Well, seeing that I managed to 'rock the boat' yesterday (this was unintentional, although it appears that I managed to completely capsize it...), I thought it my duty to come up with practical ideas instead of talk. Talk is cheap. Ideas, and functional concepts are required. It was therefore my duty to put in some effort to restore normality - if that's possible.
So, I spent a little bit of time today with some 'ideas only' concepts of how the interface could be improved, by reducing clutter, an hopefully streamlining the look and appearance, so to speak.
This is a rough shot, only a day's work (including video), and is completely conceptual. It could be improved for sure, but it's a start.
I hope that others might think this has merit and could be taken further, or offer their own suggestions, as others already have.
(I hope PGM staff get a chance to see it too. Peter, feel free to PM me for design ideas.)
Watching on YouTube at larger size is perhaps more beneficial to see the new features.
Feel free to provide all comments, criticisms, good, bad, anything.
My intentions (as always) are only to provide ideas to improve and advance the product, nothing less.
None of the ideas in the video are difficult to implement too.
Best
Trevor
Nice job on the demo. But I would like to see them reorganize/refactor the toolbars (and menus and dialog boxes) rather than simply hiding them!
Totally agree the issues are far more than skin deep
All of the above suggestion and comments can be put into BIAB. You can have a Classic view option for those who don't want change or are stuck in the DOS Days and Themes for those who need change, these can be posted in the User Section Forum with a screen shot for anyone to download and change their layout with one click. The themes will have Custom Menus, all dockable, movable and resizable units.
Have the best of both worlds NOT one Layout for All !
They had adjustable docks and menus in BB/RB 2013 but instead of improving them they got rid of them and went backwards. You could have an option of icon big/small with or without text or text only NO icon.
Originally Posted By: solidrock
Originally Posted By: DEddy
Drag and Drop in BIAB.
Please consider having the ability to remove the Mixer window (hide) as this interferes with grabbing some instruments (see screenshot). Tough time trying to access Strings and no deal with getting to the Guitar.
For your consideration.
It should be very easy to do, but if they don't get around to it you can use a Tool to do it. You always have the floating mixer window if you disable the main. If you need it desperately, I can upload a tool. I adjusted it manually but if you know the size you just key it in. BB Custom.mp4
Just drag the cross-hair on the bottom right to the section you want to modify, click the minimize button or maximize if you want a big mixer (or just move it to the far right so you can just see a bit then you can move it back), then drag the cross-hair to the controls section, go to the Modify Window Tab, you have XY position & XY size, just key in size or use mouse wheel or cursor keys the on numbers. You can also move the controls to the bottom and Chords to the top but it would be a lot easier if PG let you do this with a simple click n drag. It's not permanent, next time you start it will be back to it's locked restrictive layout. Will work with RB also.
It's a handy little Tool, maybe it should come with BB & RB
Hey SR, welcome back! Personally, I think you've got stacks of great ideas to offer. Trev
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.
I think it would a good idea to prioritize what improvements should be made. Since BIAB moves slowly with changes, I would like to see some basic functions improved before any changes to the GUI are made. One thing among others is the abiliy to put more than 4 chords in a measure. This has been in the wishlist for many years. I'd like the ability to hide icons not used returned. Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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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!
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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.
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!
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