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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
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I'm a Musician - thats why I bought BIAB - NOT a computer Programmer. Becoming a computer nerd (not exactly a programmer but a nerd) is EXACTLY what you need to do if you want to advance when working with digital audio. I know because your quoted comment is pretty much word for word what I posted here way back when. A little history. First Biab HAS NO SOUND OF IT'S OWN. Digest that comment for a minute. It's just a program. It does NOT produce sound. What produces the sound you ask? Whatever midi synth YOU DECIDE TO USE. I'm not talking about Real Tracks now, only midi sounds. PG wants to set customers up with some basic sounds so when they install Biab and hit Play they hear something. For years that was the Roland VSC. The VSC goes back to the 80's and Roland stopped updating it like 20 years ago. It only works on 32 bit systems while pretty much everybody now is on a 64 bit systems so the VSC is out. What could PG do? First they worked with Coyote to write some code that lets Biab use the very primitive Window's wavetable synth that is part of any Windows OS. Those sounds are very unsatisfactory though. What is out there that doesn't cost anything, as in FREE, that PG might use? How about SampleTank Free? Turns out ST allows anybody to write their own patches and link them up so the HQ patch set was born. Here's the point though. PG has squat to do with IKM. Totally separate companies. PG can't log into IKM and set up an account for you, you have to do that and it's spelled out clearly in the installation docs that you apparently didn't read. IKM gives away ST Free in the hope you will like it and then buy some of their pretty good sound libraries. Simple as that. My point in explaining all this is when it comes to digital audio, the overall market is so small it's up to you to figure this all out. PG gives you a very detailed explanation of how to go to the IKM website and set it all up. To get back to my main point though about Biab having no sounds of it's own. You're totally free to buy whatever software synth or hardware synth like the Ketron SD2 or maybe a Roland Sonic Cell you want. The sound part is completely up to you. All PG is doing is giving you two things, the Coyote Wavetable and instructions how to use ST FREE to be able to use the HQ sound set that requires that. Otherwise you're free to go and buy any synth you want. Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
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Jazzmammal,
I agree the weak link using midi with Windows is the funky sounding wavetable instrument sounds that Windows uses by default. I also agree PG Music has offered multiple free instrument sound upgrades including the Roland VSC and Coyote WT. However neither option requires setting up an account or registration. Neither option requires the user to associate a selected instrument sound with a midi channel. In comparison, Sampletank is much more difficult to set up or use than either VSC or WT.
In my opinion PG Music would have been better served by replacing VSC, a universal midi sound module, with it's successor the Roland TTS-1 which is also a universal midi sound module. That way those users that desire to use banks of discrete midi instrument sounds could use Kontact, Sampletank or some other multi channel midi player I've overlooked.
In retrospect, perhaps Sampletank was not the best solution for a universal midi instrument player.
Last edited by JimFogle; 08/16/15 10:54 AM. Reason: fix typos
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,022
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Jim, SampleTank is not designed to be a universal MIDI instrument player. Only a GM (General MIDI) synth is a universal MIDI instrument player. Anything other a GM synth requires very similar setups as SampleTank. If you want really good MIDI sounds you have to dig down and learn MIDI.
Also it you are going to use a non-universal MIDI instrument player you should not use it in BiaB (this is my opinion only) and use it in a DAW. BiaB is a PITA when it comes to non-universal MIDI instrument players, but I will justify that by saying BiaB was not designed that way. It is designed for GM synths and I think they added SamplTank to help people move away from GM, at least those of us who use MIDI and/or want to learn MIDI.
This is just my opinion and yours may vary.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 128
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Posts: 128 |
I can only speak from my experience and the only issue I had with the SampleTank install is I already had ST so it gave me 2 instances of ST and at that point BIAB had difficulty locating it. Since the BIAB installation program put ST in you'd think it would know where it put it while installing it. But then it was just a simple matter of showing BIAB where the install was. If you think registering ST is a pain you need to try installing Adobe Cloud products.....just saying. The only other issue I had which was my own boneheadedness was you can't replace sounds on a "Real" Track.....didn't dawn on me until I realized they weren't midi tracks. I also have the Roland TTS-1 which I use initially because the sounds are pretty good and only use ST if I am looking for something specific.
Incidentally I work as an IT specialist so registering and installing products are things I have to deal with daily.
Last edited by pedwards2932; 08/16/15 11:43 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492 |
I didn't have any issues with getting SampleTank to work and authorized.
But then "I didn't think" and I don't deviate too much from the standard install.
