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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In that other thread (or one of the many on this subject over the years) I recommended the same as Mario, that if I didn't already know another DAW, I would surely learn RealBand.
Regardless, remember that RealBand has at least one function no other DAW can offer: it can regenerate part of a track from a BIAB song.
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.
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I use RB because it is the easiest to move over from BiaB. Also i have to admit, i usually just start there. it does just about everything i need now. If and i say if i need some feature it does not do, or not well anyway, i use Studio one by Presonus. I got it free with my interface, and did the Black friday upgrade and it is a very nice and stable package.
I believe that there is very little that RB can do. the only real problems i see are the inability to use timing lock VSTis like jamstix to the fullest, but that is about all. anything others can do it can do. Maybe a little different but still possible. One area i like in Studio one is the comping feature. RB does not have that, but you can work around by just recording different takes on separate tracks, then use the node automation to play the parts you want, then export the results to a wave file and import back in and it is done.
I like the simplicity of RB, and the ability to keep tweaking till you got what you want then to me any lack of features is offset by the effort to move it and get it all hammered out in another DAW. Once i get the basic tracks down, work out solos, and such, a sax here, a banjo there, a fiddle in a few bars, i have it 90% done. Just to much work to change at that point.
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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Sonar X2....
I've grown up with Cakewalk beginning in 1993 or so with Cakewalk 3.0 (midi only)
I'm familiar with the company, work flow of the program and have never felt a need to change.
Cakewalk has always worked well for me.
IMO...all DAW software has it's place as it's a matter of personal work flow preference.
Carry on....
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Considering the number of DAWs available nowadays (including RealBand), I wonder which are the user's favorites (which could include RealBand).
Would users care to tell us about what product they use, and why? Propellerhead Reason. It is a complete DAW, plus has the coolest interface imaginable, and is the baddest soft synth going. I say a lot about this below--probably more than most people want to read. If you are really interested in a different approach to what we do, you owe it to yourself to go to the company site to see what Propellerhead has to say about it. Reason does not support VSTs--which is kind of odd, considering they developed the Rewire protocol with Steinberg. Instead they use what are called Refills, which are proprietary sound libraries, and recently opened up what was a closed environment to outside developers with what are called Rack Extensions (REs). REs emulate instruments, effects, mixers, and other useful devices in software. Currently on special for $399 USD with some attractive extras. I think it's usually $450, less as an upgrade. Hard to gauge because there is so much bang for the buck, but for me a no-brainer. Essentially you get a DAW with a rack full of as many virtual sampled and synthesized instruments and effects as your PC will handle. It lets you sample your own stuff, too, quickly and easily. [quote- Ease of Workflow, [/quote] Reason is as simple or as complex as you want to make it. It's noob friendly, yet has more depth than I can describe, simply because I don't understand all of it myself. It's way deep. BUT, a beginner can get up and running more easily than with any other DAW I've tried, which includes several versions of Cakewalk, Cubase, Nuendo, Sonar, and others. - Capability, Features - etc etc The interface is the biggest deal. It looks like the equipment you are emulating, right down to being able to see the back of the Rack and manually route virtual cables, then work knobs, sliders, and switches on the front panel. Unlimited tracks. Unlimited virtual instruments. Unlimited effects. Microscopic editing capability. MIDI control (up to 4,096 channels with Rewire 2). A highly supportive community (though not as friendly as this one), great customer support, and a highly responsive development team. Think of Reason as the Mac of DAWs; there are rarely any bugs, even in major releases, and those get fixed almost instantly. It's very, very stable. I recently bought a third-party Refill called Fairlight Platinum. It's the sound set of a Fairlight CMI as well as a couple of other classic 80s-era synths. The instruments would have cost well over $100,000; the Refill was less than $100. Not all deals are that good, but I don't know anyone who gives that kind of value in VSTs or any other format. I could go on, but words fail. Even the website falls short. You really have to see it in action. An almost fully functional demo is available that lets you create and save complete productions; you have to pay to be able to recall them. Also, how much DAW work gets done in RealBand before moving to your 'other' favorite DAW, if any. I've only ever poked a stick at RB. My workflow has been to sketch things out in BIAB, then port them over to Reason for revoicing and heavy augmentation. This predates Real Tracks/Drums, though. At the very least I will definitely be working on the drums in RB until I am ready to move a song into Reason. Also, when I started, Reason wasn't a DAW, only a soft synth, so I had to use three pieces of software--BIAB, Reason, and a Rewire-capable DAW. Now I can just use the two. I could go on forever, but we all have other things to do. Thanks for asking. R. Thanks for your input.
