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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2011
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In reading the forums, it seems many of the veteran users don't use Real Band. My impression may be wrong, and if it is, please let me know.
If I'm right, I am curious about the reasons. I want to strat recording my originals again but I don't want to start with Real Band if it has a lot of problems or significant limitations.
Comments? Thanks.
2b
i5-3210 laptop. Win 10 Home. 2.5ghz, 64 bit. 6gb RAM. Focusrite Scarlet 2i2.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Well, I for one, may be in the minority. But after using the software for over 5 years, I use RB exclusively for my songs. I rarely if ever open BIAB. I experience no problems and no issues with RB. Its flexibility using 40 some tracks, ability to regenerate sections of tracks and its ability to allow me to use RT's along with 4 hardware synths and multiple VSTi's are an advantage to me that BIAB cannot duplicate.
Jeff
Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2026, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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2b,
Many users here have the following workflow:
1: Create the initial song in BiaB, chords, melody, structure, style etc.
2: Import it into RealBand for fine-tuning, adding additional tracks beyond BiaB's track limitation, regenerate only certain sections of the song rather than the entire song as BiB is limited to, etc.
3: Optionally, export the RB tracks to a different DAW for final mastering, mixing etc.
Many times, there's no need to go past Step 1.
So I think that many users start with BiaB, and take it to RealBand if required. Some might skip Step 2 all together.
Others will chip in with their work flow.
HTH
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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Many of use had DAWs years before RealBand (RB) existed, RB is a late addition to Band-in-a-Box. I am a hobbyist who is very familiar with my DAW and I want to spend whatever time I have making music and not learning another DAW, YMMV.
But if you do not have a favorite DAW then RB is the one that you should learn. It is free and you already have it plus it integrates perfectly with BiaB.
Remember that you can not tell what DAW a person has used when listening to their songs.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
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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Many of use had DAWs years before RealBand (RB) existed, RB is a late addition to Band-in-a-Box. I am a hobbyist who is very familiar with my DAW and I want to spend whatever time I have making music and not learning another DAW, YMMV.
But if you do not have a favorite DAW then RB is the one that you should learn. It is free and you already have it plus it integrates perfectly with BiaB.
Remember that you can not tell what DAW a person has used when listening to their songs. +1 on what Mario said. Learning a DAW is very difficult, especially for flatulent old, badly bent Irishmen. We generally learn a comfortable workflow with whatever software we have at hand and avoid tackling a new, steep learning curve. I realize the convenience of RB (it is integral to BIAB, Windows Version) and I have set a personal goal to learn it this year.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi all Well I guess it all a case of horses for courses. Personally my most used DAW is Sona, but then I have been using cakewalk since way back version 3.? . I also have a copy of the now unavailable Yamaha XG works this is still useful for working on my Yamaha keyboard files that still use X G voices and commands till this day. This is the only program I have that can work with Yamaha Styles on the PC and allows you to put in a chord progression and chose style parts Intro ,variation ending etc. With BIAB and Realband working seamlessly together I am quite well set up . Especially when you ad in NI Kontakt 5 and lots of libraries My other major learning curve was Ableton 8 live (lite) this is a completely different beast and came with my Novation Impulse 61 keyboard . This DAW is aimed at live DJ type work and allows you to launch clips on the fly from the drum pads on the keyboard while the project is running, amongst a whole host of other looping and sampling features . Not for the faint hearted this one.   Having fun, (must be the Mushrooms.) Mike
BIAB2021 UltraPlus,AsusN55S1Tbssd, W10/64,Akai EIEpro Yamaha CVP405,SquireStrat, CoolsoftVMidSynth Novatation Impulse61 Ctr kbd, Cwalk blab Kontakt http://mikesmusic.byethost16.com/
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Like the others, I learned another DAW first. I go back to Cakewalk Pro Audio, the precursor to SONAR.
I suppose I'm hoping that PG Music will add the ability to regenerate sections of a RealTrack to BIAB (like you can do in RealBand), and then I'd be all set.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I suppose I'm hoping that PG Music will add the ability to regenerate sections of a RealTrack to BIAB (like you can do in RealBand), and then I'd be all set.
+1 on that, Matt! I love BIAB but really cannot get on with RB. It must be a 'veterans' thing but i just find it too hard to use. Too clunky. Its got to be me cos there are many RB users who get it to do their bidding. So I end up importing my BIAB wavs into a 14 year old DAW (Cakewalk GTPro2). Just my two penny worth. Ian
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I suppose I'm hoping that PG Music will add the ability to regenerate sections of a RealTrack to BIAB (like you can do in RealBand), and then I'd be all set.
