Announcing... Xtra Styles Contest - 4 prizes of $150
We recently introduced Xtra Styles PAKs for Band-in-a-Box - these are new RealStyles in four categories: Jazz, Country, Rock/Pop, and Singer/Songwriter. Now you could win a prize for submitting a song that you made using an Xtra Style! We have one prize for each category. The winners will receive a $150 USD coupon for a future Band-in-a-Box purchase.
Participating can be as easy as typing in chords to a song, choosing an Xtra style, pressing play, then saving as an audio file and uploading to SoundCloud.
Please read the contest rules below. The contest is open for submission until midnight September 30, 2016
Contest Rules
You must own Band-in-a-Box 2016 along with one or more of the Xtra Styles PAKs.
The song you submit must be your own original composition. As mentioned, this could be simply typing in chords to your song and pressing play, but you may also add additional instruments, solo, and/or melody.
Submit your song to the "Xtra Styles Contest" forum, before the deadline.
To submit a song:
1. Make a song using an Xtra Style. Your song can be entirely Band-in-a-Box tracks, or you can add anything you want to it (vocals, additional instruments, etc.)
2. Save the song as an audio file and upload to SoundCloud (or somewhere else, as long as it can be downloaded/played from a url).
3. Post a new message in this forum that contains (1) a link to your song, (2) the name of the style you used (e.g. _LIBERTY), and (3) the category (e.g. Singer-Songwriter).
Start a new thread for your song, rather than replying to an existing thread. It is a good idea to include the title of your song in your post title. Note: If you're not sure of the category, look for the style name in the 'RealTracks - Demos\Xtra Styles' folder (e.g. RealTracks - Demos\Xtra Styles\Singer-Songwriter\_LIBERTY Demo.sgu').
We will review the songs based on a combination of criteria, including:
good compositions / songwriting.
creativity / originality.
good use of Band-in-a-Box or RealBand.
overall quality.
haven't won other recent contests (not a requirement).
other contributions on the PG Music forum (not a requirement).
Regarding song submissions, are melodies that can be verified to be public domain also acceptable? (For example: JS Bach, Stephen Foster, Beethoven, folk songs, etc.)
Are we allowed to do any modifications on an individual track from the style or does it have to remain 100% as it came in the package. In other words, lets say the guitar track that came in the Xtra style I want to use just does not fit the song perfectly whereas a slightly different guitar track would fit it just fine. All the other tracks in that Xtra style would remain the same.
JCLAND
BIAB2026 Windows 10 Pro (Never Windows 11!) WA6NCB
If you're starting out with one of the 164 new RealStyles from the Xtra Styles PAK and make a few changes, that's fine! Just make sure to list the name of the style you used.
Better still, click on the [Memo] button in Band-in-a-Box, and paste the text from that into your Forum post with the song link.
How do i setup the style picker to show the 164 new RealStyles from the Xtra Styles PAK on my Mac Band in a Box USB drive ?
Hello W!
Sorting by date is a great option for now, as the 2016 Xtra Styles will be at the top of the list. You may also want to get in the habit of clicking on the "Set#" column heading, which groups together all the "Xtra PAK" style options. This will help when we release new styles with a more current date!
Ok, this is going to sound like a really dumb question, but I am not sure what genre to attach to the song I have already posted, Long Distance Runner.
It is prog rock. It comes from the jazz Xtra styles, technically speaking, but I turned it into kind of a rock/jazz or jazz/rock fusion thing. Right now I have Genre: Progressive Rock/Jazz. Do I have to choose a narrower category or am I good?
Also, I would assume you guys only want one posting per artist right, so as not to clog up the board?
Ok, that might have been two stupid questions.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Thanks for asking the questions, David. I have also wondered the same.
I've been thinking that since there are four categories of styles in the Xtra styles (namely: pop, rock, jazz, singer/songwriter), by 'genre' PG Music are meaning "What genre style did you use as the foundation for the submission" rather than the over-arching song genre.
I'm probably wrong, though. It will be good to get clarification.
The genre/category to post to would be the genre that the RealStyle used is included in. For your recent submission using the STARLIT.STY file, it would fall in the Jazz category.
The rules for this contest do not state that there is only 1 submission per person, so feel free to submit songs for each genre/category if you'd like!
Contest Rules: -You must own Band-in-a-Box 2016 along with one or more of the Xtra Styles PAKs. -The song you submit must be your own original composition. (This could be simply typing in chords to your song and pressing play, but you may also add additional instruments, solo, and/or melody.)