VideoTrack
Last edited by Ryszard; 01/24/14 11:17 AM.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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VideoTrack,
Your first criteria, really only has meaning with DAW software that does not support VSTs. There aren't that many.
I can only think of these off the top of my head:
1. PreSonus Studio one ARTIST version - only allows you to use it's own plugins
2. Reason (see Richard's comments above)
3. GarageBand - all Apple stuff have their own plugin format, but I think you can use VST/VSTi in Logic through a 'wrapper'. But I have no experience with this.
Other than those, most other software that calls itself a DAW allows use of VST and VSTi. There are a few small limitations of RB's implementation of VST/VSTi regarding use of the project tempo inside of the VST/VSTi, but nothing that is a showstopper.
Your other questions are entirely subjective. What I would recommend you do is decide what YOU think is important from a feature-set standpoint, and then comparison shop. Ease of workflow is one of the most contentious topics because it is so entirely dependent on subjective criteria.
For example, I use a program called Tracktion - and I love the workflow in it because it throws out pre-conceived notions of how DAW should work, and works more like a signal flow diagram - which really appeals to my engineer/nerd side. It seems like most people that are used to fake mixers on screen and so forth hate Tracktion. That's just one case and point.
Richard mentions Reason, which takes an equipment rack and patch-cord view of the DAW world and for folks that love poking around with equipment racks, it fits their thinking hand-in-glove. I really don't care for it myself, but many love it. A whole bunch of the electronic music from the late 90's and early 2000's came from Reason users and experts.
What features are you looking for:
Autoaccompaniment?
Scoring of music?
Pattern based song structure and or sequencing?
Combining music with video?
etc. etc. etc.
It's really impossible to answer your questions, without your goals stated up front. For some of the goals listed above, you probably already know, there is no other choice than PG products - plain and simple.
-Scott
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I am still quite the newbie; I have really only experienced two DAWs, Reaper and RealBand but I'm happy to share my views. I use BIAB to generate backing tracks for some of my songs. I have tried to use RealBand a few times and have decided it will never be my DAW but it just might become a useful tool in my workflow between BIAB and Reaper! I use Reaper for all of my mixing and mastering. I love that Reaper is modern and current and frequently updated with a dedicated community. I love that it is available in 64 bit as that is certainly the future if not the present! My rule when starting to use new software is don't start with something that is already in decline like 32 bit. I love that Reaper sports a modern design. I know some folks will say GUI doesn't matter but in fact it matters very much. If software is easy to use and even fun to use you will be more productive with it. If it is cumbersome and out of date I'm not interested! I was unaware that there are DAWs out there that do not support VST! Glad Reaper does and in fact I would never consider a DAW that did not. Not sure why anyone would choose to be VST-less!  You truly cannot beat Reaper's price. It is free to try and if you decide to buy it is $60! The trial is 100% functional with no expiration so you can use it with 100% of its features for free as long as you want to make up your mind if it is for you. Reaper has no copy protection nonsense either. So you do not have to worry about it phoning home or about running out of activations. I found in Reaper things work like you expect...when you right-click something it reacts normal for today's software standards. Simple things but they really make a huge difference in the usability of the software. For example when you mouse over a control in Reaper the mouse scroll wheel becomes active and you can use it to adjust that parameter. Simply brilliant! I mentioned before there is a huge online Reaper community...seems much larger and more active than the RealBand community here. I really do not know how large it is though. There is an accurate and up-to-date user guide for Reaper! And loads of resources included and a ton more available to download. There are GUI themes and templates and user extensions. Just an amazing amount of stuff designed to make the DAW even better. And they provide an open SDK in case you wish to write your own extensions. The only way I could ever see me leaving Reaper is if I took my music to the next level and needed to be more compatible with professional studios as it seems Pro Tools is the DAW of choice for the vast majority. As a final comment, I strongly disagree with the advice sometimes given around here that "because you got RealBand for 'free' when you bought BIAB you should use and learn it first". My advice is to check out your options. Who wants to spend a bunch of time learning a DAW that won't do what you want or be fun and easy to use? Not me! So do a little research and see which ones have the features you want. Download demos and test them out yourself on a basic project. As I mentioned before Reaper has a fully functional trial that you can produce music with with no restrictions! So why wouldn't you give yourself the choice? 
