I have 5 songs all done with BIAB and RB ready to release on an EP, I need some helpful advice on how I can Cheaply Master these 5 songs. This is a ministry project with a budget of "$0.00" Since they are using all of my original songs I have done all the recording, mixing, and production work.
The problem is some of the tracks are different volumes, 3 are where I want them to be, the other 2 are too soft. Any help would be appreciated. The only other SW tool I am using is Audacity.
"When you help somebody else you are really helping yourself"
dga, if all you want to do is to even the volumes you have the tools to do it yourself. Bring one of your ok volume songs into Audacity and look at the playback level. Then put in a not ok volume song and by either using amplify or normalize and match this level with the ok song.
If there is a lot of dynamics in those songs and the soft sections are still to low then you will have to either manually raise the those volumes in your DAW or in Audacity try some compression or a limiter then repeat the above mentioned process.
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
With only 5 songs, your ear and PGPeakLimit may be the simplest cheapest answer. Run the other 2 softer songs thru PGPeakLimit and adjust to match the others.
VERY simple method; load Song 1 (louder) on track 1. Load song 2 (softer) on track 2. Insert PGPeakLimit in the plugin area for track 2, audition back and forth while adjusting the pregain in PGPeakLimit..
Or whole 'nother route is use the 10 free day trial of Izotope Ozone .. and then try not to buy it once it expires .. <grin>
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
With only 5 songs, your ear and PGPeakLimit may be the simplest cheapest answer. Run the other 2 softer songs thru PGPeakLimit and adjust to match the others.
VERY simple method; load Song 1 (louder) on track 1. Load song 2 (softer) on track 2. Insert PGPeakLimit in the plugin area for track 2, audition back and forth while adjusting the pregain in PGPeakLimit..
Or whole 'nother route is use the 10 free day trial of Izotope Ozone .. and then try not to buy it once it expires .. <grin>
Never thought to pull 2 songs into one session and adjust the volume like that. Much appreciated. Works like a charm.
"When you help somebody else you are really helping yourself"
dga, if all you want to do is to even the volumes you have the tools to do it yourself. Bring one of your ok volume songs into Audacity and look at the playback level. Then put in a not ok volume song and by either using amplify or normalize and match this level with the ok song.
If there is a lot of dynamics in those songs and the soft sections are still to low then you will have to either manually raise the those volumes in your DAW or in Audacity try some compression or a limiter then repeat the above mentioned process.
Tried this but was not able to get the levels quite right. Using rharv's suggestion
Last edited by dga; 04/19/1604:58 PM.
"When you help somebody else you are really helping yourself"
Or... learn a bit about the process and roll your own. It's the harder way, but certainly more worthwhile in the long run.
Or... if you like the tone and overall mix... the 3 that are "at the right levels".... simply use them to compare to the others and use Normalize to bring the other 2 up.... burn the output when you think it's right. Then, put all 5 on a disk or player and listen for a few days to see if they all sound like they're part of the same project.
You can also post the 5 to a hosting site and let the ears here, hear the songs in question and offer advice.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add 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.
Or... learn a bit about the process and roll your own. It's the harder way, but certainly more worthwhile in the long run.
Or... if you like the tone and overall mix... the 3 that are "at the right levels".... simply use them to compare to the others and use Normalize to bring the other 2 up.... burn the output when you think it's right. Then, put all 5 on a disk or player and listen for a few days to see if they all sound like they're part of the same project.
You can also post the 5 to a hosting site and let the ears here, hear the songs in question and offer advice.
I tried landr once, got so so results. Been digging around for methodology, on a bunch of sites, usually they are employing expensive plug-ins in DAWs like Pro Tools, Cubase, Performer, Sonar etc....
I'm looking for solutions in RB and Audacity. I'm getting close to a process, just wanted to know if others have tips. I like your Or.....section a lot. Thanks
"When you help somebody else you are really helping yourself"
This is an exciter effect which, when used sparingly, adds some nice finishing touches to your track. Excite a bit of the low/mid/high and it will sound good, just don't overdo it.
The second device I added is a compressor (ReaComp - it comes with Reaper) that allows for parallel compression. You can use any compressor of your choice as long as it allows you to independently set the Wet/Dry signal amounts. It's important that the Wet/Dry amounts are independent of each other. The key here is to heavily compress the master track at a high ratio and threshold so it pumps and breathes, and then mix that in with the dry signal of the master track. When you find the right level balance the track will become thicker and fuller with the heavily compressed track mixed in. This is called parallel compression and you can look it up yourself for further details. You don't necessarily need a compressor that has independent Wet/Dry signal balancing, but it makes it easier.
The third device is a multiband compressor. I use the standard one that comes with Reaper (ReaXComp) and it works great. The key is to use 3 to 5 bands and compress each band. You will have to research a bit of multiband compression as it is an advanced subject and takes a bit of learning to get the best results. I recommend reading "The Dance Music Manual" by Rick Snoman which even includes some beginning preset settings for multiband compression that come in very handy for beginners.
Reverb #2 - Nebula3 Free (http://www.acustica-audio.com/index.p...) - You have to order this one and go through the shopping cart procedure but it's still 100% free and well worth the effort
Use either of these 'verbs and put just a small touch of reverb on your master to make everything gel together. A little goes a long way so don't overdo it.
The final chain I have decided to go with in this exact order is:
Many Many Thanks Pipeline. I just had a long discussion with one of my recording friends and he also suggested Reaper, and the ThrillSeeker VSTeffects. He demonstrated them to me I am quite impressed. I understand now why so many people are wishing RealBand (PG) had a full plethora of VSTs. Seems like they could cut a deal for a few from everyone and include it in their package.
"When you help somebody else you are really helping yourself"
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
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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.
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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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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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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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
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