I mostly use BIAB to generate rhythm section material that I plug into music notation programs or DAWs as MIDI. As impressive as the RealDrums and RealStyles are, I just don't use them much. It isn't clear to me if any of the new styles can actually be saved out as MIDI. Does anybody know about this?
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Trev that is exactly why we want RTs and RT styles available in MIDI. We want a different sound or feel and we can make them play what we want to play when we want them to play it. That is something RTs can not do.
No hate mail please. I have stated many times that I have used RTs but not necessarily in my songs.
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Trev that is exactly why we want RTs and RT styles available in MIDI. We want a different sound or feel and we can make them play what we want to play when we want them to play it. That is something RTs can not do.
Exactly. I often drag piano, drum, and bass tracks into Finale in the process of building big band arrangements. I don't print that stuff. I just show those parts as slash notation, but I want the groove there for the playback in Finale. But because of PGMusic's concentration on styles that can't use MIDI, I often have trouble finding a groove that is ideal. It always seems as if the grooves that would be best cannot be saved into MIDI.
So I take the best I can find and then go into Finale and adjust the notes as necessary, mostly deleting clutter.
Thanks I had forgotten about that. This seems like just what I need. Are all of these styles MIDI? In other words, can I drag the instruments onto that "MIDI" icon to pull that track out in MIDI form, the same as the PGMusic MIDI styles?
I have put #26, #8, #11, and #16 on my Santa list. Those sets definitely include styles that I could have used on projects this year.
Lets see if I got this right. If I load any style RT or MIDI I can replace any track with a different RT or MIDI file. right. So if I want a RT style but want to use my ez drummer I would load a midi drum track and channel it to the ezdrummer. I can't play the real drum track as a midi file but I can replace any track with a MIDI track. Right?
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Lets see if I got this right. If I load any style RT or MIDI I can replace any track with a different RT or MIDI file. right. So if I want a RT style but want to use my ez drummer I would load a midi drum track and channel it to the ezdrummer. I can't play the real drum track as a midi file but I can replace any track with a MIDI track. Right?
The Drums track can be MIDI Drums, yes.
Originally Posted By: earl kirby
"So if I want a RT style but want to use my ez drummer I would load a midi drum track and channel it to the ezdrummer."
I'm not so sure about doing it that way. I think it will use BiaB's internal MIDI drums. Others will know.
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Yes, that is forcing Biab to use it's own midi drum parts, it has nothing to do with somehow converting a Real Drum track to midi. And, most of the Biab midi drum parts were recorded live on an electronic midi drum kit.
Here's the problem as I see it. People constantly get fooled when they listen to a Real Track/Drums. It sounds so good but of course it's just not quite what you want but still, what a great sound. So you ask if that track is available as midi.
You have to step back, take a minute and analyze why you like the RT so much. It's because it's a real player, playing real instruments or drum kit in a real studio just like what you hear on a favorite commercial recording. These recordings are not made for single note samplers they're recordings of phrases with all the nuance of both the instrument itself and what the player is doing.
You CANNOT duplicate that in midi. If you are a midi wizard, a great player, have tons of experience and you're using thousands of dollars worth of the best midi libraries AND CONTROLLERS then yes you can do pretty well with midi. But for anybody else? Forget it. The implied point in these threads is somebody wants to take a midi part that is taken from an RT/RD, paste it into Biab and simply hit Play. That ain't gonna cut it and it will sound like all the other lifeless and dry midi tracks floating around.
Instead of spending thousands and spending who knows how many hours to learn midi inside and out I think it's more cost effective to pay the $400 for Melodyne and use that to edit the RT/RD's audio. Cheaper, easier and faster.
But remember, if you force drums to MIDI, it is going to use the MIDI drum patterns for the underlying style that was used to create the RealStyle, which won't sound anything like the RealDrums that were used and may or may not even go with the song you are working on.
John
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Yes, that is forcing Biab to use it's own midi drum parts, it has nothing to do with somehow converting a Real Drum track to midi. And, most of the Biab midi drum parts were recorded live on an electronic midi drum kit.
Right. It is only the drums where you can do a substitution to get a MIDI-capable track of the original track doesn't do MIDI. And I have had very poor results trying to force MIDI tracks into a style. I never seem to get the right groove. What I have had to do in most cases is copy the whole BIAB file and apply a different style to the song that has a MIDI drum part that will work. Then I extract that drum part and combine it with the others in my DAW notation program.
I think I've bought every BIAB upgrade for the last 10 years, including the ".5" upgrades. But I just don't need any more RealTracks or RealDrums. What I need is better MIDI content.
PGMusic has taken pride in being a pioneer in the field of musical styles, and what they have done over the years is impressive. But they need to understand many people simply don't want closed-end systems when there are so many tools that are open and interoperable. We want the ability to move the content easily among programs and use out own VSTis when we choose.
It is ironic that several DAW makers have introduced "Drum Replacer" technology that can analyze an audio file of a human drummer and convert that to MIDI, which can in turn be run into the best drum VSTIs. If PG music insists on producing their own proprietary sounds, the least they could do is also develop the "drum replacer" technology so that we can easily get that content as MIDI.