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JohnJohnJohn I agree with you about the GUI and workflow, 64 bit, non MS conforming right clicks and VSTi’s. I also support you informing others about your DAW, However I will respectfully but strongly disagree about new users not using or at least trying RB.
Because of the above mentioned idiosyncrasies I, and it sounds like you also, dislike RB. But just because we don’t like it doesn’t mean someone else wont like it. There are a number of people here would really like RB.
Just my thoughts – peace.
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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I'll split my answer into MIDI and .WAV. I think that's why the Cakewalk users here don't use RealBand as much. Cakewalk appears to have stronger MIDI capabilities.
I like RealBand for creating my new tracks in MIDI. As a matter of fact I don't use BIAB too much either. I use the BIAB-like attributes of RealBand to layout tempos/key/chords/etc and put out a simple rhythm section. I then MIDI record remaining instruments and fine tune edit the MIDI notes to clean up timing.
I then convert each track to .WAV and use in Adobe Audition. As I mentioned in another thread I started out in Cool Edit Pro years ago and didn't use much in MIDI. I've stayed with it over the years as it progressed over to Audition. I love this as a .WAV editor simply for the hard core .WAV editing it can do (I'm a .WAV tweaker!). I also like the multitracker abilities of Audition. I'll also add any instruments here that aren't MIDI like vocals/guitar. And as mentioned above, you use what you know. I've been using this software off and on for 15 years and am still running 1.5 (No need to upgrade to the latest here either).
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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Hi Trevor,
I use Reaper these days. It is everything that JohnJohnJohn has said.
Prior to Reaper, I was a Cakewalk user for many years. I loved the program but I stopped using it with Sonar Home Studio 7 because changes occurred that I didn't appreciate. I found that documentation for Sonar was sometimes difficult to follow. Sonar has changed a great deal since Home Studio 7 and I have no idea what it does these days.
Reaper is an incredibly comprehensive program. It also has some amazing documentation that comes with it as well as extra documentation that can be purchased for very reasonable prices.
What I like best about Reaper ...
1. I worked through the examples in the documentation to develop an understanding of the program. (I still only scratch the surface of what it can do!)
2. There are a huge number of free plugins that come with the program.
3. I love the Reatune plugin because my singing would sound lousy without it. I have Melodyne but I still keep on going back to Reatune (it uses the same pitch-shifting algorithms as BIAB/RB).
4. Loop recording is very easy to set up and run. I like to record 6 - 8 vocal tracks and then I compile a track from the best bits of those.
5. I also use Multiriff in Realband to generate multiple instances of a particular Realtrack and I then load them into Reaper and compile a master instrumental track from them.
6. Compiling a track so that it sounds good is easy in Reaper because of auto-crossfade and snap to grid.
7. I particularly like using the "split at prior zero crossing" because it reduces click sounds that can occur when editing.
