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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 92
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 92 |
Thinking about upgrading from 2012 to the 2014 Mega Pak - would appreciate some honest opinions - is it 'worth' the $150? I play (piano) & do mostly smooth jazz/standards.
Thanks....
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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 |
I have found that having all styles and realtracks/realdrums available is very useful.
No matter your chosen genre, there are far too many instances where a style or realtrack from another genre actually fits well with a songfile I'm working up that is not listed as being that particular genre.
On top of that, one can really get the creative juices flowing by listening to and practicing along with those "other" genres, whatever they happen to be, and can find ways to fit what is learned into our own playing in our chosen genre.
Get as much as you can afford.
--Mac
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
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2012 to 2014 is a pretty big jump. You will get a lot of new features and new Realtracks, plus Supertracks, plus SampleTank, plus Performance tracks, plus the new GUI, if I remember the features sequence correctly. Its a lot. Very much worth it.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,096
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,096 |
IMO? Yes. Not just for the new styles, but many new operational features, and a much better User Interface.
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: Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5 |
I find the GUI of 2014 much better than in previous versions. However, be aware that this version is restricted to One computer which I find un necessarily restrictive. Registration only on one computer is required thru internet.
Bax3
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,096
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,096 |
... However, be aware that this version is restricted to One computer which I find un necessarily restrictive. Registration only on one computer is required thru internet.
Bax3 I believe that information is not entirely accurate. The software can be installed on up to 3 different computers, and a license can be moved to a different computer, e.g. if you upgrade your computer. The product license can be managed automatically via an Internet connection, or manually by contacting support. I didn't find this to be restrictive at all. I've got it installed on two computers, and have a spare license up my sleeve. And I completely understand that PG Music are simply protecting their product from potential piracy. It's really not a restrictive feature. Regards 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: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,334
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,334 |
No matter your chosen genre, there are far too many instances where a style or realtrack from another genre actually fits well with a song file I'm working up that is not listed as being that particular genre. I find the above comments to be very true. I'm mixing my second tune with BIAB (v2012.5 - re-doing vocals today) and the rhythm tracks I used were in a different genre that I expected. It can take some time to find what one is looking for but (IMO) it will pay off. Carry on....
Last edited by chulaivet1966; 03/08/14 10:42 AM.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,572
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,572 |
As VideoTrack correctly explained, this version is not restricted to one computer. You have three activations, and can deactivate and move an activation to another PC.
Also, registration is NOT "required through the Internet". I have one computer that is not connected to the Internet. I was able to generate a number during installation that I sent to PG Music Support, who emailed back the registration code I needed.
Finally, PG Music has stated here that, if you run into a situation where activation causes a problem, you can call them and explain.
This is perhaps the least onerous of the many copy-protection schemes that are out there.
Bax, what did you read that made you think otherwise?
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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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2 |
good to hear there's up to three activations. does anyone know if cross platforms are included? i have a mac and a pc. my activation is on my mac.
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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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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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