I need to switch the category of Long Distance Runner to "Jazz" since that is the real styles folder it came from (Starlit Style), but it looks like edit has been turned off and I can't edit my post.
Can one of you guys make that entry category change for me?
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
How do i setup the style picker to show the 164 new RealStyles from the Xtra Styles PAK on my Mac Band in a Box USB drive ?
Hello W!
Sorting by date is a great option for now, as the 2016 Xtra Styles will be at the top of the list. You may also want to get in the habit of clicking on the "Set#" column heading, which groups together all the "Xtra PAK" style options. This will help when we release new styles with a more current date!
Hello
CONFUSION
I purchased the 2016 Bonus 49PAK (49PAK-I) December 2015.
I executed this: To find out, look for the file _SANFRAN.STY in your main bb folder.
The file _SANFRAN.STY IS in my bb folder.
However when I sort styles by clicking on the "Set #" column, "Xtra PAK" does not display.
When I sort by date the latest year that is displayed is 2015. Since I purchased the 2016 Bonus 49PAK shouldn't there be 2016 dates displayed?
Have you installed the latest update? The minimum update that's needed for the Xtra styles to work properly is build 437.
Once that update is installed, sorting by date will put the Xtra styles at the top. If you double-click, the styles will be at the bottom of the list because it will be sorted in reverse order.
Updates for Windows versions of BIAB are found at the below link.
Have you installed the latest update? The minimum update that's needed for the Xtra styles to work properly is build 437.
Once that update is installed, sorting by date will put the Xtra styles at the top. If you double-click, the styles will be at the bottom of the list because it will be sorted in reverse order.
Updates for Windows versions of BIAB are found at the below link.
1. Rebuild the style list by clicking on either of the buttons on the lower left of Stylepicker.
2. Click on "Clear" (#1 on the image below).
3. Single-click on "Date" (#2 on image above) so that a a single asterisk is present next to date. This indicates that the sorting is from the most recent. (Double-clicking will give two asterisks and is not what is wanted.)
4. Scroll to the top of the style list.
Any luck? If not, re-install the Xtra Pak and work through steps 1 - 4 again.
1. Rebuild the style list by clicking on either of the buttons on the lower left of Stylepicker.
2. Click on "Clear" (#1 on the image below).
3. Single-click on "Date" (#2 on image above) so that a a single asterisk is present next to date. This indicates that the sorting is from the most recent. (Double-clicking will give two asterisks and is not what is wanted.)
4. Scroll to the top of the style list.
Any luck? If not, re-install the Xtra Pak and work through steps 1 - 4 again.
Hopefully this will help.
Regards, Noel
I tried the above refresh/rebuild but got the same results.
PG Music says:
Note: The Xtra Styles use RealTracks from the Band-in-a-Box® 2016 UltraPlusPAK, EverythingPAK, or Audiophile Edition, and require Build 437 or higher. A few styles use RealTracks from the 2016 49-PAK. Unsure if you already have the 49-PAK? To find out, look for the file _SANFRAN.STY in your main bb folder. The presence of this file indicates you have the 49-PAK.
I have the EverythingPAK Build 437.
I purchased the 49PAK December 2015 along with the 2016 BB upgrade. So according to the above I have the 49PAK installed because _SANFRAN.STY is in the BB folder.
Does the 49PAK contain Xtra Styles? If it does I don't see them in the Style Picker.
I have not purchased so I can't re-install the Xtra Pak.
The EverythingPAK + the 49PAK you purchased will give you all you need. (The 49PAK you bought in 12/2015 is the same one that PG Music is referring to.)
Have you installed the 49Pak?
It's probably wise to back up a little...
When you bought the EverythingPAK, how did you install it? Did you install a fully working copy to your hard drive or do you run some of all of the program from the USB drive?
The 49PAK is optional and, because of this, it will not be automatically be installed as part of the EverythingPak. If you purchased the E/PAK as a USB drive, I suspect that the 49PAK is on that USB drive and awaiting installation.
If you bought the EverythingPAK and the 49PAK directly from PG Music, you should also be able to login into your sales account and have download access for those purchases. To do this, go to PG Music's webpage and login using "My Account" (as shown below).
From here you should be able to download the 49PAK if you bought it in December 2015. The link will be under "My Products".
If none of the above work, you need to contact PG Music. They will have a record of your purchases and will be able to organise things for you. They are very good at looking after customers in this way. You will not be double-charged for anything you've already bought.
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!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
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.
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.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
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