8. I find the stretch and compress for specified audio regions incredibly powerful and very useful. For example, if I sing a preposition too early and it sounds too stressed, it's very easy in Reaper to 'stretch' the word before the preposition and to 'compress' the preposition so that it sounds conversational while keeping the overall timing of the lyric intact.
9. When I split a track in Reaper, each individual split section has it's own envelope controls that will adjust the wave-form. This can be used in conjunction with envelopes to achieve some outstanding sound adjustments.
10. Each split section can also host its own FX.
11. With Reaper it's also possible to set up a track so that different ranges of frequency can be channeled to individual effect tracks.
I suspect that what I use of the program is well less that 10% but it's all that I need to make my music.
Regards,
Noel
Last edited by Noel96; 01/25/14 01:18 PM.
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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However I will respectfully but strongly disagree about new users not using or at least trying RB. Mario, you and I are in complete agreement! I never said they should not try out RealBand...I just said they are shortchanging themselves if that is the only DAW they try initially just because it was included for "free"! My minimum recommendation would be to install RealBand and Reaper and try both of those. I don't mean to offend the RealBand fans here but Reaper was designed from the ground up to be a modern DAW to compete with the likes of industry standards like Pro Tools. I seriously doubt there are any folks out in the music world who would choose RealBand just based on its DAW features! So, if you choose it because it integrates nicely with BIAB that is a great reason! But if you are not planning to use that tight integration with BIAB you should probably consider more serious DAWs.
Last edited by JohnJohnJohn; 01/24/14 07:46 PM.
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Hi Trevor,
I use Reaper these days. It is everything that JohnJohnJohn has said.
Prior to Reaper, I was a Cakewalk user for many years. I loved the program but I stopped using it with Sonar Home Studio 7 because changes occurred that I didn't appreciate. I found that documentation for Sonar was sometimes difficult to follow. Sonar has changed a great deal since Home Studio 7 and I have no idea what it does these days.
Reaper is an incredibly comprehensive program. It also has some amazing documentation that comes with it as well as extra documentation that can be purchased for very reasonable prices.
What I like best about Reaper ...
1. I worked through the examples in the documentation to develop an understanding of the program. (I still only scratch the surface of what it can do!)
2. There are a huge number of free plugins that come with the program.
3. I love the Reatune plugin because my singing would sound lousy without it. I have Melodyne but I still keep on going back to Reatune (it uses the same pitch-shifting algorithms as BIAB/RB).
4. Loop recording is very easy to set up and run. I like to record 6 - 8 vocal tracks and then I compile a track from the best bits of those.
5. I also use Multiriff in Realband to generate multiple instances of a particular Realtrack and I then compile a master instrumental track from them.
6. Compiling a track so that it sounds good is easy in Reaper because of auto-crossfade and snap to grid.
7. I particularly like using the "split at prior zero crossing" because it reduces click sounds that can occur when editing.
8. I find the stretch and compress for specified audio regions incredibly powerful and very useful. For example, if I sing a preposition too early and it sounds too stressed, it's very easy in Reaper to 'stretch' the word before the preposition and to 'compress' the preposition so that it sounds conversational while keeping the overall timing of the lyric intact.
9. When I split a track in Reaper, each individual split section has it's own envelope controls that will adjust the wave-form. This can be used in conjunction with envelopes to achieve some outstanding sound adjustments.
10. Each split section can also host its own FX.
11. With Reaper it's also possible to set up a track so that different ranges of frequency can be channeled to individual effect tracks.
I suspect that what I use of the program is well less that 10% but it's all that I need to make my music.
Regards,
Noel
I wish I lived closer to you Noel! I'd pay to sit with you and pick your brain about Reaper. I already love Reaper but you just listed several things I had no idea it could do! This is part of what I love about this DAW is how deep and wide it is!