Something you might like to play around with is saving Realcharts as midi. This is found under "Prefs | Realtracks".
I haven't played with this before. After activating it, I loaded a song file that had a number of Realcharts associated with the various tracks, generated the song and saved it as a midi. The generated tracks that had Realcharts saved in the midi.
The below pdf lists all the Realtracks. I've sorted it by Set # so that you can see the latest sets. (Because the file is 18 megabytes, it might pay to right-click on it and save it to your hard drive - rather than left-click to open it.)
Version 2016 introduced Sets 228 - 253. I've highlighted these yellow. If you look down the "Charts" column (highlighted pink), any RT that has Gt or N has Realcharts associated it. It seems to me that there are a large number of new tracks that have Reaclcharts.
With the above "Save Realcharts to midi" option on, it looks like 2016 could be useful for you.
Something you might like to play around with is saving Realcharts as midi. This is found under "Prefs | Realtracks".
Noel, thanks for that idea. I have not used RealCharts, and frankly find all this PGMusic terminology confusing. I surmise that "RealCharts" are simply the notation view of the RealTracks tracks that are generated for a song, correct?
What is confusing to me is that some, but not all, RealTracks (and maybe some RealDrums -- not sure about that) can actually save out to MIDI. I don't understand why some would and others would not. I also assume that if a particular track can be shown as a RealChart, then it also could be saved out as MIDI directly, regardless of the Realcharts setting. I may be completely wrong about this concept, and would be happy to be corrected.
I am also confused by the style picker. It does provide a selection to show MIDI-only styles. But it seems to me there are SOME RealTracks styles that can save to MIDI, but they aren't "MIDI styles" per se. WhatI'm getting at is that I would like to be see any style where all the tracks can be saved to MIDI (including RealTracks/RealDrums styles that can save to MIDI). I am not usually interested in using any styles that cannot save to MIDI, unless I am just doing a "quick and dirty" job for somebody. Is there a way for the Style Picker to do this?
Yes, the RealCharts are notation for the RealTracks.
I can't account for every instrument, but the piano, for example, was recorded direct to MIDI as well as being audio, according to a post by a PG Music staffer. Another instrument like a sax might have to be transcribed to create the MIDI, plus things like scoops and bends don't translate well into MIDI.
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To appreciate BIAB's limitations with midi-to-audio, it's necessary to understand the differences between the two. (Please forgive me if you know this. I just thought that it's probably better to start at the beginning and then you can select the bits that are relevant.)
MIDI: These are a set of instructions, usually in text, that tell a synthesiser (software or hardware) to play a particular pitch note. The instructions also give information on sysnthesiser sound to use, note-length, volume, how the note begins, what happens to the sound as it's played, how the note ends. These instructions are created when a midi track is generated in BIAB.
The bottom line is that midi is not a sound; just instructions to make a sound with a proper interface.
AUDIO: is a sound file. One of the most common ways of obtaining a music audio is to record someone playing an instrument. This is what Realtracks are. When you look at a Realtrack Guitar that is accredited to Brent Mason (for example), this means that Brent has sat in a studio and played his guitar while PG Music recorded his playing. PGM technology then uses electronics to take this audio, adjust its tempo, change its pitch and ultimately patch it together into a coherent musical track (this is what happens when the sound is generated). At all times though, the audio file stays as an audio file.
Midi can easily be converted to audio because all it requires is to record the midi track as it plays a synthesiser.
To convert audio to midi, though, it's more complicated and it's necessary to have software that can interpret pitch correctly and then create a set of midi instructions.
Realcharts are an attempt to notate what a musician played when s/he created a Realtrack. These are mostly done after the playing has happened and often by a person who wasn't involved with the playing or recording. These Realcharts are stored in BIAB as midi notation. Sometimes the Realcharts are highly accurate and sometimes they are an excellent approximation of a performance. Realtracks and Realcharts are two different things. They work in partnership. When RTs are generated, parallel RCs are also generated.
Right. I get that. But it seems to me that some RealTracks can actually save as MIDI. I have not figured out any pattern, and it wastes a whole lot of time trying styles that might work, only to find out that they can't save to MIDI. I presume that these RealStyles are not actually audio recordings but are MIDI captures, but maybe I am wrong about that.
My advice to PGMusic is to not continue on their current path of building a walled garden. They should fully commit to play well with other music technology products, and that means MIDI at a minimum, and possibly other things like Rewire. it also means a more seamless solution to the large body of VSTis out there, many of which as 64-bit by default.
As I mentioned above, products like Sonar have "drum replacer" technology that can convert an audio drum track to MIDI instructions. And there is Melodyne that can convert other instruments from audio to MIDI. SO this is not a far-fetched request. I would think PGMusic would look at that as a fundamental requirement if they expect to remain relevant in the fast-changing music technology field.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
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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Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
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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!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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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-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)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
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Note: 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.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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