The more you take scenic and adventurous routes to reach your destination point the later you will get there and you might just be in the middle of nowhere when you need Forrest Gump to comment your situation.
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,497
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Joined: Jun 2000
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The SampleTank DXi (as installed BY IKM and PG BIAB), actually 100% of ALL DX's and DXI's are ALWAYS in a KNOWN location by the calling application (e.g., BIAB, Sonar, Reaper) becasue (unlike VST's/VSTi's) it is a Microsoft DX spec'ed item.
Therefore it is installed INTO the registry and has to follow certain Microsoft rules, the first is WHERE (.dll's, exe.s', etc.) ARE LOCATED.
Note, for Win 7 Sp1 all MFx soft synths (aka DXi's) are listed:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MfxSoftSynths
Specifically, Sample Tank DXi at key {85D864F5-8660-473F-894F-FE33611C1CA7}
and its .dxi installed location is listed in:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{85D864F5-8660-473F-894F-FE33611C1CA7}\InprocServer32
As a note to others if you have ALREADY installed ST2 from IK (free or full versions, BTW ST 3 has NO IMPACT AT ALL) and the DXi (not the VSti, the VSTi is immaterial) works in other application then when you install BIAB I would recommend you UNCHECK the option to install the IK SampleTank 2 DXi (again!)
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 128
Apprentice
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 128 |
Probably the best advice.....but what I wonder is when you select use a HiQ sound BIAB has specific ST files it uses and they are in the BIAB folder that is in the Instruments folder in ST. If you don't install the BIAB ST folder what happens when you select a HiQ sound? In my case when it couldn't find the BIAB folder I got error messages and the HiQ sound wouldn't load. Once I pointed BIAB to the BIAB folder then when I selected the load HiQ sound everything worked as it should.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,497
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,497 |
The HI-Q instruments & samples (which are SampleTank formatted instruments and samples) are installed SEPARATELY from the SampelTank DXi application.
The HI-Q stuff even has separate INSTALLERS.
As long as the ST 2 DXi is properly installed, by either the BIAB install route or the IK MM install route, and it's working then, BIAB will know how to call up ST2 DXi. Then BIAB will "load" ("send over" to ST 2 DXi is probably a better way to say it) the selected HI-Q instrument (the .sti, .stip,and .sth files which are IK formatted files, that in-turn cause the actual sound [.STW or SAMPLEs to be loaded by SmapleTank)
The USUAL, annual, XMAS issue or SNAFU is that the actual sound files (.sti. stw. ...) are not found by the SampleTank application (aka DXi in this case) - until the path to ST sound list is refreshed. That is, the ST instrument library is updated using "Prefs" as you have already shown how to do a few posts back.
However, don't confuse where the ST SOUND libraries are installed (and where BIAB put it's ST HI-Q sounds) with where the ST 2 application (standalone, VSTi and DXi) is installed - by default the instrument libraries and the application(s) are separate things and installed in separate locations.
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 128
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 128 |
Mine for whatever reason installed the BIAB inside my original IK Multimedia folder in /Sampletank 2.5/Instruments/band in a box. I am guessing what BIAB installed was the SampleTank 2.5. I didn't have any input on where it was going to install as far as I remember. All I know is it works now.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,497
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,497 |
Correct, to date, PG supplies ST 2.5 "stuff" - I'm lazy and easier to type ST 2 then ST2.5  Glad it's working for ya! (and yes that is where BIAB installs the HI-Q ST 2.5 files I won't further confuse issue for anyone) Good Luck Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
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Jazzmammal,In my opinion PG Music would have been better served by replacing VSC, a universal midi sound module, with it's successor the Roland TTS-1 which is also a universal midi sound module. Jim, you're not paying attention buddy. First, the TTS-1 is not free and second it's not available by itself, it's only available with the purchase of a Cakewalk product such as Sonar or Music Creator. If you look on the homepage you'll see that PG sells MC for about the same price as the Forte DXi and the loss of the VSC is the reason they started doing that. It's just another affordable option for folks who don't want to spend $400 for a sound module or a large software library. If PG wants to give away MC just so you can get the TTS-1 fine, but then I'm sure all that means is the cost of Biab goes up by that much. And don't forget MC is a Cakewalk product, you still have to create an account with them and register it so you'll be on their email list just like we're all on IKM's list. There's no free lunch here. The only free anything was the VSC and the current Wavetable. Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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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 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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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!
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)
- 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:
- 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 PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
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!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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!
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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
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!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
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