Every time I install a new BIAB build I have to load an earlier backup version of bbw.lst to prevent the dreaded "index exceeded" message and freeze when I rebuild Stylepicker. I know this happens because I have lots of third party styles and the current limit is 20,000 entries (not actual styles)
It also means I cannot use my custom ls3 file that organizes the Stylepicker entries the way I want them.
Please increase the limit, it sounds like one line of code.
Every time I install a new BIAB build I have to load an earlier backup version of bbw.lst to prevent the dreaded "index exceeded" message and freeze when I rebuild Stylepicker. I know this happens because I have lots of third party styles and the current limit is 20,000 entries (not actual styles)
It also means I cannot use my custom ls3 file that organizes the Stylepicker entries the way I want them.
Please increase the limit, it sounds like one line of code.
Tony
Tony, you sure have collected some styles there boy! I thought I had lots, but only have a quarter of that amount. Where did you collect so many?
Best Trevor
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I don't have 20,000 styles, it's just the way Stylepicker is programmed. If you list a style twice because it can go in two different categories then Stylepicker counts this as two styles towards the 20,000. The basic BIAB listing from PG does this many times via the bbw.lst file. It is surprisingly easy to reach 20,000 once you add extra styles and start writing your own ls3 files.
Yep, I have the same problem. I had to remove a lot my third party styles from StylePicker, because I kept hitting the limit. Like Tony said, it's not a matter of having 20,000 styles; it's that one style might be found in multiple categories, and each entry counts against the limit.
So, yes, please increase the number of styles allowed by StylePicker.
Better yet, recode StylePicker to make it easier to use and quicker to update when you add new styles. Other than adding new buttons and search/filtering features (which I also believe could be improved), it hasn't change a whole lot over the years, and the limit has been previously increased several times, so it is doable.
+44,000 (at least)
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
The stylepicker window, being a central element of the GUI, needs a complete and urgent redesign, IMO. Finding the right style should be a much easier and flexible task, but the ancient stylepicker window and the cryptic 8.3 style names don't help at all.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Yep, it has certainly come the time for a clean-out and redesign
The product itself is great, it just has too much legacy baggage. Fresh user start needed, desperately
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I often wonder how many styles there actually are, beyond the sales hype, which does not impress here.
Stylepicker only picks up style files located in one of two places: C:\BB and C:\BB\Styles (where C:\BB is the location you actually installed BIAB - for example, on my machine it is D:\Apps\PGMusic\BIAB).
So, just take a look with Windows Explorer and filter on *.sty in both of those locations to see how many style files you have.
What I do on my machine is to keep all PGMusic provided styles in the C:\BB folder (which is how they come with each new version), and then keep 3rd party and my own home-created styles in the C:\BB\Styles folder.
Also, if you have them all intermingled and have purchased Norton Styles, they all begin with a "#" sign in the file name, so it's easy to distinguish which are Norton styles and which are not.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
what I mean John is that I think that many styles actually sound similar to my ears, except for an addition or subtraction of an instrument. So one "style" is considered to be more than one "style". I think there are fewer styles than the hype states, but I dont know how to ascertain how many styles there are.
Yep, it has certainly come the time for a clean-out and redesign
The product itself is great, it just has too much legacy baggage. Fresh user start needed, desperately
Yes VT, the fear is that PG will 'improve' the style picker, whilst leaving the interface spaghetti type design the same cluttered and unintuitive and cranky, with a few world class features - this is my opinion.
Well, there is a huge difference in RealStyles versus MIDI styles. For RealStyles, all you can do is select a "Real" instrument for a slot in the style, and it's going to play pretty much the same thing in every style that contains it. That's because it's pre-recorded. Yes, there are variations, depending upon where in the style BIAB picks up the riff, but mostly will sound the same. So you can have another style with the same guitar and a different bass, and it's going to sound like the same guitar, but a different bass.
For MIDI styles, however, there is a lot of variation, depending upon the number of patterns contained and defined for that style. MIDI styles are generally created with the whole "band" playing in a certain way, with the riffs complementing each other (although they don't have to, but usually they do). RealStyles, however, are just a matter of choosing a RealTrack that "probably" sounds good with one or more other RealTracks. The riffs of each instrument are not "synched" up to play together as a band.
Those are some of the trade-offs you get between Real and MIDI.
And of course, StylePicker displays RealStyles (all RealTracks), MIDI styles (all MIDI instruments and defined riffs), and mixed (some RealTracks/some MIDI in the same style).
I suspect though, once you get past the first few thousand styles anyway, they're going to start sounding similar, because you only have so many instruments to choose from and only so many patterns to play in a bar or two.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
Yes, the stylepicker need a fresh redesign. And by the way, it is time now - not in 3 or 5 or 10 years - to get rid of archaic DOS 8.3 filenames. The new stylepicker would also take in account the user styles. At present time, when you apply filters in the stylepicker, the user styles are not seen. Thread not really new, but it becomes urgent to go ahead.
>>> I think there are fewer styles than the hype states, but I dont know how to ascertain how many styles there are.
What 'hype' are referring to that leads you to think that there are fewer styles. Count the number of .STY files in c:\bb - that is the # of styles. I count 4,849 of them - does the 'hype' state that there are more than that?
I get 5590 styles on disk (C:\bb\ and below), but 4456 in the Style Picker (I did select the Find New Styles button first)
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
))) I get 5590 styles on disk (C:\bb\ and below), but 4456 in the Style Picker (I did select the Find New Styles button first)
Correct, because you're including sub folders of BB. Some styles are special cases and intended only for certain songs, and don't get put in the BB folder.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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!
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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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
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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)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
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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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Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 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 21 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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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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