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However I will respectfully but strongly disagree about new users not using or at least trying RB. Mario, you and I are in complete agreement! I never said they should not try out RealBand...I just said they are shortchanging themselves if that is the only DAW they try initially just because it was included for "free"! My minimum recommendation would be to install RealBand and Reaper and try both of those. I don't mean to offend the RealBand fans here but Reaper was designed from the ground up to be a modern DAW to compete with the likes of industry standards like Pro Tools. I seriously doubt there are any folks out in the music world who would choose RealBand just based on its DAW features! So, if you choose it because it integrates nicely with BIAB that is a great reason! But if you are not planning to use that tight integration with BIAB you should probably consider more serious DAWs. Yes we are in complete agreement, sorry for the confusion. If I may add to your message I would say don’t limit yourself to just RB and Reaper. Why not try all the demos of all the DAWs and see which one fits your workflow best? Arguing over a DAW is like arguing over a car! My Chevy is better than your Ford! DAWs are like cars in that some are Cadillacs and some are Vegas. What you drive/use is your choice only! Personally give me a muscle car/DAW any day!
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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However I will respectfully but strongly disagree about new users not using or at least trying RB. Mario, you and I are in complete agreement! I never said they should not try out RealBand...I just said they are shortchanging themselves if that is the only DAW they try initially just because it was included for "free"! My minimum recommendation would be to install RealBand and Reaper and try both of those. I don't mean to offend the RealBand fans here but Reaper was designed from the ground up to be a modern DAW to compete with the likes of industry standards like Pro Tools. I seriously doubt there are any folks out in the music world who would choose RealBand just based on its DAW features! So, if you choose it because it integrates nicely with BIAB that is a great reason! But if you are not planning to use that tight integration with BIAB you should probably consider more serious DAWs. Yes we are in complete agreement, sorry for the confusion. If I may add to your message I would say don’t limit yourself to just RB and Reaper. Why not try all the demos of all the DAWs and see which one fits your workflow best? Arguing over a DAW is like arguing over a car! My Chevy is better than your Ford! DAWs are like cars in that some are Cadillacs and some are Vegas. What you drive/use is your choice only! Personally give me a muscle car/DAW any day! I most certainly agree with you! For me it came down to what was I basically familiar with and what was the cost. Because I had already invested in BIAB I knew RealBand was an option but I also was a little familiar with Reaper and knew that one would cost me only $60 to use. So I didn't bother demoing more expensive options. However, if money was no object I would probably have chosen Pro Tools simply because of the professional studio connection. Alas, it cost too much for me to justify. Now my next step is to learn a lot more about Reaper and then learn how best to work RealBand in between BIAB and Reaper to get the most benefit of all my tools!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,108
Veteran
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OP
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,108 |
VideoTrack,
...
Your other questions are entirely subjective. What I would recommend you do is decide what YOU think is important from a feature-set standpoint, and then comparison shop. Ease of workflow is one of the most contentious topics because it is so entirely dependent on subjective criteria.
...
It's really impossible to answer your questions, without your goals stated up front. For some of the goals listed above, you probably already know, there is no other choice than PG products - plain and simple.
-Scott
Hi Scott Thanks for the detailed response, it's appreciated, but perhaps you misunderstood my post. I didn't actually ask for a product recommendation for me, I merely asked what others were using, and why. Certainly I wasn't looking for a suggestion or buying advice on what product I should be purchase. I agree that more information would be required from me, if i were to ask somebody to accurately tailor a recommended solution specific for my needs. Sorry if this created confusion. Cheers Trevor
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
It is very esy to succumb to the notion that there might be another DAW software out there that will somehow make your audio creations more bettuh.
IME it is a wild goose chase that will only serve to chew up more time before achieving the goal of recording good stuff.
Love the one yer with.
Once you have exhausted its capabilities, you'll know so much more about the thing that it will be easy to pick a replacement.
--Mac
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,334
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,334 |
It is very easy to succumb to the notion that there might be another DAW software out there that will somehow make your audio creations more bettuh. Song writing DAW myth #1. Carry on...
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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 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.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
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