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RealBand
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38 |
Hello,
Current : BIAB 2008
Considering : Update to Plus Pack HD with Real Band
Hardware : PC plus MOTU 2408, Alesis HD24, four VS-2480
Software : Sonar, BIAB, Fruity XL, Ableton 5
I went through the Real Band demos and was blown away with what I heard ! Band in a Box has come a long way.
Being a studio owner I see an immediate potential in a studio environment for Real Band.
My main concern is with Sync-ing audio output from the computer to a stand alone digital recorder. In the past, with BIAB MIDI instruments, I just took the standard MIDI files into Sonar and added groove quantise-ing and recorded the sound module outputs into the digital recorder. Mixes are mainly done outside the computer. Once the MIDI file is in Sonar I can sync the computer to the recorder through SMPTE. BIAB does not support SMPTE or groove quantise-ing.
I am assuming that Real Band does not support SMPTE either. I am using an older MOTU 2408 that only has an D/A converter in 20 bit. Therefore I will be doing the individual track output transfers in digital because MOTU 2408 will pass through 24 bit digital data. It can receive/send up to 24 track of digital via three ADAT light pipe I/O.
Question : Does Real Band support Multiple outputs - one stereo or mono digital output per instrument?
(If you are familiar with MOTU 2408, "piano" to ADAT 1, ch 1 - "strings" to ADAT 1 ch 2 - "stereo drums" to ADAT 1 ch 3 and 4 - etc.)
The long way around of syncing to an external recorder is to visually line up tracks using using the count in, after each track is recorded into the multi-track. That can get pretty tedious and counter productive to any minor arrangement or instrument changes.
Question : Does Real Drums output the used "audio clips" by individual drum instruments ? In other words, were the "audio clips" created as a stereo audio tracks?
Stereo drum audio tracks includes the entire kit. This will not allow any processing of individual instruments, such as re-EQ'ing the kick drum, or applying a different reverb on the toms, etc.
Undoubtedly the addition of Real Band to my studio arsenal will be a plus. I am trying to get an idea of how much of its capabilities I can utilize. Sync to external recorder is an issue I want to understand well before spending $400. Versatility of generated drum tracks is another.
I appreciate any input.
Thanks
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
RealBand is based on the PowerTracks engine and look and runs very much like PowerTracks Pro. Both can support SMPTE. However, the user must realize that when Audio tracks are involved, which is what the RealTracks are, that realtime tempo stretching cannot be supported as it can be easily done with MIDI tracks but not with Audio.
--Mac
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,604
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,604 |
I can vouch for the syncng of the sequencer/DAW.
SMPTE and midi time code still apply.
If tempo is known it is easy, and if it isn't, one of the strong features of RB is the ACW which not only analyzes chords, but also tenpos, allowing one to rewrite the tempo map for syncing if necessary.
You are right- the drums are indeed a stero mix, but the ones I've used were recorded well enough that with proper EQing you can do a lot with the kit mix.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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About the RealDrums:
Do they work in *every* case?
No. There are certain types of productions where the drumkit mixing is a part of the production. In these cases, the producer is likely better off using a different drum solution that allows that kind of total control over each instrument in the kit, with separation.
However, for a good amount of work, the RealDrums have proven to represent a super shortcut that sounds very good to excellent. For example, I've been asked who the drummer was on the session. By another drummer.
--Mac
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RealBand
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70 |
Yoda, you can use use MIDI Sync as Sync Source. You would press play on RealBand and awaiting MIDI Sync dialog will pop up.Then hit play/record on your recorder. I use an HD8. works a treat!!!
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RealBand
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 38 |
Thank you all for your response.
Interesting . . . The software engine for RB is Power Tracks and not BIAB and it supports SMPTE or MTC. Cool !
So when I get Real Band, there is a dialog box to send MTC. My VS2480 sends and receives MTC, so I can bypass the MTC to SMPTE converter. Cool #2 !
Question for Stephan326 . . .
Can Real Band act as the "sync slave" ? Your post sounds like RB can indeed do that. If I can control RB via MTC from the recorder . . . that would be Cool #3 !
About the drums. Although they are some of the best sounding drum samples I've ever heard, on most of my mixing process, I would need or want more control of each drum instruments. Fortunately I have several local drummers available to replace the finished drum track. Certainly there will be situations where Real Drums output will be just fine to use on the final mix.
I will be ordering my upgrade within a couple of weeks.
Thanks
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RealBand
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Joined: May 2003
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Yes RB can sync to either MIDI sync, MTC or SMPTE
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RealBand
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70 |
Yoda, that is absolutely correct!!
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RealBand
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
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Joined: Jun 2005
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You really need to speak to Harvey Gerst. If you don't recognize the name, google it. Big time producer, engineer and studio owner. He's a forum member and uses Biab and Real Tracks a lot in his work. He's very helpful around here and if he doesn't see this thread, I would email him.
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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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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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
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.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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