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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,342
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,342 |
I've been using BiaB EverythingPak since 2007 and have been updating every year 'till 2013. The past two years I didn't have the opportunity to update and, since I was completely happy with the content, didn't feel I missed out that much.
How wrong PG proved me to be...
I got to update (upgrade) to BiaB UltraPlusPak 2016 and I was completely blown away. The GUI is upgrated, the functionality is enhanced and all the new Realtracks... Just wow!
In the past three years I didn't get around to writing music and visiting these forums all that much. Now I have some time to do what I love to do, and BiaB is there to help and inspire me. Thank you Team PG for making such a great tool as BiaB!
Grtz. Mike
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
Mike,
Glad you have some time now to enjoy music again.
Some of us take it for granted, some of us complain, and it's nice to hear from someone who has been away for awhile.
BiaB/RB is indeed fascinating and one of a kind.
Realtracks rule. Have fun!
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,883
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,883 |
I've been a faithful updater for many years, and I'm still impressed each year with the new things.... so I can imagine that what you just experienced was pretty freaking awesome.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815 |
I need to get around to installing my new 2016 version. I skipped the 2015 update, so I am looking forward to a host of new RT's.
I never got the sampletank and super-midi's stuff going, I will have to figure that out, too.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,845
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,845 |
Hi, Mike -
Looking forward to seeing more posting, as well as your helpfulness as in the past, from you.
And yes, even though there are some growing pains with some of the new features of 2016, especially with the rewritten style feature and the new chord grid enhancements, they are being worked out diligently by PGMusic, and the new sounds are AWESOME!
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,605
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Joined: Oct 2008
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I need to get around to installing my new 2016 version. I skipped the 2015 update, so I am looking forward to a host of new RT's.
I never got the sampletank and super-midi's stuff going, I will have to figure that out, too. Kevin, I've just installed BIAB 2016 on a new computer and how I got Sampletank going was to download ver. 2.5 through my account at IK Multimedia's site. I then installed it independently of BIAB and unchecked the option in BIAB when I ran set up. After I installed ST, the Authorization Manager from IK Multimedia automatically kicked in and the required serial number was available at IK Multimedia under "Support | User Area | My products". After that, when I opened my first Supermidi track, I was prompted by ST to give the path for the BIAB instruments. In my case these files came off "C:\Program Files (x86)\IKMultimedia\Instruments". Using the "Browse" option, I simply navigated to there. As a note, the above option is set through "Prefs" in ST and the path needs to be directory immediately above the "Band In A Box" directory. Hope this helps, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,057
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,057 |
Mike, Welcome back. Didn't get to know you before so I'm looking forward to hearing your songs and reading your comments (please don't read that as though if I did know you from before that I'd automatically dislike you  ) I'm REALLY glad you made your post. The program does have quirks and faults but it's really easy for the faults to make us overlook how good we have it when we are involved with using and learning the product everyday. All I have to do is listen to ANYTHING I recorded prior to using PG Music products versus listening to anything after to immediately realize the amazing things these programs can do to make my musical output better. I like to play with music, not play music. With Band-in-a-Box, RealBand and the piano and guitar chord dictionaries I can create songs that I hear in my mind but am not capable of playing on an instrument. I can quickly craft midi or audio chord progressions, melodies or solos. I can use top session musicians playing instruments I do not understand or can not afford. I can use midi and audio loops, heck I can create loops! All this and UserTracks too. This is before I even start including using VSTi, VST, third party samples and loops. Yes, we have it good.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,610
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,610 |
Hey Mike,
Welcome back! I am also glad you made this post. There are few people who concentrate on a few glitches of this awesome product, and typically do not mention anything good (or, very little). All in all (and NOTHING is ever perfect, as you well know), BIAB is a product that is ONE OF A KIND! There is NO match for what BIAB allows you to do.
So, yeah ... I'm happy to chime in and ditto your post. BIAB is plain awesome!!!
For those who concentrate on just those things that aren't working the way they expect to, fine. There is a need to point those things out. BUT, be honest and fair and admit that Dr. Peter Gannon and staff have come up with the BEST product for creative people in music. BIAB is IT.
RealBand is another story - some like it, some don't. I've never bothered to really get into it since I've been working with SONAR so many years. No chip off my shoulder there. Plenty of people have their individual tastes on DAWs.
At any rate, thanks for the enthusiastic post, Mike!!!
Cheers, Mike My Music * Asus ROG Strix G15CF 32 GB DDR4 4TB HDD + 1 TB SSD NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Win 11 AKAI EIE PRO Sound Interface. BIAB/RB 2024 UltraPak Build - Latest
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610 |
Thanks for your post MikeK. BIAB is a great product and I have no sympathy for those few who do nothing but complain. The only app that approaches what BIAB can do is iRealB and it is a distant second. Nowhere near as sophisticated as BIAB. I have no complaints whatsoever about what I use BIAB for, auto-accompaniment. 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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
RealBand is another story - some like it, some don't. I've never bothered to really get into it since I've been working with SONAR so many years. No chip off my shoulder there. Plenty of people have their individual tastes on DAWs.
RB is not the best DAW ever, but it does allow BiaB features in a DAW environment. That has a LOT of value. Many users don't realize the value in RB (having never tried it). I guess I just don't understand why you wouldn't bother. It's free (included with BiaB) and does things neither BiaB nor any other DAW can do. It's like an intermediate step from BiaB to your DAW of choice and offers SO many benefits..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,610
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,610 |
RealBand is another story - some like it, some don't. I've never bothered to really get into it since I've been working with SONAR so many years. No chip off my shoulder there. Plenty of people have their individual tastes on DAWs.
RB is not the best DAW ever, but it does allow BiaB features in a DAW environment. That has a LOT of value. Many users don't realize the value in RB (having never tried it). I guess I just don't understand why you wouldn't bother. It's free (included with BiaB) and does things neither BiaB nor any other DAW can do. It's like an intermediate step from BiaB to your DAW of choice and offers SO many benefits.. Don't get me wrong, I did "try it". But, for what I am doing, it's just not my cup of tea. Maybe, sometime down the road. And I am not complaining about RB. It's great for those who find it useful with their workflow. Mine is just different. Not taking anything away from RB here at all. 
Cheers, Mike My Music * Asus ROG Strix G15CF 32 GB DDR4 4TB HDD + 1 TB SSD NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Win 11 AKAI EIE PRO Sound Interface. BIAB/RB 2024 UltraPak Build - Latest
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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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Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
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.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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!
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)
- 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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
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.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
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