RB AND Sonar/Cakewalk both feature PianoRoll MIDI entry and editing.
I'm not a big proponent of MIDI sequencing via Notation, because notation simply cannot easily provide enough of the necessary entry paramaters. For example, a trained live musician inherently knows the various rulesets involved with how long a Quarter Note or 8th should be played within the given situation. Notation entry, on the other hand, will yield all Quarter Note values as dead equal and that is not inherently a good sounding musical representation.
By far my most favorite method of MIDI part implementation is Recording to the click in realtime using a MIDI Controller of some sort, though. That delivers a performance that will sound exactly like what you played when you played it, yet offers the note-level Editing of MIDI when needed for cleanup and such.
Midi production and editing in Reaper is excellent. It's something that's been developed significantly over the last couple of years. I use it regularly.
The MIDI engine inside today's Sonar is pretty much the exact same and good MIDI engine that many of us came to know and love from back in the days of Greg Hendershot's original Cakewalk. ... --Mac
I concur. I would add that the SONAR X series (X1, X2 and X3) has now given us a smart tool that adapts quicker to what you want to do when editing MIDI.
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.
Matt, can you advise which program you like to use for Notation editing? I agree with the comment from Rich that MIDI editing in RB is somewhat cumbersome compared to other programs. Thanks Trevor
Trevor, I haven't used RealBand so I can't compare, but as to Notation programs, I have used Encore for 23 years. I have also been a beta tester for them for the last decade. I love the user interface in Encore (though I still use BIAB for most data entry!).
Although I have used Sibelius and Finale, I don't like their user interface by comparison to Encore, and only use them when I am forced to.
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.
Another +1 for Sonar. I do extensive MIDI editing and Sonar X3d is the easiest to use IMO. I use the piano roll view (PRV) to do most of my editing. I find that much easier than using the notation view. However I use the notation view when I hear something not quite right as it is easier for me to see there than in the PRV. For example hearing an F someplace during a D chord and knowing that it is not suppose to be there.
Good luck in your search.
I got myself a seniors' GPS. Not only does it tell me how to get to my destination , it tells me why I wanted to go there.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
RB AND Sonar/Cakewalk both feature PianoRoll MIDI entry and editing.
I'm not a big proponent of MIDI sequencing via Notation, because notation simply cannot easily provide enough of the necessary entry paramaters. For example, a trained live musician inherently knows the various rulesets involved with how long a Quarter Note or 8th should be played within the given situation. Notation entry, on the other hand, will yield all Quarter Note values as dead equal and that is not inherently a good sounding musical representation.
By far my most favorite method of MIDI part implementation is Recording to the click in realtime using a MIDI Controller of some sort, though. That delivers a performance that will sound exactly like what you played when you played it, yet offers the note-level Editing of MIDI when needed for cleanup and such.
--Mac
I agree with this 100%. Step entry or notation based entry is tedious at best, and stressful at worst for me.
I like PG's implementation of a hybrid for post-fat-fingered-recorded-mistake editing. I can read note values much more quickly; instantly honestly, on staff than I can with alternating colors on a piano roll display. I guess an analogy would be the difference between the standard block lettering found on an engineering drawing, versus the same drawing with cursive writing on it.
Alternatively, take a look at Mixcraft's piano roll - the head of each note bar on the roll is identified with pitch value. Zoomed out, this could be a mess, but zoomed in, for precise midi note editing, a nice way of going about displaying pitch value directly. Surely they can't be the only folks that do this.
In doing a little bit more research, it appears that a program called 'Notion' also implements a PG like hybrid between staff notation and 'bars and pipes'.
BB, RB and PT also have the excellent StaffRoll view, very handy for quickly editing Note placements, Velocities and Durations quickly.
I couldn't find that screenshot - that, in my opinion is the best post-recorded midi editing representation available. Are all PG programs like that? If so, IMO that's the high water mark, for editing.
I'll point out that you can paint yourself into a corner by trying to use only one of the MIDI editing/entry methods for all tasks.
Find out which method does a specified task the easiest, or the fastest, or in the most logical fashion for you and don't be afraid to switch between Notation, Staff Roll or PianoRoll views, also don't neglect MIDI Monitor and the other fine MIDI event editing tools as well.
I often prefer Piano Roll, and Event List edits for finer adjustments, especially for note position and velocity. Piano Roll is great if you want to say move a selected group of notes by an octave, third etc.
Like you say, all have a place somewhere or other.
BIAB & RB2025 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
I use Cubase Le4, with a Zoom R16 as my controller. It is the DAW that came with the Zoom; before that I used Real Band exclusively, but I like being able to move the faders with the Zoom in real time, I can also mute and solo outside the box. I wish Real Band would add Zoom controller to their list. I liked real band!
Personally i find Sonar, and PT, RB to have pretty good midi tools, Reaper to me is still lacking in midi, but is making steady progress.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
I use Mixcraft 6 because it was suggested to me by members of one of the Shadows´sites that I use to post on !:) It handles midi pretty nicely and it was very affordable too !:))
Even when brand spankin', the maintenance was near continuous.
The old analog decks DID sound wonderful with electric guitars, though, but don't for one second succumb to the idea that one can expect it to perform as designed from day to day without either being able to electrically, electronically and mechanically perform the necessary repairs and adjustments needed from day to day themselves, or have enough cash overhead available at all times to hire someone who can.
Guys who show up in lab coats who have German or Swedish sounding first names, speak little English - until it come time to fill out the Invoice for Services Rendered.
And don't try to find fresh reels of good magnetic tape for the things now, either. Today we are down to one $ource...
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
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These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
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Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
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This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
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