Another big +1!
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
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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I suppose I'm hoping that PG Music will add the ability to regenerate sections of a RealTrack to BIAB (like you can do in RealBand), and then I'd be all set.
Another big +1! Yes ! (Maybe we should be back over in the wishlist? Maybe, just maybe, it might happen one day)
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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Ok, I just posted in the Wishlist. Please give it a boost if you agree. This wish would not take anything away from those who use RealBand, just give the same feature to BIAB users.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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You can do that. Allanah posted a song some years ago that had parts of over 20 RT's in it. You do it in the Bars window. I believe you put the cursor on the bar you want to start with in the chord grid, open the bars window, select the RT for the instrument track you want. If you don't change it then that RT will be generated from that point to the end of the song. But, if you go back to the chord grid, select the bar you want that RT to end, you then go back to the bars window and select something else from that new point forward and so on. It's the same process as changing styles in and out of certain bars. I remember her song was amazing.
Now, I'm not saying it's any easier to do this in Biab than it would be in RB. I love RB. All I'm saying is this has been possible in Biab since the first RT's were created.
As to the OP question, inmo there are two reasons why people don't use RB. The first has already been talked about. They've been using another DAW for years and don't want to take the time to learn another one. That's why PG created the ability to Drag and Drop tracks to other DAWs. The second reason is there are many, many users who just never looked at it. It's free, they think it's a little throw away or whatever they might think it is. Biab does what they want and that's it. It's only when they raise a question where the best answer is to use RB that they might get interested.
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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You can do that. Allanah posted a song some years ago that had parts of over 20 RT's in it. You do it in the Bars window. I believe you put the cursor on the bar you want to start with in the chord grid, open the bars window, select the RT for the instrument track you want. If you don't change it then that RT will be generated from that point to the end of the song. But, if you go back to the chord grid, select the bar you want that RT to end, you then go back to the bars window and select something else from that new point forward and so on. It's the same process as changing styles in and out of certain bars. I remember her song was amazing.
Now, I'm not saying it's any easier to do this in Biab than it would be in RB. I love RB. All I'm saying is this has been possible in Biab since the first RT's were created.
...
Bob
Intriguing. Bob, are you saying you choose the same RealTrack name at several points in the song, and it only regenerates the 'new' one? I'm not sure how this works. To make sure my request is clear, I want to have the same RealTrack throughout the song, but be able to regenerate only, say, bars 10-16 because the rest of the BIAB song is fine.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I'm not a veteran, but I haven't used RealBand for the first couple of years because of the learning curve of BIAB.
Now I use BIAB for rapid prototyping and then RB for the finetuning. Depending on what I'm doing I use Reaper for further processing the final result, mainly because I don't want to [accidentally] mess with the already desired result of RB.
RealBand offers more visual information than BIAB while BIAB is faster when changing some detail of a tune. In RB for instance it is easier to add a RealTrack for just a couple of measures -- maybe because you want to have the rhythm guitar player to play a different style for a single chorus.
For about two years I say that I wish BIAB and RB grew together. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. I'm happy with both programs, but there are some things that should have the same look and feel in both programs.
Last edited by GHinCH; 03/17/16 01:59 AM.
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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OP
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I'm glad I asked the question. The answers have been very helpful.
As for being able to generate the same RT for just a portion of the song, put me down for a +1. One of the reasons I have hesitated to use RTs is the few measures which just don't work for me. An easy way to get a few measures regenerated would be very helpful.
Thanks to all of you.
