The OP's issue was that he wanted simple backing track, and while that may have been representative of what BIAB was years ago, it isn't an accurate answer today.

When I bought my first version of BIAB, 6 or 7 or something back then, I think it came on floppies. It was relatively inexpensive, and couldn't hold a candle to what it does today, not even the Melodist feature. PTW was 3.5 or something at the time.

Today, to shell out $570 for an UltraPakPlus, which is the minimum to get all the styles, all the Real Drums and all the Real Tracks is a substantial and hefty investment There are some pretty good Yamaha arranger keyboards that you can get for that, as well as getting the Ketron SD2. Something like Groove Agent in Cakewalk products would most likely have suited this person's needs.

As an established BIAB user, I don't object heavily to spending $100 a year or so to upgrade and to support PG Music. But, unless a person is truly and fully aware of what BIAB does today, versus what it did even five years ago, there is no justifiable, or 'apparent' justifiable reason to spend $570 for software.

Band In A Box, today more than ever, is music production tool like none other. It is, seriously, Pro Grade. But, unless people KNOW, have had the opportunity to see what Band In A Box is TRULY capable of, then they don't understand that it's not overpriced.

What I would love to see is someone like Matt Finley take some of his songs that he's written with BIAB, and PERFORM them with BIAB, and get someone like Harvey Gerst to master them. Put that out there for the community of musicians to see, and get an idea of the full potential of BIAb, and then people will start to realize what it's really worth.

Of course, an updated review by EM or Keyboard wouldn't hurt, either.

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!