2b
i5-3210 laptop. Win 10 Home. 2.5ghz, 64 bit. 6gb RAM. Focusrite Scarlet 2i2.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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First of all let me point out that there is more than one right way to use these tools. If the music is good, no matter what tools and/or what your work flow is, you are doing it right. Me? I like separate dedicated tools for different functions. My usual work flow is: - If there is an appropriate style, start the work in Band-in-a-Box
- Export to an old copy of Master Tracks Pro (I can't recommend the new edition - too buggy) where I can massage parts, add song specific licks, and do things that this tool does better than BiaB
- Import into Power Tracks Pro Audio to add audio parts
- Export everything as a WAV file
- Use CDex to make an mp3 file
There are variations of this theme. If I use Real Styles I'll go right to Power Tracks Pro Audio and skip Master Tracks Pro -- if there is no appropriate BiaB style I might start with MTPro, and so on. I find BiaB does auto-accompaniment with a few more features than Real Band, and I find Power Tracks Pro Audio to have more features than Real Band --- but that could be simply because I haven't used Real Band that much and simply don't know where to find them. Like some of the other posters, I've been using MTPro since the 1980s and Power Tracks since it came out. I'm comfortable with the programs and can work quickly with them (more hands on my instruments and less time with the computer). There might be better apps out there for me, but I know how to use these. It reminds me of this. The standard US QWERTY keyboard was designed to slow down the typist. In the early days the typewriters were slow, mechanical beasts and typists used to jam them by going too fast. The DVORAK keyboard is much, much quicker. In the early days of the PC, there was a software switch to convert your keyboard to the DVORAK system. Even though DVORAK is much faster, people stuck with QUERTY because they already knew how to use it, and although in the end DVORAK would be faster, until the learning curve was complete, it would be slower. In other words, instant gratification won. I've seen schemes to have transposing piano keyboards. That would make life easier for piano players. Unlike guitars, the scale has a different shape in every key. So for every major, minor, blues, pentatonic, etc. scale or mode you have to learn 12 different fingerings. A transposing piano keyboard would cut your work in a twelfth. But nobody embraced them because pianists and organists already knew the old system. Real Band and most of the other tools out today are far better than they were a decade ago. Great music was made on computers 25 years ago, so there isn't much for you to be concerned about. Try it, if it doesn't agree with you, or if you find it can't do something you want to do, investigate another option. Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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I have been using BIAB for many years, and have yet to venture into Real Band. I have no other DAW, as perhaps I am still using the product as my musical accompaniment.
I regenerate every time I play, and if the notes are off a little, I don't really care. It would happen in any group from time to time.
I have never tried to tweak tracks, freeze them, or otherwise make for a better sound. I don't use DXI or DVI or any sound other than the basic wave tables supplied. I did try Coyote once but didn't notice any difference.
My process is to copy chords from the sheet music / fake book, find an appropriate style (swing or even) and add the melody. That's it. I don't record, or create recordings. It's not why I bought BIAB.
I do print off the fake sheet so that I can play along, but I let BIAB do the rest. Other than Real Drums, I rarely have any other real tracks, and have only recently started to use instruments other than bass and drums.
There is so much in BIAB that I don't use, but good luck to any who want to travel that route. But for me BIAB will always be a simple way to have a band available to play with whenever I want. Please don't make BIAB more complicated than it already is. If there is a need to keep it relevant in today's music world the please do it in Real Band or something new, and leave BIAB as a perfect accompaniment tool.
BIAB for Windows Version 2019 (643)
Windows 10 (1909)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have been using BIAB for many years, and have yet to venture into Real Band. I have no other DAW, as perhaps I am still using the product as my musical accompaniment.
I regenerate every time I play, and if the notes are off a little, I don't really care. It would happen in any group from time to time.
I have never tried to tweak tracks, freeze them, or otherwise make for a better sound. I don't use DXI or DVI or any sound other than the basic wave tables supplied. I did try Coyote once but didn't notice any difference.
My process is to copy chords from the sheet music / fake book, find an appropriate style (swing or even) and add the melody. That's it. I don't record, or create recordings. It's not why I bought BIAB.
I do print off the fake sheet so that I can play along, but I let BIAB do the rest. Other than Real Drums, I rarely have any other real tracks, and have only recently started to use instruments other than bass and drums.
There is so much in BIAB that I don't use, but good luck to any who want to travel that route. But for me BIAB will always be a simple way to have a band available to play with whenever I want. Please don't make BIAB more complicated than it already is. If there is a need to keep it relevant in today's music world the please do it in Real Band or something new, and leave BIAB as a perfect accompaniment tool.
Dave, You make excellent points, however, I don't think the suggested improvements to RB would necessitate changes to your current workflow. BIAB is filling your needs perfectly. We often go a little beyond your requirements and finalize in various DAWs such as in creating albums for iTunes etc. where some tweaking may be required. RB is sufficiently robust to fill the bill but discouraging with it's "brick wall" learning curve. Don
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I see what you're saying and I don't know the answer if you're talking about the same RT I guess try it and see. You may know I'm a tax guy so I have zero time to test anything right now. Allanah was using many different RT's in different places and some were short like 4 bars or so. Maybe you could PM her.
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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Thanks. Have fun with those returns, Bob, and don't give it another thought. I'm just interested in learning about new features when someone mentions them, but nothing urgent. I'll try to do some experiments. If this really works, I think it's a big deal.
I'm not so inexperienced with tax returns either. At one point I was doing 25 a year just for the immediate family, in four states. Not fun.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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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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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®!
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